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Das Boot

There's no war film more claustrophobically terrifying than Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot (1981). Seen from the German side, these guys, hardly the exemplars of the master race, are buried alive in their leaky, filthy U-boat as they're buffeted by unseen depth charges fathoms below the north Atlantic. Under Petersen's masterful, close-up direction (The Never Ending Story, The Perfect Storm, Troy), the suspense is unendurable; Das Boot is 216 minutes of shell shock. Solid Jürgen Prochnow plays the harried captain, who tries to keep his crew together and somewhat sane but is up against terrible odds. This is one war film where we root for the villains.
Thu., Jan. 24, 6 p.m., 2013
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D.L. Groover has contributed to countless reputable publications including the Houston Press since 2003. His theater criticism has earned him a national award from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN) as well as three statewide Lone Star Press Awards for the same. He's co-author of the irreverent appreciation, Skeletons from the Opera Closet (St. Martin's Press), now in its fourth printing.
Contact: D. L. Groover