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The submarine film is a subgenre of
war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...
in which the majority of the plot revolves around a submarine below the ocean's surface. Films of this subgenre typically focus on a small but determined crew of submariners battling against enemy submarines or submarine-hunter ships, or against other problems ranging from disputes amongst the crew, threats of mutiny, life-threatening mechanical breakdowns, or the daily difficulties of living on a submarine. The genre plays on the psychological tension of the submarine's crew and their unseen enemy, signified by a soundscape that may feature explosions, the ping of
sonar Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances (ranging), communicate with or detect objects on o ...
, the creaking of the submarine's hull under extreme pressure, the alarm ordering the submarine to dive, and the threatening sound signatures of a destroyer's propeller or of an approaching torpedo. Some 150 films have been made in the submarine genre between 1910 and 2010, variously depicting submarines in relatively realistic stories about World War I, World War II or the Cold War, or purely fictional and fantastic scenarios.


Characteristics

Submarine films have their own particular
semantics Semantics (from grc, σημαντικός ''sēmantikós'', "significant") is the study of reference, meaning, or truth. The term can be used to refer to subfields of several distinct disciplines, including philosophy, linguistics and comp ...
and syntax, creating a
film genre A film genre is a stylistic or thematic category for motion pictures based on similarities either in the narrative elements, aesthetic approach, or the emotional response to the film. Drawing heavily from the theories of literary-genre cri ...
concerned specifically with submarine warfare. A distinctive element in this genre is the
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...
, which attempts to bring home the emotional and dramatic nature of conflict under the sea. For example, in the 1981 ''
Das Boot ''Das Boot'' (, English: "The Boat") is a 1981 West German war film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by Günter Rohrbach, and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann. It has been exhibited both as ...
'', the sound design works together with the hours-long film format to depict lengthy pursuit with depth charges, and as the critic Linda Maria Koldau writes, Koldau identifies the basic syntactic structure of the submarine genre as "outside is bad, inside is good." The unseen outside means the enemy: this may be from nature, with elements such as water pressure threatening to crush the hull,
sea monsters Sea monsters are beings from folklore believed to dwell in the sea and often imagined to be of immense size. Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or tentacled beasts. They can be slimy and scaly and are oft ...
, or underwater rocks; or human opponents. Meanwhile, the inside of the submarine represents the human warmth and trust of the crew for each other and for their captain, their lives bound together by the situation. To this scenario can be added elements from within such as mutiny, fire, discord, or accidents including radiation leakage; and from outside such as water, terrorism, disease, and weapons, while the plot may feature sudden switches from being the hunter to being the hunted. The soundscape may depict the creaking of the hull under pressure: as Koldau observes, this is both realistic and
metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wi ...
ic, standing in for the fear and the responsibility on the shoulders of the crew. Stress may further be expressed in the acoustic signature of specifically submarine threats, such as the swelling sound of an approaching destroyer's propeller, the soft buzz of an enemy
torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...
, or the submarine's own alarm ordering an immediate dive. Another element of the soundscape less often remarked upon is simply silence, which can mean both safety (nothing is happening) and unseen danger, creating tension.


List of submarine movies

This is a list of
movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
s, grouped by the era in which they were made, in which a submarine plays a significant role in the storyline. From 1910 to 2010, some 150 fictional films about submarines have been made. Many of these are set in World War I, World War II, or the Cold War; others depict relatively "authentic" terrorist scenarios. Some movies depict historical events from actual battles or incidents, such as '' Above Us the Waves'', a 1955 film which depicts the true story of the British
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
's
midget submarine A midget submarine (also called a mini submarine) is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to six or nine, with little or no on-board living accommodation. They normally work with mother ships, ...
s attacks on the . Other submarine movies develop a fictional plot created using more or less realistic details of naval warfare, such as the film ''U-571'', which tells the story of a fictional U-boat in World War II. Other submarine films from the
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...
,
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
or occasionally horror film genres depict entirely fictitious events, such as the various film versions of Jules Verne's novel ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea''.


Set before World War I

* '' Hearts in Bondage'' (1936) – directed by
Lew Ayres Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Fr ...
* ''
The Hunley ''The Hunley'' is a 1999 American historical drama television film written and directed by John Gray, from a story by Gray and John Fasano. The film stars Armand Assante, Donald Sutherland, Alex Jennings, Michael Dolan, and Christopher Baue ...
'' (1999) – CSS ''Hunley'' attacks a U.S. Navy ship


