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The Experiment

Original title: Das Experiment
  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
94K
YOUR RATING
The Experiment (2001)
Trailer
Play trailer1:41
2 Videos
81 Photos
  • Drama
  • Thriller
For two weeks, 20 male participants are hired to play prisoners and guards in a prison. The "prisoners" have to follow seemingly mild rules, and the "guards" are told to retain order without... Read allFor two weeks, 20 male participants are hired to play prisoners and guards in a prison. The "prisoners" have to follow seemingly mild rules, and the "guards" are told to retain order without using physical violence.For two weeks, 20 male participants are hired to play prisoners and guards in a prison. The "prisoners" have to follow seemingly mild rules, and the "guards" are told to retain order without using physical violence.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
94K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Oliver Hirschbiegel
  • Writers
    • Mario Giordano(novel "Black Box")
    • Christoph Darnstädt(screenplay)
    • Don Bohlinger(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Moritz Bleibtreu
    • Christian Berkel
    • Oliver Stokowski
Top credits
  • Director
    • Oliver Hirschbiegel
  • Writers
    • Mario Giordano(novel "Black Box")
    • Christoph Darnstädt(screenplay)
    • Don Bohlinger(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Moritz Bleibtreu
    • Christian Berkel
    • Oliver Stokowski
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 184User reviews
    • 107Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 14 wins & 14 nominations

    Videos2

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:34
    Trailer [OV]
    Das Experiment
    Trailer 1:41
    Das Experiment

    Photos81

    Edgar Selge & Andrea Sawatzki
    Moritz Belibtreu
    Moritz Bleibtreu & Maren Eggert
    Andrea Sawatzki
    Edgar Selge
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    The Experiment (2001)
    The Experiment (2001)
    The Experiment (2001)
    The Experiment (2001)
    The Experiment (2001)
    The Experiment (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    • Tarek Fahd Nr. 77as Tarek Fahd Nr. 77
    Christian Berkel
    Christian Berkel
    • Robert Steinhoff Nr. 38as Robert Steinhoff Nr. 38
    Oliver Stokowski
    Oliver Stokowski
    • Günther Schütte Nr. 82as Günther Schütte Nr. 82
    Wotan Wilke Möhring
    Wotan Wilke Möhring
    • Joe Maier Nr. 69as Joe Maier Nr. 69
    Stephan Szasz
    • Häftling Nr. 53as Häftling Nr. 53
    Polat Dal
    • Häftling Nr. 40as Häftling Nr. 40
    Danny Richter
    Danny Richter
    • Häftling Nr. 21as Häftling Nr. 21
    Ralf Müller
    • Häftling Nr. 15as Häftling Nr. 15
    Markus Rudolf
    • Häftling Nr. 74as Häftling Nr. 74
    Peter Fieseler
    • Häftling Nr. 11as Häftling Nr. 11
    Thorsten Dersch
    • Häftling Nr. 86as Häftling Nr. 86
    • (as Thorsten J.H. Dersch)
    Sven Grefer
    • Häftling Nr. 94as Häftling Nr. 94
    Justus von Dohnányi
    Justus von Dohnányi
    • Berusas Berus
    • (as Justus von Dohnànyi)
    Nicki von Tempelhoff
    • Kampsas Kamps
    Timo Dierkes
    • Eckertas Eckert
    Antoine Monot Jr.
    Antoine Monot Jr.
    • Boschas Bosch
    Lars Gärtner
    Lars Gärtner
    • Renzelas Renzel
    Jacek Klimontko
    • Gläseras Gläser
    • Director
      • Oliver Hirschbiegel
    • Writers
      • Mario Giordano(novel "Black Box") (screenplay)
      • Christoph Darnstädt(screenplay)
      • Don Bohlinger(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Although no one died in the Stanford Prison Experiment on which the movie was based, the experiment was prematurely ended after six days out of a planned two weeks. The college students assigned (randomly) to be prisoners were "withdrawing and behaving in pathological ways" as a result of the degrading treatment they received. Quite a few scenes in the movie actually happened in the original experiment, including the early fire extinguisher scene and the prisoners being forced to clean the toilets by their bare hands.
    • Goofs
      On the film poster Tarek is wearing number 82, but in the film he is number 77.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Nachrichtensprecher: [voiceover - spoiler] The tragic outcome: two dead, three injured, among them project leader Professor Klaus Thon. Clearly, the experiment went out of control after two days. The district attorney is investigating two possible manslaughter charges and several charges of abuse and negligence. One of the test participants has been arrested. The project direction will probably have to answer to a court. According to statements by one of the scientists, the escalation might have been prevented by aborting the experiment earlier.

    • Alternate versions
      The first cinema version had an insert in the beginning of the movie which stated "This is based on the Stanford Prison Experiment". Since Prof. Philip Zimbardo wasn't asked by the filmmakers - and the movie doesn't really show the true experiment, but an exaggeration, the insert was changed to say "This movie is based on the novel Black Box"
    • Connections
      Featured in Visionado obligado: El experimento (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      One Step Closer
      Chester Bennington / Rob Bourdon / Brad Delson / Joseph Hahn / Mike Shinoda

      Linkin Park

      Mit freundlicher Genehmigung der

      Zomba Enterprises Inc. / Zomba Songs Inc. / Rob Bourdon Music

      Nondisclosure Agreement Music/Big Bad Mr.Hahn Music / Kenji Kobayashi Music

      (all adm. by Zomba Songs Inc.) und der Wea Records, ein Geschaftsbereich

      von Warner Music Germany GmbH

    User reviews184

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Germans do it better than Americans!
    "The Experiment" is a kind of movie you won't forget easily. It is an amazing spiral of fear, horror and anguish.

    A taxi driver decides to be an human guinea-pig for a strange experiment. Twenty men. Two groups. Guards vs. thieves. The prize is money. Every man will have money.

    After two days something gets wrong. The taxi driver, who is a reporter too, wants to face the guards. So he provokes the guards: they can't use violence against the prisoners...

    After more days the situation becomes more extreme. The guards want to impose their dominion on the prisoners. And now the situation is out of control...

    The script isn't really original, but it's been developed in a satisfaction way. The direction is dynamic. If the Americans do movies like Germans, we'll have more interesting products.
    helpful•46
    21
    • Marco88
    • Sep 17, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 8, 2001 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • German
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El experimento
    • Filming locations
      • University of Cologne, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Typhoon
      • Fanes Film
      • Senator Film Produktion
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $144,634
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $19,857
      • Sep 22, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $13,782,896
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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