The Experiment
You are invited to participate
Overview
20 volunteers agree to take part in a seemingly well-paid experiment advertised by the university. It is supposed to be about aggressive behavior in an artificial prison situation. A journalist senses a story behind the ad and smuggles himself in among the test subjects. They are randomly divided into prisoners and guards. What seems like a game at the beginning soon turns into bloody seriousness.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
The Experiment was loosely based on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971. The film serves as a critique of the original study's ethics and raises questions about the potential for psychological manipulation in controlled environments.
- The movie offers a unique and engaging premise based on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment, which explores the dark side of human nature.
- Peter Sarsgaard and camp Holmes McNally deliver compelling performances that add depth to the characters and the story.
- The film raises thought-provoking questions about the role of power dynamics, obedience, and individual morality in society.
- It offers a gripping portrayal of a social experiment gone wrong, making it both captivating and disturbing.
Fun Facts
- The movie was initially titled 'Prisoner' but was later changed to 'The Experiment' due to legal issues with the original Stanford Prison Experiment.
- Some of the cast members, including Adrien Brody and Cam Gigandet, were originally considered for roles in the main cast but were not ultimately chosen.
- The filmmaker Michael Almereyda has stated that he was inspired by the works of Shakespeare while making The Experiment, citing parallels between the play 'Hamlet' and the narrative.
Available Languages
English
US
Title: The Experiment
"You are invited to participate"
Deutsch
DE
Title:
"Bist du stark genug?"
Türkçe
TR
Title: Deney
"Katılmaya davetlisiniz."
Italiano
IT
Title: The Experiment - Cercasi cavie umane
"Cercasi cavie umane."
svenska
SE
Title: Experimentet
""
Français
FR
Title: L'Expérience
"20 volontaires vont tenter... l'expérience. Aurez-vous les nerfs assez solides ?"
Where to Watch
Providers Data not Found!
Cast
Crew
Reviews
Berus V 77, Experiment, Das (2001), amazing experience!
So it took me close on 7 years to watch it, so it took me to do a thread about my personal prison based film project on IMDb to get some prompts for this film, I'm just like Novacaine, if you give me time, I get there.
Based on the real life Stanford prison experiment in 1971, Das Experiment is a fabulous construction of seams coming apart in the human psyche, the films triumph is that we are never left in any doubt that things are going to go pear shaped from the off, but the fact that it manages to bash you over the head with its bluntness to reinforce the point, is, magnificent story telling. As much as the film disturbs, it is as much an education of the human condition under trying circumstances. Moritz Bleibtreu & Justus von Dohnanyi play Tarek & Berus respectively, with both men giving superlative performances as the two lynch pins to the pic's unravelling terror.
This is not merely an experiment, but a test where the results are dangerously grounded in facts, it's bleak, it's at times harsh, but it actually is essential cinema for those looking for a kicker where the boot on the foot is all too real, one that and was once worn by the man next door to you. The rating on some internet sites is a disgrace IMHO, I have drop-kicked Der Untergang over the goal posts to make this my new favourite German film. I probably shouldn't go 10/10 for the film after it has scarred me from ever listening to The Beach Boys classic "Wouldn't It Be Nice" ever again - for now that tune will never seem jolly, it will just serve as a reminder of what a brilliantly bleak film Das Experiment is. 10/10
Oscar Awards
Wins
Haven't Won A Oscar
Nominations
Haven't Nominated for Oscar