Made before World War II

* ''
The Secret of the Submarine ''The Secret of the Submarine'' is a 1915 American adventure film, adventure film serial directed by George L. Sargent. It was 15 chapters and all of them are considered to be lost film, lost. Plot The heroes must keep the titular submarine f ...
'' (1915) – US action-adventure silent serial directed by
George L. Sargent George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Preside ...
depicting prevention of US submarine from falling into enemy hands * ''
A Submarine Pirate ''A Submarine Pirate'' is a 1915 American short comedy film starring Syd Chaplin and featuring an early uncredited appearance by Harold Lloyd. Cast * Syd Chaplin as Ambitious waiter * Wesley Ruggles as The inventor's accomplice * Glen Cavender ...
'' (1915) – US heist-comedy-short directed by Charles Avery and Syd Chaplin, depicting waiter attempting to foil sea-heist of gold-filled cargo vessel by submarine * ''
Civilization A civilization (or civilisation) is any complex society characterized by the development of a state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (namely, a writing system). ...
'' (1916) – US allegorical-drama directed by
Reginald Barker Reginald C. Barker (April 2, 1886 – February 23, 1945) was a pioneer film director. Biography Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Barker's family moved to Scotland when he was an infant and then to the United States. Living in California, ...
,
Thomas H. Ince Thomas Harper Ince (November 16, 1880 – November 19, 1924) was an American silent film - era filmmaker and media proprietor. Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and was responsible for making over 800 films. He revolutionized the mo ...
,
Raymond B. West Raymond B. West (February 11, 1886 – September 11, 1923) was an American motion picture director. He joined the New York Motion Picture Company in 1910 and directed more than 70 motion pictures between 1910 and 1919 before being involved in an ...
, et al. depicting pacifist German Count's construction of submarine with order to sink ocean liner '' Lusitania'' presumably also carrying enemy munitions; a.k.a. ''La cruz de la humanidad'', a.k.a. ''Civilização'' * ''
The Little American ''The Little American'' is a 1917 American silent romantic war drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The film stars Mary Pickford (who also served as producer) as an American woman who is in love with both a German soldier and a French ...
'' (1917) – US action-drama directed by
Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...
and
Joseph Levering Joseph Levering (1874–1943) was an American actor, screenwriter and film director.Pitts p.82 He was married to the actress Marian Swayne. Selected filmography Director * ''The Little American'' (1917) * '' Little Miss Fortune'' (1917) * '' T ...
, depicting ship of young Americans returning to ancestral French home torpedoed by a German
U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...
and witness to German brutality while imprisoned; a.k.a. ''A Pequena Americana'', a.k.a. ''La petite américaine'' * ''
On the Jump ''On the Jump'' is a 1918 American short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art. Like many American films of the time, ''On the Jump'' was subject to cuts by city and st ...
'' (1918) – US comedy directed by Raoul Walsh, depicting US reporter who joins Liberty Loan campaign before he must rescue his girlfriend and stolen secret fuel formula from German agent rendezvousing with a German U-boat * '' Patriotism'' (1918) – US mystery-drama directed by
Raymond B. West Raymond B. West (February 11, 1886 – September 11, 1923) was an American motion picture director. He joined the New York Motion Picture Company in 1910 and directed more than 70 motion pictures between 1910 and 1919 before being involved in an ...
, depicting search in Scotland for German agent sending vital information to German U-boat fleet off the Scottish coast * '' Behind the Door'' (1919) – US action-drama directed by
Irvin Willat Irvin V. Willat (November 18, 1890 – April 17, 1976) was an American film director of the silent film era. A short biography reprinted from ''Blue Book of the Screen'' (1923). He directed 39 films between 1917 and 1937. Early in his career ...
, depicting German-American naval officer who takes revenge against the German U-boat commander who brutalized his wife after sinking his ship; a.k.a. ''Detrás de la puerta'' * ''
The False Faces ''The False Faces'' is a 1919 American silent action film written and directed by Irvin Willat, based on the novel by Louis Joseph Vance, and starring Henry B. Walthall as Michael Lanyard, the " Lone Wolf," and Lon Chaney as Karl Ekstrom, th ...
'' (1919) – US espionage-drama directed by
Irvin Willat Irvin V. Willat (November 18, 1890 – April 17, 1976) was an American film director of the silent film era. A short biography reprinted from ''Blue Book of the Screen'' (1923). He directed 39 films between 1917 and 1937. Early in his career ...
, depicting a thief who becomes a reluctant US agent and infiltrates German U-boat to deliver vital enemy information; a.k.a. ''The Lone Wolf'' * ''
The Isle of Conquest ''The Isle of Conquest'' is a 1919 American silent drama film starring Norma Talmadge and produced by Talmadge and her husband Joseph Schenck. The film is now considered lost. Plot Based upon a short review in a film magazine, a young woman (Ta ...
'' (1919) – US adventure-drama directed by
Irvin Willat Irvin V. Willat (November 18, 1890 – April 17, 1976) was an American film director of the silent film era. A short biography reprinted from ''Blue Book of the Screen'' (1923). He directed 39 films between 1917 and 1937. Early in his career ...
, based on Arthur Hornblow novel, about a man and woman marooned on a deserted isle after their ship is sunk by a German U-boat * ''
Mare Nostrum ''Mare Nostrum'' (; Latin: "Our Sea") was a Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea. In Classical Latin, it would have been pronounced , and in Ecclesiastical Latin, it is pronounced . In the decades following the 1861 unification of Italy, Ital ...
'' (1926) – directed by Rex Ingram * '' Submarine'' (1928) – directed by Frank Capra * '' Men Without Women'' (1930) – fictional USS ''S-13'' * '' The Sea Ghost'' (1931) – a.k.a. ''U-67'' * '' A Woman of Experience'' (1931) * '' Morgenrot'' (1933) * ''
Hell Below ''Hell Below'' (aka ''Pigboats'') is a 1933 American MGM pre-Code film set in the Adriatic Sea during World War I about submarine warfare based on Commander Edward Ellsberg's novel ''Pigboats''. The film stars Robert Montgomery, Walter Huston ...
'' (1933) – USS ''AL-14'' * '' Dark Journey'' (1937) – UK adventure-thriller directed by
Victor Saville Victor Saville (25 September 1895 – 8 May 1979) was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. He directed 39 films between 1927 and 1954. He also produced 36 films between 1923 and 1962. Biography Saville produced his first f ...
* '' Submarine D-1'' (1937) * ''
Submarine Patrol ''Submarine Patrol'' is a 1938 film directed by John Ford and starring Richard Greene, Nancy Kelly and Preston Foster. The supporting cast features George Bancroft, Elisha Cook, Jr., John Carradine, Maxie Rosenbloom, Jack Pennick, Ward Bond an ...
'' (1938) – directed by
John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...
* ' (1939) – the Soviet film * ''
The Spy in Black ''The Spy in Black'' (US: ''U-Boat 29'') is a 1939 British film, and the first collaboration between the British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. They were brought together by Alexander Korda to make the World War I spy thrill ...
'' (1939) – a.k.a. ''U-Boat 29'' * ''
Thunder Afloat ''Thunder Afloat'' is a 1939 World War I naval film starring Wallace Beery and Chester Morris. The movie was directed by George B. Seitz. The submarine sequences were shot with the cooperation of the U. S. Navy at Annapolis, Maryland and aro ...
'' (1939)


