Das Boot

[MarshalLaw]

Hello everyone,

Rented the extended version of Das Boot and watched it over the last few days. Very LONG movie, but packed full of excitment. After all they went through finally making it back to base only to be sunk by planes on a bombing attack on the sub base. A very moving movie. :up:

[Fab]

Awwww nuts, you gave away the end of the movie!

Just kidding, I've seen the full version a dozen times. I just hope no one reads this who hasn't seen it. Of course, I truly wonder if anyone reading this board hasn't seen it.

[Vassili]

I saw this movie just one week ago :oops:

neway, glad I did before reading this post :P

[Phylacista]

Go ahead and read the book. The author Lothar Günther Buchheim experienced all this you see in the film - although it seems he bundled his whole war experiences in one patrol. But this does not make it less real.
The book is written in 1st person view - in the film Buchheim's part is acted by Lt. Werner.

After reading the book the film is even more immersive, because you know what they are thinking in all those stretched moments of silence!

[Myxale]

Agree with the fellow Kaleun above me! The book is great. All his Books are great. It really add's and deeper feel to the movie, as you keep watching the Crew on the screen. All the while knowing them in a better way from the book! :rock:

Thisis the best U-boat movie ever!
"Das Boot" a must have!

[baxter]

I also read the book and I agree it added a lot to the movie. The version of the movie I liked the most is the longest one, the one that was a tv mini-series.

[79TransAm]

dumb question from a noob. Is the movie in english?

[79TransAm]

BTW I have never seen the movie, Glad i know the end now :cry:

[THE_MASK]

If you havnt seen it and you still want a surprise ending just download the Das Boot Gouldjg Random Ending Chaos Mod .

[bookworm_020]

dumb question from a noob. Is the movie in english?

The directors cut edition has the choice of English and Geman Language. I prefer the German with english subtitles, the english takes away from the atmosphere :yep:

[ParaB]

I can't believe there are STILL people around here who haven't seen the movie or read the book. Shame on you. :cry:

IMO having watched at least one version of the movie should be a compulsory requirement before registering on SubSim.com. :smug:

[tbarak]

BTW I have never seen the movie, Glad i know the end now


:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

LOL, well you got to know that a thread marked by the movie's title may have a spoiler.

Besides, what kind of Kaleun are you, haven't seen Das Boot?! You are ordered by German Naval command to get set sail for the nearest grid with a Block Buster video store and rent it.

[XXi]

I`ve seen the movie dozen of times... including the tv-mini series that lasted 6 hours ! Great one...
IMHO, Das Boot is the best movie about the submarine warfare during WW II and additionally, one of the best war movies I`ve ever seen.
I was 11 years old when readed the book and it was a discovery for me - I mean, at last something much , much more realistic... although later I found the book packs most of author`s expierience into one patrol ( remember there`s one single line about accoustic torpedos, even though the book is supposed to take action in late 1941 ).
Great stuff...

[Khayman]

That's the movie that got me hooked on U-Boats.

According to Clay Blair in "Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1939-1942" it was not at all popular with German submariners though. He says they were "appalled by his postwar writings and the film".

Also U-96 was only bottomed for about five hours to make repairs before it aborted to France, something Lothar greatly exagerrated in the movie. Plus of course, there was no air raid at the end of the patrol. Great ending though.

So I'd hesitate to say it's true and accurate, but then what movies are? I still love it :D

[Vassili]

Silent Service got me hooked on subsims many years ago.. But then lost the feeling a bit. March last year I was anxious to see another subsim (SH3) and bought it immediately but in my hurry to get it I didn't see the min. required specs and I wasn't unable to play it.. :o

1 year later times have changed and I have a new system which is able to play SH3 in all his glory..
Now my interests in subs have really increased and yes.. I just had to see the movie Das Boat (which I did already 3 times last month) :rock:

[Myxale]

I can't believe there are STILL people around here who haven't seen the movie or read the book. Shame on you. :cry:

IMO having watched at least one version of the movie should be a compulsory requirement before registering on SubSim.com. :smug:

Bloody Right that!

:rotfl: :rock:

[AceChilla]

That's the movie that got me hooked on U-Boats.

