Submarine films

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This article is about war films associated with the naval craft. For the 2010 film, see Submarine (2010 film).
Typical setting of a submarine film (Das Boot)

Submarine films are a subgenre of war film in which the majority of the plot revolves around a submarine below the ocean's surface. Films of this subgenre typically focus on a small but determined crew of submariners battling against enemy submarines or submarine-hunter ships, or against other problems ranging from disputes amongst the crew, threats of mutiny, life-threatening mechanical breakdowns, or the daily difficulties of living on a submarine.

Characteristics

The danger from the extreme pressure of deep water dives and the claustrophobic, cramped submarine quarters imbues films of the subgenre with a great deal of dramatic tension. To heighten this tension, these films often depict submarine commanders descending below "hull crush depth" to evade attackers. Films from this subgenre tend to feature dramatic scenes in which submarine-hunters try to destroy submarines with depth charges. A stock scene in the submarine genre film is the depiction of a grim-faced submarine crew waiting in silence as depth charges explode overhead and bolts fly out of bulkheads in the submarine (they are dead silent because sound carries extremely well underwater, and so even the sound of men talking on a submarine would be picked up by normal sonar on other ships). Modern (post-World War II) movies often add conflict between different enemies.

Also a typical feature in all depicted eras is the sudden switch from hunter to hunted; while stalking enemy ships or carrying deadly nuclear missiles, the submarine often becomes, within moments, the hunted victim of overwhelming attack, the crew fleeing for its collective life.

While submarine films do use dramatic battle scenes, much of the tension in these movies tends to be created using other devices, such as conflict between officers, a threatened mutiny, damage to the boat, or life-threatening problems with the diving equipment or the engines/nuclear reactor. This sets this sub-genre apart from its parent genre of war films, which tend to focus more on battle scenes. Several submarine films use occasional 'dark humor' as comic relief to the tension, in common with other war films.

List of submarine movies

This is a list of movies, grouped by era, in which a submarine plays a significant role in the storyline. Many submarine movies are set in World War II or during the Cold War, with varying degrees of fictional elements. Some movies depict historical events from actual battles or incidents, such as Above Us the Waves, a 1955 film which depicts the true story of the British Royal Navy's midget submarines attacks on the Tirpitz. Other submarine movies develop a fictional plot created using submarine types and tactical or technological issues that are associated with these conflicts, such as the film U-571, which tells the story of a fictional U-boat in World War II. In some cases, these fictional submarine films may weave together some details from actual events. Other submarine films from the fantasy or science fiction film genres depict entirely fictitious events, such as the various film versions of Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Pre-1900

  • 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea 1870 — Jules Verne's Novel of a fictional Submarine. Later a 1954 adventure film. "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea 1954 Film"

