Rating: 
Summary: What can I say...
Review: Well, when I was 7 years old I visited the war memorial at La Boe in Northern Germany. There one can actually take a tour through a real WW2 sub. The movie "Das Boot" is the closest to ever catch the real claustrophobic atmosphere one inevitably gets into inside such a "coffin of steel". The directors cut is simply superb and features some more material from the 1981 enhanced TV version of Das Boot. Petersen produced Das Boot 1979 for the cinema and later added lots of scenes for a TV version which runs about 4 1/2 hours covering the complete true life account "Das Boot" by Lothar Guenther Buchheim.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent.
Review: This is one of those movies that does not let you down.It is all about German sailors in a Submarine looking for adventure in the sea but find the horrors of war instead. The sound effects are so good that you can really feel your in the sub with them ( if you have a home theater system ). This movie is a pshycological ride as well as a physical ride and it is not one of those hollywood rip off's. this is a classic. one more thing, although this is a fictional story. The REAL Captain of THE U96 visited the set when the movie was being made. Jurgen Prochnow's charactor (the captain) was based on the real man. the real man's name is Heinerich (forgot his last name). That is all I know.
Rating:
Summary: Now Here Is A Movie! A+++++ Petersen On Top!
Review: Hubby and I have seen this film about 5 times and own our own copy, of course. We've seen it in the theater and at home. We've seen the Director's cut and regular version, always the German language version. Director's Cut merely puts back in some footage. It is good footage but we can't really say we missed it from the original. Every time we see this film, we are on the edge of our seats. It is about a crew of German submarinists during World War II. They are captained by Jürgen Prochnow, who does the acting job of his life. Believe me, you would follow this man to hell and back as your leader. His eyes alone are absolutely mesmerizing. I totally believed he was the captain of that boat and that we were out in the Atlantic during World War II. My andrenalin would start pumping on every mission "we" set out upon. The soundtrack went with it perfectly and fit with battle on the high seas. I'd never really seen World War II from the other side's point of view. Somewhat like Oliver Stone's "Platoon," you see the German side of the war from the perspective of the men out in the field actually fighting and dying for it. These guys aren't around to see Hitler in action or to get all riled up over the Third Reich. They've been called to serve their country from almost day #1 of the war and are on this claustrophobic submarine until they die or the war is over. In fact, very few German submariners survived World War II so this is very akin to seeing Vietnam from grunt level. It's sad to say that when director Petersen was a German director, he was capable of making one of the most splendid movies I'd ever seen yet, when he came to America, he eventually lost his way artistically. If this is an example of our Americanizing or Hollywoodizing a first rate director from another country, I hope we don't let anymore come to this country. Unless I hear something to the contrary, it appears that WE ruined this first rate artist. He's certainly not the first we've ruined and I'm afraid he won't be the last. To think that this man has BOTH "Das Boot" (A++) AND "Perfect Storm" (F--)on his filmography. What a shame.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie, amazing sound.
Review: Wolfgang Peterson's classic Das Boot, is now almost 20 years old. I didn't even remember this movie very well anymore when I had the chance to see it again. DB, recognized as the best submarine movie of all time, one of the most heart-pounding thrillers ever filmed (and of course, one of the top war movies) shows a WWII period when submarine duty in Nazi Germany was considered an elite job. It was nearly every young man's dream to be granted the rare privilege of serving the fatherland aboard one of the glorious U-Boats. But only 25% of these would return -The grim truth proved to be radically different from the shining fiction. Submarine service was a gruelling, debilitating, dehumanising experience, and Das Boot was the first motion picture to de-mythologize it completely. Within the bowels of the submarine there is a huge contrast between the absolute boredom and the action moments: The crew is anxious for combat, facing continuous boredom for days and days, but when they do find a possible kill, their joy can quickly turn to unbearable fear and panic. The horror and destruction caused by Nazi U-Boats' crews also somewhat clashes with moments of the captain, like when he calls Hitler's minions fools or when himself and the crew are deeply disturbed watching the drowning and burning death of enemy sailors, swimming towards the U-Boat while the german commander gives orders to drift away from them, knowing they could not take prisoners - "Why didn't their own boats save them?!" I could go on, but since this movie is so well known, I'll give up trying to describe it (just watch it, trust me) and will focus on the DVD transfer instead... My friends have shown no interest in this title, and I heard some "that sucks for DVD, it's way old, sound and image are lousy". Oh, how wrong were they. This version of Das Boot has very good-looking image. Picture looks clear and clean, the original negative has been restored in this very good anamorphic transfer. There is also one hour of additional footage, now being shown as Peterson considered it better. Most amazing is perhaps the new Dolby Digital 6 channel soundtrack of completely remastered audio. It has nothing to do with the "old Das Boot" and it will blow you away. There seems to be things going on all over the place, all the time. Sonar pings, water drops, the creaking and cranking of the structure when the boat is being crushed by excessive depth, rivets beginning to pop being heard coming from all directions, the sounds of the ocean, etc. This is an amazingly enveloping sound, which is now a reference (I also have Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan, considered two of the best DD/DTS audio discs, and this version matches them easily when it comes to audio impact). Be sure to watch the movie track in the original german+subtitles - Even with good English soundtrack, that's the way the U-boat would sound. As extras, you get a somewhat short Making-Of and an audio commentary track by director Wolfgang Petersen, actor Jurgen Prochnow (The Captain) and the director's cut supervisor. Petersen talks for most of this commentary. Commentaries are often boring and rather uninformative, but in this case we get lots of technical detail from Petersen, and in general the commentary is very useful and enjoyable. The talk about how Petersen and crew built these sets down to the last detail is incredible to listen to. This is one the best DVD commentaries around. There's quality and also quantity: You don't get a slow-paced commentary, this one has almost no pauses, the group talks consistently throughout the 3:30 hours. Even if you think you won't have the pacience to endure the 200 minutes, give it a try. This is a very good movie when it comes to content and acting, and if that isn't enough for you, it's worth watching just for the fantastic audio, and very good commentary. The only weak aspect is perhaps the (now) not-so impressive visual special effect of the depth charges, now showing its age, and the fairly basic DVD menus, but those are minor stains. Overall, I was very impressed with DB Director's Cut - One of my favourite movies.
