The Blockhouse (1973) tells the harrowing true story of six men trapped in an underground bunker during World War II, surviving for years in darkness after Allied bombing seals them inside. This claustrophobic war drama blends historical realism with psychological intensity, offering a stark meditation on endurance, isolation, and the will to live.

Powerhouse films

Based upon harrowing real events which were turned into a 1955 novel by Jean-Paul Clébert, The Blockhouse starts explosively with an Allied air raid on a Nazi prison camp. Six escaped prisoners take shelter in an underground blockhouse, which is soon destroyed by heavy shelling. Trapped underground, with an almost endless supply of food, wine and candles, the men must endure confinement with no prospect of escape or rescue.

Featuring a stunning ensemble cast that includes Peter Sellers (Hoffman), Charles Aznavour (Shoot the Pianist), Peter Vaughan (Symptoms), Jeremy Kemp (The Strange Affair), Per Oscarsson (A Dandy in Aspic) and Leon Lissek (Marat/Sade), The Blockhouse was filmed on the Channel Islands in a dank and dark underground bunker, giving the film a suffocating sense of claustrophobia. This newly restored edition marks the films worldwide Blu-ray premiere.

Från IMDB:
During D-day several people become trapped while hiding in a bunker, when heavy shelling collapses it. They have plenty of food and water so they decide to wait for rescuers. And so they wait year, after year, after year.

INDICATOR STANDARD EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES

Restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative by Powerhouse Films

Two feature presentations: the distributor version (92 mins); and the directors version (92 mins) featuring revised and extended opening and closing captions

Original mono audio

Shots in the Dark (2022, 6 mins): co-star Leon Lissek remembers the highs