Made during World War II

* ''
Three Little Sew and Sews ''Three Little Sew and Sews'' is a 1939 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 36th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...
'' (1939) – US comedy short directed by
Del Lord Delmer "Del" Lord (October 7, 1894March 23, 1970) was a Canadian film director and actor best known as a director of Three Stooges films. Career Delmer Lord was born in the small town of Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. Interested in the theatre, he t ...
, depicting the
Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeare ...
as sailors working in a ships' tailor shop tricked into stealing a submarine by Nazi spies * '' 49th Parallel'' (1941) – a U-boat is sunk in Hudson's Bay, leaving the surviving crewmen stranded in northern Canada * '' U-Boote westwärts!'' (''U-Boat, Course West!'') (1941) – German war film promoting Kriegsmarine and Unterseeboot service * ''
Crash Dive A crash dive is a maneuver by a submarine in which the vessel submerges as quickly as possible to avoid attack. Crash diving from the surface to avoid attack has been largely rendered obsolete with the advent of nuclear-powered submarines, as they ...
'' (1943) – fictional USS ''Corsair'' * ' (1943) – the Soviet movie * ''
Destination Tokyo ''Destination Tokyo'' is a 1943 black and white American submarine war film. The film was directed by Delmer Daves in his directorial debut,McGee, Scott"Articles: 'Destination Tokyo' (1944)."'' TCM.com'', 2019. Retrieved: August 15, 2019. and t ...
'' (1943) – fictional USS ''Copperfin'' * ''
Gung Ho ''Gung ho'' () is an English term, with the current meaning of "overly enthusiastic or energetic". It originated during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) from a Chinese term, ( zh, hp=gōnghé, l=to work together), short for Chinese ...
'' (1943) – fictional account of the
Makin Island raid The Raid on Makin Island (17–18 August 1942) was an attack by the United States Marine Corps Raiders on Japanese military forces on Makin Island (now known as Butaritari) in the Pacific Ocean. The aim was to destroy Imperial Japanese inst ...
* ''
The Silver Fleet ''The Silver Fleet'' is a 1943 British war film written and directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley and produced by Powell and Pressburger under the banner of "The Archers". Plot Early during the World War II, Second World War, the Nazi ...
'' (1943) – British drama directed by
Vernon Sewell Vernon Campbell Sewell (4 July 1903 – 21 June 2001) was a British film director, writer, producer and, briefly, an actor. Sewell was born in London, England, and was educated at Marlborough College. He directed more than 30 films during his ...
and
Gordon Wellesley Gordon Wong Wellesley (8 December 1894 – 1980) was an Australian-born screenwriter and writer of Chinese descent. Born in Sydney in 1894 He wrote over thirty screenplays in the United States and Britain, often collaborating with the director ...
, depicting a Dutch submarine builder forced to work for the Nazis * ''
Submarine Alert ''Submarine Alert'' is a 1943 American film directed by Frank McDonald, produced by Pine-Thomas Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Richard Arlen, Wendy Barrie, Nils Asther, Roger Pryor, Marc Lawrence and Ralph San ...
'' (1943) – US thriller directed by Frank McDonald, depicting a former gangster supplying German U-boat commanders with torpedoes in South America * '' Submarine Base'' (1943) – US drama directed by Albert H. Kelley, depicting Nazi spies using a stolen shortwave transmitter prototype to broadcast top secret shipping info to an offshore
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
submarine * ''
We Dive at Dawn ''We Dive at Dawn'' is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring John Mills and Eric Portman as Royal Navy submariners in the Second World War. It was written by Val Valentine and J. B. Williams with uncredited assistance from Fr ...
'' (1943) – UK action-drama directed by
Anthony Asquith Anthony William Landon Asquith (; 9 November 1902 – 20 February 1968) was an English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on ''The Winslow Boy'' (1948) and '' The Browning Version'' (1951), among oth ...
, depicting fictional submarine HMS ''Sea Tiger'' on a mission to sink fictional German battleship ''Brandenburg'' * '' Two-Man Submarine'' (1944) – US B-movie directed by Lew Landers


