Das Boot (1981)
Wolfgang Peterson’s film (originally a two part German TV mini-series), based on Lothar G.Buchheim’s powerful book, is an account of life on a World War Two U-boat helmed by Jurgen Prochnow – the claustrophobic, intense, suffocating day-to-day underwater existence of the crew who could be torpedoed or bombed at any moment. It’s an incredible film experience – ‘a descent into the pit of hell’ as Variety described it – and became the benchmark for underwater cinema when it was released. Try and find the full length version – you will not regret it.
