Spikeopath Hunde, wollt ihr ewig leben (Dogs, do you want to live forever?) Is directed by Frank Wisbar and adapted to screenplay by Wisbar, Frank Dimen and Heinz Schröter from the Fritz Wöss novel. It stars Joachim Hansen, Wilhelm Borchert, Wolfgang Preiss and Carl Lange. Music is by Herbert Windt and cinematography by Helmut Ashley. It was a hell hole pocket. A little cracker jack of a war movie, coming at things from a German's point of view during the Battle of Stalingrad. Through the eyes of our protagonist we come to be part of his disillusionment with the Nazi ways, we witness cowardly majors and obstinate leaders who left the German troops and their allies ill equipped to fight the battle. A bitter Xmas present. As Hermann Göring preaches from his pulpit, many miles away from the battle, he's celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Third Reich, all while Stalingrad burns and his army lie dying or limbless in a makeshift grungy hospital. The impact is enough to sicken you to your stomach. Away from the anti-war thematic thrusts of the narrative, battle scenes are niftily constructed (though some of the spliced footage is incorrect to this battle). While the monochrome photography is in turns gorgeous and then potent to the horrors of war. Splendidly performed by the principals as well.As has been noted by others who have reviewed this little seen film, the subtitles are poor. Too fast to read sometimes while any language not in German (Eastern Europeans) isn't catered for. A shame, but in the wake of what a very good film this is, it's a small price to pay. 8/10

wuf0170 This refers to the English subtitled release of this film.This film deals with a tragic defeat and the destruction of the 6th Army at Stalingrad. It was produced shortly after the German POWs taken at Stalingrad had returned home, so had to deal with a critical and knowledgeable audience. It also walked a tightrope, delivering an anti-war message and condemning German leadership in a country which was sick unto death of finger pointing and criticism.The events in the film take place over more than four months. In order to tell the story coherently, the film shifts focus from narrative to vignette. As the story nears its end, the focus narrows and remains with the troops trapped in Stalingrad, starving and written off by Hitler. All in all, it is well told and the acting is quite good.On the downside, whoever did the subtitles could have done a better job. I speak German and seeing the subtitles while hearing the dialog and knowing a bit of the history created a bit of a dissonance. General Hoth's name is repeatedly written "Hooth", breakout (as in a breakout from the encirclement) is translated as "Breaking ranks," OberLeutnant (1st Lieutenant) is written as "Lieut. Col.", and when von Paulus uses the word Meuterie (Mutiny), it is translated as disobedience. I suspect that those who are familiar with the history of the battle for Stalingrad and military ranks, but who don't speak German, may have a bit of a problem. these problems with the subtitles led me to give this movie 4 instead of 5 stars.Still, the story is well told and survives the translator's bludgeon. I was left wanting a bit more. Few films these days manage that.

Ucurian A lot of times I read here by IMBD, that there are only three war-films on the eastern front (Cross of Iron, Stalingrad and Enemy at gates). There are a lot of other european films with this topic and for me this one is the best of all. There are war films better than this, but no one at the eastern front.

2nd_Ekkard This black&white picture deals mainly with the german armies on the eastern front- starting with all the glamour of third reich parades and the comradeship even in russia´s tough winters - then finally collapsing into Stalingrad, the major breakdown of all hopes for a german victory...Some of the acting from todays point of view seems melodramatic and the perspective towards General Paulus and other officers in high ranks is a lot different from how historians of the nineties would describe them. The movie gives an impression of a group of men, who keep fighting though they have already lost. I like the movie, still thirteen years was probably too short to get the point really...