Movie-A-Day #28: Das Boot

[schutd]

Its the weekend. Ill be brief.

Wolfgang Peterson went on to direct such wonderfully crappy films as Air Force One and The Perfect Storm. Its truly painful to listen to his directors commentary, because of the incessent patting himself on the back, but when he first entered into American cinema in 1981, he hit aHUGE home run with Das Boot.

The film follows the crew of a German U-boat during Wolrd War 2. It doesnt focus as much on the fighting as it does on the personalities of the crew. Its a film that focuses on humanity. Its a film that helps shjow you that the men who fought for Adolph Hitler were men, like you and me.

Its such a powerful film, you'll find yourself actually rooting for the Nazis. Thats why it moved me so.

Great action, great characters, wonderfully filmed. Ckeck it out.

 

[Chaplin]

Also loved this movie. But I doubt many people will sit down for 3 hours (4 hours for the Director's Cut) and watch a movie in German--about Nazis, no less. Preconceived notions seem to kill this movie.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Not only did I sit through this movie, I loved it.

It's just one of many foreign films, subtitles and all, that I saw at the now-demolished Los Arcos Mall below-ground theaters.

It's been awhile since I've seen it (Yes, I've seen it a few times).

Great choice, Dave.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I only saw it once, and that was about a year ago, but I know I loved it, one of the best submarine war movies ever.

Mike

 

[AZCB34]

I simply loved this movie. I own it and watch it fairly often and never tire of it. Simply put, the best submarine movie ever. It was torture watching the Americanized version...watched it once and never again. The only way to view it is with subtitles.

The emotional ups and downs of the movie are amazing.

BIM: Ahhh Los Arcos. I remember in the last years there, they had the double features for $2.00 or something ridiculous like that. Wife and I would go there and catch 2 movies about once a month.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by AZCB34

BIM: Ahhh Los Arcos. I remember in the last years there, they had the double features for $2.00 or something ridiculous like that. Wife and I would go there and catch 2 movies about once a month.

Man, that was like going down into a cave. When you're 6 years old, it was like going on some weird subterraneon adventure!

 

[MadCardDisease]

One of my favorite war movies. Definately the best Submarine movie of all time.

I own this one on DVD and watching it in German with subtitles is a must. I tried watching it with the voices dubed over in English and it isn't the same movie.

ALARM!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bada0Bing]

One of my favorite war movies. Definately the best Submarine movie of all time.

No doubt about it, the other sub movies aren't even close. I almost felt claustrophobic watching this.

Production of Das Boot took two years (1979–1981). Most of the filming was done in one year; to make the appearance of the actors as realistic as possible, scenes were filmed in sequence over the course of the year. This ensured natural growth of beards and hair, increasing skin pallor, and signs of strain on the actors, who had, just like real U-boat men, spent many months in a cramped, unhealthy atmosphere.

Tough work.

 

[ajcardfan]

It's in my top 3 war movies of all time. Heck, arguably the best IMO. I'm glad this was bumped, I'm going to watch it again soon.

 

[Mulli]

It's in my top 3 war movies of all time. Heck, arguably the best IMO. I'm glad this was bumped, I'm going to watch it again soon.

Uh, excuse me. Better than Pearl Harbor?

Just kidding.

I might have to watch this again as well.

 

[Skkorpion]

Watched this a long time ago. I agree with aj. One of the best war movies made and certainly the best submarine movie. As someone who is claustrophobic, it was particularly smothering. Just horrible but riveting.