Das Boot - Director's Cut (Superbit Collection)

Amazon.com essential video

This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically rereleased in 1997. Originally made as a five-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. --Jim Emerson

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format.

Customer Reviews:

5 Stars, all the way...and for a lot of reasons...........2007-09-05

This movie was EXCELLENT. Never thought I'd catch myself saying that about the German side of WW2. But it's true....

Director Petersen did a fantastic job with the set. I read somewhere it was the most expensive German movie of all time as of the late 80s...not sure if that still holds, but I wouldn't be surprised.
The cast is perfect - this is one of those films where the cast all comes together, from the Captain - the "Old Man" at about 30 yrs old - played to absolute perfection by Jurgen Prochnow, to his competent and harried Chief Engineer, to the slightly strange Johann (the Chief Mechanic), to the Bosun (a very believable NCO), to the Nazi "Number One" Watch Officer (nominally the 2nd in command, despite his obvious youth).

I have the VHS version, which is shorter than this Director's Cut. That sort of tipped me against the DVD Director's Cut, in that the voices are not dubbed quite the same. And there were several scenes in the Director's Cut that kind of distracted me, having gotten used to the VHS already. For example, the scenes between the young German sailor and his French girlfriend were ancillary to the basic story. The VHS tape I have does not show her live, only the sailor mulling over her photo.

The idea that German sailors were less-than-enthusiatic-Nazis actually has validity - it's said that Germany went to WW2 with a "people's Army, a National Socialist (Nazi) Luftwaffe, and an Imperial Navy". The point is that the Navy was the least "Nazi" of all the German services. It retained a lot of its old traditions.

In fact, there is scholarly speculation that if Hitler had delayed the war long enough for Germany to get the 200 submarines the Navy command (Admirals Raeder and Doenitz) knew they needed, it might indeed have changed the outcome of the western part of the European war. It most certainly would have delayed Allied victory. As it was, they started with less than 100 operational subs....Adolf Hitler never really understood or thought in terms of the "sea war".
Winston Churchill is said to have stated that the U-Boat force was the only thing he ever really feared about Germany.

The movie has an appropriate amount of drama, action, boredom, life at sea, and "leadership issues" to make this a completely believable story - at least as far as can be done in a couple hours movie. And, ultimately, the sub is sunk in port...

I rate this in the top five on my all-time favorite war movies. It is certainly the best submarine war movie ever made. Its right up there with Saving Private Ryan and others. And - it was done almost 20 years earlier ! In fact, we watched it in ROTC in 1983-84 as a sort of "professional development" lesson.

Intense and supenseful war epic.......2007-09-01

The experiences of a U-Boat crew and the futility of war are extraodinarily well documented in this intense film that follows them from launch to return to port. The close quarters of a submarine crew are depicted and the bonding of men under pressure are timeless and cultureless themes. The men who manned Hitler's U-Boats were doing their duty and they had an incredibly insane assignment. This film captures men at war and the sacrifices they make in a way that will speak to any generation.
Extremely well-done.

pounding terror.......2007-08-30

A great print of a great production. This gives a portrait of the war at sea in WW11 from the German perspective. The movie gives you the feeling of the unremitting terror and boredom of a long sub- marine patrol. You get the sense of the claustrophobic confines of German subs which weren't as large as the U.S. subs. You can almost smell the stench of the men who have gone weeks without bathing and the awful odors coming from the single head serving over 50 men. When the movie is through, you feel you had also gone on the patrols. A great movie in every respect. a must see.

The reality of war.......2007-08-08

Seen from the viewpoint of a naive young German submarine crew near the end of World War 2, this is one of the best films about war. How many of today's people anywhere in the world can hold patriotism and honor so dear as to fight a nearly impossible fight to its inevitable end?
The film depicts life in a submarine --- from coarse humor to strict discipline, grittiness to terror and yet the humanity of each character shines through in individual displays of honor and courage.

The Classic Submarine Movie.......2007-07-26

Undeniably the best submarine movie ever made. One of the few 3 hour movies I will watch.
Excellent DVD quality.

