Exploring Male Friendship in Dog Soldiers (2002)

When I was about 15, I sat down one night with my Dad to watch Neil Marshall’s British werewolf film Dog Soldiers (2002) without really realising what kind of film I was about to watch. At that point my experience with horror was still small but I was started to dip my toes into watching more and more films. My Dad was a big influence on my love of horror and also my love of war films and TV shows. So Dog Soldiers was the perfect blend of two genres that really always reminded me of my Dad, and I have so many fond memories of watching that film with him.

So can you imagine my excitement when Second Sight kindly asked if I would contribute to their 4K Special edition release of Dog Soldiers — absolutely fucking ecstatic to say the least. I really love the male friendships depicted within the film, and having grown up in a male dominated household and friendship group, it’s always been a topic I like to look at. So my essay The Dog’s Bollocks: The Tenderness of Male Friendship looks at how Sarge and Coop have a gentle and nurturing relationship.

You can grab a copy of this gorgeous release from Second Sight over on their website and have a read of my essay alongside other amazing essays from Alison Pierse, Anya Stanley and Craig Ian Mann.