Das Boot (1981)

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers:

Lothar G. Buchheim (novel)
Wolfgang Petersen (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

10 February 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

This is the story of 42 raw recruits caught up in a war they didn't understand, and the Captain who must lead them in their struggle to survive.

Plot:

The claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth, and sheer terror.

Plot Keywords:

U Boat | German | WWII | Boredom | Crew

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jürgen Prochnow	...	Capt.-Lt. Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock - Der Alte
Herbert Grönemeyer	...	Lt. Werner - Correspondent
Klaus Wennemann	...	Chief Engineer Fritz Grade - Der Leitende-Der LI
Hubertus Bengsch	...	1st Lieutenant - Number One-1WO
Martin Semmelrogge	...	2nd Lieutenant - 2WO
Bernd Tauber	...	Kriechbaum - Chief Quartermaster-Navigator
Erwin Leder	...	Johann
Martin May	...	Ullman
Heinz Hoenig	...	Hinrich (as Heinz Hönig)
Uwe Ochsenknecht	...	Chief Bosun
Claude-Oliver Rudolph	...	Ario
Jan Fedder	...	Pilgrim
Ralf Richter	...	Frenssen (as Ralph Richter)
Joachim Bernhard	...	Preacher
Oliver Stritzel	...	Schwalle
Konrad Becker	...	Bockstiegel
Lutz Schnell	...	Dufte
Martin Hemme	...	Brückenwilli
Rita Cadillac	...	Monique
Otto Sander	...	Phillip Thomsen
Günter Lamprecht	...	Captain of the 'Weser'
Thomas Boxhammer
Roger Barth
Günther Franke		(as Günter Franke)
Christian Bendomir
Norbert Gronwald
Albert Kraml
Jean-Claude Hoffmann	...	Benjamin
Peter Pathenis
Arno Kral	...	Hagen
Christian Seipolt
Helmut Neumeier	...	Schmutt
Ferdinand Schaal
Wilhelm Pietsch	...	Franz
Rolf Weber
Dirk Salomon	...	Markus
Lothar Zajicek
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sky Dumont	...	Officer Aboard the 'Weser' (uncredited)
Maryline Moulard	...	Françoise (uncredited)

Directed by
Wolfgang Petersen

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lothar G. Buchheim		novel
Wolfgang Petersen		writer
Dean Riesner		uncredited

Produced by
Michael Bittins	....	co-producer
Mark Damon	....	executive producer (director's cut)
Ortwin Freyermuth	....	producer (director's cut)
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer (director's cut)
Edward R. Pressman	....	executive producer (director's cut)
Günter Rohrbach	....	producer
Edward Summer	....	assistant executive producer

Original Music by
Klaus Doldinger

Cinematography by
Jost Vacano

Film Editing by
Hannes Nikel

Casting by
Willy Schlenter

Production Design by
Rolf Zehetbauer

Art Direction by
Götz Weidner

Set Decoration by
Götz Weidner
Rolf Zehetbauer

Costume Design by
Monika Bauert

Makeup Department
Alfred Rasche	....	makeup artist
Ago von Sperl	....	makeup artist
Rüdiger von Sperl	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jürgen Bieske	....	unit manager
Michael Bittins	....	production manager
Bill Brown	....	post-production supervisor (director's cut)
Philippe Dussart	....	production manager: France
Kurt von Vietinghoff	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Georg Borgel	....	first assistant director
Marie-Antoinette Petersen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Rudolf Braun	....	assistant production designer
Knuth Christiansen	....	assistant production designer
Peter Dürst	....	property master
Erhard Hose	....	assistant production designer
Pius Hüngerl	....	assistant production designer
Monika Moritz	....	property master
Kurt Musegg	....	assistant production designer
Bernhard Neureiter	....	assistant production designer
Walter E. Richarz	....	assistant art director
Heinz Schäfer	....	assistant production designer
Joseph Teppert	....	assistant production designer
Friedrich Thaler	....	scenic artist
Philipp von Seil	....	assistant art director
Rüdiger Wagner	....	property master

