Production Year: 1981 - War - Director: Wolfgang Petersen - Original Language: German - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jurgen Prochnow, Herbert Gronemeyer more
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... more
famed German U-Boats known as 'The Grey Wolves'. Prowling the North Atlantic they challenged the British Navy at every turn. The crew aboard the U-96 is portray...
Das Boot
It is autumn 1941 and a German U-boat commander and his crew set out on yet another ... more
hazardous patrol in the Battle of the Atlantic. Over the coming weeks they must brave the stormy waters of the Atlantic in their mission to seek out and destroy British supply ships. But the tide is beginning to turn against the Germans in the war for the North Atlantic - their targets now travel in convoys fiercely guarded by Royal Navy destroyers and when contact is finally made the hunters rapidly become the hunted. As the U-boat is forced to hide beneath the surface of the sea a cat-an-mouse game begins where the increasing claustrophobia of the submarine becomes an enemy just as frightening as the depth charges that explode around it. Written by a survivor of the U-boat fleet - of the 40 000 men who served on German submarines 30 000 never returned - DAS BOOT is a psychological drama merciless in its intensity and a classic novel of World War II.
Das Boot
From the Director of Air Force One and In The Line Of Fire. 'Das Boot' is a graphic and ... more
gripping tale that follows the daring patrol of U-96, one of the famed German U-Boats known as 'The Grey Wolves'. Prowling the North Atlantic, they challenged the British Navy at every turn. The crew aboard the U-96 is portrayed in a desperate life-and-death struggle, coping with endless hours of claustrophobic boredom at sea, which quickly gives way to terror when confronting the enemy.Originally nominated for six Academy Awards, this is director Wolfgang Petersen's ultimate version of one of the most critically acclaimed war movies of all time. An all-new restoration with over one hour of additional footage and a completely new stereo soundtrack that delivers the theatrical experience to your home, this is 'Das Boot: The Director's Cut'.
Production Year: 1956 - War - Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Bernard Lee, Ian Hunter, Kenneth More, John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch
Production Year: 1982 - War - Director: Tim Burstall - Original Language: English\Mandarin\Japanese - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: John Waters, Sam Neill, John Phillip Law, Mel Gibson
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A review by BNibbles on Das Boot (DVD) February 7th, 2001
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Good
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Good
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
The best submarine drama to date
Disadvantages:
Very long
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
It was only after watching my newly acquired copy of U-571 the other day that prompted me to dust-off my DVD of Das Boot (Director’s Cut) and give it another look.
In the past, this movie has been seen in several formats. Serialised on BBC2 and in standard movie length being two of them.
The DVD version runs for 200 minutes – and that’s just the movie! I suspect that this is closer in length to the TV mini-series in content than the normal movie.
The advantage of the DVD format, is that you can hear the soundtrack dubbed into English, or for the purist, in German with or without English* subtitles, which is, of course, much closer to the original. Tip – If you speak any German, see if you can spot the points where the somewhat primmer English subtitles deviate from the more lavatorial German dialogue. Good fun.
* or Hebrew, Icelandic, Turkish and Hindi!
The most striking feature of this film, apart from the realism that is, is its completely non-partisan portrayal of ordinary people doing their duty and laying their lives on the line for their country, and in the final analysis, the abject futility of it all.
Wolfgang Petersen directed the film, later going on to make such films as Air Force One and Perfect Storm. However, in making Das Boot, he set himself the almost impossible standard to better. It must rank as one of the most exciting, tense and intelligent war films ever made.
The film stars Jürgen Prochnow as “The Old Man” – (i.e. he was about 30 years old amongst a crew of mostly callow-faced youths.) otherwise known as Herr Ka’leun. (You don’t have time to say Herr Kapitän-Leutnant when you’re up to your arse in depth-charges!)
The film is so good at portraying the squalid and cramped conditions on board U-96 that you feel you are living through all this deprivation with the crew. It’s all there, the sweat, jokes about farting, quite literally hairy food, constant soaking in salt water and itchy beards. This is all interspersed with a liberal sprinkling of highly tense moments, e.g. after engaging a Royal Navy-protected convoy and waiting for the inevitable “Wasserbomben” or when they are practically sent to good old D.J’s Locker for ever in the Straits of Gibraltar, with the depth gauge off the scale and only enough air to blow the ballast one more time.