Later films depicting World War II

* '' The Damned'' (1947) – directed by René Clément * '' Mystery Submarine'' (1950) – directed by
Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. Sirk started his career in Germany as a stage and screen director, but he left for ...
, depicting a mission to destroy a U-boat off the coast of South America; a.k.a. ''Phantom Submarine'' * ''
Operation Pacific ''Operation Pacific'' is a 1951 black-and-white World War II submarine war drama from Warner Bros. Pictures, produced by Louis Edelman, and written as well as directed by George Waggner. John Wayne and Patricia Neal star and Ward Bond and Philip ...
'' (1951) – fictional USS ''Thunderfish'' * '' Submarine Command'' (1951) – US drama directed by
John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...
, depicting a US submarine commander forced to confront the consequences of sudden high-sea submersion while the crew remain outside the submarine * '' Ubåt 39'' (''U-Boat 39'') (1952) – Swedish drama directed by
Hampe Faustman Erik "Hampe" Faustman (born Erik Stellan Chatham; 3 July 1919 – 26 August 1961) was a Swedish actor and film director. He appeared in more than 20 films between 1940 and 1961. He also directed 20 films between 1943 and 1955. He was married ...
, depicting the crew of * ''
Torpedo Alley The Torpedo Alley, or Torpedo Junction, off North Carolina, is one of the graveyards of the Atlantic Ocean, named for the high number of attacks on Allied shipping by German U-boats in World War II. Almost 400 ships were sunk, mostly during t ...
'' (1953) – US drama directed by Lew Landers, depicting a US Navy pilot rescued at sea by submarine before applying for submarine duty; a.k.a. ''Down Periscope'' * ''
The Cruel Sea (1953 film) ''The Cruel Sea'' is a 1953 British war film starring Jack Hawkins, Donald Sinden, Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, Liam Redmond, Virginia McKenna and Moira Lister. Made by Ealing Studios seven years after the end of the Second World War, it ...
'' – British war film, portrays the conditions in which the Battle of the Atlantic was fought between the Royal Navy and Germany's U-boats, seen from the viewpoint of the British naval officers and seamen who served in convoy escorts. It is based on the best-selling 1951 novel of the same name by former naval officer
Nicholas Monsarrat Lieutenant Commander Nicholas John Turney Monsarrat FRSL RNVR (22 March 19108 August 1979) was a British novelist known for his sea stories, particularly '' The Cruel Sea'' (1951) and ''Three Corvettes'' (1942–45), but perhaps known best i ...
. * '' Submarine Attack'' (''La grande speranza'') (1954) – Italian action-romance directed by
Duilio Coletti Duilio Coletti (28 December 1906 – 22 May 1999) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 29 films between 1934 and 1977. Career Born in Penne, Abruzzo, he took a degree in medicine and surgery and practiced the profess ...
, depicting an Italian submarine sinking Allied shipping during the Battle of the Atlantic; a.k.a. ''Torpedo Zone'' * '' Above Us the Waves'' (1955) –
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
midget submarine A midget submarine (also called a mini submarine) is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to six or nine, with little or no on-board living accommodation. They normally work with mother ships, ...
s vs. German battleship ''Tirpitz'' * ''
Hellcats of the Navy ''Hellcats of the Navy'' is a 1957 American black-and-white World War II submarine film drama from Columbia Pictures, produced by Charles H. Schneer and directed by Nathan Juran. The film stars Ronald Reagan and his wife, billed under her scre ...
'' (1957) – fictional USS ''Starfish'' * '' Sea Wife'' (1957) – US action-drama directed by Bob McNaught and starring
Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...
and
Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primeti ...
, depicting a cargo ship dangerously jammed to excess capacity with evacuees fleeing the 1942 Japanese invasion and
Battle of Singapore The Fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore,; ta, சிங்கப்பூரின் வீழ்ச்சி; ja, シンガポールの戦い took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire of ...
that is sunk by a Japanese Imperial Navy submarine; one scene depicts the submarine underwater while another scene shows the submarine on the surface * ''
The Enemy Below ''The Enemy Below'' is a 1957 DeLuxe Color war film in CinemaScope about a battle between an American destroyer escort and a German U-boat during World War II. Produced and directed by Dick Powell, the movie stars Robert Mitchum and Curt J ...
'' (1957) – US action-drama directed by Dick Powell, depicting a duel between an American destroyer escort and a German U-boat in South Atlantic * ''
Run Silent, Run Deep ''Run Silent, Run Deep'' is a novel by Commander (later Captain) Edward L. Beach Jr. published in 1955 by Henry Holt & Co. The story describes World War II submarine warfare in the Pacific Ocean, and deals with themes of vengeance, endurance, c ...
'' (1958) – fictional (which loosely shares plot elements and the villain destroyer captain, Bungo Pete, with Edward L. Beach's novel, but not much of the plot) * '' Submarine Seahawk'' (1958) – US action-drama directed by
Spencer Gordon Bennet Spencer Gordon Bennet (January 5, 1893 – October 8, 1987) was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more film serials than any other director. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Benn ...
depicting a US submarine commander on a reconnaissance mission to locate a fleet of
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
fighting ships; a.k.a. ''Submarine X-2'' * ''
Torpedo Run ''Torpedo Run'' is a 1958 American war film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Glenn Ford as a World War II submarine commander in the Pacific who is obsessed with sinking a particular Japanese aircraft carrier. The film's working title was '' ...
'' (1958) – US drama directed by Joseph Pevney, depicting a US submarine commander confronted with destroying an
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
ship with Allied prisoners and civilians * ''
U 47 – Kapitänleutnant Prien ''U 47 – Kapitänleutnant Prien'' () is a 1958 black-and-white German war film portraying the World War II career of the U-boat captain Günther Prien. It stars Dieter Eppler and Sabine Sesselmann and was directed by Harald Reinl. Plot The f ...
'' (1958) – somewhat factual combat career of
Günther Prien Günther Prien (16 January 1908 – presumed 8 March 1941) was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the first member of the ''Kriegsmarine'' to r ...
* '' Battle of the Coral Sea'' (1959) – USS ''Dragonfish'' * ''
Operation Petticoat ''Operation Petticoat'' is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. The film tells in fla ...
'' (1959) – US comedy directed by
Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio s ...
, depicting fictional USS ''Sea Tiger''; remade in 1977 TV series ''
Operation Petticoat ''Operation Petticoat'' is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. The film tells in fla ...
'' * '' Orzeł'' (''The Eagle'') (1959) – Polish drama directed by
