'Das Boot' reboot

Tony EH

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Boot_(TV_series)

This is a really, really, bad idea.

The original 'Das Boot' was one, if not the, greatest films (I prefer the miniseries) about the war I've seen. It's no nonsense and reasonably factual presentation of the German war effort at sea encompasses everything that I expect from a film production about the U-Boat war.

But, to see it remade I think is probably one of the worst ideas I've heard in ages. I just cannot imagine that the makers will do either Buchheim's novel or the original version any justice at all.

Hopefully, I'm wrong, but wiki's line

"The series focus on the narratives of the upcoming Resistance in La Rochelle and the claustrophobic life aboard U-612"

does not bode well at all.

We don't need any "resistance" nonsense in a film about men in U-Boats and I feel that it's only there so the film makers can wave a flag and avoid accusations of glorifying nazism. But, it'll just come across as mealy-mouthed and weak. Yeah, we all know, Nazis are bad, etc. But, people watch a film like 'Das Boot' to see the other side of the hill, as Liddel-Hart put it. Not to get a half assed lecture about the evils of right wing totalitarianism.

'Das Boot' should JUST be about the boat and the men who sail in her. There shouldn't be any scenes on land, except where we see the German submariners in their doomed, drunken, revelling before their patrol.

As I said, I really hope to be wrong on this one. But, I won't hold my breath.




*EDIT

Elsewhere, I've read...

The second storyline takes place in the port of La Rochelle where Simone Strasser (Krieps) becomes engulfed in a dangerous liaison and forbidden love.

No...just no.

MayoForSam

Some classics should not be re-made and this is one of them. Stupid idea but tell that to the money men. 'U-571' was bad enough when it came to re-writing history.

aziz

And to make matters worse,in keeping with current Hollywood trends, the cast will be all female:pac:

TerrorFirmer

I don't mind things being remade as much as others appear to, as it brings the story and original work to a whole new audience who may have no interest in the original material for whatever reason.

However....

The second storyline takes place in the port of La Rochelle where Simone Strasser (Krieps) becomes engulfed in a dangerous liaison and forbidden love.

pls no

silverharp

will be kinda like Pearl Harbour versus Tora Tora Tora , take a great movie and inject a pointless love story to slow down and spoil the tension, and if anything like hollywood we will be introduced to kick ass female resistance fighters who drop kick 6ft Jerries with their little finger

pixelburp

The fact it's a Sky production is the biggest turn off for me, they're own productions have nearly always tended to be a load of rubbish. Making a sequel to Das Boot is a bit out of left field anyway.

Spon Farmer

A good idea or a bad one, I cannot say, but isn't a remake.

artanevilla

However bad it is, you have to remember, the original still exists.

Spon Farmer

artanevilla wrote: »

However bad it is, you have to remember, the original still exists.

Very true.

kneemos

It's not a remake. It says it's a sequel to the movie. Also it's a series not a movie.

Tony EH

True, it's a sequel, not a remake. Jumping the gun a bit there. Maybe it's a re-boot...:pac:

Although why they can't call it anything other than 'Das Boot'? It is a bit off putting.

In any case, I'm still twisting my face at the unnecessary resistance subplot and tacked on love story. What's the point? It's just going to be distracting form what should be the main focus of something that's called 'Das Boot".

Also, U-612 had a very uneventful war, to say the least. She didn't see any action and was sunk in manoeuvres from an accident with another boat. And she was never near La Rochelle either.

It just sounds awful.

I'll happily eat my words if it turns out to be good. A decent WWII U-Boat story would be very welcome round my way.

Agent Coulson

Looks like it's been a financial success anyway before it's even aired.

U-Boat Drama ‘Das Boot’ Sold to More Than 100 Territories

World War II drama series “Das Boot,” which was produced on a budget of $33 million, has been sold to more than 100 territories worldwide. The show will debut on Hulu in the U.S. and pay TV operator Sky across Europe.

The series is produced by Bavaria Fiction, Sky Deutschland and Sonar Entertainment, which distribution rights for the world, except for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, U.K., Ireland and Italy, where Sky holds the rights.

Territories sold to date include StarzPlay in France; AMC in Spain and Portugal; Epix/Viasat in Russia, Central & Eastern Europe; DI and MA in Serbia; Czech TV in the Czech Republic; VRT in Belgium; NRK in Norway; SVT in Sweden; YLE in Finland; RUV in Iceland; MNET in South Africa; StarzPlay in Latin America; SBS in Australia; and TVNZ in New Zealand.

Inspired by the Oscar-nominated movie by Wolfgang Petersen, and Lothar-Günther Buchheim’s bestselling novel, the series filmed in Munich, La Rochelle, Prague and Malta. It seeks to bring the brutal reality of World War II to life with two storylines running parallel on land and sea.

https://variety.com/2018/tv/global/u-boat-drama-das-boot-sold-to-more-than-100-territories-1202976943/

Melodeon

Starting to see trailers for this across the SKY platform, all episodes available next Wednesday (February 6th) on SKY Atlantic.