However, since I am writing more specifically about the DVD, I won’t spoil the plot any further.
Now for the techie bit.
The English and German soundtracks have both been remixed and upgraded to Dolby Digital 5.1
The picture format (on my version) fills my 16:9 screen without distortion and without any black stripes, (top or sides), which indicates to me that it is an anamorphic projection (i.e. when viewed on a 4:3 set, everyone looks tall and thin, and this is certainly the case on my TV). The library box doesn’t say this, indicating rather that the format has been “letter-boxed” which is a bit ambiguous.
The inevitable extra material that sets DVD’s apart from VHS tapes is here in but not in any great abundance. I suppose that since this isn’t too recent a film, making extra features in retrospect is more difficult.
The features are :-
English Cinema Trailer – interesting enough, I suppose.
Director’s Commentary - all this does is overdub Wolgang Petersen’s commentary over most of the movie. Since this is long, you have to be a certain kind of movie buff to want to do anything other than dip into this. I did however learn that at-sea shots of the sub were done with a 1/6 scale model filmed in “slo-mo” to make its movements more ship-like.
Featurette – This follows the usual formula of “The Making of….”, cast interviews etc. There are some very interesting parts (for me anyway) showing how the set was made to look so realistic. Basically, they mocked-up a considerable proportion of a WW2 submarine on dry land, mounting it like an aircraft flight simulator, so that it could be pitched violently around at will. The cast were all kept indoors to create that “convict’s palour” effect, and the water was deliberately left unheated just to add that bit of extra realism whenever they got soaked. The set was constructed to allow for crew members to be tracked by camera through the length of the boat. Watch out for this – it’s used to good effect whenever they crash-dive, with half of the crew making a frantic dash for the front torpedo room.
Not a huge crop of extras, but effective.
To sum up, there have been many undersea dramas, Hunt For Red October, Crimson Tide, and just recently U-571. They are all good at what they do, it’s just that, in my opinion, Das Boot did it first, and still does it better.
Advantages: A good war film with a different perspective, a well made film, well directed Disadvantages: At 3 hours and 20 minutes the film is quite long
...Academy Awards and an Oscar. Das Boot is a German made film and is about the German crew of a U-Boat who patrolled the Atlantic during World War 2. In most American or British World War 2 films the Germans tend to be dehumanised and looked upon as cold and evil, because Das Boot is German you get to see how normal most of the Germans really were. The characters on board the U-Boat are presented as people who are doing their military service, trying ... ...including Hitler and Churchill.
Das Boot has been extremely well directed and put together by film director Wolfgang Petersen he uses certain shots in the film with great effect in helping to involve the audience. The extras in the DVD include being able to watch the film with directors commentary so you can see what Petersen was trying to achieve with certain techniques used in the film. A great effort has been made to make the film as realistic ...
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Advantages: Too Many To Mention other than its a definate MUST SEE Disadvantages: None
Without question Das Boot (The Boat) is the best U-boat film of all time. forget the pap and factual inaccuracies of "U571" & humdrum "Saving Private Ryan", if you want the realities of war track down The Boat.
I was fortunate to view & tape all 6 hourly episodes when it was broadcast on the BBC 10 years ago, and even though the sound quality back then was very basic stereo you don't really need all this pro-logic & DVD kit to "feel" the claustrophobia ... ...the Director's Cut, and the dubbed DVD version and although good they don't do the film justice.
It's typical of the Germans to take an objective view of their part in the war. There is no sterotypes here, no jackbooted thickos waving their arms in the air. Just ordinary young men serving their country for an ideal they do/don't support and suffering the nightmares of either being blown out of the water by depth charges or crushed by water pressure ...
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Das Boot is one of the most emotionally involving movies I have ever seen. The characters are developed richly, without those awkward moments in movies when you realize that the director is doing so. You sympathize with the crew, and FEEL their plight as they struggle, cramped in a rickety U-boat against the odds. At times the movie grows slow and drawn out, but that is intentional- to make you feel like you are trapped in an underwater coffin with ...
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...tension and then there is Das Boot.
This is the Director's cut version which runs an extra hour longer than the theatrical cut.
