What makes you love a submarine movie?

Nisgeis · 02-19-08, 10:48 AM

Hi everyone. I've been wondering about this for a while now.

Everyone's got their own favourite sub movie, but what elements do you expect to see in a sub movie? A submarine is a needed, of course, but what about other aspects of the film that are an absolute must? What elements does a movie need to get you to love it? Friction between the Captain and XO? Depth Charge Attack? Bottoming to evade destroyers? Bags of tonnage? Pink paint job and golf clubs for levers?

What turns you off a film? Romantic Interest back home, waiting for James Garner? Incorrect use of the technology? Poor models? U-571? Bad sound effects?

Sailor Steve · 02-19-08, 11:31 AM

Don't need friction, unless it's about something real. Don't need romance, unless it's affecting someone's performance. Don't need pink, unless it's plain from the start that this is a comedy. Don't need tonnage, unless the lack of it is causing friction (that's something real). Don't need a 'special' story. I loved Up Periscope, but the submarine was secondary; the story was about a frogman.

Just need a story about the ship, and her men.

The next submarine movie I see should tell the story of what they did, and why.

Jimbuna · 02-19-08, 11:31 AM

The Das Boot's turn me on and the U-571's turn me off.

longam · 02-19-08, 11:35 AM

Lots of action and stuff blowing up.

DavyJonesFootlocker · 02-19-08, 11:46 AM

There was one particular sub movie and it wasn't a war film. It was more horror/thriller about an american sub called 'Below'. I liked it a bit since it was unusual. So, I like a good plot and some sub action.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0276816/

stuntcow · 02-19-08, 11:47 AM

A struggle for life, not knowing if the crew is going to make it or not. The crew coming together to do the job, save the boat and save themselves all the while doing their jobs. Good to have alot of sub and underwater shots as well.

momo55 · 02-19-08, 01:11 PM

I like movies like this one :http://www.eztakes.com/store/movie/W...e-Download.jsp

I wish we could breake trough subnets like that

AVGWarhawk · 02-19-08, 01:49 PM

The movie has to show the drama of what the submarine did and what it was built to do. Out smart the enemy (kind of like Run Silent Run Deep). Insertion and extraction. Pilot rescue. Fiction like U571, although good entertainment for most, is very painful to watch when you have a good understanding of submarines and uboats. I like the movie, Enemy Below. Pretty good for it's time. Battle of wills between the DD captain and the uboat skipper.

TDK1044 · 02-19-08, 02:45 PM

I think the old sub movies of the 40s and 50s are a great watch on a Sunday afternoon. For me, the only sub movie that felt like a real sub and not a movie set was Das Boot.

Capn_Sinky · 02-19-08, 05:07 PM

Thats interesting since the conning tower that was used in the movie is in a park in Germany

Platapus · 02-19-08, 05:46 PM

Movies like Enemy Below I like as it shows both sides as being professional military men.

One of the sub movies I hate is "crash dive" as it is just a sappy love story and a pretty bad one at that.

Although it is campy I do love Destination Tokyo.

Operation Pacific. Subs, John Wayne, Nuns what else do you need?

I also like K-19 despite the historical problems

I am afraid that a sub movie that we would love would not appeal to the average movie goer.

Does anyone here like U571?

Sonarman · 02-19-08, 06:15 PM

Wouldn't it be great if they made a couple of movies like "Flags of our fathers"/"Letters from Iwo Jima" this time about the submarine war. A pair of films showing the conflict from both sides.

The nearest combo we've got at the moment would be the Atlantic duel between U-Boat and corvette in the two fantastic films "Das Boot" & "The Cruel Sea". I think these films are at their best when they showing the real stress and strain of realistic people in combat situations not over the top action oriented junk like "U571". It's a bit like comparing a sim with an arcade game. In the same way "A Night to Remember" is a much better film than "Titanic" .

V.C. Sniper · 02-19-08, 06:35 PM

Me love "Authenticness" in submarine movies. Closely reflect authentic historical events in RL.

BRING ON THE USS TANG AND O'KANE 4 WW2 PACIFIC SUB MOVIE!!!

prologos · 02-19-08, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonarman

Wouldn't it be great if they made a couple of movies like "Flags of our fathers"/"Letters from Iwo Jima" this time about the submarine war. A pair of films showing the conflict from both sides.

That's a good idea... One movie inside the sub chasing a convoy, the other about the merchant's and the escorts! (Are you around here Mr Spielberg?)

Interesting book about the men serving in a convoy, and how they felt is HMS Ulysses by Alistair McLean. His first book. I read it in Greek many many years ago.

U-571 sucks ass! (Cartman's voice , South Park) :rotfl:

Sonarman · 02-19-08, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prologos

(Are you around here Mr Spielberg?)

Interesting book about the men serving in a convoy, and how they felt is HMS Ulysses by Alistair McLean. His first book.

Funnily enough Mr Spielberg/Dreamworks did actually purchase the rights to Adm Fluckey's book "Thunder Below" a few years ago (about 5) and a movie script was indeed developed from it, but not yet shot, so that it's actually quite possible- especially with teh success of "Letters" & "Flags"!

from Yahoo movies on writer Shane Salerno...
"Schmidt was also pitching a submarine story, "Thunder Below" which Salerno convinced Schmidt to let him write. Both projects were ultimately stalled, but not before "A Season in Hell" was bought for mid-six figures and "Thunder Below" was greenlighted by Steven Spielberg for DreamWorks. "

I've read "HMS Ulysees" too, a very fine book, in may ways similar to "The Cruel Sea" both authors having served in convoy duty in the Royal Navy, their books were very authentic.

