User reviews

First of all, this film is nearly impossible to get a grip on, but the upcoming Fassbinder DVD-Collection (Code 2!) hopefully includes this one. If you are fond of virtual reality stories (and capable of understanding the German language) you might want to look for a video-hunt. This film is truly fascinating, with a great cast of famous (and sometimes notorious...) German actors. It foreshadows everything about VR - because it is the first adaption of the novel "Simulacron", on which "13th Floor" is based as well. "Welt am Draht" is brilliantly shot by Michael Ballhaus and Ulrich Prinz. Although I am not a fan of Fassbinder's works, I really liked the eerie atmosphere and the hilarious 70's design.

Rating 9/10!

Recently rediscovered TV film made by Fassbinder in the mid-70s, it's an early film dealing with the sci-fi concept of virtual reality. The subject became really popular in the late 90s with the mega-hit The Matrix and several other more cultish flicks like Dark City, eXistenZ and The Thirteenth Floor (which was actually based on the same novel as World on a Wire). This is notably less cheesy than a lot of 70s sci-fi, though 70s styles are ever-present in the decor. I don't know if I'd say it's as fun as some of those cheesy 70s sci-fis, though. The film is split into two parts, and, as a whole, runs about three and a half hours. They probably could have cut it down a lot, because it really drags at times. The one thing I really love about it is the visuals. It might be Fassbinder's most visually resplendent work. I doubt someone watching it on a television screen in 1973 (probably the great majority watched it in black and white) could have appreciated the gorgeousness of it. The Criterion Blu Ray is gorgeous and very unique looking. As long as it was, the visuals always kept me enthralled. Like a lot of early Fassbinder films, it's a bit dry and could use some more interesting characters - he became a much better director starting around this same time when he started embracing melodrama.

I saw Welt am Draht in German TV when it was broadcast first, sometime 1973 or 74 i guess. I was nine or ten years old then, and it left a tremendous impression on me -- World On Wires is definitely one of my Myths of Childhood.

The two or three parts were aired again two or three times, the last time i watched it must have been in the eighties. I recorded them, but, very unfortunately, somehow these tapes got lost in the eddies of reality. It is hard to impossible to find Welt am Draht anywhere these days, which is really sad.

Welt am Draht changed the way i perceive the world. It is its credibility, the haunting story, the atmosphere of Germany in the early seventies, the actors, everything. It was very up to date then, and i think it is very much so now. We used to watch a lot of SF on TV, and I remember several serials that were in atmosphere and outlook so close to RWF's Welt, it has almost all melted into a kind of emotion, some sort of dim remembrance of future.

In these days of ultra-fast processors and the Internet, coming up with a movie like "The Matrix" may seem merely the next step from coining the term 'cyberspace', but do you remember what computers were like in 1974? Right. To come up with the notion of virtual reality back then is truly an amazing feat of the imagination. Fassbinder's movie, of course, has none of the massive gunslinging and pyrotechnics, and a lot of 'artsy' elements instead, but the atmosphere it creates is intense and poses the question how we can know what is real in a dark and gripping manner, making this a chiller and a thriller for the mind. It also takes it up a notch on more recent VR stories: if you get out of one cyberspace, can you be sure you didn't just emerge into another level of virtual reality?

You've created a new simulated world, inside computer chips reality unfolds, or at least to those downloaded, executed, machine coded, but you can navigate within binary folds. A sudden loss, leaves you in charge of the machine, things start to happen that could never have been seen, people come and people go, upload, download, no one knows, it's all gone crazy as you byte into what's been.

Poor Fred Stiller starts to lose his marbles as reality confuses and he starts to question who or what he is. Fantastic performances, great story, only let down by the fact that over fifty years later simulation still has some thousands of years to go before it could be achievable - but it will be and Nick Bostrom's Simulation Hypotheses may well explain why.

This movie, made for TV in 1973 and consisting of two parts with a total length of more than three hours, certainly can seem a bit slow-going at times. However, there's so much internal tension in the slowly unfolding story that at the end, it doesn't feel too long or drawn-out at all. This is also thanks to the splendid performance by Klaus Löwitsch who convincingly plays the main character as a man who almost frantically tries to keep his guarded, restrained demeanour as his environment gets more and more puzzling and threatening. If we compare "World on a Wire" with the later adaptation "The Thirteenth Floor" which is based on the same book, the earlier film is a much more interesting experience - more layers, more depth, more interesting actors. Craig Bierko's interpretation of the main character in "The Thirteenth Floor" is not a tenth as interesting as Löwitsch's performance - I can't find the emotion in Bierko's "Douglas Hall" character, the self-doubt, the despair... it's all there in Löwitsch's "Fred Stiller". And "World on a Wire" isn't just a pioneering movie, it's also strangely timeless despite the prevalent seventies design. With the very clear, fine picture of the current DVD restoration it doesn't feel dated. It's a strange, half frozen world seemingly not entirely connected to reality - which of course fits the theme very well.

