The Boat = Das Boot (Director's cut) [DVD]

Germany (West), 1981

Film
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An extraordinary depiction of life aboard a German U-boat and the courage of those who manned it, this suspenseful, exciting and realistic war drama set in 1941 chronicles the horrific experiences of an inexperienced crew and their courageous captain as they battle the Allies in World War II naval operations. The crew of the submarine are exposed to a myriad of dangers (not the least of which is madness) as they hunt and are in turn hunted throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans. Much of the film was shot in a real submarine to create a genuinely claustrophobic atmosphere. The film features little dialogue and goes to great lengths to display the boredom of the crew as they wait for instructions, and the terror that ensues when they do. Interestingly the crew’s loyalty lies with the navy and their captain rather than with the Nazis as the film adopts anti-Nazi overtones. Adapted from the German novel by Lothar G. Buchheim, which was based on his own experiences as a photographer aboard a U-boat in World War II. The film was originally released as a two and a half theatrical release as well as a six-hour German miniseries. This version is the extended director’s cut, released in 1997.

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Credits

director

Wolfgang Petersen

producer

Gunther Rohrbach

production company

Bavaria Film

Duration

03:36:00:00

Production places
Germany (West)
Production dates
1981

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If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/93458/ |title=The Boat = Das Boot (Director's cut) [DVD] |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=16 May 2024 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}