Pierre Schoendoerffer

Pierre Schoendoerffer

Pierre Schoendoerffer (1928-2012) was a French director and writer, known for Le Crabe-Tambour (1977), The 317th Platoon (1965) and The Anderson Platoon (1967). His colorful life shaped the films he went on to direct—he served as a soldier in Southeast Asia, was taken prisoner during the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and went on to be a war correspondent. After switching his focus to cinema, Schoendoerffer directed both documentaries and narrative feature films with great success. The 317th Platoon won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965 and Le Crabe-Tambour, based on a novel he wrote, won three César Awards. The iconic imagery of his films was a direct influence on the work of both Francis Ford Coppola and Stanley Kubrick.

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Pierre Schoendoerffer
  • The 317th Platoon

    Directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer • Drama • With Jacques Perrin, Bruno Cremer, Pierre Fabre • 1965 • 95 minutes

    1954. The dying days of the French war in Indochina. As the battle of Diên Biên Phu rages, the 317th platoon of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps are ordered to destroy their bas...

  • Le Crabe-Tambour

    Directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer • Drama • With Jean Rochefort, Jacques Perrin, Claude Rich, Jacques Dufilho • 1977 • 120 minutes

    A French naval frigate crosses the Atlantic, bringing supplies and medical care to the French fishing fleet off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. On board are three v...