Leonard Buczkowski Leonard Buczkowski (5 August 1900 – 19 February 1967) was a Polish film director and screenwriter. He directed 23 films between 1928 and 1966. His 1959 film ''The Eagle'' was entered into the 1st Moscow International Film Festival. Selec ...
, depicting ORP Orzeł and
Orzeł incident The ''Orzeł'' incident occurred at the beginning of World War II in September 1939, when the interned Polish submarine escaped from Tallinn, in neutral Estonia, to the United Kingdom. The Stalinist Soviet Union used the incident as one of ...
* ''
Up Periscope ''Up Periscope'' is a 1959 World War II submarine film drama directed by Gordon Douglas, produced by Aubrey Schenck and starring James Garner and Edmond O'Brien. The supporting cast features Andra Martin, Alan Hale Jr., Edd Byrnes, Warren Oate ...
'' (1959) – US drama directed by Gordon Douglas, depicting a US Navy
frogman A frogman is someone who is trained in scuba diving or swimming underwater in a tactical capacity that includes military, and in some European countries, police work. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver, com ...
on mission aboard a submarine to be smuggled into Japanese-held island; a.k.a. ''Up Periscope!'' * ''
McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...
'' (TV series), ''McHale and His Schweinhunds'' eason 2, Episode 3(1963) – US comedy episode directed by
Sidney Lanfield Sidney Lanfield (April 20, 1898 – June 20, 1972) was an American film director known for directing romances and light comedy films and later television programs. The one-time jazz musician and vaudevillian star started his first directing job ...
, depicting a
PT boat A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, valued for its maneuverability and speed but hampered at the beginning of the war ...
crew destroying a German U-boat rendezvousing with a Japanese patrol * '' Mystery Submarine'' (1963) – UK action-drama directed by
C.M. Pennington-Richards Cyril Montague Pennington-Richards (17 December 1911 – 2 January 2005) was a British film director and cinematographer.Beta Som'' (''Torpedo Bay'') (1963) – Italian-French drama directed by
Charles Frend Charles Herbert Frend (21 November 1909, Pulborough, Sussex – 8 January 1977, London) was an English film director and editor, best known for his films produced at Ealing Studios. He began directing in the early 1940s and is known for suc ...
and
Bruno Vailati Bruno may refer to: People and fictional characters *Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname * Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880) * Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...
, depicting a British warship and Italian submarine operating in the Strait of Gibraltar and meeting in the neutral Rick's Cafe; a.k.a. ''Défi à Gibraltar'' * '' Morituri'' (1965) – US drama directed by
Bernhard Wicki Bernhard Wicki (28 October 1919 – 5 January 2000) was an Austrian actor and film director. Life and career Wicki studied in the city of Breslau such topics as art history, history and German literature. In 1938, he transferred to the d ...
, depicting German blackmailed by English to impersonate SS officer aboard ship; a.k.a. ''Saboteur: Code Name Morituri'' * ''
McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...
'' (TV series), ''36-24-73'' eason 4, Episode 23(1966) – US comedy episode directed by
Hollingsworth Morse John Hollingsworth Morse (December 16, 1910 – January 23, 1988) was an American film and television director. He directed episodes of a wide variety of U.S. television series from the 1950s through the 1980s under the names Hollingsworth M ...
, depicting a
PT boat A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, valued for its maneuverability and speed but hampered at the beginning of the war ...
crew capturing a German U-boat * '' Submarine X-1'' (1969) –
X class submarine The X class was a World War II midget submarine class built for the Royal Navy during 1943–44. It was substantially larger than the original Chariot manned torpedo. Known individually as X-Craft, the vessels were designed to be towed to thei ...
s * ''
Murphy's War ''Murphy's War'' is an Eastmancolor 1971 Panavision war film starring Peter O'Toole and Siân Phillips. It was directed by Peter Yates based on the 1969 novel by Max Catto. The film's cinematographer was Douglas Slocombe. The film is set in ...
'' (1971) * '' Commander of the Lucky 'Pike''' (1972), the Soviet movie * ''
Operation Petticoat ''Operation Petticoat'' is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. The film tells in fla ...
'' (TV series) (1977–79) – comedy directed by
Hollingsworth Morse John Hollingsworth Morse (December 16, 1910 – January 23, 1988) was an American film and television director. He directed episodes of a wide variety of U.S. television series from the 1950s through the 1980s under the names Hollingsworth M ...
, depicting fictional USS ''Sea Tiger''; spinoff of 1959 film ''
Operation Petticoat ''Operation Petticoat'' is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. The film tells in fla ...
'', producing 32 episodes * '' 1941'' (1979) – US
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
directed by Steven Spielberg, depicting an
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
submarine terrorizing the
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
coast * ''
Das Boot ''Das Boot'' (, English: "The Boat") is a 1981 West German war film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by Günter Rohrbach, and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann. It has been exhibited both as ...
'' (1981) – German movie about * ' (1985), the Soviet film, about S-131 * ' (1985), the Soviet TV-movie * ' (1986–87), the Soviet TV miniseries * '' ''War and Remembrance'''' (TV miniseries) (1988) * '' ''U-571'''' (2000) – fictional * '' Below'' (2002) – fictional ( horror) * '' In Enemy Hands'' (2004) – fictional USS ''Swordfish'' and ''U-429''; a.k.a. ''U-Boat'' * ''
Ghostboat ''Ghostboat'' is a 2006 British television film, based on a novel by George E. Simpson and Neal R. Burger. The film features David Jason as its star. It is a fantasy tale of HMS Scorpion, His Majesty's Submarine ''Scorpion'' vanishing during th ...
'' (2006) – mystery-thriller based on George E. Simpson and Neal R. Burger novel, directed by Stuart Orme, depicting fictional lost during World War II and resurfacing near the end of the Cold War * '' 真夏のオリオン'' (''Battle under Orion'') (2009) – Japanese action-drama directed by
Tetsuo Shinohara is a Japanese film director. His film ''First Love'' was the 3rd Best Film at the 22nd Yokohama Film Festival. Filmography * ''Running High'' (1989) * ''Work on the Grass'' (1993) * ''One More Time, One More Chance'' (1996) * ''Aku no hana'' (1 ...
, depicting an
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
submarine against a US destroyer near the end of the war; a.k.a. ''Manatsu no Orion'', ''Last Operations Under the Orion'' * ''
The Sinking of the Laconia ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (2010) – British-German historical drama directed by Uwe Janson about the sinking of the former British ocean liner by , which then, with three other U-boats (including ) and an Italian submarine, attempted to rescue nearly 2,000 passengers


