My stack of of DVDs that I still have to watch has been big for ages. Some movies have been in it for years and Das Boot was one of them. I heard amazing stories about this film, but because of its length (close to 5 hours) I never made the time to sit down for it, until recently.
For those who have never heard of this, Das Boot shows what it was like to work on a German U-boat during the second World War. As a viewer you join 42 young men as they first set foot on this submarine. They are full of hope and looking forward into fighting the English. Their long journey shows that it’s not all glory and that life under water also can be filthy, frightening and desperate. A U-boat captain is constantly playing a game of cat and mouse with the destroyers and it means he has to take decisions that could end a lot of lives.
Ever since I saw The Hunt for Red October (starring Sean Connery) I’ve been a big fan of movies with submarines in them. I would never want to work on one, but it’s an intruiging setting and being underneath the waves makes everything feel alien and claustrophobic, because you know if something goes wrong you can’t just escape, it’s the end of your life. Das Boot feels like the most realistic depiction of life on a submarine and as a viewer you almost become part of the crew, being near them in these close quarters.
The U-boat featured in this movie was specifically built for it and it looks amazing. The actors trained a lot in order to be able to quickly move through it, but the cameraman especially has done an amazing job as there are some shots where he’s running through the submarine that are just stunning to look at. The movie was shot on a relatively low budget (15 million dollars), but it feels epic and even though it is obvious some models were used for the battles (which were later also used for Raiders of the Lost Ark) it really doesn’t matter for the thrills you get when you watch it. If you can manage to make the time to see this you will be rewarded with a thrilling look into life on a U-boat.
Score: 9
I saw this way back when and I am glad to read it holds-up well. Good review, and thanks for reminding me about it. I’m going to look for the Blu-Ray.
Hope you will find it and enjoy it as much as you did before.
I know my dad has seen this and rates it very highly. I don’t know much about it though I do know the main theme very well!
It’s been added to my rental list 😀
Make sure you free up time when you are planning to watch it though!
This has been on my must-see list for a LONG time, but its runtime is so intimidating. Glad to hear it was worth the wait, Nostra. I’ll keep it in mind for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Yeah, I still got a couple of those type of movies still to watch (Red Cliff for example)…
Terrific review. I don’t think there’s been a better film made about marine warfare before or since Das Boot.
Thanks Dan and I don’t think there has been…..but who knows, maybe Battleship might beat it 😉
I’ve yet to finish this movie ahah (and I’ve tried twice). It’s such a long watch!
I did not manage to watch it in one go, so I did it in two days but it’s worth sticking with it. Hope you will be able to finish it eventually Castor…
Hi, Nostra and company:
Excellent choice and critique!
I saw ‘Das Boot’ when it first came out at one of the last great theaters in Washington, D.C.
Sub-titles and all. An overall great, superbly executed film that revealed the dangers of U-Boat duty just as the Allies were getting their act together with Radar and Asdic to hunt them down.
A film that absolutely sweats claustrophobia and sometimes, outright fear. Avoid the newer, dubbed version at all costs!
I’m quite envious as seeing this on a big screen probably would have been a stunning experience. I watched the German version as well as I’m used to subtitles…