Average customer rating:

Air Force One
Great Action flick wrapped in honor
Awesome and TIMELY! (RELEVANT)
My Husband loves this movie!
Once upon a time....

Air Force One (Superbit Collection)
Starring: Harrison Ford , Gary Oldman , Glenn Close , Wendy Crewson , and Liesel Matthews
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005NRNB
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Amazon.com essential video

You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! --Jeff Shannon

Description

Customer Reviews:

Air Force One.......2007-06-08

Harrison Ford should have been a President... He is great in this movie and could save the world....

Great Action flick wrapped in honor.......2007-05-31

There are some unrealistic elements to this movie, but only when you stop and think about it. It's an action movie and there will always be some stretches of reality. Harrison Ford delivers as does his supporting cast. It will pull you into the story without any real trouble, you will find yourself routing for the President and telling the evil guys "take that". In the end, you will feel good about it and you may even be inspired by it. Enjoy!

Awesome and TIMELY! (RELEVANT).......2007-05-04

People don't often celebrate this movie for its timeliness and relevance but as world events unfold, it is steadily becoming more and more relevant in my humble opinion. This particular version doesn't necessarily add anything to the enjoyment of the movie. But to be honest it's hard to add to sheer perfection. This movie is well-plotted and very believable, even in the moments when you find yourself going "NO WAY!"

Some have written it off as saying it depicts the "cowboy mentality" as if that's a bad thing. Some say that it's a training manual for terrorists that might wish to harm our own leadership.

Personally I think it's merely a good action movie with a good moral to the story. Good will only triumph over Evil when Good learns to take its head out of its scared hind end and actually be willing to stand up for what's right.

Until we are willing to have a back bone, the list of countries that are going to run right over is is ever growing. This movie cautions us not to let that happen. It's up to us to either listen or ignore this stark warning.

My Husband loves this movie!.......2007-04-10

This is a good movie and will keep you watching all the way through. Harrison Ford is excellent in this and the supporting cast is good as well. The plot is revelent with all the current world situations. The ending makes you want to cheer!

Once upon a time...........2007-03-27

... USA was the only country in the world where this kind of story (although farfetched) could be happening. Especially when you remember the JFK's fighting history (maybe it's one of the reasons why he was assassinated). But now, when you see the Bush family history, the only war record of the grandfather (at the same time JFK was patrolling in the Pacific) shows his best achievement was building the family's fortune by catering for the Third Reich's financial needs. And I can imagine the present Bush pounding Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the head with a bible (to show him it's better than the coran), and telling him "Get out of my world". As well, USA lost all credibility when he got RE-elected : One mistake might be understandable, but, as the Romans said "Errare humanum est, sed perseverare diabolicum" (to err is human, but to persist is diabolical).

WW II 60th Anniversary Collection (Das Boot/Anzio/Caine Mutiny/Dead Men's Secrets) (Includes Collectible Scrapbook)

Average customer rating:

Another Collectable

WW II 60th Anniversary Collection (Das Boot/Anzio/Caine Mutiny/Dead Men's Secrets) (Includes Collectible Scrapbook)
Starring: Jürgen Prochnow , Herbert Grönemeyer , Klaus Wennemann , Hubertus Bengsch , and Martin Semmelrogge
Director: Wolfgang Petersen , Edward Dmytryk , and Duilio Coletti
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ASDFH2
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Description