Sound Department
Karen M. Baker	....	supervising sound editor (director's cut)
Werner Böhm	....	sound recordist
Peter Bond	....	sound effects editor
Milan Bor	....	sound mixer
Rick Bozeat	....	sound effects editor: director's cut
Eva Claudius	....	dubbing editor
Clayton Collins	....	dialogue editor (director's cut) (as Clay Collins)
Jessica A. Dickson	....	assistant sound editor (1996 restoration) (directors cut) (as Jessica Goodwin)
Todd Egan	....	first assistant sound editor (director's cut)
Louis Elman	....	sound (English version)
Illo Endrulat	....	dubbing editor
Eric Flickinger	....	sound re-recording assistant (director's cut)
Darrall Garcia	....	assistant sound editor (director's cut)
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound designer (director's cut)
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound effects designer (director's cut)
Sarah Goldsmith	....	dialogue editor (director's cut) (as Sara Rothenberg)
Philip A. Hess	....	sound effects editor (director's cut) (as Phil Hess)
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor
Peter Horrocks	....	sound effects editor
J. Stanley Johnston	....	supervising sound editor (director's cut)
William B. Johnston	....	technical sound supervisor (director's cut)
Michael Keller	....	sound re-recording mixer (director's cut)
Michael Keller	....	supervising sound editor (director's cut)
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor: director's cut
Hans-Walter Kramski	....	foley artist
Mel Kutbay	....	foley artist
Mark R. La Pointe	....	sound effects editor (director's cut) (as Mark LaPointe)
Mike Le Mare	....	sound editor (as Mike Le-Mare)
Gerry Lentz	....	sound re-recording mixer (director's cut)
Stanislav Litera	....	sound recordist
Kimaree Long	....	assistant sound editor (director's cut)
Joe Milner	....	dialogue editor (director's cut) (German version)
Brian Pierson	....	assistant sound editor (director's cut)
Trevor Pyke	....	sound mixer
Scott Sanders	....	sound effects editor: director's cut
Heinz Schürer	....	sound recordist
David Stanke	....	assistant sound editor (director's cut)
Wylie Stateman	....	restoration sound supervisor (director's cut)
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (directors cut)
Karola Storr	....	sound effects editor
Peter Michael Sullivan	....	sound effects designer (director's cut)
Karsten Ullrich	....	sound recordist
Albrecht von Bethmann	....	sound recordist
Kim Waugh	....	restoration sound supervisor (director's cut)
Scott Wolf	....	sound effects editor: director's cut
Peter Zinda	....	sound effects editor: director's cut
Kyle Rochlin	....	sound recordist (director's cut) (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Karl Baumgartner	....	special effects supervisor
Karl-Heinz Bochnig	....	special effects
Max Gretmann	....	special effects
Franz Kirschke	....	special effects
Nick Middleton	....	special effects
Willi Neuner	....	special effects
Theo Nischwitz	....	special effects
Michael Strohhofer	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Thomas Gitt	....	front projection
Jan Jacobsen	....	front projection
Jörg M. Kunsdorff	....	optical effects
Gerhard Neumeier	....	miniatures and technical effects
Theo Nischwitz	....	front projection
Hans Nothof	....	miniatures and technical effects
Oliver Nothof	....	miniatures and technical effects
Rudolf Roemmelt	....	optical effects
Alfred Schallmeier	....	miniatures and technical effects
Erwin Schnetzer	....	miniatures and technical effects
Sebastian Schwerte	....	optical effects
Ernst Wild	....	miniature effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Andrew	....	assistant camera
Stan Andrew	....	assistant camera
Horst Becker	....	assistant camera
Jürgen Bretzinger	....	assistant camera
Rudi Denk	....	electrician
Iko Dimitri	....	electrician
Hermann Fahr	....	assistant camera
Gerhard Fromm	....	additional camera operator
Frank Heinig	....	assistant camera
Leander R. Loosen	....	additional camera operator
Peter Maiwald	....	additional camera operator
Mike Rutter	....	assistant camera
Ludwig Sauermann	....	key grip
Franz Schlammer	....	electrician
Ernst Schmid	....	additional camera operator
Ernst Stritzinger	....	additional camera operator
Wolfgang Treu	....	additional camera operator
Karl-Heinz Vogelmann	....	still photographer (as Karlheinz Vogelmann)
Robert Wiesmann	....	assistant camera
Egil S. Woxholt	....	additional camera operator
Willi Zopf	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hans Diessbacher	....	costumer
Karin Geuer	....	costumer
Siegi Haubold	....	costumer
Karl-Heinz Stempel	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Gunthard Böhm	....	color timer (original version)
Carola Brandes	....	assistant editor
Todd Busch	....	assistant editor (director's cut)
Eva Claudius	....	assistant editor
Linda DeMarco	....	color timer (director's cut restored version)
Jennifer Neysa Jew	....	assistant editor (director's cut)
Renato Liapaki	....	assistant editor
Marc Liesendahl	....	assistant editor
Lisa Loeßl	....	assistant editor
Babette Nischwitz	....	assistant editor
Susanne Nischwitz-Blössl	....	assistant editor (as Susanne Nischwitz)
Claudia Schumann	....	assistant editor
Angelika Siegmeier	....	assistant editor
Lilli von Otting	....	assistant editor
Doris Wutz	....	assistant editor
Thomas Nikel	....	additional editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bill Abbott	....	music editor (director's cut)
Tommy Klemt	....	music re-mastering engineer (director's cut)
Tommy Klemt	....	music recordist
Denise Okimoto	....	music editor (director's cut)
Alan Willis	....	music editor