Korean War

* '' Submarine Command'' (1951) – fictional USS ''Tiger Shark''


Cold War

* ''
Morning Departure ''Morning Departure'' (released as ''Operation Disaster'' in the United StatesRoy Ward Baker Roy Ward Baker (born Roy Horace Baker; 19 December 1916 – 5 October 2010) was an English film director. His best known film is ''A Night to Remember (1958 film), A Night to Remember'' (1958) which won a Golden Globe for Golden Globe Award for ...
depicting the crew of a sunken British submarine trapped on the sea floor; a.k.a. ''Operation Disaster'' * '' Hell and High Water'' (1954) – American action-adventure directed by Samuel Fuller, depicting a World War II surplus Japanese submarine battling a Chinese submarine * '' On the Beach'' (1959) – fictional nuclear submarine USS ''Sawfish'' (SSN-623) * ''
The Atomic Submarine ''The Atomic Submarine'' is a 1959 independently made, American black-and-white science-fiction film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring Arthur Franz, Dick Foran, Brett Halsey, Joi Lansing and Jean Moorhead, with John Hilliard as ...
'' (1959) – fictional USS ''Tiger Shark'' * ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...
'' (1961) – adventure-science fiction film directed by
Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen, June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...
, depicting fictional SSRN ''Seaview''; remade in the 1964 TV series ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...
'' * ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...
'' (TV series) (1964) – adventure-science fiction, directed by Jus Addiss depicting fictional SSRN ''Seaview''; spinoff of 1961 film ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...
'' * ''
The Bedford Incident ''The Bedford Incident'' is a 1965 British-American Cold War film starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier and co-produced by Widmark. The cast also features Eric Portman, James MacArthur, Martin Balsam and Wally Cox, as well as early a ...
'' (1965) * ''
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming ''The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'' is a 1966 American comedy film directed and produced by Norman Jewison for the United Artists. It is based on the 1961 Nathaniel Benchley novel ''The Off-Islanders'', and was adapted for the s ...
'' (1966) – American comedy directed by
Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (born July 21, 1926) is a retired Canadian film and television director, producer, and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. He has directed numerous feature films and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best ...
, depicting fictional Soviet submarine ''Спрут''; a.k.a. ''The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!'' * ''
Ice Station Zebra ''Ice Station Zebra'' is a 1968 American espionage thriller film directed by John Sturges and starring Rock Hudson, Patrick McGoohan, Ernest Borgnine, and Jim Brown. The screenplay is by Alistair MacLean, Douglas Heyes, Harry Julian Fink, ...
'' (1968) – fictional (in novel: USS ''Dolphin'') * '' Mission Impossible'' (TV series), " Submarine" (1969) – American action-adventure episode directed by
Paul Krasny Paul Krasny (August 8, 1935 – November 12, 2001) was an American film and television director. Beginning his career in 1964, he amassed many credits in television. Some of his television credits include ''Hawaii Five-O'', '' Mission: Imp ...
, depicting former SS officer with plans to fund
Neo-Nazis Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and racial supremacy (often white supremacy), attack ...
* ''
The Boatniks ''The Boatniks'' is a 1970 American comedy film directed by Norman Tokar and starring Robert Morse, Stefanie Powers, Don Ameche and Phil Silvers. It was made by Walt Disney Productions, released by Buena Vista Distribution. Young and awkward, ...
'' (1970) – comedy directed by
Norman Tokar Norman Tokar (November 25, 1919 – April 6, 1979) was an American director, actor and occasionally writer and producer of serial television and feature films, who directed many of the early episodes of '' Leave it to Beaver'', and found his g ...
, depicting a salami in a submarine torpedo tube * '' Assault on the Wayne'' (1971) – fictional missile submarine USS ''Wayne'' (also named in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'') * '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977) – American, British and Soviet submarines * ''
Gray Lady Down ''Gray Lady Down'' is a 1978 American submarine disaster film directed by David Greene and starring Charlton Heston, David Carradine, Stacy Keach, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox and Rosemary Forsyth, and includes the feature film debut of Christophe ...
'' (1978) – fictional USS ''Neptune'' * '' Bear Island'' (1979) – fictional U.S. Science Year team on remote island discover a World War II submarine base to which the SS had dispatched two U-boats with holds full of gold bullion from the conquest of Europe. SS, ex-Nazis, sons of U-boat commanders, Israelis, all try to recover the enormous wealth. * ''
Raise the Titanic ''Raise the Titanic!'' is a 1976 adventure novel by Clive Cussler, published in the United States by the Viking Press. It tells the story of efforts to bring the remains of the ill-fated ocean liner RMS ''Titanic'' to the surface of the Atlanti ...
'' (1980) – U.S. submarine confronts a Soviet warship and escorts the salvaged ''Titanic'' to port * ''
Virus (1980 film) ''Virus'', known in Japan as , is a 1980 Japanese post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Based on Sakyo Komatsu's 1964 novel of the same name, the film stars an international ensemble cast featuring Masao Kusakari, S ...
'' (1980) – fictional HMS ''Nereid'' * '' Never Say Never Again'' (1983) – fictional U.S. submarine * '' Incident at Map Grid 36-80'' (1984) – the Soviet movie, about U.S. submarine * '' The Fifth Missile'' (1986) – fictional USS ''Montana'' * ''
The Dolphin's Cry "The Dolphin's Cry" is a song by American alternative rock band Live (band), Live, released on August 24, 1999, as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''The Distance to Here''. The song was co-produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Hea ...
'' (1986) – the Soviet movie * '' Russkies'' (1987) – the Soviet submarine * '' Full Fathom Five'' (1990) – fictional USS ''Aspen'' versus Alpha Victor Three class submarine CCCP ''Kirov' * '' The Rift'' (1990) – fictional ''Siren II'' searches for lost ''Siren I'' * ''
The Hunt for Red October ''The Hunt for Red October'' is the debut novel by American author Tom Clancy, first published on October 1, 1984, by the Naval Institute Press. It depicts Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he seemingly goes rogue with his country's cutt ...
'' (1990) – fictional ''Red October'' (''Красный Октябрь''), fictional ''V.K. Konovalov'' (''В. К. Коновалов''), , * '' Going Under'' (1991) – Comedy – An American submarine races to get a nuclear weapon before a Russian submarine. * '' Buried on Sunday'' (1992) – a Soviet submarine is used to launch a missile attack on
Canada's Wonderland Canada's Wonderland, formerly known as Paramount Canada's Wonderland, is a amusement park located in Vaughan, Ontario, a municipality within the Greater Toronto Area. Opened in 1981 by the Taft Broadcasting Company and the Great-West Life As ...
* '' Silent Service'' (1995) –
anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
; JMSDF ''Seabat'' (Japan's first nuclear-powered submarine) * '' Hostile Waters'' (1997) – ''K-219'' * '' K-19: The Widowmaker'' (2002) – ''K-19'' * ''
Phantom Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...
'' (2013) – ''
K-129 ''K-129'' (Russian: К–129) was a Project 629A (Russian: проект 629А ''Projekt 629A'', NATO reporting name Golf II–class) diesel-electric- powered ballistic-missile submarine that served in the Pacific Fleet of the Soviet Navy ...
'', the plot has a basis in one theory about the events aboard the Soviet submarine's final voyage


