Das Boot

Originally Posted by Subnuts

Let's see here, Das Boot:

Has a rating of 8.4 out of 10 from 35,695 voters on the internet movie database.

Has a 100% fresh rating on rottentomatoes.com

Was shown as six-hour TV series in 1985 that was watched by millions of people.

Grossed $10,915,250 when it was released in the US in 1982, and $73,482,661 outside the US. Grossed another $11 million when it was re-released here in 1997. Compare that to it's $14 million production cost.

Has been in almost continuous circulation since 1985 on VHS, DVD, and laserdisc.

Was nominated for six Academy Awards. It won two German Film Awards and a Golden Screen Award.

Has been praised by many former diesel submariners as the best submarine movie ever made.

So, obviously, a fringe cult movie that no one likes.

...ok...I'll give it another shot tonight

Originally Posted by Kurushio

To prove I'm not a troll, I will watch the movie...

Okay, now I'll come to your defense. I never said you were a troll, and I still don't think you are. I thought your original comments were on the antagonistic side, like maybe you were looking for a fight. Maybe I was too, as I like a good argument once in a while.

There are things I actually don't like about Das Boot: the guys running to the front of the boat in a crash dive; I may be wrong, but I don't see how that makes much difference in a 750-ton submarine. I also wish they had had no underwater exterior shots; in order to see the depth-charge explosions they placed them all so close that any one of them would have cracked the pressure hull. Also, it could have benefitted from modern CGI: sometimes the scale of the water and lack of foam makes it obvious that it's a model.

What I like the most is the accuracy of the interior, scale-wise. It just feels totally claustrophobic, and I hate/love that. The scenes following them through the boat (yes, those same scenes I find silly) are pretty remarkable all by themselves. Also, they built the interior on a gimballed frame, so it really rocks back and forth, especially during the storm scenes. I've read that some of the actors really got hurt. And part of the 'zombie' look is due to the fact that the actors had to live in the studio during the entire shoot; they signed a contract saying they wouldn't go outside unless Petersen said they could.

I recommend the extended 5-hour version, and I watch it about once a month. But then, I really am a period history geek.

[CCIP]

You don't have to be a troll, just don't act like one, that's all. I think we got your point, and it's certainly valid to an extent; but there's a point where taunting Das Boot fans is really not inviting a healthy conversation.

There's a whole bunch of stuff in Das Boot which is rather unrealistic, and even more that's just plain unlikely. I'm always cautious about calling it 'realistic' as such. It's quite good on many aspects, as Sailor Steve noted, but you have to watch it realizing that it's still a movie.

And yea, with the Zombie look... isn't that what you look like when you live in a sardine can for a few weeks? I doubt they'd be fresh-looking, well-groomed young men. They looked exactly as I'd imagined U-boat men from reading quite a bit of literature on them (not Das Boot alone). As far as life aboard, Das Boot entirely lives up to the many accounts I've read.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by CCIP

And yea, with the Zombie look... isn't that what you look like when you live in a sardine can for a few weeks? I doubt they'd be fresh-looking, well-groomed young men.

I didn't catch the whole conversation but it looks like you might be refering to how pale a crew might be (along with being unshaved). I think this would largley depend on type of boat and operating area. According to Han's Gruebers memior of U505, they acutally had sunburns. North atlantic and south atlantic were totally different. The heat inside the pressure hull was intense and the men would use any excuse they could to get topside. The condenation while submerged, dripping from the pressure hull would turn books into paste.

[CCIP]

Nah, more like the general conditions. In the tropics, you might get a sunburn, but you won't be a happy man spending most of your day in a metal tube that has no air conditioning (and I know that the temperatures inside the sub could get absolutely awful there). :p

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by CCIP

Nah, more like the general conditions. In the tropics, you might get a sunburn, but you won't be a happy man spending most of your day in a metal tube that has no air conditioning (and I know that the temperatures inside the sub could get absolutely awful there). :p

Oh yeah. I remembe reading US sub accounts about the heat from the tropics. To sum, men would have to use salt tablets, and the decks within the boat were almost literally awash with sweat - at least during silent running. THey had to turn off ventellation fans. I dont think Uboats had such fans at all. From what ive read, the CE would switch the intake for the diesals to suck from within the boat, that way it would draw air into the boat through the conning tower hatch. (also a good way to get rid of smoke)

[Rose]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

There are things I actually don't like about Das Boot: the guys running to the front of the boat in a crash dive; I may be wrong, but I don't see how that makes much difference in a 750-ton submarine.