Picture = 10
WOW!!! The sharpness and the colours on this disc are amazing. Presented in anamorphic widescreen at the original aspect ratio. The real triumph for the transfer is that the contrast is perfectly maintained even in the murky submarine.
Sound = 9
The sound is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in both English ... ...quality of the sound presentation. The noises coming from all around the room make this a very tense experience.
Extras = 8
Commentary by Wolfgang Peterson running the entire 3 hours 20 minutes of the movie. There is also a short making of documentary. Theatrical trailer is also present.
Overall
There are not many better releases than this for picture and sound.
note: Get the Region 2 because the American disc requires it to be flipped mid-movie, ...
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Advantages: Best submarine film I've seen Disadvantages: German language (subtitles)
What can I say about this classic Wolfgang Petersen film? Well, I have to admit that knowing a smattering of German does help: it is subtitled, but you miss out on a lot by following that, since not every word is included. But don't let that put you off, this is *the* submarine film of all time. Forget 'U-571', forget 'Red October' or any of the others, Petersen's film gives the other side's view of WW2. Yes, all the creaking, the diving beyond maximum ...
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Advantages: A TRUE MASTERPIECE Disadvantages: SUBTITLES
...was a bit disappointed that it didn't pick up an Oscar for best director as in my books the direction is unparalleled, it however was nominated for best Director, best Cinematography.
THE MUSIC
The music is second to none,absolutely spot on with the help from Klaus Doldinger. when I hear the opening music to DasBoot it always gives me goose pimples (very stimulating). .To me the music from DasBoot is as absorbing, if not more, than the famous music in Jaws the film.
LANGUAGES
DasBoot was filmed in German and for me that's the best format (watching with subtitles) although if you're feeling lazy you can opt for dubbed English which is done very well.
DASBOOT (SUPERBIT)
I had the pleasure to watch this film at my relatives,who has an HD television and a superbit DVD player.and I cannot stress how much better it is...
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Advantages: Dvd's last forever Disadvantages: 4 hrs is a long time
...What an excellent dvd i have seen this as a mini series, video and failed to find it a boring film/series.
I have seen it with subtitles as this is how it first appeared on CH 4 i think back in 1985.
The director Wolfgang Petersen captured everything in a unique way with perfection and realism, and return he has done the book proud, the author Lothar G Buchheim should be well chuffed with Wolfgangs interpretation.
I have personal knowledge of ww2 in a submarine through my grandad through many years of his stories and thoughts on his time he served on the subs.
Though this film is based on the German u boat side of the war it does not take alot to realise that both sides faced the same ordeals as each other.
In this film what becomes clear is the Mental and phsyical ordeals, thoughts and actions are what happened to the real...
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Advantages: Some classic moments, good acting Disadvantages: Doesn't make the most of the format
....
* Summing Up *
It’s a great film, not mind blowingly great like Bullitt, Stalag 17, DasBoot etc. But great still. It’s a shame they couldn’t have made more use of the facilities of DVD, but I guess if there’s nothing to go on…
Let me know what you think, this being my first film op I’d like some feedback!...
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Plot: Dramatic West German-made film highlighting all the tensions and dangers that befall a U-Boat's crew during World War II. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (IN THE LINE OF FIRE, TROY) and featuring stellar performances from an ensemble cast, DAS BOOT is one of the finest war films ever made.
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
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, BEVERLY HILLS COP II) is becoming disillusioned with the Nazi regime and with war in general. What starts out as a routine mission is soon livened up beyond the crew's expectations when their boat's surprise attack on a convoy is thwarted by a fast-moving destroyer. Battered by depth charges, the crew must pull together to survive the attacks of their unseen enemy. Widely considered to be director Wolfgang Petersen's best film and one of the finest German films ever made, DAS BOOT is stunningly realistic in its portrayal of the cramped conditions aboard a German submarine. Based on a novel by Lothar G. Buchheim, it is a striking example of an intelligent antiwar film clothed in the guise of a military thriller.
Technical information
Special Features: Theatrical Trailer, Featurette, Directors Commentary
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 Wide Screen, 16:9 Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Surround
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English German Dolby Digital Surround English
Professional reviews
Review: "...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 (USA Today, p.3D, 27/06/1997)
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20.09.2006
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