Fun
Submarine Double Feature
Dear Kay,
I don’t know if you know this about me, but I can gin up a decent claustrophobia when the situation merits it. It hits at all sorts of weird moments: the middle seat of an airplane, a boot that won’t come off, a dress with a zipper I can’t undo—I’m getting clammy just thinking about it.
So why is it that I love a submarine movie more than just about any other kind of thriller?
The stakes are always dire. There’s always a bad egg in there. The sailors are always so ready to jump into the torpedo tube to find the knob that turns off the nuclear reactor. Submarine life is real life writ small. A good submarine movie reminds me that free-flowing oxygen is not to be taken for granted.
This week I ended up revisiting two favorites.
Submarine Movie No. 1: U-571
So good. This 2000 movie goes on for what feels like six hours, what with all the crap that this crack team of sailors has to endure.
The task? An impossible mission to retrieve an Enigma cipher machine from a German U-boat—the key to beating the Nazi stranglehold on the Atlantic. Our team stars Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, and even Jon Bon Jovi, who sacrificed his fluffy mullet for a credible submarine sailor performance.
So much happens. The trailer up top ain’t the half of it.
Groaning bulkheads, possibly defective torpedoes, depth charges, Nazis, pings—it’s everything you ever wanted in a submarine movie.
Come for the inevitable statement: “She can’t take it!” Stay for Jon Bon Jovi as the radar guy who whispers “splashes” like he’s singing “Dead or Alive.”
Streaming on Netflix.
In the MDK Shop
Submarine Movie No. 2: The Hunt for Red October
Yes, it’s the submarine movie starring Sean Connery as a Russian submarine commander, Scottish accent and all. So confusing! And Sam Neill as a communist? What’s Tim Curry doing in there? At least James Earl Jones is there to straighten it all out.
And Alec Baldwin stars as Jack Ryan, everybody’s favorite CIA analyst/former Marine, looking like a teenager with lacquered black hair and a backstory so heroic he won’t even talk about it.
Will the magnificent ears of radar prodigy Jones lead them to the silent submarine they’re chasing? (Courtney B. Vance crushes this performance in what was his first big role.)
Watching a movie from 1990 that pits the U.S. against Soviet Russia seems like ancient history.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Bonus: Das Boot
I’m feeling a need to dive back into a third submarine movie, Das Boot. The ultimate. This 1982 sweatfest is the one to watch if you can watch only one submarine movie in your life.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Love,
Ann
Das Boot! Need anyone say more?
And I thought I was the only one on the planet whose favorite thrillers were submarine movies!!!
I, too, love a submarine movie (of which there are not enough) and as noted they do NOT come better than Das Boot!
Also Crimson Tide!
Also Das Boot-in German with English subtitles!
This is the one I was going to recommend. I cannot pass this one up if I see it’s on tv.
I have to agree. These are fabulous films. My son is a submariner, and I can’t get enough of these movies
Please watch The Command (originally called Kursk). It’s newer (2018), based on a true story, really gripping. On streaming services. Also 50 years before, Run Silent, Run Deep (Clark Gable) or 1965’s The Bedford Incident (w Sidney Poitier!)
Add ‘Le Chant du Loup’ (The Wolf’s Song) to the list. French nuclear submarine, world destruction looming, romance on shore, all the tension. Full disclaimer, it’s made by my sister’s friend’s son so that was my original impetus to watch, but it was really good. It’s on Netflix.
Those are great movies to revisit especially in these claustrophobic times. Seriously, Ann you should review movies professionally – at least I can understand your reviews!
Hahaha! Yes!
Loved the reviews! More puns!
THIS. This is why my first move of the day is my coffee and MDK email opening. Seriously. Submarine movie playlist—A week’s worth.☕️
OMG, I love a submarine movie too, and Das Boot is the best one ever.
Claustrophobic ? I get twitchy just reading your description.
I’ve never heard of the first, but love the others also. Thanks for the recommendation. Will be too hot here to do much outside today.