According to Clay Blair in "Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1939-1942" it was not at all popular with German submariners though. He says they were "appalled by his postwar writings and the film".

Also U-96 was only bottomed for about five hours to make repairs before it aborted to France, something Lothar greatly exagerrated in the movie. Plus of course, there was no air raid at the end of the patrol. Great ending though.

So I'd hesitate to say it's true and accurate, but then what movies are? I still love it :D

Why was that? I don't think it portrays U-boot men in a bad way.

Or where they disappointed German lost the war in the end /bad joke ;)

[Firebird]

They talked about this in the extra stuff on the Das Boot DVD :). It wasn't popular at all in Germany (forgot if they mentioned a reason and if so, which one), but after they received a lot of international praise and award nominations that changed... :hmm:

[docholliday]

I remember reading the reason that it was not popular was because he wrote disapprovingly of Admiral Donitz and a U-Boat man had written a book called the we the u-boat men say No it's not true.
I might have got the title wrong but it was something like that.

But as you said it was the movie that made it popular again and the upset was more at the book and the opinion of Donitz.

[Bilge_Rat]

The tv series itself was a success with the german public. It was part of the first wave of films in the late 70's where germans started to examine the war, a subject which had been taboo up until then. It was repackaged as a film and shown in north america in 1981 where it was also quite successful, considering the subject matter.

The ending is a result of german guilt about the war, which was still very strong at that time, the producers did not feel comfortable ending it any other way.

From what I remember, U-Boat men objected to the portrayal of the captain and other officers as being disrespectful of Donitz and the german government and the anti-war sentiment.

I also dimly remember some more trivia:

1. the U-Boat set was designed and built with the help of a firm that had built U-Boats during the war. The firm still had original U-Boat plans in their possession;

2. the beginning and ending scenes were actually filmed in surviving U-Boat pens in france. Some of the locals felt uncomfortable since it brought back unpleasant memories ( this would be in 76-77 );

3. You never see a swastika in the movie (go back and check before you dispute this claim), since it is illegal under german laws;

4. The movie rights were originally owned by a hollywood producer who wanted to film it as an american submarine in the pacific. I believe Robert Deniro was being considered to play the captain. Thankfully, the project fell through;

5. The U-boat in the movie was rented by Steven Spielberg and appears in Raiders of the Lost Ark;

6. The real captain of U-96 served as a consultant during the filming.

[Subnuts]

3. You never see a swastika in the movie (go back and check before you dispute this claim), since it is illegal under german laws;

In the version I have you can see them on the crew's hats and uniforms (as part of the eagle), on Thompson's and the Captain's Iron Cross, on the control room clock, and on U-96's flag at the beginning and end of the movie. Nothing in your face but they're still there. What version did you see?

[Bilge_Rat]

3. You never see a swastika in the movie (go back and check before you dispute this claim), since it is illegal under german laws;

In the version I have you can see them on the crew's hats and uniforms (as part of the eagle), on Thompson's and the Captain's Iron Cross, on the control room clock, and on U-96's flag at the beginning and end of the movie. Nothing in your face but they're still there. What version did you see?

I will check again for the badge, but it you look at the U-96 flag, it is always folded up and the swastika is hidden. You only see a small part of it.

[Salvadoreno]

Im watching the 6 hour version of das boot right now, came into it around 2 hours into the movie.. I was wondering, those gigantic zits on the guys faces and those cuts and stuff. What are they? Looks like herpes and huge bite marks from spiders from a sci-fi movie. Its gross. I wished i saw the beggining tho, seems like now im watching most of the movie from the version i have.

[Syxx_Killer]

I saw the movie for the first time today. That is one fricken LONG movie! I thought it was ok. To my surprise Encore was playing it. I saw it in the guide on the satellite dish programming. I was able to tape it. I might have to watch it again sometime. I didn't watch it all the way through, though. Encore showed the original version. I didn't notice any swastika's, but then again I wasn't looking for them.

[Antonin]

According to Clay Blair in "Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1939-1942" it was not at all popular with German submariners though. He says they were "appalled by his postwar writings and the film".


