Arghhh. Such a powerful movie. Such a powerful concept…
Based on an experiment conducted in 1971, the Stanford Prison Experiment. An experiment to understand more about violence, and about human nature (I guess that’s why they did it…). Get a random group of people, divide them into two groups, one group you designate as the Guards and the other as the Prisoners. Then they get to reenact those roles for the following 2 weeks. The idea is that, in part, when someone plays a role they end up becoming that which they are enacting. Ask the nicest group of people to be in a position of power of another group and ultimately the niceis will become abusive and violent. Brings to mind Nikos Kazantsakis’ book: Christ Recrucified.
Anyway, I first watched the The Experiment 2010 version, with actors Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker and only afterwards did I watch the 2001 version, German version with actor Moritz Bleibtreu (Run Lola Run). The American remake hit me harder. The German version was more realistic in that they used a fake prison located in a basement, just like the original experiment, while the Americans went and got a real prison. Also, I think it’s more realistic that they were constantly being watched, the American version left out the role of the observer, the professor completely out.
I think it was the incredible acting of both Brody and Whitaker, but especially Whitaker, that really got to me. Sure, the main guard captain in the German version really plays the part perfectly (Germans make excellent guards………) but Whitaker was demented!!!
The German version has a 7.9 on IMDB… not sure I’d give such high marks… The American version only got a 6.4. I give them both a … ah, it’s just a stupid number. Very good though!
Very powerful. I strongly recommend both.
