This is a documentary film showing actual film made by a German submarine during WWI. It shows many successful attacks on ships during the course of the war and it is really amazing to see such high quality film of this important aspect of the war. Plus, in some ways, the film shows a different type of sub warfare than we might usually expect. Most of the ships sunk were merchant ships and they were not sunk by torpedoes, but with either deck guns or the ships were abandoned by the crew when the sub surfaced and then where subsequently sabotaged by German boarding parties. The film follows the sub all the way to the end of the war and shows its surrender, along with the rest of the surviving German sub fleet. A very interesting film historically, but I doubt if the average viewer would be too interested in watching it.
5 Reviews
pretty dull to the average viewer but exceedingly important historically
planktonrules16 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A Unique Look at the Early Days of Submarine Warfare
lawprof12 May 2004
Captained by one of the Kaiser's most successful submarine commanders, U-35 prowled the sea, especially the Mediterranean, during World War I. That was the war in which submarines first proved their mettle and their promise and Germany and, to a lesser extent its Austrian ally, led the world in advanced U-boat design and tactical deployment.
Field as opposed to studio photography was in its relative infancy during the Great War and while there are a fair number of films of army activities, including some combat footage, there's very little of the critical war at sea.
It's not clear who got the idea of filming U-35's combat patrol but after the war it was released with a pious notice announcing the film was meant to show the horrors of war.
Actually there are no horrors here. All the footage was shot while the warship was surfaced and there are no interior scenes. Much of the film shows the sub taking allied merchantmen captive and, in most cases, sinking the vessels by charges placed by a boarding party supplemented with torpedoes and deck gun fire. No one dies in this documentary.
While the signboards announce that some of the vessels were captured after fierce resistance, this is almost certainly false information. A submarine can not afford to incur any damage that might compromise its submersibility making it vulnerable to surface combatants and, even in World War I, aircraft. The roster of sunken merchantmen reflects easy pickings for a U-boat in the days when the Germans had no fear of aerial assault or of being tracked down by the deadly hunter-killer task groups of the next war.
The U-boat crew is shown swimming and gamboling around the narrow deck. The skipper appears confident and proud as well he ought to have been.
The restored print, available on a DVD with other WWI films ("World War I Films of the Silent Era") is quite good.
"The Log of the U-35" is a treat for all students of naval warfare. And a very rare one at that.
10/10 (for its historical and archival value)
Field as opposed to studio photography was in its relative infancy during the Great War and while there are a fair number of films of army activities, including some combat footage, there's very little of the critical war at sea.
It's not clear who got the idea of filming U-35's combat patrol but after the war it was released with a pious notice announcing the film was meant to show the horrors of war.
Actually there are no horrors here. All the footage was shot while the warship was surfaced and there are no interior scenes. Much of the film shows the sub taking allied merchantmen captive and, in most cases, sinking the vessels by charges placed by a boarding party supplemented with torpedoes and deck gun fire. No one dies in this documentary.
While the signboards announce that some of the vessels were captured after fierce resistance, this is almost certainly false information. A submarine can not afford to incur any damage that might compromise its submersibility making it vulnerable to surface combatants and, even in World War I, aircraft. The roster of sunken merchantmen reflects easy pickings for a U-boat in the days when the Germans had no fear of aerial assault or of being tracked down by the deadly hunter-killer task groups of the next war.
The U-boat crew is shown swimming and gamboling around the narrow deck. The skipper appears confident and proud as well he ought to have been.
The restored print, available on a DVD with other WWI films ("World War I Films of the Silent Era") is quite good.
"The Log of the U-35" is a treat for all students of naval warfare. And a very rare one at that.
10/10 (for its historical and archival value)
Chillingly Suggestive, Attention-Grabbing Footage
Snow Leopard15 February 2006
This movie's unnerving premise has a camera crew following an actual U-boat during the First World War, as it attacks and sinks its victims. Most of the resulting footage (which has been preserved in very good condition) is just as chillingly suggestive as the premise would lead you to expect, and it is almost impossible to pull your attention away from the screen. At the same time, this actual war footage speaks about its subject more eloquently than even the most carefully crafted fictional story or re-enactment could have.
U-35 was phenomenally successful in its grim mission, and within less than a half-hour of running time, a large number of the submarine's targets are shown in succession. On one level, the tactics and the methodical approach of the Kaiser's sailors are intriguing. But what comes across more than anything else is the use of their technical skill, the ingenious ideas, and the patient planning, all for the purpose of destroying equally skillful and careful use of resources by an 'enemy'. It all results in nothing of value for anyone, simply an immense waste of valuable resources.
The inter-titles, though about as close to being objective as you could ask, often underline the enormous waste by detailing the cargoes that were destroyed, the vast majority of which were not for military use. The titles also fill in many of the gaps, since there were long stretches of battle during which the film crew was, obviously, not able to photograph the action.