I've read that surviving U-boat veterans were divided about the book. Some hated it and others said "yes, that's how it was."

[Gizzmoe]

3. You never see a swastika in the movie (go back and check before you dispute this claim), since it is illegal under german laws

As was already said, there are swastikas in the movie. It´s not always illegal to show such symbols.

Article 86a of the German penal code states:

1. There is a charge of up to three years in prison or a financial fee for:

- publishing symbols of an organization hostile to the constitution, or using these symbols publicly in meetings or publications

- importing, exporting using, publishing, distributing or producing items with these symbols domestically or internationally.

2. symbols are flags, buttons, uniforms, slogans and forms of greetings. Included are variations that are extremely similar to the original ones.

3. Excepted are the use of these symbols for public education, prevention of hostile actions against the constitution, the use in art, science, schooling, news reports, historical reports and the like.

[kptn_kaiserhof]

i agree

i have seen two varitions of the movie

das boot - directors cut on dvd 8-10 times owned
and
the boat - on video 15 times hired

i got the dvd because i was sick and tired of hireing
the boat
only difference is videos dont have langvige option haha

[tbarak]

I think why the film worked was because it focused on the human side of the German sea war. Most people can understand and relate to that. The director (Petersen) is on record saying it was his intension to depict it so, and it seemed like he tried to make the movie as historically accurate as possible. You'll never please everyone. But the movie was intended to be entertainment, not a documentary.

Almost all recent major theatrical and television releases with war themes have drawn criticism from veterans. It seems impossible to reconcile the demands of both the accuracy seekers and the entertainment seeking audience.

Okay, I don't live in Germany, but I can never understand the fright of people and the need for censorship with regard to historical symbols. Swastikas aren't evil, and studying them and understanding them doesn't make you a Nazi. No more than a criminal psychologist being a murderer when he profiles a psychopath.

For SH3-playing, wannabe Kaleuns like us, it's a great film. The terror, boredom, exhilaration, frustration and tragedy of the German war in the Atlantic as experienced by u-boat crews comes through effectively in the film. If you like history, irrespective of the inaccuracies, its cool to see the era brought to life with big "Hollywood-style" budgets and production values.

[Tonnage_Ace]

Anyone know what the best version of Das Boot is? Where can I buy it?

[Sailor Steve]

In my opinion the best by far is the 5-hour (not 6, as some have said) Original, Uncut Version, aka the Miniseries.

It's available here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&tag=cyberknight&camp=1789&creative=9325&path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F B0001XAOLQ%2Fqid%3D1143674291%2Fsr%3D1-2%2Fref%3Dsr_1_2%3Fs%3Ddvd%26v%3Dglance%26n%3D130


or, if you're in Jolly Olde, here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001NIYUO/qid=1145724522/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-3981409-6678209

Google is your friend. Learn to use him.

[Frenssen]

You must the TV series version. Much more character building there. In fact I got my username from one of the characters in the movie, the foul mouthed Frenssen ;)

[CptGrayWolf]

Das Boot the book is a must read! I Learned more about life on U-boats then in any other book.

[Heibges]

The first time I saw Das Boot, it was apparently being presented in two parts. The first part ended with a fade out, when Lt Werner is looking at the picture laying on the bunk. Then the credits rolled, and I thought what a brilliant ending.

In regards to shorter versions of movies being better I couldn't agree more. Eventhough, the Das Boot Miniseries is still better than any of the movies below which I think were ruined by inserting previously deleted scened. They definitely show the importance of good editing in the movie making process.

Apocalypse Now Redux stinks.
The Exorcist Special Edition stinks
The Kingpin extended verion stinks.

[JDHartman]

i watch Das Boot in german almost everynight before i go to sleep :) Seriously, ive seen it about 20 times now..its crazy. But for some reason i never lose the interest. Too bad i only have the Directors Cut. I think i'll get the mini series sometime this week. Have i gone insane or am i just a SH3 freak? :)

[tbarak]

I think since Das Boot was conceived as a mini-series is why its full length is probably the best to watch. To end the movie when the guy is looking at the photo - if you knew about the other content - would be a shame. The scene with the tanker probably sums up the u-boat war pretty well. Nice thing about all the different versions is that you get so many different endings. :D

I just got Buchheim's U-Boat War from the library and it looks pretty cool. The pictures aren't the best but still.

