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Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, Air Force One) has gotten off this plane at age 81


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Director Wolfgang Petersen dead At 81; Star Rose After 'Das Boot' To Include Blockbusters 'The Perfect Storm,' 'Air Force One' & 'In The Line Of Fire'

 

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German film director Wolfgang Petersen has died at age 81.

 

Petersen began his career in Germany but answered the call of Hollywood after his 1981 breakout film, the claustrophobic submarine WWII epic Das Boot was nominated for six Academy Awards. Two of those went to Petersen for adapted screenplay and directing, and he was also nominated for a BAFTA Award and DGA Award. The film starred Jürgen Prochnow as the U-boat Captain, who became a good example of Petersen’s action characters.

 

He quickly became one of the most in demand directors of technically complex star-driven studio action films, a run that included Enemy Mine, Shattered, In The Line of Fire, Outbreak, Air Force One, The Perfect Storm, Poseidon and Troy.

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, Air Force One) has gotten off this plane at age 81

Man, what a shame - I was a big fan of his work in the blockbuster action filmmaking realm ever since seeing the full TV miniseries Das Boot in German as a teenager. I know he pretty much stopped directing after Poseidon in 2006, but he will definitely be missed - I think people forget he even directed The NeverEnding Story. Just to take a stroll down memory lane, here are the films Wolfgang Petersen directed (skipping his initial, little seen German indie films):

 

-Das Boot/The Boat (whether it's the miniseries or shorter theatrical film)

-The NeverEnding Story

-Enemy Mine

-Shattered

-In the Line of Fire (underrated)

-Outbreak (long before Contagion we had this)

-Air Force One (for me, a classic growing up)

-The Perfect Storm

-Troy (I prefer the director's cut in almost ever way, but the soundtrack in the theatrical cut is better)

-Poseidon

 

A pretty solid body of work. Not A-list or top tier but solid stuff.

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