For fans of war films, Das Boot is an absolute must-see. Here, director Wolfgang Petersen (The Perfect Storm, In the Line of Fire) he manages all the facets of the genre perfectly, using visual imagination, and directorial restraint to take risks with complex characters whom he’s not afraid to show as less than likable people, along with stretches of inaction.
Set in the final months of 1941, Hitler had launched a massive attack against Germany’s staunch enemy, the Soviet Union. At that time, the Führer truly seemed to be the master of Europe. When we first meet the crew of U-96, they are drunk, desperately trying to cover up the fear of their coming mission; this, despite the fact that the German navy was at its peak. Though small, the U-boat fleet still managed to inflict significant losses on Allied shipping. Unfortunately, the tide was beginning to turn, as the Allies managed to successfully use their knowledge of the German Enigma cipher to track the enemy’s movements. By 1943, Germany’s control of the seas was all but over.
In Das Boot, all of this is happening offstage. We spend most of our time in close quarters, only hearing about the outside world through garbled radio transmissions. Really, all these men have is each other. We see the story through the eyes of a German war correspondent (Herbert Gronemeyer) who is on board the boat for a single tour. The men are presented as he views them—a group of competent soldiers united by a strong, unbreakable bond. The Captain (Jurgen Prochnow), intelligent, experienced and kind, has earned the respect of every man under his command. However, unlike many war films, he does have flaws; he does make mistakes. The crew is comprised of a diverse group of men, including a party member, a chief engineer on the verge of a breakdown, and a young man who longs for a reunion with his of French fiancée.
Das Boot is a human story rather than a political one. Some audience members may feel sympathetic towards the films characters, even though at the time, they were the enemy. Down deep in the submarine, there’s no time for Nazi proselytizing. In fact, the Captain expresses disdain for the Fuhrer and his men. Although made about a painful episode in German history, Das Boot is the kind of movie that transcends place, making the story accessible to viewers the world over.
Though Wolfgang Petersen has gone on to make several successful films, Das Boot remains the one that truly showcases his talent as a writer and director. Technically prolific, visually satisfying, and emotionally gripping the film keeps your attention for the full 208 minutes. The camera effortlessly maneuvers through the tight and confined spaces, heightening the feelings of adrenaline, anxiety and fear. To top it off, Das Boot features a memorable score thatthat only adds to the overall experience. Energetic at times and somber at others, it follows the film’s ebb and flow and reinforcing each emotion.
The 208-minute cut of the film is contained completely on a single BD-50 disc; the shorter 149-minute version receives its own dual-layered disc. While this 1080p 1.85:1 presentation lacks the pop of more recent releases, it looks better than it ever has before. Color palettes look much better, and a light sheen of grain gives things a filmic appearance.
Das Boot is one of those rare films that were shot mostly silent and had all the sound added later. The director’s cut is the superior version in terms of audio quality as it received an update for the Laserdisc release. Unfortunately it seems that not much was done to enhance the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack since then. There are the expected sounds of the submarine, the loud explosions, and depth charges crashing around the U-96 but it doesn’t have quite the intensity that one might expect.
This Blu-ray release of Das Boot contains two cuts of the film, a 208-minute Director’s Cut as well as the original 149-minute theatrical version. A director’s commentary is the only special feature on the 208-minute cut; all others are on the disc containing the shorter version.
- Audio Commentary: Director’s Cut Producer Ortwin Freyermuth hosts Director Wolfgang Petersen and Actor Jürgen Prochnow. The three guide viewers through the director’s cut of the film, recorded 16 years after the film’s release. The track never loses steam despite its massive length; the discussion begins surrounding a shot that has never pleased Petersen, setting an honest tone for the comments. Discussions also include added footage, shooting procedures, filming locations and the history behind them, shooting the film in sequence to allow for the men’s wear and tear and fatigue and beard growth to appear as natural as possible, the performances of the cast and what they’ve done since the film, and much more.
- Historic Material: Divided into two parts: Behind the Scenes (1981, 480p, 1:00:20) and The Battle of the Atlantic (1983, 1080p, 40:16, English/German with English subtitles). The former is a comprehensive classic piece that looks at the process of creating the movie, told with a strong, well-constructed narrative that plays like movie itself, a detailed retelling of how the movie was made and the dedication to authenticity that’s evident right down to the finest little details on the ship. The second supplement, The Battle of the Atlantic, is a primarily German-language documentary that looks back at the German’s Atlantic war effort. Historians look back at the war in the Atlantic between the Germans and Britons, and interviews combatant veterans.
- The Perfect Boat — The Director’s Cut (1080p, 13:02): A piece that looks back at the assemblage of the director’s cut of the film, a “happy medium” between the longer six-hour television cut of the film and the shorter theatrical cut. Also discussed is the importance of the development of DVD technology in helping along the creation of this cut of the film, the challenges of restoring the picture, rescuing the sound, recreating sound effects, creating an English language dub, and the success of the director’s cut premiere.
- Maria’s Take (1080p, 9:16): Assistant Director Maria Petersen recalls her experiences in the making of Das Boot.
- Captain’s Tour — Inside the Boat (1080p, 8:12): Viewers are given a brief history of the U-Boat and presented with the option to tour the Entry Conning Tower, the Torpedo Room & Crew Quarters, the Captain’s & Officers’ Rooms, the Control Room, the Petty Officers’ Room & Galley, and the Diesel & Electric Motor Rooms.
- Wolfgang Petersen — Back to the Boat (1080p, 44:46): A detailed retrospective piece that looks back at the making of the movie. It features a discussion of Director Wolfgang Petersen’s personal and professional history as he travels to the sets and shooting locations as seen in the film to reminisce on both the challenges and satisfactions of the shoot, and the need for authenticity in the film.