Post-Cold War

* '' Crimson Tide'' (1995) – * ''
Down Periscope ''Down Periscope'' is a 1996 American military comedy submarine film directed by David S. Ward, produced by Robert Lawrence, and starring Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, and Rob Schneider along with Bruce Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, William H. Macy, ...
'' (1996) – comedy directed by
David S. Ward David Schad Ward (born October 25, 1945) is an American screenwriter and film director. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for his screenplays for the films ''The Sting'' (1973) and ''Sleepless in Seattle'' (1993), winning for the former. He ...
, depicting fictional USS ''Stingray'' (SS-161) * '' Peculiarities of the National Fishing'' (1998) * '' Phantom: The Submarine'' (1999), about fictional South Korea's first nuclear-powered submarine ''Phantom''. * '' On the Beach'' (2000) – fictional USS ''Charleston'' (SSN-704) * '' Danger Beneath the Sea'' (2001) * ''
72 Meters ''72 Meters'' (russian: 72 метра) is a 2004 Russian disaster film directed by Vladimir Khotinenko based on the short stories from the collection of stories of the same name by Alexander Pokrovsky. Synopsis Officers of the Russian Navy, lie ...
'' (2004) * '' Phantom Below'' (2005) * '' Last Resort'' (2012–13) – TV series, fictional , USS ''Colorado'' (SSBN-753) * ''
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
'' (2014) * '' Hunter Killer'' (2018) * ''
Kursk Kursk ( rus, Курск, p=ˈkursk) is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. The area around Kursk was the site of a turning point in the Soviet–German stru ...
'' (2018) * ''
The Wolf's Call ''The Wolf's Call'' (french: Le Chant du loup, italic=yes) is a 2019 French action thriller film written and directed by Antonin Baudry in his feature film directorial debut. The film is about a submarine's sonar operator, Chanteraide ( Franço ...
'' (2019)


Other conflicts

* ''
Ghazi Shaheed ''Ghazi Shaheed'' is a 1998 thriller drama film based on the disasters that befell the PNS ''Ghazi'' on Bay of Bengal. It was directed by Kazim Pasha and stars Shabbir Jan as Commander Zafar Khan and Adnan Jilani as Lieutenant-Commander Pe ...
'' (1998) * ''
The Ghazi Attack ''Ghazi'' is a 2017 Indian war film written and directed by Sankalp Reddy, which was simultaneously shot in Telugu and Hindi languages, with the latter titled ''The Ghazi Attack''. The film stars Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu, Kay Kay Menon, At ...
'' (2017), first Indian underwater/war-at-sea film


