One of the few movies that shows the war from a German perspective (the more recent "Downfall" is also unmissable) and makes for compelling viewing.
You identify with the despair, the youngsters' need to "go home", the loves left behind, the fear of dying, the dawning enormity of their action as they recede from the survivors in the sea, the sheer fatigue of continuing when every nerve yearns to be free of the boat's confines - the pressures of war, and marvel at the courageous human will that keeps defying all odds and surviving.
I found myself on edge for the entire movie, feeling as trapped inside the sub as the crew and even cheering as the boat surfaced in the end against all odds and then, mourning the futility of it all.
The movie succeeds in showing the war as a very human tragedy, forcing us to not hide behind anonymous "enemy" tags.
Among many tragic moments, especially poignant is the scene where the captain recants the incident of watching the survivors cry for help. You can almost see his eyes glistening. Almost.
The cast is superb but the captain is outstanding, his eyes brilliantly essaying his emotions.
Best version is the director's cut in the original German with English subtitles.
What I don't understand is why Das Boot never won any Oscars. Can anyone shed light on this? Was it a political decision? (Btw, I think Saving Private Ryan is highly over-rated as an all-time great war movie).
You identify with the despair, the youngsters' need to "go home", the loves left behind, the fear of dying, the dawning enormity of their action as they recede from the survivors in the sea, the sheer fatigue of continuing when every nerve yearns to be free of the boat's confines - the pressures of war, and marvel at the courageous human will that keeps defying all odds and surviving.
I found myself on edge for the entire movie, feeling as trapped inside the sub as the crew and even cheering as the boat surfaced in the end against all odds and then, mourning the futility of it all.
The movie succeeds in showing the war as a very human tragedy, forcing us to not hide behind anonymous "enemy" tags.
Among many tragic moments, especially poignant is the scene where the captain recants the incident of watching the survivors cry for help. You can almost see his eyes glistening. Almost.
The cast is superb but the captain is outstanding, his eyes brilliantly essaying his emotions.
Best version is the director's cut in the original German with English subtitles.
What I don't understand is why Das Boot never won any Oscars. Can anyone shed light on this? Was it a political decision? (Btw, I think Saving Private Ryan is highly over-rated as an all-time great war movie).