DAS BOOT: This gripping tale from Academy Award® nominated director Wolfgang Peterson follows the daring patrol of U96, one of the famed German U boats known as the "gray wolves." The crew aboard the U96 is graphically portrayed in a desperate life and death struggle, coping with endless hours of claustrophobic boredom at sea, which quickly gives way to terror when confronting the enemy. DAS BOOT delivers an amazingly accurate account of Germany's elite U boat crewmen, as it deliberately hammers away at the tragic waste of war. ANZIO: Screen greats Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk, and Arthur Kennedy star in the riveting war drama ANZIO, a vivid portrait of one of the bloodiest WWII battles ever fought. After landing with allied troops at Anzio, Italy in 1944, war correspondent Dick Ennis (Mitchum) and buddy Corporal Rabinoff (Falk) tell Anzio commander General Lesley (Kennedy) that the road to Rome is wide open. But instead of heading to Rome, Lesley attempts to build a coastal stronghold, only to discover that the Germans have outflanked them by enclosing the Anzio beachhead. Four months and over 30,000 casualities later, the Allied forces smash through the German lines and victoriously march to Rome. Directed by highly-acclaimed action director Edward Dmytrk (The Caine Mutiny, Back to Bataan), ANZIO is a powerful film and a symbol of heroic tenacity. THE CAINE MUTINY: This is a classic film of modern day mutiny aboard a Naval vessel based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The nervous and inept behavior of Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) during maneuvers aboard the U.S.S. Caine a destroyer/mine sweeper attracts the attention of the ship's crew members and it's executive officer, Maryk (Van Johnson). When Queeg's neurotic behavior reaches a breaking point during a fierce typhoon, Maryk takes command of the ship. Queeg then retaliates by having Maryk court-martialed. In a tense courtroom sequence, Lt. Greenwald (Jose Ferrer), assigned to Maryk's defense, systematically breaks Queeg down on the stand. Maryk wins the case but the victory is short-lived as Lt. Greenwald reveals that the men have all been the unwitting victims of a deceptive shipmate named Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray), who actually instigated the mutiny for his own purposes. An all-star cast makes this film one to remember. SECRETS OF THE SEA WOLVES: Learn what life was like aboard a Nazi sub in the North Atlantic during World War II. WWII's longest, most crucial battle was waged at sea where German U-boat packs roamed the Atlantic hunting their prey. In a campaign to cut off vital supplies from the U.S. to Great Britain, they came close to starving England into surrender. If they succeeded, the Allies would almost certainly lose the war. Using archival footage of U-boats at work, we see that the Germans were at the forefront of technology, and how the Allies fought back to force the U-boat menace into submission.

Customer Reviews:

Another Collectable.......2007-01-09

I have every DVD version of Das Boot. I have even watched it with the Audio in German and English subtitles, it never fails to shock me. Together with Anzio & the Caine Mutiny, these movies really start to bring home what our Fathers and Grandfathers went through during WWII, lest we forget!
When you can buy great, multiple movies together like this, it's a no-brainer.

Radley Meztger Collection Volume 2 (Little Mother / The Dirty Girls / Score)

Average customer rating:

Classic Films, Mediocre Transfers

Radley Meztger Collection Volume 2 (Little Mother / The Dirty Girls / Score)
Starring: Claire Wilbur , Calvin Culver , Lynn Lowry , Gerald Grant , and Carl Parker
Director: Radley Metzger
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006U5VA8
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Description

Radley Meztger Collection Volume 2
Include the Films:
Little Mother • The Dirty Girls • Score
Credits:Films by Radley Metzger

Customer Reviews:

Classic Films, Mediocre Transfers.......2005-05-04

Own these films individually on DVD from Image Entertainment. Nice to have them in boxed sets like this though I must let Metzger fans know that the transfers from First Run are not as good as the Image versions. Where the Image versions are color saturated and sharp, the First Run transfers have murky, faded out color and soft pictures.

Still, for the price, these boxed sets aren't a bad buy.

Average customer rating:

Great Films, Excellent Price

Wolfgang Petersen Collection
Starring: Clint Eastwood , John Malkovich , Rene Russo , Dylan McDermott , and Gary Cole
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00004Y7TI
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com

Air Force One
You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! --Jeff Shannon

Das Boot
This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically rereleased in 1997. Originally made as a six-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. --Jim Emerson

