By Lee Pfeiffer
Sony has released director Wolfgang Petersen's masterpiece Das Boot as a magnificent 2 disc Blu-ray special edition. The film's power has only increased over the years. The movie shows the perils of WWII submarine warfare from the viewpoint of a German crew. The special edition is packed with new footage and special edition features. Here is the official press release from Sony:
Culver City, Calif. (March 29, 2011) –
Today, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced that they will unleash the harrowing
1981 epic World War II film, Das Boot,
for the first time on
Blu-ray on July 5, 2011 for the SLP of $34.95. Newly
remastered for high definition, the director’s cut of this prized
film adds 60 nail-biting minutes to the original version, which was nominated
in 1982 for six Academy Awards® including Best Director, Best
Cinematography, Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing and Best Sound. Also
included in the two-disc set is the original theatrical version of the film and
almost three hours of all-new Blu-ray exclusive special features, including a
retrospective documentary with Director Wolfgang Petersen.
The film follows
the lives of a fearless U-Boat captain Capt.-Lt.
Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Jurgen Prochnow, The Da Vinci Code, Air Force
One) and his inexperienced crew as they become engulfed in the "Battle of the Atlantic"
during World War II. The crew confronts
the constant and paralyzing fear of the unknown enemy above in the
claustrophobic iron belly of a German U-boat. Variety likens the experience to “a descent into the pit of
hell.†Director Wolfgang Petersen’s
close and focused shots meticulously capture the gritty reality of pursuing
rival ships from undersea in a blind environment, humid with sweat and rank
with the bitter scent of metal.
Masterfully
crafted by Petersen (Troy, Air Force One) and critically acclaimed
as one of the best war films of all time, Das
Boot is a masterpiece that should be part of every film enthusiast’s
collection. The two-disc Blu-ray is
tightly packed with special features including a retrospective documentary of
the making of the film, seven vignettes taking viewers on an intimate tour of a
German U-boat, two featurettes offering insights from wife and First Assistant
Director, Maria Petersen and a look into the making of the Director’s Cut,
historical material with footage detailing the evolution of submarine battles
during World War II and a director’s commentary.
Das Boot
Synopsis:
At the height of WWII, a young submarine crew heads out to
sea on a top-secret mission that all but ensures most will never make it home
alive. Ordered to patrol the Atlantic and destroy an allied armada bringing
supplies to Britain,
these raw recruits must band together, bracing themselves against a depth-charge
assault from an unseen enemy. Oscar ® -
nominated director Wolfgang Petersen’s epic adventure deftly explores tension
as pressure builds to an explosive climax, packing a visceral punch few movies
can match.
2-Disc
Blu-ray Special Features:
- Wolfgang
Petersen-Back To The Boat
- Going
Deeper:
- Maria’s
Take
- The
Perfect Boat
- Captain’s
Tour
- Rooms
Overview
- Entry
Conning Tower
- Torpedo
Room & Crew Quarters
- Captain’s
& Officers’ Rooms
- The
Control Room
- Petty
Officers’ Room & Galley
- Diesel
& Electric Motor Rooms
- Historical
Material
- Behind
the Scenes (1981)
- Battle of the Atlantic
(1983)
