Submarine Movies

“Who’s the U-boat commander?” – Service Manager, Risky Business

Those who have seen the movie Risky Business (1983) will recognize that quote and probably smile in remembrance of what it accompanies.  Those who have not seen the film, should.  I won’t spoil this moment for you by explaining the humor; you should see it in the context of the movie.

The concept of a submarine has been around for centuries.  As far back as the American Revolutionary War the U.S. military used an experimental craft named the Acorn that could travel under the surface of the water.  It was used to attack the HMS Eagle, the flagship of the British Navy in 1776.  Around fifteen years ago a forgotten piece of history - an American Civil War Confederate States submarine named the Hunley – was found, recovered, and researched.  It was the first submarine to ever successfully sink a naval military ship, although it also sank before it could return.  A few years later in 1870 Jules Verne wrote the novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea about Captain Nemo and his fantastic submarine The Nautilus.

When most people hear the words “submarine movie”, though, it probably brings to mind one of two things: Cold War subs with nuclear missiles pointed at the enemy, or WWII subs playing cat and mouse with enemy ships.  While I will certainly have at least one film fitting each of those descriptions, there are other kinds of submarine movies that are well worth seeing, including some that have nothing at all to do with war, some that are funny, and some that don’t even take place in a body of water.

I will not be including films that happen to have a submarine in them, like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), or even movies like 1941 (1979) which have submarines in subplots.  For the purposes of this category, “submarine movie” will be one where the large majority of the events take place on a sub and/or because of a sub.

As always, to post a review of a film here I have to like it enough to recommend it to others (at least 3 stars out of 5).  This means if you were looking forward to a review of Down Periscope (1996) then I’m afraid you are going to be disappointed.

On another note: you might be able to help me.  When brainstorming what movies to include in this category I noticed that I had nothing newer than 2002, and it’s a film I’ve already posted a review of in another category (K-19: The Widowmaker).  Have you seen a good submarine film made in the last ten years or so?  In addition, I’ve never seen Yellow Submarine (1968).  I’ve seen both A Hard Days Night (1964) and Help! (1965).  I loved the music in them, of course, but found the jokes to be purely for kids.  I know I’d like the music in Yellow Submarine, but is the humor in it more of the same, just animated?

I will add the links to the reviews of the movies below as I post them.

Das Boot (1981)
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Operation Petticoat (1959)
Crimson Tide (1995)
Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Innerspace (1987)
U-571 (2000)

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) – (posted October 31, 2011)

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) – (posted April 6, 2012)

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966) – (posted March 22, 2013)

On to the reviews…