The Experiment

Original title: Das Experiment

2001
R
2h

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

97K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer1:41

8 Videos

89 Photos

Psychological Drama Psychological Thriller 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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

97K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 14 wins & 14 nominations

Videos8

Trailer 1:41

Das Experiment

Clip 0:59

Das Experiment: Scene3

Clip 1:19

Das Experiment: Scene6

Clip 0:33

Das Experiment: Scene2

Clip 0:19

Das Experiment: Scene1

Photos89

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Storyline

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Did you know

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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 reviews190

Review

Featured review

An escalating claustrophobic nightmare!

This is an overwhelming film. I have not been so affected - physically - since I was run over by "Terminator 2" ten years ago.

If you have any claustrophobic tendencies or if you find it hard to endure situations of powerlessness, this film will be a total nightmare for you. But I urge you to see it anyway...

The acting is superb and the directing is moderate and intelligent. As a result, the potentially predictable story becomes very unpredictable. Its surprise effects are not sudden. You get plenty of time to realize what is about to happen (and how little you or anybody else can do about it...).

At one time, despite being almost completely absorbed by the suspense, I was able to look away from the screen and notice that I was sitting in a movie theater, at a safe distance from the experiment. Thank God!

My grade: 10 out of 10!