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The story takes place during the Nazi occupation of Greece, so some people inevitably think it's an historical drama … 'Signs of Life' concerns itself not with a particular era or military conflict, but with the idea of putting instruments of war into the hands of individuals. - Werner Herzog

A German soldier, Stroszek, is sent to the Greek island of Kos after he is wounded in combat during the Second World War. Joined by two other soldiers, Stroszek is there to recover from his injuries but he instead slowly succumbs to a creeping madness brought about by their isolation.

Signs of Life, the feature film debut of Werner Herzog, contains many of the themes that would reappear throughout his oeuvre: the opaque power of nature, the relationship between mankind and its environment, and the deranging influence of isolation. Shot cheaply in black-and-white, the film is a confident statement of intent from a young director with a clear vision and a formidable gift for filmmaking.