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Das Boot Movie Review

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Actors: Jurgen Prochnow, Herbert Gronemeyer, Klaus Wenneman
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Das Boot
In 1942, U-Boats (German submarines) are trying their best to disrupt and destroy British shipping. But cramped quarters, poor command support, and improved Allied escort ships make things increasingly tougher for the German sailors. Captain-Lieutenant Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Prochnow) has much contempt for the Nazis, but he and his crew try to do their best to carry out their mission. Young journalist Lt. Werner (Gronemeyer) rides along on U-96 to do a story on the crew, but battles damage the sub and endanger the lives of everyone aboard. This is an ultra-realistic, claustrophobic 1981 nailbiter, made by and starring Germans, that earned an unprecedented six Oscar nominations.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar

"The" classic submarine movie, directed by Wolfgang Petersen. A young German journalist in World War II is sent aboard the U-96 to write an article for the German propaganda ministry. The movie follows his exposure to the danger and fear of submarine warfare. The real star of this movie is Jurgen Prochnow, who plays the grizzled captain of the U-96. Das Boot follows the U-96 through a series of excruciatingly tense encounters in the North Atlantic. This movie is both a classic war film, a nail-biting thriller, and a powerful movie demonstrating the tragedy of war.
--Matthew, Resident Scholar




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Analysis of Das Boot
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%



Time/Era of Movie: - 1930's-1950's
War Thriller Yes
Armed Forces: - Navy
Specific to - WW II

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - navy soldier
Age: - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Hair color? - brunette (Brown)
Hair style - short/standard curly (man)
Body type - average (man)
Events of movie makes character more... - sad
Ethnicity/Nationality - German
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Male
Hair color - blonde
Hair style - (man) short/standard wavy
Body type - average build (man)
How much in movie? - 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality - German

Main Adversary
Identity: - enemy army

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - Germany - Spain
Water? Yes
Water: - submarining
Misc setting - fort/military installation

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - gory visuals of deaths
Movie makes you feel... - in awe - all mixed up
How many deaths in film? - dozens
Kind of violence: - mission to destroy something - ocean ship battles
Unusual forms of death - drowned - perforation--bullets
Non-American film? Yes
What language? - German
Subtitles? - Yes
Any profanity? - Some foul language
Is this movie based on a - book
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