If your'er old enough to remember and love the original series like me i would have no interest in this, but for anyone who hasn't seen the original this could be quite intriguing i suppose.

Im in two minds myself whether i should watch this?

tigerboon

Wrong boat to start. Doesn't bode well.

two wheels good

Who's starring - Bruce Willis or Liam Neeson?

Pythagorean

aziz wrote: »

And to make matters worse,in keeping with current Hollywood trends, the cast will be all female:pac:

And black, to boot.

Skerries

have to bring up this classic tune

Melodeon

This is all available on SKY now.

ronnie3585

Pretty decent review from the Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/feb/06/the-new-and-improved-das-boot-now-with-added-women

E mac

One episode in it's not bad ! Tension ! Foreboding! Deceit!

Melodeon

Just watched the first 2 episodes, pretty good so far.

Keplar240B

Is it just one season, a mini series?

squawker

Tony EH wrote: »

The second storyline takes place in the port of La Rochelle where Simone Strasser (Krieps) becomes engulfed in a dangerous liaison and forbidden love.

lol, why do they do this?

think I will stick to the original

Keplar240B

squawker wrote: »

lol, why do they do this?

think I will stick to the original

Prochaska discussed how the series ties in with the Me Too movement, describing the series as "[going] a step further than the film did" by adding the Resistance storyline, stating, "[it] gives a chance to bring in strong female characters.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Boot_(TV_series)

Melodeon

Yay, the Irish get a mention in episode 3!

E mac

Melodeon wrote: »

Yay, the Irish get a mention in episode 3!

Well we did too in the original film when the Germans all sang 'long way to Tipperary '

Tony EH

Keplar240B wrote: »

Prochaska discussed how the series ties in with the Me Too movement, describing the series as "[going] a step further than the film did" by adding the Resistance storyline, stating, "[it] gives a chance to bring in strong female characters.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Boot_(TV_series)

Haven't bothered seeing it yet, but...

Wibbs

Tony EH wrote: »

Haven't bothered seeing it yet, but...

To be fair T it's fashionable at the moment and half the time(at least) producers and marketing types for TV and film just parrot that stuff for the PR angle. Hollywood has always done this. Pick damn near any Hollywood flic over the last century and somewhere it'll be pandering to the fashion of the day, so long as it put bums on seats. There are many who would reboot Triumph of the Will if they thought it would be a surefire blockbuster.

I've watched the first two of Das ReBoot™ and I like it so far I have to say. They had to extend it beyond the submarine and her crew. If they hadn't it would have invited too many comparisons with the original and likely not so great comparisons either. They had to go beyond the original which was almost a stage play with the U Boat as the stage. Very close in, personal. a film/TV series helmed by someone like Wolfgang Petersen and had a the best of German speaking fantastic top level cast. It was also original in its treatment of submariners and war. The tracking shots through the hull were fantastic then and still are. You can damn near smell the sweat and claustrophobia and it still holds up bloody well today.

Anyway in my humble the current one is watchable and well bolted together, at least of far of what I've seen and I'd say give it a go.

SoundsRight

Seems ok so far. They capture the sweaty, claustrophobia inside the U-Boat well. There's something mesmerising about submarine films, they are tailor made for tension and dread.

I get why they introduced the female element, but it seems a bit hackneyed and sucks away a lot of the suspense built up in the boat. It's not like the Battle of the Atlantic was lacking in source material. Besides, why pander to an audience that would have no interest in the show to begin with?

Tony EH

Wibbs wrote: »

To be fair T it's fashionable at the moment and half the time(at least) producers and marketing types for TV and film just parrot that stuff for the PR angle. Hollywood has always done this. Pick damn near any Hollywood flic over the last century and somewhere it'll be pandering to the fashion of the day, so long as it put bums on seats. There are many who would reboot Triumph of the Will if they thought it would be a surefire blockbuster.

I've watched the first two of Das ReBoot™ and I like it so far I have to say. They had to extend it beyond the submarine and her crew. If they hadn't it would have invited too many comparisons with the original and likely not so great comparisons either. They had to go beyond the original which was almost a stage play with the U Boat as the stage. Very close in, personal. a film/TV series helmed by someone like Wolfgang Petersen and had a the best of German speaking fantastic top level cast. It was also original in its treatment of submariners and war. The tracking shots through the hull were fantastic then and still are. You can damn near smell the sweat and claustrophobia and it still holds up bloody well today.

Anyway in my humble the current one is watchable and well bolted together, at least of far of what I've seen and I'd say give it a go.

Never cared for fashions much Wibbs.

But, my puke gif is more of a response to the simpering quote from Prochaska and his effort to piggyback causes which don't belong near a WWII drama about German U-Boat crews.

But, yeh, I agree. It's a money thing, not a principled thing.

In any case, I don't have Sky Atlantic, so I won't be watching it any time soon, for that reason alone.