Actually, I remember reading about an American fleet sub where (I think it was O'Kane in the Tang) the skipper ordered a crash dive, but the ship's ass wouldnt level off, so he had the whole crew go to the stern of the ship, and she leveled off. Pretty cool stuff.

And US subs had AC .

[CCIP]

The running might have happened, but it really does seem like a superficial procedure at best. Considering the massive weight of the boat, and the volume of the ballast - even all 50 of the crew would make precious little difference. Even if they did do it, the actual effects of it were probably very minor, and the accounts of it seem to be conflicting. My bet is that it was probably rarely done in reality.

[Rose]

Yes, but it worked on the sub I mentioned above, and to the best of my knowledge, US fleet subs were larger than VIICs.

[Puster Bill]

Originally Posted by CCIP

The running might have happened, but it really does seem like a superficial procedure at best. Considering the massive weight of the boat, and the volume of the ballast - even all 50 of the crew would make precious little difference. Even if they did do it, the actual effects of it were probably very minor, and the accounts of it seem to be conflicting. My bet is that it was probably rarely done in reality.

You have to remember that you are shifting weight that is distributed fairly evenly throughout the boat (and, by the way, compensated for using the trim tanks. That is the LI's job) to one end of the boat. You get thirty guys that each weigh about 160 lbs, that is 4,800 lbs. Think of it as almost 2.5 tons.

Then there is the leverage factor. Think of the boat as a see-saw, with the fulcrum in the middle. You move 2.5 tons to one end or the other, and something is going to happen.

Just finished reading Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner recently, and he describes the crew of his boat running from one end to the other to free it up from the bottom. So, this was apparently a well known technique.

[Ducimus]

Still citing from my current favorite book, Hans grueber recalls one incident where they had to crash dive from a plane. One of the relief valves got stuck and they boat would not fully submerge. In essence the stern of the boat was broaching the surface, and they moved all hands aft to balance the boat and get it under. Luckly, Hans recalls, the plane did not spot them. Had it, he says, they would have been sunk. He furthe recalls the grim humor that followed and U505 got several ostrich remarks from the crew.

Give me time and ill find, and quote the exact passage if you want me to.

[Ducimus]

:hmm:

Here we go, leaves room for doubt unforutnatly.


"A sunderland was flying a course directly toward us. Lowe ordered us to dive, but the relief valve for one of the diving tanks refused to open. The stuck valve not only prohibited us from submerging, but also caused a dramatic imbalance of weight within the sub. Within seconds, u-505 was stranded on the surface with its bow buried deep underwater and it's stern sticking high up into the air at a 40-degree angle! We were absolutely helpless to escape the approaching Sunderland.

Lighting fast reactions by our CE Fritz Forester managed to temporarily free the valve. Meanwhile, the skippered ordered all crewmen to run to the stern end of the boat to help even the imbalance of weight. We all held our breath as the stern slowly began to descend back into the water, wondering when the sunderland would attack. Luckily it did not attack before we had a chance to escape.

We resurfaced at 1430 hours. All sorts of gallows humor enlivened our work as we repaired the relief valve. The best joke was that the English pilot failed to attack because he thought U-505 was an ostrich, with its head buried in the water and its tail sticking into the air. The grim humor masked the fact that we came very close to being killed, either by the sunderland or by an uncontrolled plunge to the bottom of the ocean."

[Rose]

That book sounds wonderful, just by reading that passage. Which book is it? I actually went to the ol' U-505 when I was about 5, when I lived in Chicago (of course, I didn't even know what a U-Boat WAS at that time but, I still can remember how CRAMPED the thing was.). It was a great experience .

Ok, I apologise if I came across as a troll. Wasn't my intention...I'll have to give the movie another shot...as I knew I was gonna fall asleep last night so didn't bother. Might be back playing SH3 again soon anyway...

[Mr.Werner]

Go back to the DW forum. You sound like youre about 16 yrs old (not a good thing).
Das Boot is known to be the best submarine movie out there, get a clue.

<Edit: No name-calling! Part of post removed - Gizzmoe>