Definitely Das Boot
Great commentary on the submarine movies! I hope they are as entertaining as your critique! I’m with you on the claustrophobic thing getting stuck I traffic does it for me but especially getting a zipper stuck or a necklace that won’t unclasp
I’m with you both. Middle seats, stuck in traffic, and the zipper stuck at the neck of my winter coat and I’m already sweating standing on a packed train. I hate when that happens. And loved Das Boot and U-571.
I remember once in high school going to bed in my dress because I couldn’t get the zipper undone. I left a note for my parents, who were out; they woke me up and unzipped me when they got home. Not claustrophobic, just weird.
You know, I’ve always meant to watch these and I never have….NO EXCUSES NOW! 🙂
There is a new TV series “das Boot” – quite excellent. And a lot of submarine action.
You had me at “the rivets start to pop”. Date with Das Boot tonight!
PS: I’ve seen the first two many times (even saw U-571 in the theater) but had never been able to track down Das Boot. And now you tell me that Amazon Prime has it ready and waiting for me – yay! And thank you to everybody who gave further recommendations. A submarine-movie binge awaits me.
Love the list. And I love submarines. In theory.
We’re going back to the Bongo Strait!
I watched the TV series early on in the pandemic. It seemed to capture my moods. One minute all is relatively calm but suddenly it is battle stations and chaos. By the end of the series I had a bunch of useful German phrases that have come in handy, very handy. https://gem.cbc.ca/season/das-boot/season-1/e4041587-6297-4ec3-af53-fd8db03dc17f
And sorry, I don’t think my American friends here can use this
link but I wanted to give you a look at what was a gripping series. Maybe you can find it on one of your providers.
There’s also a new DAS BOOT miniseries.
I thought I was the only one who loves submarine movies!
I also love sub movies, especially the ones from the 50’s. My husband was a submariner, and the first time I met him and he told me I mimicked looking through the periscope. Been together ever since!
Good list! I first watched Das Boot in German with English subtitles. I couldn’t understand a word spoken, but the acting was so good, I didn’t even read the subtitles. I watched it once with English dubbing, and since then always the German.
Not finding U-571 on Netflix, bummer.
Also…
Run Silent, Run Deep
K-19: The Widowmaker
Harrison Ford was really good in K19.
Did you know that the hunt through the nebula in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was inspired by Run Silent, Run Deep?
Well maybe for Jon….
U571 was fun but a bit loose with actual historical events. My fave submarine-related book/film is On the Beach, written by Nevil Shute. Set in Australia, with a Cold war era nuclear theme, with a sense of impeding dread, one of my fave books and has been filmed twice.
So submarine movies are a thing? Since I am not a big fan of suspense movies in general (except for Alfred Hitchcock, go figure) it is only because you mentioned Sean Connery and because I might have a sub-title fetish that you may have talked me into Red October and Das Boot.
So disappointed that U-571 is NOT on Netflix, at least I could not find it.
Das Boot was definitely a claustrophobic sweatfest!!
What about Hunter Killer? 2 hours with Gérard Butler is always enjoyable!
There’s also Gray Lady Down with Charlton Heston. You’ve made me nostalgic for Scottish Sean Connery doing his best Russian submarine commander impersonation. It’s been years…
These are all good submarine movies! I will definitely seek out the ones I haven’t seen yet.
Also, I warn against K19 the Widowmaker… I have never been so traumatized by a movie. No fun in watching this particular story. It was based upon a true story which made it also depressing.
Oh my gosh I love sub movies, and Hunt for Red October is my favorite!
What a coincidence! I spent last week binging on submarine movies, motivated from watching the new Tom Hanks film. Best find was the series “Das Boot” on Hulu! It’s a must watch.
There is a really old one… Run Silent Run Deep. My long ago father in law had been WWII on a sub and he said it was just like this.
We have U-571 on DVD, so I have seen it many times. How did I not know the radar guy was Jon Bon Jovi? Must have been the hair.