Because of the limited opportunities for filming, the actual footage generally comes from less bloody or overtly horrifying moments, yet these are generally more than enough to hint strongly to the carnage that occurred off-camera. The feature would be very watchable simply as a historical curio, but it is of even more significance as a piece of genuine history that provides an inside look at the nature of this aspect of military conflict.
U-35 was phenomenally successful in its grim mission, and within less than a half-hour of running time, a large number of the submarine's targets are shown in succession. On one level, the tactics and the methodical approach of the Kaiser's sailors are intriguing. But what comes across more than anything else is the use of their technical skill, the ingenious ideas, and the patient planning, all for the purpose of destroying equally skillful and careful use of resources by an 'enemy'. It all results in nothing of value for anyone, simply an immense waste of valuable resources.
The inter-titles, though about as close to being objective as you could ask, often underline the enormous waste by detailing the cargoes that were destroyed, the vast majority of which were not for military use. The titles also fill in many of the gaps, since there were long stretches of battle during which the film crew was, obviously, not able to photograph the action.
Because of the limited opportunities for filming, the actual footage generally comes from less bloody or overtly horrifying moments, yet these are generally more than enough to hint strongly to the carnage that occurred off-camera. The feature would be very watchable simply as a historical curio, but it is of even more significance as a piece of genuine history that provides an inside look at the nature of this aspect of military conflict.
Excellent, relatively objective look at early days of submarine warfare
eschetic-221 August 2013
While limitations of available film which could get reliable images in lower lighting conditions prevented this film from including "below decks" footage which would have made the portrait more well rounded (see the marvelous if fictionalized portrait of WWII submarine life in DAS BOOT!), this German film, repackaged after the war for English speaking audiences (adding a final scene of the surviving German ships turned over to the British at the end of the War, including the largest submarine of the day which had been a later command of one of the U-35's commanders) is essential viewing for fans of maritime history as well as specific submarine enthusiasts.
The "combat footage" deals only with the final boarding and sinking of the U-35's victims on the cruise documented (it was reputed, on fairly good evidence, to be the single most successful submarine in WWI service) the inter-cards acknowledge the long battles in some cases preceding these denouements. This may strike some younger viewers as odd if they are not aware that prior to the British Admiralty's ordering hidden gun emplacements on the decks of their merchant ships to ambush submarines which rose to challenge them and forcing them to abandon such gentlemanly tactics, most submarines followed the then accepted Rules of War and did not sink ships without warning.
Both as a portrait of the state of submarine life (as much as could be shown above decks) and warfare midway through WWI, this is one of the best films available. Highly recommended.
The "combat footage" deals only with the final boarding and sinking of the U-35's victims on the cruise documented (it was reputed, on fairly good evidence, to be the single most successful submarine in WWI service) the inter-cards acknowledge the long battles in some cases preceding these denouements. This may strike some younger viewers as odd if they are not aware that prior to the British Admiralty's ordering hidden gun emplacements on the decks of their merchant ships to ambush submarines which rose to challenge them and forcing them to abandon such gentlemanly tactics, most submarines followed the then accepted Rules of War and did not sink ships without warning.
Both as a portrait of the state of submarine life (as much as could be shown above decks) and warfare midway through WWI, this is one of the best films available. Highly recommended.
A Must See for Its History
Michael_Elliott13 September 2010
Log of the U-35, The (1917)
*** (out of 4)
Historic German film was originally a propaganda piece for WW1 but when viewed today I think most people will be fixated on what we see. There's not really any "story" to follow except that submarine commander Lothar von Arnauld de la Perriere filmed this during a two-month stretch in 1917. What we see is his sub doing damage to countless other battleships including the SS Parkgate, SS Maplewood, SS India and the SS Nentmoor (not to mention several Steamer ships). This film is pretty much a document showing how powerful the Germans were and what damage they could do. Seeing this footage today is tremendously fascinating because Hollywood could create some masterful looking attacks but the footage here is raw and real. I was really surprised to see some of this footage, which includes showing all the ships either being struck or at least sinking. Seeing how much damage was done and how quickly these mighty ships could sink was something very interesting and this makes the film worth viewing.
*** (out of 4)
Historic German film was originally a propaganda piece for WW1 but when viewed today I think most people will be fixated on what we see. There's not really any "story" to follow except that submarine commander Lothar von Arnauld de la Perriere filmed this during a two-month stretch in 1917. What we see is his sub doing damage to countless other battleships including the SS Parkgate, SS Maplewood, SS India and the SS Nentmoor (not to mention several Steamer ships). This film is pretty much a document showing how powerful the Germans were and what damage they could do. Seeing this footage today is tremendously fascinating because Hollywood could create some masterful looking attacks but the footage here is raw and real. I was really surprised to see some of this footage, which includes showing all the ships either being struck or at least sinking. Seeing how much damage was done and how quickly these mighty ships could sink was something very interesting and this makes the film worth viewing.
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