Das Boot

[Anthony N]

Finished watching the full version over the last 2 days - 4 hours & 42 minutes!
That wasn't enough so i had to watch the special features which has posed a question.

The Director states that this is true & all actually happened. Does he mean that this is the story of one U-Boat trip & if so is it based on a book?
Or does he mean that everything shown in the film happened on U-Boats during the war & he's just put several different stories together.

Now i want to see the shortened movie version to see how it compares. The full version may be long but it sure does make it all the more powerful. The part where they finally manage to raise the U-Boat off the bottom of the straits of Gibraltar brought a big smile to my face & certainly gets a strong reaction from the viewer.

Thought for such a powerful film that the ending was quite weak. I think it was more of a statement, he does like his striking anti-war statements.
Ant.

[billmunny]

Lothar-Günther Buchheim

Dear Ant.,

The film was based on a 1973 book ("Das Boot") by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, who died last February. He served in a propaganda unit during the war, and in 1941, served on the U-96 on an Atlantic patrol.

Just as in the film, Buchheim was a Leutnant (he ended the war as an Oberleutnant) at the time and in "real-life" the sub was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Lehmann-Willenbrock was a Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves winner). Based on this patrol in 1941, Bucheim wrote a short story, Die Eichenlaubfahrt (The Oak-Leaves Patrol) which later served as the basis for Das Boot.

Interestingly, in the original book, the captain survived the aerial attack on the harbor.

[Anthony N]

Dear Ant.,

The film was based on a 1973 book ("Das Boot") by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, who died last February. He served in a propaganda unit during the war, and in 1941, served on the U-96 on an Atlantic patrol.

Just as in the film, Buchheim was a Leutnant (he ended the war as an Oberleutnant) at the time and in "real-life" the sub was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Lehmann-Willenbrock was a Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves winner). Based on this patrol in 1941, Bucheim wrote a short story, Die Eichenlaubfahrt (The Oak-Leaves Patrol) which later served as the basis for Das Boot.

Interestingly, in the original book, the captain survived the aerial attack on the harbor.

Thanks Bill, i appreciate your answer.
I was a little confused by the captains fate & wondered whether the viewer was meant to make up his/her own mind to whether the Captain died or not.
I wondered if the ending had been tagged onto the story or not.
Will try & find that book.
Thanks again, Ant.

[BrianK]

You must see this!

I just had to revive this thread after viewing "Das Boot" on DVD yesterday. I had seen it in the theater when it first came out, and was impressed. But the new "Director's Cut" version in German (with English subtitles) makes it one of the all time greatest WW2 movies ever made. I'd have to say it's now one of my top 10 favorite movies in ANY genre. The acting is superb, and the special effects, with little or no CGI are amazing. Also, if ever a film deserved an award for sound it is this one.

[JG 51]

It´s an amazing movie. Hard to beat. I´ve seen it a lot of times and it still affects me

[Federico Perez]

And to top all the great things about this superb movie, the music score is magnificent.

For those interested, in youtube is the original "the making of Das Boot" detailed documentary, a feast to the eyes of how meticulous the production of this miniseries/movie was.

[Lon]

Is it pronounced "Das Boot" or "Das Boat"?

[Bob Lyons]

The author of the book (Lothar-Guenther Bucheim) also has a photo book out, which has a heap of black and white photos from this actual trip that he did with the U-96, and they photos are just fantastic. I had a copy of this book many years ago, and it was lost at some stage during a move from camp to camp when I was in the army, and I have been looking for a copy ever since, seeing the photos in this book, it is easy to see where the inspiration for the movie came from !!


Bob

[kale010]

The best WW2 movie on my DVD shelve

Bob

[Kondor]

Sink the Buchheim!

I have to agree that the movie is one of the all time greats. I saw it when it was first released here in the States with the sub tittles. I also enjoy the english dubbed version as well.

Just thought I would bring up the fact that the author Buchheim was not "loved" by the U-Boat veteran community for his book. He was shunned! Many veterans would show up at his book signings and protest as they felt that he portrayed them in a bad light. Kapitain K-F Merten ( U-68, RKT Oakleaves)wrote a counter to the book pointing out the "poetic license" that Buchheim took regarding their lives. They objected to the fact that he was awarded the U-Boat badge and EK2 for only going on one patrol. But we all know in everymilitary that kind of garbage goes on all the time.

The title of the book written by Merten is entitled "So war das Nicht!". I'm sure not a million seller, but it was designed to counter the anti-war or "politically correct" message that was contained in the book "Das Boot".

By the way, loved the graphic of "Das Boot" from Scott C!!!

[JG 51]

Is it pronounced "Das Boot" or "Das Boat"?

Neither, the two o´s are pronounced with the same sound as the english word "awe" is when speaking british english.

[Gran Sasso]

One of my favorite scene of many is when the Captain goes to his quarters and comes back wth the Luger.He is going to shoot the mechanic for leaving his post and disobeing his orders.

Its actually a "Walther" P38 - not a "Luger" P08.

[Woolgar]

The director Wolfgang petersen is a mega-star, he went on to make some fantastic films
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Petersen

Nick

[colt45s]

I loaned it to my friend at work who died in 96,,, he brought it back on a monday at work & said what fools we were... Willie Brech served on a U-BOOT in WW II

[Eric JB]

Great movie, great director, great music by Klaus Doldinger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pl-k...eature=related

One can here the sound and movement of the Diesels in it : the so called cadence of the engines.

Doldinger used a mixture of an original orchestra and synthesizers.

Petersen made the movie and Doldinger made the music for the German version of the "The Never Ending Story" Movie, :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Af1lZXioY&feature=fvw

Where the English version used :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MccmH...eature=related

The Doldinger version sounds here and there close to the Das Boot "Home Coming"

Music in the "Never Ending Story" is done by Klaus Doldinger and Giorgio Moroder.

Many years ago former Kapitänleutnant Rolf Struckmeier CO. of U 608 told my oldest son how to make the sound of an Uboot Diesel.........just say : "Kartoffel - Kartoffel - Kartoffel - Kartoffel - Kartoffel - Kartoffel" etc etc etc.

yours friendly

Eric-Jan