02-19-08, 10:48 AM	#1
Nisgeis Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,909 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 11	What makes you love a submarine movie? Hi everyone. I've been wondering about this for a while now. Everyone's got their own favourite sub movie, but what elements do you expect to see in a sub movie? A submarine is a needed, of course, but what about other aspects of the film that are an absolute must? What elements does a movie need to get you to love it? Friction between the Captain and XO? Depth Charge Attack? Bottoming to evade destroyers? Bags of tonnage? Pink paint job and golf clubs for levers? What turns you off a film? Romantic Interest back home, waiting for James Garner? Incorrect use of the technology? Poor models? U-571? Bad sound effects?

02-19-08, 11:31 AM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Don't need friction, unless it's about something real. Don't need romance, unless it's affecting someone's performance. Don't need pink, unless it's plain from the start that this is a comedy. Don't need tonnage, unless the lack of it is causing friction (that's something real). Don't need a 'special' story. I loved Up Periscope, but the submarine was secondary; the story was about a frogman. Just need a story about the ship, and her men. The next submarine movie I see should tell the story of what they did, and why. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

02-19-08, 11:31 AM	#3
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,481 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The Das Boot's turn me on and the U-571's turn me off. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

02-19-08, 11:46 AM	#5
DavyJonesFootlocker The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Stink Drunk in Trinidad Posts: 1,572 Downloads: 138 Uploads: 0	There was one particular sub movie and it wasn't a war film. It was more horror/thriller about an american sub called 'Below'. I liked it a bit since it was unusual. So, I like a good plot and some sub action. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0276816/ __________________ "Silence means death. Stand on your feet. Inner fear your worst enemy."- Sepultura. My Silent Hunter 5 mantra is this......"Torpedo missed, sir!" A P-400 is a P-40 with a Zero after it. A proud member of the Wikipedia Haters Club

02-19-08, 11:47 AM	#6
stuntcow Torpedoman Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Posts: 113 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	A struggle for life, not knowing if the crew is going to make it or not. The crew coming together to do the job, save the boat and save themselves all the while doing their jobs. Good to have alot of sub and underwater shots as well. __________________ U.S.S. Harder "Hit'em Harder" "How long can you tread water?"

02-19-08, 11:35 AM	#4
longam Admiral Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,014 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	Lots of action and stuff blowing up.

02-19-08, 01:11 PM	#7
momo55 Frogman Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: belgium Posts: 297 Downloads: 125 Uploads: 0	I like movies like this one :http://www.eztakes.com/store/movie/W...e-Download.jsp I wish we could breake trough subnets like that __________________ Our greatest glory is not in never failing , but in rising up every time we fail .

02-19-08, 01:49 PM	#8
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	The movie has to show the drama of what the submarine did and what it was built to do. Out smart the enemy (kind of like Run Silent Run Deep). Insertion and extraction. Pilot rescue. Fiction like U571, although good entertainment for most, is very painful to watch when you have a good understanding of submarines and uboats. I like the movie, Enemy Below. Pretty good for it's time. Battle of wills between the DD captain and the uboat skipper. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

02-19-08, 02:45 PM	#9
TDK1044 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 2,674 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	I think the old sub movies of the 40s and 50s are a great watch on a Sunday afternoon. For me, the only sub movie that felt like a real sub and not a movie set was Das Boot.

02-19-08, 05:07 PM	#10
Capn_Sinky Bosun Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Winder, GA Posts: 64 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thats interesting since the conning tower that was used in the movie is in a park in Germany __________________ Good Luck and Good Hunting! Capn_ Sinky (aka Stinky) O.I.C.I.C. Officer In Charge of Ice Cream Current Command: USS Drum Apr42 "Frankly the idea that a stinkpot could smell so bad that men who haven't bathed or changed their clothes in months would choose to abandon their ships mid ocean rather than fight, scares the heck out of me!" Unknown Historian

02-19-08, 05:46 PM	#11
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Movies like Enemy Below I like as it shows both sides as being professional military men. One of the sub movies I hate is "crash dive" as it is just a sappy love story and a pretty bad one at that. Although it is campy I do love Destination Tokyo. Operation Pacific. Subs, John Wayne, Nuns what else do you need? I also like K-19 despite the historical problems I am afraid that a sub movie that we would love would not appeal to the average movie goer. Does anyone here like U571? __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

02-19-08, 06:15 PM	#12
Sonarman The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayr,Scotland,UK Posts: 1,392 Downloads: 79 Uploads: 0	Wouldn't it be great if they made a couple of movies like "Flags of our fathers"/"Letters from Iwo Jima" this time about the submarine war. A pair of films showing the conflict from both sides. The nearest combo we've got at the moment would be the Atlantic duel between U-Boat and corvette in the two fantastic films "Das Boot" & "The Cruel Sea". I think these films are at their best when they showing the real stress and strain of realistic people in combat situations not over the top action oriented junk like "U571". It's a bit like comparing a sim with an arcade game. In the same way "A Night to Remember" is a much better film than "Titanic" . __________________ "The action is simulated...the excitement is real!" Microprose Simulation Software. Last edited by Sonarman; 02-19-08 at 06:27 PM.

02-19-08, 06:35 PM	#13
V.C. Sniper Watch Officer Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 339 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Me love "Authenticness" in submarine movies. Closely reflect authentic historical events in RL. BRING ON THE USS TANG AND O'KANE 4 WW2 PACIFIC SUB MOVIE!!! __________________ I only need one torpedo.