Introduction

Das Boot (English, The Boat) tells the story of a German U-Boat crew during World War II.

Outline

An adaptation of Lothar-Günther Buchheim’s 1973 German novel of the same name, the story 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.

Das Boot Series

• Film:
  • Das Boot (1981) (Original Film).
    • There was an unreleased version of 209 minutes and the original theatrical cut of 149 minutes.
  • Das Boot: The Director’s Cut (1997).
    • Petersen supervised the editing of six hours of film, from which was distilled this 209-minute version.

• TV Series:
  • Das Boot (1984):
    • A version of six 50-minute episodes was transmitted on BBC2 in the United Kingdom in October 1984.
    • In February 1985 a version of three 100-minute episodes was broadcast in Germany.
  • Das Boot: The Original Uncut Version (2004):
    • Miniseries minus episode-opening flashback scenes running for 293 minutes.
  • Das Boot (2018):
    • Series 01 (2018).
    • Series 02 (2020).
    • Series 03 (2022).
    • Series 04 (?2023).

Trivia

• “Das Boot” (in the UK and USA released as The Boat) is the title theme to the film and TV Series Das Boot, composed and produced by Klaus Doldinger, released on single and album in 1981.
• Das Boot (German for “The Boat”) is the first album by German dance group U96, released in 1992.
  • The track “Das Boot” is a cover version of the title theme of the 1981 German film Das Boot, composed by Klaus Doldinger.
  • The name of the group (U96) is a reference to the film.
• Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation is a submarine simulator game designed by Paul Butler & Rick Banks and published in 1990 for Amiga and MS-DOS systems by Three-Sixty Pacific.
  • It was inspired by the book of the same name.
  • The player takes command of a German Type VII U-Boat and plays missions against the Allies which involve combat against aircraft, anti-submarine warships, and other submarines.

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 17 September 1981 to Present.
• Running time: 60 to 209 minutes.
• Country: Germany.
• Language: German, English, and French.

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