The Thirteenth Floor (1999)

A computer scientist running a virtual reality simulation of 1937 becomes the primary suspect when his colleague and mentor is murdered.

Director:

Josef Rusnak

Writers:

Daniel F. Galouye (book) (as Daniel Galouye), Josef Rusnak (screenplay)

Stars:

Craig Bierko, Gretchen Mol, Armin Mueller-Stahl

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Craig Bierko	...	Douglas Hall / John Ferguson / David
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Hannon Fuller / Grierson
Gretchen Mol	...	Jane Fuller / Natasha Molinaro
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Jason Whitney / Jerry Ashton
Dennis Haysbert	...	Detective Larry McBain
Steven Schub	...	Detective Zev Bernstein
Jeremy Roberts	...	Tom Jones
Rif Hutton	...	Joe
Leon Rippy	...	Jane's Lawyer
Janet MacLachlan	...	Ellen
Brad William Henke	...	Cop #1 (as Brad Henke)
Burt Bulos	...	Bellhop
Venessia Valentino	...	Concierge
Howard S. Miller	...	Chauffeur
Tia Texada	...	Natasha's Roommate

Storyline

Computer scientist Hannon Fuller has discovered something extremely important. He's about to tell the discovery to his colleague, Douglas Hall, but knowing someone is after him, the old man leaves a letter in the computer generated parallel world his company has created (which looks like the 30's with seemingly real people with real emotions). Fuller is murdered in our real world the same night, and his colleague is suspected. Douglas discovers a bloody shirt in his bathroom and he cannot recall what he was doing the night Fuller was murdered. He logs into the system in order to find the letter, but has to confront the unexpected. The truth is harsher than he could ever imagine...

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Plot Keywords:

virtual reality | neo noir | hologram | lovecraftian | reference to rene descartes | 

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Taglines:

Question reality. You can go there even though it doesn't exist.

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Genres:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The 13th Floor

Filming Locations:

777 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,278,452, 30 May 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$15,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Centropolis Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The story of Simulacron-3 was first used in World on a Wire (1973) by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

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Goofs

The message left on Douglas Hall's answering machine clearly doesn't match the earlier scene where Fuller records it.

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Quotes

Jane Fuller: Why did you butcher those people?
Douglas Hall: Because it was fun!

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Crazy Credits

Before the opening credits, this René Descartes quote is seen on screen: "I think, therefore I am".

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Connections

Referenced in Vanilla Sky (2001)

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Soundtracks

Easy Come, Easy Go
Written by Edward Heyman and Johnny Green
Performed by Johnny Crawford and his Dance Orchestra
Featuring Vocalist Meghan Ivey

User Reviews

Thoughtful Sci-Fi in the Vain of Gattaca

The Thirteenth Floor is a thoughtful and engaging film that asks its audience to think about the difference between reality and virtual reality. The Matrix asks similar questions in an action format appealing to a wider audience, but the Thirteenth Floor exceeds the Matrix in two respects. First, it uses a thoughtful approach that establishes its characters as more than 2-D, comic-book type heroes and villains. Second, it builds longer and with more subtlety, so that the payoff comes much later.

And a delightful payoff it is. Imagine the Matrix with less action fluff, real human relationships, and a plot twist reminiscent of the Sixth Sense. Fans of thought-provoking science fiction in the vain of Gattaca will enjoy the Thirteenth Floor just as well.