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Das Boot
1981
In the midst of World War II, a German U-boat crew is sent out to patrol the Atlantic and fire at Allied ships bringing supplies to England. The submarine also carries a press correspondent, there to report from the front lines of nautical warfare. Meanwhile, the crew's captain (Jurgen Prochnow � IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS, .. Read more
| Starring | Jurgen Prochnow, Herbert Gronemeyer |
|---|---|
| Director | Wolfgang Petersen |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Action/Adventure, Drama, Drama, World Cinema, World Cinema |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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This sprawling U-boat epic is based on actual incidents during the 1941 battle for the North Atlantic. Submarine warfare offers film-makers little in the way of variation, and the action inevitably alternates between tense periods of silent stalking and frantic moments of engagement (brilliantly captured by Jost Vacano's darting camera). Director Wolfgang Petersen adopts an understandably anti-Nazi tone and depicts the crew as courageous conscripts serving a cause to which they are not wholeheartedly committed. However, his preoccupation with the terrors of their claustrophobic existence means that, apart from steely captain Jürgen Prochnow, few of the characters come alive.
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"...A great movie just got greater, thanks to this thorough restoration....The movie is letterboxed on tape for the first time ever and has a magnificent new stereo soundtrack..." -- 4 out of 4 stars
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
View all -
25 out of 26 people found this review helpful
Tops
The ultimate classic war movie. Certainly no 'feel-god' feeling here ! A fascinating film. Best watched in German with the English Subtitles - the english dubbing (as usual) is a bit naff.
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21 out of 21 people found this review helpful
"Now it gets psychological, friends"
A claustrophobic, harrowing, gripping three-hour film which proves to be an excellent example of "less is more" film-making.
It follows a U-Boat crew who have nothing but each other, and that's not a good thing when you're at the bottom of the Mediterranean trying to fulfill orders you've never received.
Time ticks by as they try desperately to engage in battle, but find that the realities of war involve accidents, luck and a desperate need to survive.
Petersen's camera runs breathlessly up and down the narrow confines of the submarine, giving some magnificent close-ups while highlighting the honest and ugly face of war.
An unforgettable experience, punctuated by Klaus Doldinger's excellent Mendelssohn-esque soundtrack. And for God's sake, don't listen to the dubbed audio track, it sounds like the cast of Allo Allo. -
18 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Watch It
The battle fatigued crew of a German U Boat in 1941 struggle through another patrol in the dangerous waters of the Atlantic. No American style heroics just ordinary men struggling to stay sane and function in a nightmare situation.
Riveting stuff. -
Most recent members' reviews (2)
View all -
25 out of 26 people found this review helpful
Tops
The ultimate classic war movie. Certainly no 'feel-god' feeling here ! A fascinating film. Best watched in German with the English Subtitles - the english dubbing (as usual) is a bit naff.
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
A MUST VIEW
A VERY ENTERTAINING AND AT TIME GRIPPING FILM NO MATTER WHAT SIDE THEY FOUGHT ON. ONE MUST IMPRESS WHAT HARD CONDITIONS THOSE MEN AND AT TIME WOMEN HAD TO ENJURE
YOU MUST WATCH THIS ONE.
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25 out of 26 people found this review helpful
Tops
The ultimate classic war movie. Certainly no 'feel-god' feeling here ! A fascinating film. Best watched in German with the English Subtitles - the english dubbing (as usual) is a bit naff.
-
21 out of 21 people found this review helpful
"Now it gets psychological, friends"
A claustrophobic, harrowing, gripping three-hour film which proves to be an excellent example of "less is more" film-making.
It follows a U-Boat crew who have nothing but each other, and that's not a good thing when you're at the bottom of the Mediterranean trying to fulfill orders you've never received.
Time ticks by as they try desperately to engage in battle, but find that the realities of war involve accidents, luck and a desperate need to survive.
Petersen's camera runs breathlessly up and down the narrow confines of the submarine, giving some magnificent close-ups while highlighting the honest and ugly face of war.
An unforgettable experience, punctuated by Klaus Doldinger's excellent Mendelssohn-esque soundtrack. And for God's sake, don't listen to the dubbed audio track, it sounds like the cast of Allo Allo. -
18 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Watch It
The battle fatigued crew of a German U Boat in 1941 struggle through another patrol in the dangerous waters of the Atlantic. No American style heroics just ordinary men struggling to stay sane and function in a nightmare situation.