Rating:
Summary: Superb and Astounding only begin to describe it
Review: As far as comparisons go, forget U-571 (as 1 example)....it amounts to cheap, derivative Hollywood trash when held up against this true work of art from talented director Wolfgang Petersen. From start to finish a true masterpiece. Not only does this movie expertly convey the horror of war, but so much more besides that. We see the folly of believing one is invincible in the cockiness of the first officer, the Captain's attempting to deal with what he perceives the "wet-behind-the-ears" nature of his crew, and somehow surviving, though just barely, in spite of this. Not only that, by the time this movie is over, you KNOW the crew. You feel their pain, their joy, their happiness, their fear, their just plain hoping they won't die hidden beneath their cocky, eager exteriors. No character is a throw-away, all are developed extremely well, and help to pull you into the story. The ending is also a superb statement, in that few movies since have duplicated it in terms of sheer bitter irony and pure truth, as opposed to some cliched "ride off into the sunset" piece, something commented on by a previous reviewer, that bears mentioning again. Well worth your collection as a submarine movie afficianado or merely someone who appreciates GREAT movies. Das Boot - the real deal
Rating: 
Summary: Moral relativism done well
Review: The movie was superior and I felt for the men. I'm sure I could summon some feelings for the hordes of Genghis Khan if presented correctly. Maybe my grandfather, who lost his life in the war, was just a heroic grunt doing his job for the flag he was born under.
Rating:
Summary: Best sub movie ever made
Review: This is the best sub movie ever made. It is accurate and gripping. The sound in the DVD version is incredible. Waves wash all around you from one corner of the room to the other. The movie is best viewed with the English sub-titles because the English dialogue is not entirely accurate--it is close--but could have been better. As others have said, you probably won't be bothered much by reading the sub-titles--the movie is that good--it makes a mockery of the recently released U-571. The DVD also has a decent amount of extras that are worth watching. Don't miss this one.
Rating:
Summary: A War Masterpiece
Review: The Thing about Das Boot which makes it a good war film are a couple reasons, Wolfgang Petersen makes an interesting point in the war. Although what I don't like is that The Director's Cut had to be played with the movie instead of seeing the individual scenes, Which I hated because I never saw the movie when it wasn't in Director's Cut. Although It makes Das Boot more of an epic it's a very good film and I reccomend this to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Finest War Dramas Ever Made
Review: A thoroughly engrossing depiction of what it must have been like fighting in a U-boat in WW2. But this is not why it is a great film. This is a well told story of a group of ordinary young men, from widely different backgrounds, united by the challenge of fighting and surviving in the cramped and sweaty confines of a U-boat. Told from the perspective of a young journalist sent along to report on the heroes of the U-boat war, it's scope is a single mission, late in the war, when Germany was losing. The acting, especially that of Jurgen Prochnow as the Captain, is truly first-rate and will draw you into the film like few other war pictures. My only criticism is that the end of the film feels a bit artificial, but I won't go into it and spoil it for you. This release is widescreen DVD format at its best. If you don't own a widescreen TV and a new progressive-scan DVD player, this is one title that may make you pull out your wallet. The quality of this DVD title is truly equal to this great film. I have too many times seen poor DVD conversions of a classic film spoil the memory of a haunting theatrical experience. Not here. Superb! The release also includes an interesting 'how it was made' documentary, but DO NOT watch it until several days AFTER watching the film. The experience of the picture will be compromised. You will realize that it is in fact... 'just' a film, and you were watching 'just' actors.
Rating:
Summary: Best Sub Movie!
Review: What U571 is to Hollywood is what Das Boot is to the real world. If you could ever imagine what life was like aboard a U-boat, this is as close as you can come without having been there. =2 In Search of Private Ryan. Bummer of an ending, but quite appropriate!
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