Future or fantastic past

* '' Le voyage à travers l'impossible'' (''An Impossible Voyage'') (1904) – French adventure-comedy silent short directed by Georges Méliès, depicting Geographic Society members on an around-the-world journey using various modes of transport including a submarine; a.k.a. ''The Voyage Across the Impossible'', a.k.a. ''The Impossible Voyage''; predecessor to 1907 silent film '' 20,000 lieues sous les mers'' * ''
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-J ...
'' (
1907 Events January * January 14 – 1907 Kingston earthquake: A 6.5 Mw earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica, kills between 800 and 1,000. February * February 11 – The French warship ''Jean Bart'' sinks off the coast of Morocco ...
,
1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * J ...
, 1954,
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
,
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
) – Jules Verne's fictional ''Nautilus'' (
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
/
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...
) * ''
The Secret of Two Oceans ''The Secret of Two Oceans'' (russian: Тайна двух океанов) is a 1956 Soviet drama film directed by Konstantine Pipinashvili. Plot Simultaneously, the Soviet ship "Arctic" and the French ship "Victoire" suddenly die in the Atlanti ...
'' (1957) – based on
Grigory Adamov Grigory Borisovich Adamov (russian: link=no, Григорий Борисович Адамов; born Abram Borukhovich Gibs; Абрам Борухович Гибс; May 18, 1886, Kherson, then Russian Empire, now Ukraine, - June 14, 1945, Moscow, U ...
's novel, about the crew of the Soviet submarine "Pioneer" * ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...
'' (1961) – ''Seaview'' nuclear submarine, the film was followed by a TV series 1964–68 * ''
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne ''Invention for Destruction'' ( cs, Vynález zkázy) is a 1958 Czechoslovak black-and-white science fiction adventure film, directed by Karel Zeman, produced by Zdeněk Novák, and starring Lubor Tokoš, Arnošt Navrátil, and Miloslav Holub. ...
'' (1958) – based on Jules Verne's ''
Facing the Flag ''Facing the Flag'' or ''For the Flag'' (french: Face au drapeau) is an 1896 patriotic novel by Jules Verne. The book is part of the ''Voyages extraordinaires'' series. Like ''The Begum's Millions'', which Verne published in 1879, it has the th ...
'', featuring * ''
The Three Stooges in Orbit ''The Three Stooges In Orbit'' is a 1962 American comedy science fiction film directed by Edward Bernds. It is the fourth feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe H ...
'' (1962) – comedy directed by
Edward Bernds Edward Bernds (July 12, 1905May 20, 2000) was an American screenwriter and director, born in Chicago, Illinois. Career While in his junior year in Lake View High School, he and several friends formed a small radio clique and obtained amateur li ...
, depicting the
Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeare ...
assisting an inventor with a new military hybrid (tank, helicopter, submarine) vehicle to aid in defense of a Martian invasion * ''
Atragon is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film produced and distributed by Toho. It is based on ''The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure'' by Shunrō Oshikawa and ''The Undersea Kingdom'' by Shigeru Komatsuzaki. The film ...
'' (1963) – fictional '' Gotengo'' (science fiction/fantasy) * '' Stingray'' (1964–1965) – adventures of the WASPs (the World Aquanaut Security Patrol) (Supermarionation) * ''
Fantastic Voyage ''Fantastic Voyage'' is a 1966 American science fiction adventure film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Harry Kleiner, based on a story by Otto Klement and Jerome Bixby. The film is about a submarine crew who are shrunk to micros ...
'' (1966) – set in the near future, an experimental submarine with special medical team aboard are reduced to microscopic size and injected into body of a brain-damaged scientist possessing military secrets in an attempt to repair his injury * ''
Around the World Under the Sea ''Around the World Under the Sea'' is a 1966 science fiction film directed by Andrew Marton and starring Lloyd Bridges, with Marshall Thompson, Shirley Eaton, Gary Merrill, and David McCallum. It follows the adventures of a crew of the deep-divi ...
'' (1966) * '' Yellow Submarine'' (1968) – ( psychedelic animated fantasy) * ''
Captain Nemo and the Underwater City ''Captain Nemo and the Underwater City'' is a 1969 British film starring Robert Ryan, Chuck Connors and Nanette Newman. It features the character Captain Nemo and is inspired by Jules Verne's 1870 novel ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea''. ...
'' (1969) – Jules Verne's fictional ''Nautilus'' (science fiction/fantasy) * '' The Neptune Factor'' (1973) – undersea rescue (science fiction) * '' The Land That Time Forgot'' (1975) – depicts a stranded World War I U-boat crew on uncharted South-Atlantic sub-continent of "Caprona" * ''
The Return of Captain Nemo ''The Return of Captain Nemo'' (theatrical title: ''The Amazing Captain Nemo'') is a 1978 American science fiction adventure television miniseries directed by Alex March and Paul Stader (the latter directed the underwater sequences), and loosely b ...
'' (1978) – Jules Verne's fictional ''Nautilus'' (science fiction/fantasy) * '' Thundersub'' (1979) – (anime) * ''
Virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Since Dmitri Ivanovsk ...
'' (1980) – Japanese-made post-apocalyptic thriller featuring an international cast aboard a British sub, trying to find a cure to a global pandemic. * ''
The Abyss ''The Abyss'' is a 1989 American science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. When an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery tea ...
'' (1989) – fictional USS ''Montana'' (science fiction/fantasy) * '' Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water'' (1989) – Jules Verne's fictional ''Nautilus'' (anime) * '' seaQuest DSV'' (1993) – (science fiction/fantasy) * '' Blue Submarine No. 6'' (1998) – (anime) * ''
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen ''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' (''LoEG'') is a comic book series (inspired by the 1960 British film ''The League of Gentlemen'') co-created by writer Alan Moore and artist Kevin O'Neill which began in 1999. The series spans four vol ...
'' (2003) – Jules Verne's fictional ''Nautilus'' (fantasy) * '' Submarine 707R'' (2004) – (anime) * ''
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ''The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'' is a 2004 American adventure comedy-drama film written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach and directed by Anderson. It is Anderson's fourth feature-length film and was released in the United States on Decembe ...
'' (2004) – US adventure-comedy-drama directed by
Wes Anderson Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their eccentricity and unique visual and narrative styles. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Cited by ...
* '' Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean'' (2005) – (World War II,
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
) * ''
Tide-Line Blue is a Japanese anime series created by Satoru Ozawa and Umanosuke Iida. The series was produced by Bandai Visual and animated by Telecom Animation Film. Background ''Tide-Line Blue'' is set after an environmental disaster later called the "Ham ...
'' (2005) – (anime) * '' The Land That Time Forgot'' (2009) – action-sci-fi directed by
C. Thomas Howell Christopher Thomas Howell (born December 7, 1966) is an American actor. He has starred in the films '' Soul Man'', '' The Hitcher'', '' Grandview U.S.A.'', ''Red Dawn'', ''Secret Admirer'' and '' The Outsiders''. He has also appeared in '' Gett ...
, depicting a stranded World War II U-boat crew in a time void on an island inside the Bermuda Triangle * ''
Arpeggio of Blue Steel is a Japanese manga series produced by Ark Performance and serialized in Shōnen Gahosha's '' Young King Ours''. Twenty-three manga volumes have been released and an anime series by Sanzigen aired from October to December 2013. The same s ...
'' (2013) – (anime)


See also

*
List of fictional ships This list of fictional ships lists all manner of artificial vehicles supported by water, which are either the subject of, or an important element of, a notable work of fiction. Anime and manga * ''Advenna Avis'' – ''Baccano!'' * ''Alexand ...
*
Nautical fiction Nautical fiction, frequently also naval fiction, sea fiction, naval adventure fiction or maritime fiction, is a genre of literature with a setting on or near the sea, that focuses on the human relationship to the sea and sea voyages and highligh ...
*
Sea in culture The role of the sea in culture has been important for centuries, as people experience the sea in contradictory ways: as powerful but serene, beautiful but dangerous.Stow, p. 10 Human responses to the sea can be found in artforms including liter ...


References


External links

* * * * {{Authority control Submarine movies Submarines U-boats Films Lists of World War II films Films