We close the German Semester cinema journey with the classic “Das Boot” - a drama about the claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth and sheer terror.
Das Boot (Director’s Cut) | 1981 | historic drama | 208 min | German, Italian or Spanish, with German, Italian or Spanish subtitles
An adaptation of Lothar-Günther Buchheim's 1973 German novel of the same name, the film is set during World War II and follows German U-boat U-96 and its crew, as they set out on a hazardous patrol in the Battle of the Atlantic.
It depicts both the excitement of battle and the tedium of the fruitless hunt, and shows the men serving aboard U-boats as ordinary individuals with a desire to do their best for their comrades and their country.
The characteristic lead melody of the soundtrack, composed and produced by Klaus Doldinger, took on a life of its own after German rave group U96 created a remixed "techno version" in 1991. The title theme "Das Boot" became an international hit.
The film is available on Netflix (Italy).