A New American Sub Movie

[Grey_Raven75]

I'd love to see a movie made about American subs in WWII that could be equivilant to Das Boot. The last thing we need is another U-571. Rather, a film that really shows the reality of what it was like to sail around the Pacific in a Tambor or Gato at the height of the war. What kind of story do you all think could facilitate that?


P.S. - Personally, I think the XO and Captain at odds story is kind of old. Not that there couldn't be an element of that, but it's been done a lot.

[Platapus]

I honestly don't think this will happen.

I think one of the reasons non-subsim audiences liked Das boot was because of the underlaying political message about the futility of the war effort.

That would be lacking in an American version.

I don't think Hollywood could make a movie about WWII American subs without craping it up. I don't think the audiences would or could appreciate the real life drama without adding Hollydrama to it (coughCrashDivecough).

Besides American Sub patrols from Pearl encompas a lot of boring travel time.

Also, any accurate depiction of American Subs would be rather critical of the military (poor training of the initial Captains, Politically charged torpedo design, Lack of a true submarine strategy at the start of the war). This is probably not the time to have movies pointing out failures of military stratety.

I am probably being overly pessimistic but I just don't see today's hollywood being capable of making a movie about American Subs that we subnuts here would enjoy.

[UglyMowgli]

A remake of Operation Pacific (1951) with John Wayne :lol:
A mivie with civilain extractions, dud torpedoes, fighter pilot rescue and a love romance between a submariners and a pilot all in black& white.

[Camaero]

Only an independant could ever give us something close to Das Boot these days.

[Neptunus Rex]

"Clear the Bridge" by RADM Richard O'Kane would get my vote!

Perhaps we could get Ken Burns to do one of his documentary series on the sub wars of WWII.

[Camaero]

Somebody call Wolfgang Peterson and tell him to get back to basics!

[desertisland]

How about this:

Lusitania

A US submarine is sent to sink the Lusitania in order to create a pretext to go to war with the Kaiser.

[dodge tomatoes]

The XO fights with the captain when in fact they are suppressing their mutual admiration.

[dodge more tomatoes]

In the end they choose not to launch the torpedo but a German sub sinks the Lusitania anyway. XO and captain kiss. Adult content follows.

[Run away]

[Mush Martin]

Or a narrative of Uncle Charlies Sink em all
or maybe dealey and the destroyer killer.

does anybody now why there trying to
re certify Silversides I suspect that it
may be for this function. but havent
been able to locate any info as of yet.?

Actually I really like that plot line Desertdood

[Grey_Raven75]

How about this for a premise:

April 1942. The Doolittle Raid on mainland Japan is a success. America has gained its first victory against the Japanese, but the effect is merely psychological. US Forces are in desperate need to achieve a decisive strategic victory. Intelligence indicates a small island near the Mariana Island chain is being used to base Imperial Navy warships. The task of attacking this island falls to the US submarines.
The attack will not be easy. Outdated and overly cautious doctrine plagues the submarine force. At the behest of Lieutenant Christopher Beckett, Captain Jonathan Walcott is called back to active service, having been forced into a desk job in the late 30s owing to his bold and (what was perceived as) reckless tactics. The two men plan a mission deep into enemy waters where the objective, nearly impossible to achieve, makes a return voyage unlikely.

[desertisland]

A little off-topic, just a point:

I believe the problem with mainstream movies is, they are made to feature a specific cast. Producers are not looking for actors to play in a specific script. Rather, they build entire script around a particular star, because that's what sells movies. People didn't went to see MI2, they went to see Tom Cruise.

Good movies don't sell. Movies with good selling points sell. The box office wars is lost or won on 2 factors:

1. What can you present on the movie poster. Cast, scene shots, big names, awards. These decide for the moviegoers if they will reach for their wallet.

2. What can you present in the trailer. A good movie may not sell well. A movie that sells must have scenes which will look good in the trailer.

The second factor has become so important that I believe producers "backward produce" movies from trailer ideas: They first decide how the trailer will look like -- explosions, sex, violence -- and what interesting plots to have -- funny, witty, scary, cool punch lines -- and produce a movie from the trailer; rather than summarizing a movie into trailers.

This is evident in movies with plots that don't work or punchlines that may be cool but sounds awkward in the context they are delivered. They are not an organic part of the movie, they are there so that the trailer will look good.

[UglyMowgli]

gets FRAPS, SH4 and make a small movie, send it ot hollywood and sell the concept, scenario and gain $$$.

[Sailor Steve]

I HATE thread titles like "A New American Sub Movie"!

I thought there WAS one, and you had a link!:damn:

[desertisland]

gets FRAPS, SH4 and make a small movie, send it ot hollywood and sell the concept, scenario and gain $$$.