Other crew
Heinrich Bader	....	mechanical engineer
Karlheinz Böhm	....	naval advisor
Jan-Michael Brandt	....	production assistant
Daniel Braunschweig	....	crew member: French production
Arlette Danis	....	crew member: French production
Eric Dussart	....	crew member: French production
Nicole Front	....	crew member: French production
Isabel Goslar	....	continuity
François Hamel	....	crew member: French production
Lutz Hengst	....	production executive
Thomas Henkel	....	representative: Bavaria Film (director's cut)
Christl Kirchner	....	production accountant (as Christel Kirchner)
Achim Krug	....	naval advisor
Ludwig Kurz	....	hydrotechnologist
Jean Lara	....	crew member: French production
Suzanne Schnulle Murphy	....	production accountant director's cut
Gérard Nicolas	....	crew member: French production
Caroline Perchaud	....	production secretary
Joël Picaud	....	crew member: French production
Isabel Prochnow	....	script supervisor
Pierre Sicre	....	crew member: French production
Brad Stephens	....	assistant to producer (director's cut)
Manichanh Tangpraserth	....	assistant: Mr. Freyermuth (director's cut)
Lucas Van Alen	....	post-production coordinator director's cut
Ingrid von Anka	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Bavaria Film
• Radiant Film GmbH
• Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR)
• Twin Bros. Productions (Director's cut)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Distributors

• Neue Constantin Film (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Adams Filmi (1982) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Triumph Releasing Corporation (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Gemini Film (1993) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Columbia Pictures (USA)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Constantin Film (Germany) (re-release)
• Gaumont Home Vidéo (France) (video)
• JMM Invest (Spain)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• BASF Magnetics GmbH  magnetic film restoration (director's cut)
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting (director's cut)
• Gelula & Co.  english subtitles (director's cut)
• I.M. HIT Publications  english translation (director's cut)
• Pacific Title  titles (director's cut)
• Signet Soundelux Studios  editing (director's cut)
• Signet Soundelux Studios  sound effects (director's cut)
• Sound Satisfaction  foley recording facilities (director's cut)

Also Known As:

The Boat (Philippines: English title) (USA) (dubbed version)

MPAA:

Rated R for some war violence and brief language. (director's cut)

Runtime:

149 min | 209 min (director's cut) | 293 min (uncut version)

Country:

West Germany

Language:

French | German | English

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (director's cut) | Dolby (original release) | SDDS (director's cut)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 (director's cut) | Norway:15 (director's cut) | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 (director's cut) | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (dubbed directors cut) | UK:15 (subtitled directors cut) | USA:R | USA:Unrated (original uncut version) | West Germany:12 (w)

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Ocean

Company:

Bavaria Film

Trivia:

The bulk of the film's $15 million budget was spent on constructing U-boats. Specifications for the original Type VII-C U-boat were found at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. The plans were taken to the original builder of the subs, who was commissioned to build a full-sized, sea-going replica, their first such assignment since the war ended. A second full-sized model was built for interior filming.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the U-96 surfaces after the drill and test dive the bow wake of the camera boat can be clearly seen at the bottom of the frame.

Quotes:

Lt. Werner: What's going on? Why are we diving?
2nd Lieutenant: Hydrophone check. At sea, even in a storm you can hear more down here than you can see up there.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Starter Wife: Das Booty Call (#1.5)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

La Paloma

15 years and I'm still thinking about it

Das Boot is not just a great war film: it's a great film period. Maybe it is true that epic themes make the greatest novels and films. Here is a movie that explores heroism, duty, patriotism, hope, fear and the futility of war--all grand themes--explored in the confined, and collapsing, spaces of a German u-boat.

I saw this film when I was a freshman in college during a weekend that I later dubbed my "depressing movie festival." (The Wall and Apocalypse Now were the other weekend "entries.") Of these films, it was Das Boot that haunted me--when I laid down at night, I saw Jurgen Proctow's pained blue eyes. When I woke in the morning, I felt as if I were escaping through the hatch of the submarine. I could not shake the images, and now some fifteen years later, I still remember how completely meaningless the movie made everything seem, and the nihilistic message stayed with me for a long, long time. How few films are there which affect the viewers on this level. To say this film is "powerful" seems so weak a description.

Part of the "power" of the film comes, I think, from a certain restraint in the direction. So often, films which aspire to move the audience quickly fall into melodrama, over-acting, and overblown images. Too much. These often succeed in the immediate response (usually crying) but fail to impact the viewer on anything more than a surface level. Here, it is the small moments which fill the screen. Everywhere, all around is War, but for these men as we witness them, war does not begin with a capital "W". It is reality, not a grand concept. The director lets the story shock and horrify the audience, not by forcing it, but by letting the story just tell itself. Drama, tension and resolution occur naturally in Das Boot, which contributes to the very real impact of the film.

Story is a 10, direction is a 10, acting is a 10 and the cinematography is a 10. One of the all-time greatest films.