I still remember the rainy Saturday when I took a trip to my local cinema to see a film called Dog Soldiers. All I knew at the time was that it was a first-time feature from writer and director Neil Marshall. A fan of werewolf films, I was instantly smitten with this inventive and unusual mixture of military, lycanthropes, and comedy. Now, twenty years later, Dog Soldiers is an iconic entry into werewolf movie history. Despite its status though, the best format to watch the film has, for years, been on DVD. Boutique physical media house Second Sight have now rectified this horrible oversight as they unleash a freshly restored 4K edition of the film.
Released on both Bluray and UHD, the Dog Soldiers restoration has been created from the original camera negative. Approved by Neil Marshall and director of photography Sam McCurdy, this new version is the absolute best way to watch the classic. The film has honestly never looked better and even those that have watched Dog Soldiers countless times before will feel as if they are viewing it for the first time again. From the icy cool rocks and greenery to spurts of blood and intestines, the colours are bright and beautiful. They jump off of the screen and the blood gags land especially well. The picture is so much clearer that things that were not noticeable before are now clearly visible such as werewolves lurking where previously they had been a surprise.
What makes Dog Soldiers really special is how unashamedly British it is. There’s an ongoing joke and conversation about the big football game between England and Germany. The importance of this game and devastation of missing out on it is likely lost on those outside of the Isles. To those that have lived through a football fevered fanatic, it’s an all too real scenario. The manner in which the squad tease and torment each other is classic British man friendship. Their realistic dynamic is vital to the piece. If the audience doesn’t buy them as a team, they can’t invest in the drama that comes later. Marshall takes his time getting to the really fun stuff. The bulk of the first hour of the film is spent with the men. There’s the occasional flurry of action and violence, but much of this first half is character and mood building. When Marshall does let loose, he throws everything he can at the screen and the result is thrilling to experience.
Never content to just deliver a quality version of a beloved film, Second Sight also ensures their discs are packed with special content. The distributor makes discs for those with a passion for the medium and people with a keen desire to know more about the films then just who is in them. For Dog Soldiers, the team has pulled out all of the stops. In the mix with archival features comes a brand new forty minute interview with Neil Marshall, teasingly titled Werewolves, Crawlers, Cannibals and More. As the name suggests this is an in-depth look at Marshall’s body of work. There’s plenty more commentaries, video essays, and even an hour-long making-of to sink your teeth into, meaning that this release is your one-stop shop for everything Dog Soldiers.
With a strong and solid history in creating beautifully curated discs, Second Sight have once again made a product that is worthy of a place on the shelves of even the most picky collector.
Dog Soldiers
Summary
Another string in the bow of Second Sight’s ever expanding arsenal of painstakingly curated treasured titles, Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers has never been better.
Dog Soldiers is out now on Blu Ray and UHD via Second Sight today. Dog Soldiers also screens at Arrow Video FrightFest on Sunday 28th August in the Prince Charles Cinema at 1:30pm. Neil Marshall and some members of the cast will also be in attendance for a Q & A. Tickets for the special event can be purchased here.
