Life on a German U-boat

During WW2, the German submarine U-96 (with Jürgen Prochnow as the captain) leaves the French harbor of La Rochelle for war adventures & misfortunes in the North Atlantic when they’re eventually commissioned to go through the Strait of Gibraltar. The men experience the challenging claustrophobic life of serving on a U-boat with its highs and lows. Who will make it back alive?

“Das Boot” (1981) is a well done accounting of what it was like to live on a U-boat in WW2 – the claustrophobic living conditions, boredom, filth, sheer terror and… no women. One great s... read the rest.

"Das Boot" stands out as a masterful epic of war cinema, not just for its thrilling combat sequences but for its in-depth look at the human element of warfare. Wolfgang Petersen's direction brings to life the claustrophobic world of a German U-boat, filled with men who are far more than the enemy caricatures often depicted in war films. Jurgen Prochnow's performance as the Captain is especially noteworthy, bringing a palpable sense of leadership, humanity, and burden.

The film's slow pacing allows for an immersive experience, making viewers feel a part of the crew's long, tense moments of si... read the rest.

In many ways, this reminded me of "Aces High" (1976). An example of young, barely pubescent, men sent to a war that would test their mettle to the extreme as they lived each day, perilously, as it came. This time, these young men are encased in a few hundred tons of creaking metal submarine and are tasked with harrying the Allied convoys travelling to and from the UK as World War II continued. The crew are led by an unorthodox captain (Jürgen Prochnow) and with the combination of underwater claustrophobia and paranoia now coupled with far more effective protection tactics from their enemy, the... read the rest.