One of the best movies I ever saw - a classic "Matrix" movie. For many years, I have been trying to get it on VHS or DVD - to no avail. The German movie/TV industry still prefers to let valuable cultural contributions (and this is Fassbinder, after all!) rot away and collect dust in some archive rather than distribute it commercially (and make a lot of money with it if that is what stimulates them instead of the promotion of creative thinking). Though, the WDR once told me if I paid DM 200.00 to check the copyright (non-reimbursable), and then DM 8 per minute of copying, plus the cost for the materials, then they will consider preparing a (single!) copy for me. Some way to sell something! The same problem we have with many other TV movies or series like "So weit die Füße tragen", "Sonntagseltern", "Kellerkinder", and others. Excellent TV series - never to be heard of again. Germany, wake up!

UPDATE from March 2007: Last year, I finally could get a DVD copy from the "Mittschnittservice" of the WDR for about 50+ Euro. Great!

Rainer Werner Fassbinder's (Veronika Voss/Ali: Fear Eats the Soul) 1973 mini-series about a future society where virtual worlds are the norm. A man at a corporate concern is informed one of his colleagues has gone missing. He takes it upon himself to investigate but the mystery deepens when we find things aren't what they seem to be. The world is, as the characters know it, a simulation so the idea an individual has gone missing literally doesn't compute especially when obstacles & personnel continue to hinder our hero's progress eventually to the point where he's accused of murdering the missing man sending him on the run w/the authorities & his supposed friends & colleagues out to allay his fears that all will be well. Eschewing special effects or extremely obvious costumes (which would telegraph to the audience 'hey it's the future!') this production wisely (& probably because of budget constraints) use what they had & let the audience's imagination fill in the blanks as to the film's time frame. It reminded me of what Jean-Luc Godard did in Alphaville in 1965 & David Cronenberg did in a short he made called Crimes of the Future in 1970, search for modern existing architecture & utilize it in such a way, people will buy into the conceit. As to this film, which runs about 3 ½ hours (I had to watch it in sections), the actors are fine & workmanlike (Fassbinder like Kubrick would not be called an actor's director) which lets the environment & atmosphere speak for itself but if you're looking for an emote-fest, don't bother, this is a film about ideas, writ large which you'll either dig or not. Future Scorsese D. P. Michael Ballhaus was the co-cinematographer here & as remarked by the intro by Ben Mankiewicz on TCM, this film was remade in 1999 as The Thirteenth Floor (it used the same source novel) which I remember seeing but got nothing from it.

HIGHLY recommended to fans of classy/cheesy 70's sci-fi, very early "cyberpunk", and vintage German film: the recently re-"discovered" and restored, creepy mind-bender "Welt am Draht" ("World on a Wire") originally shot on 16mm film and presented as a 2-part miniseries on West German television in 1973. while it's obviously quite long, starts out kinda slow, flounders at times in cheesy existentialism, has no special effects to speak of, and has been ripped off so much it almost seems clichéd at this point (the massively inferior 1999's "The Thirteenth Floor" was based on the same book, and similar concepts have cropped up in a variety of stories throughout sci-fi...) it was SO far ahead of its time that it still packs a lot of relevant futuristic cyber-bite, albeit with a VERY sweet, classy retro style. it's very much an "intellectual" James Bond in Alphaville, though with some "2001" flourishes of design and cinematography... maybe not the greatest of masterpieces, but such an influential and unique sci-fi classic, it really should be seen by any fan of the genres or style, especially for the first time in decades!

I recognize that World on a Wire is a well made and intellectually stimulating film. However, three-and-a-half hours is too much Fassbinder. Too much of his roving camera and its heavy crash zooms and methodical tracking pans. Too much of his icy compositions of characters reflected off of mirrors, reflected off of mirrors (we get it Rainer.. we're dealing with infinite realities). What could have been a taught and gripping philosophical sci-fi/thriller, winds up instead as a flamboyant, inflated exercise in mannerism, an exercise which becomes more laborious with each passing minute. I much prefer the other films I've seen from him (namely Maria Braun and Petra von Kant), which look and feel exactly like this one, only that they are executed in half the time and with an undercurrent of emotional import that is sorely missing here. In retrospect, all I needed was the first half and the final twenty minutes, thereby sparing me from the tiresome accentuation of plot and the increasingly cloying style.

Imagine you were a young film-maker, who lived in Germany in the olden days, before the adoption of the Selectric typewriter. You had no budget. Your costumes had to come from attics and thrift stores. No CGI, no stunts, no special effects, no sets. About all you could afford is some make-up, wigs and fake beards. You could not even afford professional lighting, but you had an idea for a subtle scifi film. You were however, able to persuade a number of wealthy people that filming in their homes would bestow prestige. How could you get someone to fund the movie? You might make a prototype proof of concept picture, like a visual screenplay.

That would be this film. However, actually, it was 1973 and Rainer Werner Fassbinder had already made 21 films. West German TV funded it. Perhaps there is another explanation for the amateurishness.

