Das Boot (1981)

Based on the autobiographical novel from Lothar-Günther Buchheim, who served as a war correspondent on minesweepers, destroyers and submarines during WW II, Das Boot tells the story of the German submarine U-96 and its crew as they patrol the northern Atlantic in search of Allied ships at the end of 1941.

Directed by Wolfgang Peterson and produced in the Bavaria Film Studios in Munich, Das Boot lets the viewers take part in the lives of the officers and crew and throws them mercilessly into the claustrophobic world of a WW II German U-boat. U-96’s trip is characterized by the cramped conditions on board, boring hours spent waiting for orders or any sign of enemy ships to attack, epic battles and terror when under enemy attack.

The film shows how these so different and strong German submariners maintain their professionalism as soldiers and try to accomplish impossible missions under the existing circumstances, while at the same time attempting to do their best for their comrades and their country and to understand and obey the ideology of the government under which they serve, but with which most disagree.

With a budget of 32 million DM (about US$ 18.5 million) Das Boot ranks among the most expensive films ever produced in Germany. The production included the construction of several models of different sizes, as well as a complete, detailed reconstruction of the interior of a U-96, a Type VIIC-class U-boat, which to this day can be visited at the Bavaria Film Studios in Munich, Germany.

Peterson’s meticulous attention to detail resulted in a historically accurate, authentic, realistic and captivating depiction of life on a German U-boat during WW II, while cinematographer Jost Vacano, supported by the characteristic lead melody of the soundtrack, composed and produced by Klaus Doldinger, and an outstanding cast, conveyed the claustrophobic atmosphere, the boredom, the excitement, the fear and terror bringing the submarine to life.

Originally edited by screenplay writer and director Wolfgang Petersen as a 150 minutes theatrical release in 1981 and a 300 minutes BBC miniseries in 1984, Das Boot was re-released to cinemas worldwide in a restored version as Das Boot: The Director’s Cut in 1997 with nearly one hour of added footage which made it even more suspenseful than before.