Boot, Das (DVD)

"They made us all dream for this day. To be fearless and proud and alone. They told us it would be the test of our manhood. To need no one and sacrifice all for the fatherland and courage. Is that not the way they said it all? I just want someone to be with. The only thing I feel is afraid." - Lieutenant Werner to The Captain At the beginning of the film, this epic voyage into hell, we are told: "40,000 German sailors served on U-boats during World War II. 30,000 never returned." Sobering statistics, eh? But that's okay, isn't it? After all, they were The Enemy. But were they really The ...  Read the complete review

‘Das Boot’ was originally filmed as a 6 hour tv mini series and then heavily cut and released in 1981 as a film. Later on director Wolfgang Petersen (Air Force One, Perfect Storm) along with producer Gunter Rohrbach went back and added a new stereo soundtrack complete with over an hour’s extra footage to make ‘Das Boot’ the directors cut. I haven’t seen either the original film version or the mini series, so this opinion is based solely on the 200 minute directors cut which was released a few years ago. The flim is set aboard a German U-boat which is patrolling the Atlantic ocean during world war 2. The film stars Jurgen ...  Read the complete review

During the Second World War 40,000 German troops served on board their countries U-boats. Over 30,000 never returned. Das Boot is their story. Coming in at a positively tear inducing 199 minutes of German subtitled viewing and taking place almost exclusively on board a single cramped submarine, 'Das Boot-The directors cut' is not an experience to be entered into lightly. But brave the nerves as the video cassette slots into your VCR, stock up on snacks, make sure of an adequate water supply and get very comfortable. For, three and a half hours later you can sit back with a smile, a richer person. U-96, one of the much revered 'Grey ...  Read the complete review

What can I say about this classic Wolfgang Petersen film? Well, I have to admit that knowing a smattering of German does help: it is subtitled, but you miss out on a lot by following that, since not every word is included. But don't let that put you off, this is *the* submarine film of all time. Forget 'U-571', forget 'Red October' or any of the others, Petersen's film gives the other side's view of WW2. Yes, all the creaking, the diving beyond maximum depth is there, but so is some superb characterization, some excellent (and genuine tension) and (how rare in a war film?) some humanity - when they are unable to pick up survivors from a sunken ...  Read the complete review

What a fantastic film. It has really changed my opinion of foreign films. Originally this was a made for TV drama but after the ratings were so high it became one very long feature film which was translatedinto over 30 different languages. I've been thinking of buying this film for ages but have always been put off by the fact that it is subtitled. Its strange though, as you watch your way through the film you soon forget that the sailors are speaking in German. This film has enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat but also loads of slow, more like art house portions of the film so you can tell your friends you have seen an arty film ...  Read the complete review