Friends, I recently watched the German film Das Boot (1981), directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
It is a truly outstanding movie, and it's no surprise that it was nominated for six Academy Awards. The atmosphere, storytelling, performances, and tension are simply incredible.
If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it.
What do you think about this film? I'd love to hear your opinion.
I genuinely enjoyed it.
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The bit where the engineer basically loses his marbles is amazing. The tragic ending fits the theme, too.
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That's a great recommendation, and the tension in Das Boot comes not from action, but from the constant, gnawing pressure of being trapped in a confined space with no control over your fate. What scene stood out to you as the most effective at building that kind of dread?
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In my opinion, it was the young sailor—I forgot his name—who broke down and cried while they were being bombed. That scene really stood out to me and made the fear feel incredibly real.
Great recommendation! What impressed me most about Das Boot is how it creates such intense tension in such a confined space. It proves that strong characters and atmosphere can be far more powerful than spectacle.
Now you're talking, Alexandr!!!! In my top 3 of favorite movies.
This film really makes you think about fate. The crew went through incredible hardships and endured so much, but in the end many of them were killed, and the submarine sank. To me, it shows that some things are simply meant to happen, and what is destined to be cannot be avoided.
"Cinematographer Jost Vacano did a large portion of the interior camera work in the 1981 film Das Boot using a custom, self-designed handheld rig rather than a bulky Steadicam.The Custom Handheld SystemCompact size: A standard Steadicam was too large to fit through the narrow watertight doors and tight corridors of the submarine set.Gyro-stabilization: Vacano attached twin gyroscopes to a stripped-down Arriflex 35mm camera (such as the Arriflex 35 IIC and prototypes that later inspired the "JostiCam") to stabilize the footage while allowing extreme mobility."
This was a 1985 German miniseries cut from a 1981 feature. Three versions are available149, 209, 293 minutes. Of the three, the 209 minute version is the best.
By the way, that's the exact version I watched.
Correct, E, but the feature was there first.
Ja, mein Kapitän.