Re: U-571 is morally better
Posted by:
Victor
()
Date: December 09, 2002 03:06AM
<HTML>You mention the "heroes" (Helden) of Das Boot being killed off at the end. In the Director's cut, Petersen and Prochnow discuss this--since Buchheim (played by the actor as the representative of the Navy Press) and the actual commander survived, and the book "Das Boot" is based on Buchheim's actual experiences. However, both Petersen and Prochnow agree that in 1981, the only "satisfactory" ending in Germany to such a film was death and failure. The film was also originally panned in Germany, but when shown to an L.A. film audience (which contained many Jews), the initial "boos" were replaced by applause at the end of the picture. While you might consider killing of other Navy personnel as depicted in U-571 as more "satisfying", the sequence in "Das Boot" is central to the plot of the film, and unfortunately perhaps, more akin to "reality." The crew is quite upset following that incident, whereas submariners generally don't see their victims face to face.</HTML>