Because I'm a human and possibly because I'm a Brit, the harrowing stories of unarmed freighters going down with their crews, of stokers boiled to death when seawater flooded the engine rooms, of crewmen dying of hypothermia in the North Atlantic or making it into a lifeboat only to drift out of the sea-lanes never to be seen again, well that saddens me more. For Britain, the mortality rate of the Merchant Marine was worse than any branch of the military. I must confess to bias though, as I have - so to speak - retroactive skin in the game: my dad served in a Royal Navy frigate (actually an American Destroyer Escort retro-fitted as a sub-killer) on convoy escort duty, interspersed with occasional search-and-destroy missions.
Best submarine movies
- Thread starter 91firebird
- Start date
Because I'm a human and possibly because I'm a Brit, the harrowing stories of unarmed freighters going down with their crews, of stokers boiled to death when seawater flooded the engine rooms, of crewmen dying of hypothermia in the North Atlantic or making it into a lifeboat only to drift out of the sea-lanes never to be seen again, well that saddens me more. For Britain, the mortality rate of the Merchant Marine was worse than any branch of the military. I must confess to bias though, as I have - so to speak - retroactive skin in the game: my dad served in a Royal Navy frigate (actually an American Destroyer Escort retro-fitted as a sub-killer) on convoy escort duty, interspersed with occasional search-and-destroy missions.
Pio1980
AK Member
A neighbor who served on a diesel electric u-boat during WWII told a similar story involving having to clean the collectors and commutators with carbon yet while under for extended periods and getting something like drunk on the heavy fumes on top of bad air.
guiller
Toscaninichus Australis
FWIW, there are some listings of "best submarine movies" on the net. There are several films that have been mentioned in this thread, but some other titles as well:
https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-submarine-movies-of-all-time
https://www.listchallenges.com/25-best-submarine-movies
https://www.marineinsight.com/recreation/top-10-submarine-movies-how-many-have-you-actually-seen/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls021449523/
https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-submarine-movies-of-all-time
https://www.listchallenges.com/25-best-submarine-movies
https://www.marineinsight.com/recreation/top-10-submarine-movies-how-many-have-you-actually-seen/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls021449523/
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These brave souls most certainly deserve all the honor and respect we can give them. A decidedly non-glorious job with the highest of risks.
I'm no Nazi sympathizer, rather, one who detests the useless waste of war for both sides of any campaign.
Pio1980
AK Member
The 20,000Leagues ref I found in a web search on origin a while back, this article may be more authorative;
https://www.wqxr.org/story/what-makes-the-famous-bach-organ-piece-toccata-fugue-so-spooky/
HTHMAN
Super Member
Not that it matters, but
https://www.wqxr.org/story/what-makes-the-famous-bach-organ-piece-toccata-fugue-so-spooky/
Any way you look at it, that is a great piece to tax your speakers. No bookshelf speakers will do the pipe organ versions justice.
cgutz
AK Member
A movie yet to be mentioned...the comedy "The Russians Are Coming."
Crimson Tide is one of my favorites. The scene where the submarine dives while the Navy Hymn is playing just gets to me.
While in NROTC in the 70's I spent a week on a fast attack boat, most interesting thing I have ever done.
I read the book "Up Periscope" dozens of times in junior high/high school, but the movie takes so many liberties with the plot I just never got into it.
Crimson Tide is one of my favorites. The scene where the submarine dives while the Navy Hymn is playing just gets to me.
While in NROTC in the 70's I spent a week on a fast attack boat, most interesting thing I have ever done.
I read the book "Up Periscope" dozens of times in junior high/high school, but the movie takes so many liberties with the plot I just never got into it.
I have the M&K direct to disk LP's with Toccata & Fugue in D minor and it takes 2 pairs of KEF 104aB's and a Crown PSA-2 to even get close.
But...You know, Samuel Barbers Festiva Toccata is a better test.
Can't argue with that. Peace, brother.
Do you know that the pink submarine really happened during WWII. There was a "S" boat submarine that was in the yard in Subic Bay when the Japanese attacked the Philippines. It was being repainted and had the base red lead paint coat on before the battleship gray lead paint was applied. Unlike the movies' Fleet Boat the USS Balao (SS-285) it did not travel to Pearl Harbor instead it went to Australia. I have tried to find which "S" boat it was but I am unable it pin down, there was a passing reference to it in a story I heard from a WW2 US Navy vet who was in Australia at the time.
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You are all wrong you have completely missed the greatest Submarine show that has ever been. 
Stingray (1964)
Stingray (1964)
EJB14
Active Member
Love this one. Later re-done as a Star Trek episode "Balance of Terror" -
EJB14
Active Member
Sounds like a really good candidate for a home theater with lots 'o watts...
ducati_EL34
Addicted Member
I read a book written by a crew member of an S boat that made its way to Australia. I think the book was called “Pigboats”. That is the nickname given by the crewmemembers of the S boat class of subs. They were very much outdated by 1941.
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