In the Line of Fire
Between his directorial duties on A Perfect World and The Bridges of Madison County, Clint Eastwood starred in this pulse-racing 1993 thriller. In the Line of Fire was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the brilliant director of the World War II U-boat masterpiece Das Boot. Eastwood gives one of his best performances as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, who still feels responsible for the death of JFK 30 years earlier. Horrigan gets a shot at redemption when challenged by a psychotic but highly intelligent assassin (John Malkovich) who intends to kill the current U.S. president. Tension builds as this intellectual cat-and-mouse game reaches its climactic confrontation, but not before we've seen the killer at work, covering his trail with ruthless precision. Tightly scripted by Jeff Maguire, the film cuts Malkovich loose as one of the most memorable screen villains of the 1990s, and costars Rene Russo as Eastwood's sharp Secret Service colleague and romantic partner. --Jeff Shannon

The Perfect Storm
Setting out for the one last catch that will make up for a lackluster fishing season, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) pushes his boat the Andrea Gail out to the waters of the Flemish Cap off Nova Scotia for what will be a huge swordfish haul. While his crew is gathering fish, three storm fronts (including a hurricane) collide to create a "perfect storm" of colossal force, and Billy's path back to Gloucester, Massachusetts, takes them right smack into the middle of it. Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of Sebastian Junger's seafaring bestseller is a faithful if by-the-numbers true-story account of a monster storm that rocked New England in 1991, specifically Tyne's commercial fishing boat and its crew. Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up. The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves. Still, it's a long way to that action, with an extended first act that consists mainly of stoic men, crying women, and a fair amount of "don't go out into the sea" dialogue--in other words, a compelling story has been shoehorned into standard summer movie fare. It's too bad, as Peterson assembled an excellent cast--including Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner among them--but seems to opt for only a surface exploration of these characters, though Clooney seems to have a touch of Captain Ahab in him. You may still be won over by the movie, but for a more in-depth portrait, go to Junger's book for the missing details. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Great Films, Excellent Price.......2001-08-15

I would recommend this if you are a fan of Petersen's work, because this is the best collection of it. Four of Petersen's best works are here: Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, and The Perfect Storm, all in special edition DVDs. A great collection from a great director. First, you get Das Boot, Petersen's harrowing and suspenseful film on a German U-boat during WWII. This movie started his career. (Jurgen Prochnow, the captain, also has a small role in Air Force One). From the naval combat sequences to the character development scenes, Petersen shows his directorial brilliance, makes the film memorable, and carries home an Oscar for his trouble. A very well-made film, I would recommend reading the subtitles, the dubbing is not so good. Next you get In The Line Of Fire, Petersen's magnum opus. Everything is right here. Eastwood steps away from the tough guy role here and plays a very vulnerable, hurting Secret Service agent named Frank Horrigan. The acting is great all-around, with Malkovich playing an ex-CIA man with a mean streak a mile wide who wants to kill the current president. He brings a lot of energy to the table. Rene Russo is Horrigan's fellow agent. Unlike most movies these days, this film has only one love scene, and it doesn't even progress into intercourse. This is good, because whenever a movie has a sex scene, it loses focus. This movie is perfect, an excellent cat-and-mouse film with lots of wit. Love it or leave it, Air Force One is great entertainment. Harrison Ford takes up the old action hero role and, once again, plays it to perfection. The story is about terrorists who take over the Presidential Aircraft, and Ford, as the President, must stop them. A fast-paced, adrenaline filled movie, and very entertaining, Petersen's work should show Hollywood that a movie can be exciting and full of action and smart at the same time. As soon as this movie came out, the Secret Service rushed to say that the situation in the movie is implausible, but how implausible can it be? And finally, The Perfect Storm. I had mixed feelings over this one. Sure, the production values were high, and the camerawork was amazing, even to the point of nausea. The acting was fine. I am not a big fan of Clooney or Wahlberg, but both turned in fine performances, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was great here too. The movie took a bit long to set up, and the character development was forgettable. It cannot stand up to Petersen's earlier work. People say you need to suspend your disbelief for Air Force One, but you need it more for this film. How do you keep a blow torch lit in Gale-strength winds? You cannot find someone who falls overboard at night. There's more, but if you don't think too hard, you can have a good time. Conclusion: Four good DVDs at a great price. If you like action or Petersen, this is a must. Action films with a brain, a real rarity these days. If you liked these movies, try Outbreak as well. Another of Petersen's excellent films.

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