Sunday, April 22, 2012

Cool Films With Ships and Boats

Be it the grand, sensational cruise ship that was immortalized in 1997, or the claustrophobic, dark U 96 from the 80s' German blockbuster Das Boot - ships and boats have served as both setting and important element in a variety of motion pictures.
Perhaps it's the blend of angst and fascination caused by floating on or in the big sea that convinces film makers to include these vehicles in their productions... At any rate, the audience seems to appreciate it - that is, if the films are well made. I, for one, have an important relation to ships and the sea, as I have spend most of my life on or at the sea - actually I used to hate ships and boats when I was a little younger than now. Teenage rebellion.
But as I startet do get more into the art of film, I also started appreciating and loving those things.
Of course I had always loved the sea - who doesn't? But making a list of good films about the sea or including the sea would be impossible. So I decided to talk about films with ships and boats. Cool films with ships and boats.

Cool isn't a cool word anymore, but I still like it, and I think many films with ships and boats are cool. Here are some of my favourites, in no particular order. Focussing on the ships and boats.

In fact I haven't seen that many cool films with ships and boats. So in case you know some, I'd be glad if you would recommend them.

TITANIC (1997)
The classic. So beautiful, so gruesome. I've been on a mini cruise only once, and the ship seemed gigantic, so I always imagine what it must've been like on the Titanic. On the outside and upper levels it's very shiny and extravagant, but also very dirty and dark in the lower levels. Anyway, I think Cameron did a great job of bringing the ship alive, especially in the scenes where we see it from the outside, like above. It looks so incredibly real. As for the film, you already know how much I love it, so let's skip that part today.

DAS BOOT (1981)
The only and best submarine film I've seen until now. Unlike the Titanic, which you like and feel sad for, you start hating the U 96 in this one. I don't think I could survive more than a few days in it. Even though it's fascinating too, seeing the underwater animals and somehow becoming one yourself. Or actually it's the U 96 that becomes one of the underwater animals... unpredictable and dangerous.

SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS (1927)
The boat plays an important role in this film - at first a scary and threatening place, later on midnight-moonlight-romantic, and then a truly bad one. Its three sides stand for the three parts of the movie and perfectly underline the current atmosphere of this awesome silent picture. 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN (2003 - 2012?)
I haven't seen the latest one (4), but I really like the first three though they're very main stream and predictable. Maybe it's the pirates. All I know is that the ships are one of the main reasons too. I can't say if they're realistic, of course, but very impressive, and wooden ships are the best anyhow. Even better when they have canons. 


These were the most impressing and most important ships and boats in films I could think of, but I'm sure you know some yourself - what are your favourite cool films with ships and boats?


13 comments:

  1. The Titanic is the Devdas of boat movies, of course, having had several films made about it. Cameron's film, which I have not and will not see, was the biggest and most financially successful, but perhaps you might enjoy comparing it with other films on the subject? I've read many reviews which prefer the quality of the acting in some of the older films, even sans CGI and a planet-sized production budget. Because you are such a fan of Cameron's film, I think it would be very interesting to read a comparison of it with others from your point of view.

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    1. Good suggestion. There are no particular Titanic movies that I can think of right now but I've read too that there were some good old ones. So I do wonder whether I'd like them...

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  2. Master and Commander (2003) I found incredibly realistic, as if I was right there with them onboard the ship, recommended.

    DAS BOOT (1981) was technically impressive, but sooo long, I couldn't even finish it. At least we agree on Titanic!

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    1. I've always been wanting to watch Master and Commander, it's quite popular among the people I know. Sounds good!
      It's true that Das Boot was long, you have to be in the right mood to watch movies like that. But I hope you'll maybe try another time, because it's really worth it. I loved your recent post on Titanic.

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  3. I don't really know many films based in/on/around boats but the Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou is based on a submarine and I adore that movie. Unfortunately I'm not so much of a fan of Titanic as everyone else seems to be, and I've not seen Das Boot yet. I really think that I've got to expand upon my water-based films :)

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    1. Me too, I've read a few lists on "water-based films" as a research and there are many good sounding ones. Life Aquatic sounds good, I might try it out.
      Hope you'll watch Das Boot, as I said, it's worth the long running time.

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  4. I have mixed feelings about Titanic. It was gorgeous film with a good story, using the tragedy plot to the bestest, but I am SO hugely turned off by Di Caprio I cannot enjoy his films, no matter how good they are.

    As for Pirates... I LOVED the first one, but did not care for the second filma dn have not seen the third or fourth....

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    1. I think di Caprio has made some good films, but he's surely not an actor everyone likes.

      The third Pirates film is kind of good, though I think the newer films will never be able to come near the first one.

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  5. Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo definitely belongs on this list. The film is a masterpiece and the actual making of it is an insane story.

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    1. The plot sounds insane too: "The story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an extremely determined man who intends to build an opera house in the middle of a jungle." - IMDB.
      Intriguing.

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  6. Nice topic for discussion Mette, I am still holding out and have never seen Titanic :-)

    Hitchcock's Lifeboat is a classic and I also like The Caine Mutiny with Bogart and lastly I am a sucker for A Perfect Storm but I am from outside of Boston so I might be a bit prejudiced.

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    1. WHAT? That's very unusual!

      Honestly, you should give it a try, who knows, maybe you'll be surprised and love it.
      I'm growing very interested in Hitchcock at the time, so I'll probably get around to seeing Lifeboat...

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  7. Don't forget Moby Dick (John Huston, 1956) and its remake (Frank Roddam, 1998.

    Frans

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Let the discussion begin!