Boats and film, they have been linked since the very earliest cinema. The first moving shot being shot from a gondola in Venice, Georges Méliès made as early as 1896 Les haleurs de bateaux and in 1907 the much more sophisticated 20000 lieues sous les mers. Now SAIL almost breaking loose, it is time to list the best nautical films. Across history and from musical to experimental, we have a top 10 to get you in the mood.
Honourable mentions remain for The Forgotten Space, a wonderful essay film about the sea and the global economy and for Godard's Film Socialism, the first part of which was shot on the Costa Concordia, the ship that was shipwrecked just off the Italian island of Isola del Giglio in 2012.
10 On the hope of a blessing - Guido Peters
There are several film adaptations of Herman Heijermans' social drama. The oldest is by Maurits Binger, the most recent by Guido Pieters, with Danny de Munk as fisherman's son Barend. In all cases, the fish is paid dearly.
9 The Immigrant - Charlie Chaplin
The Tramp experiences a rough ride on the Atlantic as it seeks to sail to America. However, the considerably swaying ship provides great visual humour. Delightful short film by Chaplin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P6OpvgY1KE
8 Moby Dick - John Huston
There are also more film versions of Melville's Moby Dick, of which the one with Gregory Peck is the most heroic. Man versus nature, on a beautiful sailing ship. In technicolour and from way before CGI, but that only makes it more enjoyable.
7 Anchors Aweigh - George Sidney
Gene Kelly dancing with Jerry Mouse in his role as sailor. Frank Sinatra having a game of tap dancing. What happens when you dock briefly in Hollywood! Delicious film for rainy afternoons, flu and dip.
6 E La Nave Va - Federico Fellini
Fellini's motley collection of characters bids farewell to an opera singer. Her last boat trip serves to scatter her ashes on her beloved island of Erimo, but gets out of hand when Serbian drowners are taken on board. Drama at its felliniesque!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oapv4ybSfwc
5 Das Boot - Wolfgang Petersen
Sticky, oppressive, claustrophobic. Such is life aboard the submarine U96. Obviously, this epic German war film does not end well. It would be even more oppressive without the corny music.
4 Nosferatu - W.F. Murnau
Murnau's primordial vampire film is nothing without the essential boat scene. Nosferatu arrives, in his coffin, on a rat-infested ghost ship, to spread doom and disaster. While this film may no longer inspire as much fear, the rats are still highly unpleasant. Brrr.
3 life of Pi - Ang Lee
A boy, a tiger and some more animals and a boat. That's all director Ang Lee needs for a visually overwhelming film. Young actor Suraj Sharma is convincing as Pi, shipwrecked with some surviving circus animals. The plot is thin compared to the book, but as a spectacle with slightly wistful undertones, it is a successful film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX2HBsHbNZM
2 Pirates of the Caribbean - Gore Verbinksi
There is no escaping it. Number five is in the making and the previous four Pirates were über successful. And why not? It's great to see a fairy tale and especially when the production is so slick. Perfect eye candy with the kind of role Johnny Depp was born for. Here's a sneak preview of #5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w69ZgDfmKcA
1 Armoured cruiser Potemkin - Sergei Eisenstein
One of the most important films in film history (1925) and still a joy to watch. The crew of the panzer ship revolts against exploitation with the immediate cause being the maggots crawling out of their meal. The spirit of revolution looms firmly in Eisenstein's masterpiece, the mother of all ship films.
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