Pre-World War II

  • Pimple's Dream of Victory 1915 — UK Comedy-Short silent directed by Fred Evans, Joe Evans depicting US sailor day-dreaming of submariner adventures
  • The Secret of the Submarine 1915 — US Action-Adventure silent serial directed by George L. Sargent depicting prevention of US submarine from falling into enemy hands
  • A Submarine Pirate 1915 — US Heist-Comedy-Short directed by Charles Avery & Syd Chaplin depicting waiter attempting to foil sea-heist of gold-filled cargo vessel by submarine; AKA Submarine Stor'y, AKA Submarino Pirata
  • Civilization 1916 — US Allegorical-Drama directed by Reginald Barker, Thomas H. Ince, Raymond B. West, et al. depicting pacifist German Count's construction of submarine with order to sink ocean liner Lusitania presumably also carrying enemy munitions; AKA La cruz de la humanidad, AKA Civilização
  • A Devil at His Elbow 1916 — US Drama directed by Burton L. King depicting engineer preparing new submarine for US government under approaching deadline encounters his worst nightmare
  • The Hero of Submarine D-2 1916 — US Drama directed by Paul Scardon depicting Naval Academy official reassigned as submarine commander discovers Ruanian (fictional for "German") plot to destroy US Navy fleet; AKA Colton, U.S.N.
  • Might and the Man 1917 — US Drama directed by Edward Dillon depicting
  • The Showdown 1917 — US Drama directed by Lynn F. Reynolds depicting wealthy passengers aboard ocean liner sunk by German U-boat marooned on deserted isle; AKA Back to the Primitive
  • The Slacker's Heart 1917 — US Drama directed by Frederick J. Ireland depicting US pacifist supports war effort after submarine carrying his family is torpedoed by German U-boat
  • El milagro del Tepeyac 1917 — Mexican Drama directed by Carlos E. González, José Manuel Ramos & Fernando Sáyago depicting ship of Mexican diplomat on diplomatic mission to Europe torpedoed by German U-boat; AKA Tepeyac
  • The Little American 1917 — US Action-Drama directed by Cecil B. DeMille & Joseph Levering depicting ship of young American returning to ancestral French home torpedoed by German U-boat & witness to German brutality while imprisoned; AKA A Pequena Americana, AKA La petite américaine
  • Hunting the U-Boats 1918 — US Comedy-Short directed by Bud Fisher [animated film]
  • On the Jump 1918 — US Comedy directed by Raoul Walsh depicting US reporter joins Liberty Loan campaign before he must rescue girlfriend & stolen secret fuel formula from German agent rendezveauing with German U-boat
  • Over the Top 1918 — US Drama directed by Wilfrid North depicting German U-boat commander whose submarine transports kidnapped US woman to his headquarters in Belgium before her US beau in British service can attempt behind enemy lines rescue
  • Patriotism 1918 — US Mystery-Drama directed by Raymond B. West depicting search in Scotland for German agent sending vital information to German U-boat fleet off of Scottish coast
  • The Spreading Evil 1918 — US Drama directed by James Keane depicting ship of German chemist with cure for syphilis on way to New York torpedoed by US submarine
  • Behind the Door 1919 — US Action-Drama directed by Irvin Willat depicting German-American naval officer takes revenge against the German U-boat commander who brutalized his wife after sinking his ship; AKA Detrás de la puerta
  • Crimson Shoals 1919 — US Drama directed by Francis Ford depicting thief using submarine to steal coral from island
  • The False Faces 1919 — US Espionage-Drama directed by Irvin Willat depicting thief who becomes reluctant US agent infiltrates German U-boat to deliver vital enemy information; AKA The Lone Wolf
  • The Isle of Conquest 1919 — US Adventure-Drama directed by Irvin Willat based on Arthur Hornblow novel man & woman marooned on deserted isle after their ship is sunk by German U-boat; AKA By Right of Conquest, AKA The Broken Barrier, AKA The Call of Nature
  • The Light of Victory 1919 — US Espionage-Drama directed by William Wolbert depicting young alcoholic US Navy officer court-martialed for losing vital documents to German spies & exiled to Pacific island before providing sensitive information to German submarine planning to sink his former ship USS ''Victory''
  • The Littlest Scout 1919 — US Drama directed by Paula Blackton depicting children kidnapped by German spies rescued by Boy Scouts and help capture spies & their German U-boat
  • Unknown Love 1919 — US Romance-Drama directed by Léonce Perret depicting young woman traveling to Europe to visit injured US soldier before ship is sunk by German U-boat; AKA Stars of Glory
  • The Woman of Mystery 1920 — US Action-Adventure directed by Grace Cunard & Francis Ford depicting submarines & submarine train; edited with additional footage from 1914 silent film serial Lucille Love: The Girl of Mystery
  • Mare Nostrum 1926 — directed by Rex Ingram
  • Submarine 1928 — directed by Frank Capra
  • Men Without Women 1930 — fictional USS S-13
  • Morgenrot 1933
  • Hell Below 1933 — USS AL-14
  • Submarine D-1 1937
  • Phantom Submarine U67 1939 — US Action-Thriller directed by William Nigh depicting US Navy captain at odds with German U-boat Captain & search for sunken treasure
  • The Land That Time Forgot 1975 — depicts stranded World War I U-boat crew on uncharted South-Atlantic sub-continent of "Caprona"
  • The Hunley 1999 — CSS Hunley

World War II

Korean War

  • Submarine Command 1951 — fictional USS Tiger Shark
  • Torpedo Alley 1952 — US Drama directed by Lew Landers depicting US Navy pilot rescued at sea by submarine in WWII before applying for submarine duty in time for Korea; AKA Down Periscope

Cold War

Post-Cold War

Future or Fantastic Past

See also

External links

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