Das Boot (1981) – Filming Locations
Drama / History / War · Directed by Wolfgang Petersen · Starring Jürgen Prochnow
A German submarine hunts allied ships during the Second World War, but it soon becomes the hunted. The crew tries to survive below the surface, while stretching both the boat and themselves to their limits.
Where was Das Boot filmed?
- Rome, Italy, Rome – Interior submarine sets and control room sequences. The iconic Italian film studio housed the massive tank and built the detailed U-96 submarine interior sets where most interior scenes were filmed
- La Rochelle, France, La Rochelle – Submarine departure and harbor sequences. The French Atlantic port served as the main exterior location for the U-boat's departure and arrival scenes, chosen for its authentic period German submarine base atmosphere
- Brest, France, Brest – Submarine dock and military installations. The French naval base provided authentic German U-boat base architecture and period-appropriate military port infrastructure for opening sequences
- Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Gibraltar – Underwater sequences and naval engagement scenes. The strategically important strait was used for authentic Atlantic and Mediterranean underwater filming sequences during the submarine's patrol missions
- Malta, Valletta – Naval combat and depth charge sequences. Mediterranean waters surrounding Malta provided locations for exterior underwater combat scenes and convoy pursuit sequences