Slaughterhouse-Five
Billy Pilgrim, a veteran of the Second World War, finds himself mysteriously detached from time, so that he is able to travel, without being able to help it, from the days of his childhood to those of his peculiar life on a distant planet called Tralfamadore, passing through his bitter experience as a prisoner of war in the German city of Dresden, over which looms the inevitable shadow of an unspeakable tragedy.
Critics Sentiment
Tralfamadorians teach Billy about focusing on good moments
Allied firebombing destroys Dresden while POWs shelter underground
The film rises dramatically from the disappointing Dresden bombing sequence to the acclaimed Tralfamadorian philosophy, gaining over 2 points as critics found the alien wisdom much more compelling than the war scenes.
Critics praised George Roy Hill's ambitious adaptation for its seamless time transitions and philosophical depth, particularly the Tralfamadorian sequences about focusing on life's good moments. However, many felt the film missed Vonnegut's satirical voice and found key sequences like the Dresden bombing disappointingly unimpressive. The consensus was that while technically accomplished and faithful to many plot points, the adaptation worked better as a visual companion to the book than as a standalone film.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 21
Michael Sacks
Billy Pilgrim
Ron Leibman
Paul Lazzaro
Eugene Roche
Derby
Sharon Gans
Valencia
Valerie Perrine
Montana Wildhack
Holly Near
Barbara
Perry King
Robert
Kevin Conway
Weary
Friedrich von Ledebur
German Leader
Ekkehardt Belle
Young German Guard
Sorrell Booke
Lionel Merble
Roberts Blossom
Wild Bob Cody
John Dehner
Rumfoord
Gary Waynesmith
Stanley
Richard Schaal
Campbell
Gilmer McCormick
Lily
Stan Gottlieb
Hobo
Karl-Otto Alberty
Group Two German Guard
Henry Bumstead
Eliot Rosewater
Lucille Benson
Billy's Mother
Crew
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