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Poster for Slaughterhouse-Five

Slaughterhouse-Five

Seen it?

1972 | 100 min | Drama, Science Fiction, War

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite a box office flop. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for sci-fi fans and history buffs. If you loved Oppenheimer or Schindler's List, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Intense, mind-bending.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 40 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • Made in 1972: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

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.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 66 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.5 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Nominated for 1 Golden Globe and 1 DGA Award.

  • Reach & staying powerWeak

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 115K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by George Roy Hill

  • Michael SacksBilly Pilgrim
  • Ron LeibmanPaul Lazzaro
  • Eugene RocheDerby
  • Sharon GansValencia
  • Valerie PerrineMontana Wildhack
  • Holly NearBarbara
  • Perry KingRobert
  • Kevin ConwayWeary
  • Friedrich von LedeburGerman Leader
  • Ekkehardt BelleYoung German Guard