Das Boot

War from the Other side.

This is one of the few films around that shows war from the other side, and doesn't glorify it. i didn't see it in 1981 when it first came out. I did however see the it in the cinemas in the 90's, it was a long film and had an intermission half way through, total length was about the three hours. Very much worth it.



This movie feels like a truly authentic war movie with all the filth, cramped quarters, and confined spaces that you would need to deal with on a German submarine (U-boat). It was based on a novel by a World War II photographer.

The captain has seen a few tours, most of his crew however are new. Their tour of duty takes them across the Atlantic and Mediterranean in search of the enemy. One of the complications is that the enemy has started running in convoy's with protection (Destroyers). This means that the U-boats are taking heavy losses, and the play the game of cat and mouse.

In between depth charges, boredom, and the search for the enemy the need to keep an eye on resources, and the health of the crew, both physical and mental. I don't believe that the interior of the submarine could have been more realistically portrayed.

The suspense, and the quality of the actors, all German make it a must see movie if you don't want the glorified Hollywood version of war. I think that the only way to get a more authentic feeling of war would be to be in it.