Das Boot: Possibly one of the best war films of all time, definitely the pinnacle of the submarine genre. Wolfgang Petersen’s masterpiece has a unique status in our cultural and historical consciousness, both for those who experienced World War II and for us who didn’t. Das Boot is an epic and spectacular film, but what really strikes us is its realism and the intense drama that unfolds inside the cramped submarine setting.

The film follows the crew of submarine U-96 on mission in the Atlantic, through the Strait of Gibraltar, and in battle with as well British destroyers as their own claustrophobia. Das Boot was Petersen’s breakthrough as a director. To get it right he consulted the captain of the original U-96. He also kept the actors locked up during the entire 63 day shooting period to give them the right sense of confinement. Seen almost exclusively through the eyes of the crew, Das Boot is a realistic and nuanced account of German soldiers at war.

Svein Inge Sæther