IMDb > Die Welle (2008)
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Die Welle (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 9)
Die Welle (2008) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   9,046 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Dennis Gansel (writer)
Todd Strasser (novel)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Wave on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 March 2008 (Germany) more
Genre:
Plot:
A high school teacher's unusual experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own. | full synopsis
Awards:
3 wins & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
German Trailer for 'We Are the Night'
 (From Bloody-Disgusting.com. 28 November 2009, 11:29 AM, PST)

Teaser Trailer for We Are the Night
 (From shocktillyoudrop. 28 November 2009)

User Comments:
Fascism is Only A Few Missteps Away more (40 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Jürgen Vogel ... Rainer Wenger
Frederick Lau ... Tim Stoltefuss
Max Riemelt ... Marco

Jennifer Ulrich ... Karo
Christiane Paul ... Anke Wenger
Jacob Matschenz ... Dennis
Cristina do Rego ... Lisa
Elyas M'Barek ... Sinan
Maximilian Vollmar ... Bomber
Max Mauff ... Kevin (as Maximilian Mauff)
Ferdinand Schmidt-Modrow ... Ferdi
Tim Oliver Schultz ... Jens
Amelie Kiefer ... Mona
Fabian Preger ... Kaschi
Odine Johne ... Maja
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Wave (USA)
more
Runtime:
107 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ron Jones, the initiator of the original experiment, attended the film's world premiere at Sundance Film Festival. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The action is clearly set in the 21st century, but the license plates of most or all cars begin with 'BE' (district 'Beckum', North Rhine-Westphalia). These licenses expired on January 1st, 1975. (This surely is intended to set the action 'somewhere in Germany') more
Movie Connections:
Features Test Drive Unlimited (2006) (VG) more
Soundtrack:
Was dich so verändert hat more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
88 out of 99 people found the following comment useful.
Fascism is Only A Few Missteps Away, 19 January 2008
8/10
Author: sampotter25 from United States

An amiable German social sciences teacher has to teach his children about an autocratic government. The children at first seem bored, not wanting to hear any more about The Third Reich and Nazism. The teacher is surprised. "We're too knowledgeable to ever fall into something like that again," say the students. The teacher then decides to show the children what it's like to live in an autocracy, and sets up a simple experiment in class. They elect a leader (him) and he begins to instill in them (merely as an example) the virtues and practices that accompany an autocracy ("Strength through discipline", "Work as one"). The students take to it, and become obsessed with it. Soon, what was a simple classroom experiment grows to a social entity all it's own, with the teacher not sure if he can reverse the effects.

The film was very well acted and written, and was seriously creepy. It showed how - easily a society could fall into fascism, if presented to the society in the correct way. Watching the film, I understood why the students enjoyed the new system, but was also privy to the horrors that come with it. A shocking and powerful film. The way the different children reacted and how such a seemingly innocent experiment profoundly affected their lives was incredible and horrifying. Vogel gives a powerful performance as an idealistic teacher who isn't aware of the influence he has on others. Worth seeing.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Die Welle (2008)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
This version's wrong message (spoilers!) imdb-5096
Question abuot Wenger's T-shirts vargpojke
Disturbed me... geordiebianconeri
Do you think it really does work? shescheating
Final shots of the film (SPOILERS ALERT!) Londoner1
Jay and Silent Bob???? SueBridehead
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