Riveting stuff. -
16 out of 16 people found this review helpful
Classy
Das Boot is a very classy tense and atmospheric film with a strong anti war message. The sweaty claustrophobia and fear is portrayed to great effect. There are also some extremely humorous moments slipped in to relieve the tension.
To enjoy this film to it's fullest extent listen to the German soundtrack using English subtitles (unless you speak German of course!) This provides a much more moody and authentic feel.
Don’t make the mistake I did… get CD1 AND CD2 at the same time! -
15 out of 20 people found this review helpful
Submarine Excellence.
This is one of the most true to life submarine war films you are ever likely to see. Don’t be put off by the fact it was made 25 years ago as it has certainly withstood the test of time and is just as fresh today as it was then. This is not some gung-ho popcorn movie but a realistic snapshot of life on board a German U-boat under battle conditions. It is the time in the war when Germany was suffering very heavy losses to its submarines after having ruled the waves during the early years of the war. Convoys were no longer easy targets and to attack one meant attracting the attention of the escorting battle ships and the deadly depth charges – a submariner’s nightmare. The film manages to capture the atmosphere on board from the long boring days just waiting for orders – intelligence gleaned from spotter planes – to the fear under battle conditions. Blasted, stranded, damaged beyond belief, the crew cope with everything thrown at them just for survival the fatherland and flag waving long forgotten. A fact not often remembered is that from a total of 40,000 German submariners only 10,000 survived the war. The film has been carefully dubbed into English and I personally found that it didn’t distract and take anything from the actor’s performances, which were superb. I understand that some viewers preferred to have the original German language with subtitles. ‘Das Boot Directors Cut’ is a long film on two discs – I know that perhaps you are thinking that once you have seen a submarine film you have seen them all – believe me you haven’t until you have seen ‘Das Boot’.
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14 out of 15 people found this review helpful
Pure brilliance
The film is basically about the life on aboard a German World War II U-Boat, whilst on patrol in the Altantic.
The film is very well made and the filming actually takes place on a U-Boat, so you get the sense of the claustrophobia. The set and costume design are seem very real, and after a few weeks on patrol, you start to see the dirt and sweat on the crew. Also, you see that their food starts to go off, as hair starts to grow out of the steak etc.
The film's main language is German, and this adds to the realism. Watching it in English doesn't do the film justice. I can't recommend enough that you watch the film in German with English subtitles.
This film is not an action movie like Hunt for Red October or Crimson Tide.
5/5 -
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Sends a shockwave through all other submarine film
Thinking this is yet another submarine film? This is THE submarine film. The mould that others trying to follow.
Watched in the original German, with subtitles, or with the dubbed English does not detract form what is a subliminal piece of work.
Tension, humour and action combine to give a film irresistible grip until the last.
Splash you face with water and sink yourself into the depths of film I still marvel at with every watching. -
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
MonuMental
Once you are inside Das Boot you can feel yourself submerging into the claustrophobia of what must have been total hell. The pressure is on and the tension is high and constant. This film leaves no doubt about war and combat; there are no heroes. Simply one of the best war movies ever.
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8 out of 12 people found this review helpful
another German war movie
I couldn't watch the entire film because it was soooooooo bad. My partner rented it without telling me. I would've thought that he'd had enough of German war stories from going through the British school system, but I was wrong. I would only reccomend renting this if you need a reason to slit your wrist.
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6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Whose Side Are You On?
This is a very powerful film. You follow a German U-Boat Crew in operations during the second world war. The film really draws you into sympathy for what the crew was going through. As a Brit watching you forget that they are 'The Enemy' in the War, until a confrontation with the English. At that point you really have to think 'Whose Side are you on?', and realise that it really doesn't matter, these are individual people caught up in the tragedy of war. Friend or Foe, they still feel the same fear, pain and face the same prospect of death if they don't destroy their enemy first.
Critics' reviews (2)
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This sprawling U-boat epic is based on actual incidents during the 1941 battle for the North Atlantic. Submarine warfare offers film-makers little in the way of variation, and the action inevitably alternates between tense periods of silent stalking and frantic moments of engagement (brilliantly captured by Jost Vacano's darting camera). Director Wolfgang Petersen adopts an understandably anti-Nazi tone and depicts the crew as courageous conscripts serving a cause to which they are not wholeheartedly committed. However, his preoccupation with the terrors of their claustrophobic existence means that, apart from steely captain Jürgen Prochnow, few of the characters come alive.
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"...A great movie just got greater, thanks to this thorough restoration....The movie is letterboxed on tape for the first time ever and has a magnificent new stereo soundtrack..." -- 4 out of 4 stars
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