And Ubisoft will get a huge chunk off that $$$...

"...we never authorize the use of our software for use other that personal entertainment... this is a case of outright intellectual property right infringement... blah blah blah..."

[bigbluevan793]

I am new to this forum, but a big sub supporter. Run Silent Run Deep and Dust on the Sea should be a PBS type of production/miniseries. This time, RSRD should be depicted as it was written, not that tripe starring Gable, and Lancaster. Respects to Edward L. Beach jr.

[nikimcbee]

I'd love to see a movie made about American subs in WWII that could be equivilant to Das Boot. The last thing we need is another U-571. Rather, a film that really shows the reality of what it was like to sail around the Pacific in a Tambor or Gato at the height of the war. What kind of story do you all think could facilitate that?


P.S. - Personally, I think the XO and Captain at odds story is kind of old. Not that there couldn't be an element of that, but it's been done a lot.

How about the USS Growler story with Cmdr Gilmore.

[neo111]

I have just found some great old film about the American sub war in the Pacific. Check out the link below. As a bonus, the site also has some full length Hollywood movies but keep that under your hat. :cool:

http://stage6.divx.com/WAR-MOVIES/video/1250649/Submarine-Warfare

Remember! Careless talk costs good movies and Lawyers make a killing!

[Onkel Neal]

The Wahoo story would be perfect.

A bad luck sub, whose conning tower-sleeping skipper is relieved.
A gangly Kentuckian PCO takes command, with a hard-ass XO who everyone thinks is a little crazy.
The skipper institutes an XO on scope, CO overall technique that worries the officers and crew.
They get orders to recon Wewak harbor, and have to use an Aussie school book to make a map.
The crew, who had never had a gung ho skipper before, finds out that to the skipper, recon a harbor means sneak in and sink ships, in 50 feet of water.
Upon entering the harbor, a Japanese DD comes steaming out and the skipper orders a down-the-throat shot... which misses and alerts the DD.
They fire again as the DD bears down on them... do or die here... and miss again.
One last shot and if it misses, game over... and it blows the DD all to hell.

The crew gains confidence. The XO becomes a better leader and officer. The CO keeps everyone cool.



A dark period where, after sinking a Japanese troop ship, the CO's face clouds and he order the gun crews to shoot the swimmers.

Then on to the other patrol, where they sank the whole 5 ship convoy...

Then the CO and XO part, with the XO going to his own boat, and the ill-fated Sea of Japan patrol and the death of an American hero.

This kind of history writes itself.

[bookworm_020]

Sounds like a good idea Neal, you could have the Wahoo moving along on the surface in the sea of Japan, she disappears into a fog bank, nothing is heard for a minute or tow and then a muted explosion, cut to a notice being printed out saying the Wahoo is overdue presumend lost.:up:

[trainman786]

The Wahoo story would be perfect.

A bad luck sub, whose conning tower-sleeping skipper is relieved.
A gangly Kentuckian PCO takes command, with a hard-ass XO who everyone thinks is a little crazy.
The skipper institutes an XO on scope, CO overall technique that worries the officers and crew.
They get orders to recon Wewak harbor, and have to use an Aussie school book to make a map.
The crew, who had never had a gung ho skipper before, finds out that to the skipper, recon a harbor means sneak in and sink ships, in 50 feet of water.
Upon entering the harbor, a Japanese DD comes steaming out and the skipper orders a down-the-throat shot... which misses and alerts the DD.
They fire again as the DD bears down on them... do or die here... and miss again.
One last shot and if it misses, game over... and it blows the DD all to hell.

The crew gains confidence. The XO becomes a better leader and officer. The CO keeps everyone cool.



A dark period where, after sinking a Japanese troop ship, the CO's face clouds and he order the gun crews to shoot the swimmers.

Then on to the other patrol, where they sank the whole 5 ship convoy...

Then the CO and XO part, with the XO going to his own boat, and the ill-fated Sea of Japan patrol and the death of an American hero.

This kind of history writes itself.


You forgot the part where, out of torpedoes, the sub skipper decides to take on another destroyer with their deck gun. Then, when the destroyer charges after the sub, the skipper decides that discretion is the better part of valor and sends a message to Pearl Harbor: "Another running gun battle--destroyer gunning, Wahoo running..." :)

Jim

[Reaves]

Sounds like a good idea Neal, you could have the Wahoo moving along on the surface in the sea of Japan, she disappears into a fog bank, nothing is heard for a minute or tow and then a muted explosion, cut to a notice being printed out saying the Wahoo is overdue presumend lost.:up:

That's actually very good, gives me the same feeling as when we have the minute of silence on rememberance day.