[Boris]

My grandfather reckons that Das Boot is totally unrealistic and seems fake.
He says that's not how the germans talked and behaved back then!
I don't know how he knows Das Boot is unrealistic, since he never served on a uboat... but he did serve on the eastern front for the duration of the war.
He's got some crazy ideas though. :88)

Personally I like Das Boot, I've yet to see the long version... might have a look on ebay

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Somewhat off topic: Peterson is supposed to do the adaptation of Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game." How do you suppose he'd handle the battleroom scenes? It would seem prohibitively expensive to film them inside a plane diving to create zero g.

[Boris]

Somewhat off topic: Peterson is supposed to do the adaptation of Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game." How do you suppose he'd handle the battleroom scenes? It would seem prohibitively expensive to film them inside a plane diving to create zero g.

I'm pretty sure CGI can handle it these days. It's th most overused tool in hollywood.

[tbarak]

Don't forget that money is something Petersen never had to do without when making his films. At the time Das Boot was the highest budget film produced outside of the US.

I think in Apollo 13 they used a plane diving to recreate the 0 gravity environment of space. Plus with wire flying and wire removal in the post process it's also possible to recreate on a sound stage.

But Petersen has been spotty with his performance. I mean I loved Das Boot, but I though Air Force 1 and Troy were horrible movies.

[Onkel Neal]

Das Boot, THE essential submarine film. If you are thinking about buying a copy, please order through this link. It won't cost you anything extra and it will support Subsim.com

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&tag=cyberknight&camp=1789&creative=9325&path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2F B0001XAOLQ%2Fqid%3D1143674291%2Fsr%3D1-2%2Fref%3Dsr_1_2%3Fs%3Ddvd%26v%3Dglance%26n%3D130

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001XAOLQ.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I thank you,
Neal

[Heibges]

The Perfect Storm wasn't exactly a gem either.

[zombiewolf]

I have the Directors cut with the remastered sound.
The sound is EVERYTHING :rock:

[MadMike]

I'm reading the book for the second time. There are some minor discrepancies from what Buchheim wrote and what's in the film.
For instance, the shooting in the bar (individual hits the painted figures head's according to Buchheim, not head, breast, and crotch). Monique (the singer) has black hair, not blonde, etc. No mention is made in the book about crewman breaking down on the bridge after torpedoing the tanker...
Probably the biggest faux pas was using the Red Army Chorus to sing "Tipperary"... egad!

Of course, Lehmann-Willenbrock was on set. What more could you ask for?!?

http://uboat.net/men/willenbrock.htm

Otherwise, get the book and the Directors Cut DVD (original uncut verson, 293 minutes); excellent read and a great flick.

Yours, Mike

[kiwi_2005]

I have the Directors cut with the remastered sound.
The sound is EVERYTHING

Me too. But im told the series version shows more footage :hmm:

[Sailor Steve]

I have the Directors cut with the remastered sound.
The sound is EVERYTHING

Me too. But im told the series version shows more footage :hmm:
1-1/2 hours more! And all of it good! :rock:

[Subnuts]

I have the Directors cut with the remastered sound.
The sound is EVERYTHING

Me too. But im told the series version shows more footage :hmm:
1-1/2 hours more! And all of it good! :rock:

I could never figure out why they cut how so many good character scenes for the Director's Cut. :damn:

[The_Blockade_Runner]

I just saw this movie for the first time.

I just bought SH3 and my interest has grown in sub war fare. Previously, my expertise is in the aviation field, and I have played a lot of flight sim.

I enjoyed the movie, I believe this is the same director who is remaking Posideon this summer.

[Sailor Steve]

I think you're right. Das Boot made Wolfgang Petersen a big-ticket item, so he came to America to make a lot of movies, including Air Force One and the fairly recent Troy.

[Floater]

Also worth mentioning is Peterson's earlier "A Perfect Storm" - an excellent film, and still related to seafaring.

[STEED]

DAS BOOT :rock: :rock: :up: :up: