The Bunker is a 2001 horror film directed by Rob Green, written by Clive Dawson and starring Jason Flemyng.
The harmonica tune coming from the forest (supposedly played by an American soldier) is “Man with a Harmonica” by Ennio Morricone, originally written for the 1968 spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West.
Plot:
In June 1944, the remnants of a platoon of German Panzergrenadiers from the Großdeutschland Division are caught in an ambush by American troops. In their retreat, they find a bunker, manned by an old man (John Carlisle) and a young boy (Andrew-Lee Potts). Left to defend the bunker and presuming themselves surrounded by the US forces which ambushed them, they are left by Area Command “to wait until relieved”.
As the night proceeds, strange tunnels are found beneath the bunker and the situation in the bunker becomes increasingly tense. Convinced that the enemy has worked their way into the tunnels, a terrible game of cat and mouse develops. Stalked by shadowy figures, it becomes increasingly unclear where their fantasies end and the danger begins.
As the paranoia builds up, Schenke (Andrew Tiernan), decides to take the cleansing of traitors and cowards upon himself…
“The Bunker works and achieves everything it strives for, and while the beginning seems to give away the film’s central question of reality vs. paranoia, the rest of the movie brings us back to that never-ending question. Even when Green gives us visions of the ghostly spectres, we’re still not entirely sure if they’re real.” Beyond Hollywood
” … glowingly acted, tightly paced, elegantly directed and unnerving watch. In the mood for smart, challenging and eerie? Don’t be afraid of no ghost and take this Bunker down! ” Arrow, JoBlo.com
“Even if one isn’t inclined to accept The Bunker‘s subjective approach to horror, the film is unquestionably elevated by solid direction, tight editing, moody cinematography and fine ensemble acting. (Flemyng, Carlisle and Tiernan – the latter bearing a strong resemblance to American actor Vincent D’Onofrio – are the real standouts.) Low-key special effects are impressive given the low budget. Every outdoor shot of the bunker was achieved using a half-scale mockup seamlessly integrated with the interior sets via editing.” Eccentric Cinema
MOVIES & MANIA provides previews, our own film reviews and ratings, plus links to other online reviews from a wide variety of trusted sources in one handy web location. This is a genuinely independent website and we rely solely on the minor income generated by internet ads to pay for web costs and cover yet more movies. Please support us by not blocking ads. Thank you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.