To appreciate it, you really have to use your imagination to ignore the loud checked jackets and secretaries wearing dresses last worn by saloon dancers, and the absurd hairstyles.

It is in German. The voices are very clear. It is surprising how many individual words you can understand in German with hints from the sub titles. However, all other sound is muddy.

Actors mostly say things that don't seem to make any sense, or that are coherent but apparently irrelevant. The characters are just as puzzled as you about what is going on. The total effect though does create a complex alternate reality.

One thing the film explores, quite an issue for gay men, is the way the physical appearance of others has such a strong power over us.

The pace is slow. There is a lot of padding. Somebody might edit it down to make a more coherent film.

It is a clever film, but not an enjoyable one. I know Roger Ebert gave it 3 stars, but I found it very boring, but then I consider Last Year at Marienbad the worst film I have ever seen. So what do I know? I even think the Matrix is a much better realisation of a similar idea.

When I saw this film the first time I was very impressed concerning the kind of atmosphere the director creates. It is also very interesting to see how they imagine the near future in the year 1974. If you see the film you will see a lot of sets and customs which are called freaky and modern again today.

The topic of the film deals with the old question "What is real and what is illusion?". If you see "The Matrix" you will find a lot of similarities. But the two films are not comparable at all because "Welt am Draht" is art and "The Matrix" is entertainment. If prefer the first one.

Unfortunately I lost my video copy of it.

This quite unknown movie impresses the viewer the longer one watches! Even more than 40 years after the release the idea of powerful computers being able to influence our lives has not yet reached the reality in a way as Fassbinder shows us. The camera settings are fascinating, regarding the actors especially Klaus Löwitsch representing Fred Stiller impresses in his actions. His ability to make the viewer believe the character he represents gives his role as a quite simple looking technical director (though he calls himself scientist) a certain kind of deepness. The female actors represent very much the type of woman of the 1070s as of course the total outfit of the furniture. I was amused that the same curtain with particular circular pattern shown in the movie can be found in our old weekend house. Mascha Rabben as Eva is convincing but not comparable to the acting of Klaus Löwitsch (Stiller). At first I thought a movie of 3 1/2 hours of that kind must be too long, but I would't like to miss one minute of it. The reason for only 8 points is the virtual reality movies are not my favorites.

The premise of this made-for-TV movie is fascinating, but the pacing and styling make it a little difficult to watch. It moves very slowly, particularly in the first half, with a lot of stylized, stilted acting. However, the visuals (costuming, hair and makeup and early 70s sets) are consistently interesting and create a creepy feeling that you can't quite explain. Don't expect a lot of action (this is Fassbiner, not The Matrix). It doesn't rank with his best cinematic offerings, but it's still well worth watching, especially if you're already a Fassbinder fan wanting to get a better grasp of his enormous body of work.

51 years after its release, this two-part movie remains a significant piece of art and a pivotal entry in the history of science fiction films. It stands as a precursor to works like The Matrix and is arguably the most important German science-fiction film since Metropolis. Yet, Welt am Draht is by far not as well-known as it should be.

While its visual style is firmly rooted in the 70s, the questions it poses and the ideas it conveys are timeless, delving into philosophical inquiries about reality, our existence, human identity and the human mind. The film brilliantly captures the panic and paranoia that ensue when a person loses the certainties around their identity. The film actually refers to Descartes and (indirectly) to Plato's allegory of the cave, which shows its philosophical underpinnings.

Watching the movie nowadays and considering in what year it was made and what the state of technology was back then, it is astonishing how visionary the director and writers were. Welt am Draht stands as one of the earliest depictions of simulated reality in film history. Computing power then was far away from making possible anything remotely resembling the film's simulated reality. They envisioned a virtual world in great detail when nothing comparable existed. Some characters even act just like video game NPCs.

This is intelligent science-fiction, with little action but a lot of wits and depth. Presumably, the cameo appearance of Eddie Constantine is a nod to Alphaville (1965), a similar kind of science-fiction movie.

The camerawork is exceptional, especially the recurring use of mirrors and glass is remarkable and interlaces the cinematography with the central question of "What is real"? The soundtrack further enhances the movie's somewhat alienating atmosphere.

Fortunately, contrary to what earlier reviewers had to endure, the movie is now widely accessible for purchase and streaming. Incredibly, the Criterion Collection version can be watched in high quality for free on YouTube. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in science-fiction or who liked The Matrix. It stands as an essential milestone in the history of the genre.

The past is a different country. It's not fair to look at World on a Wire through modern eyes; we are all acquainted with the internet and the facile nature of modern life. (Still I defy anyone to tell me what purpose the Kardashians serve) In its day it must have been prescient and and imaginative but now looks quaint and nostalgic next to The Matrix and Inception. I think modern audiences are far more sophisticated in such matters than 50 years ago and as such WOAW suffers by comparison. By which I mean, it may be hugely influential but is now trite. Still there are references to German post war tension as well as an endless fascination with early 20th century female glamour, particularly Dietrich, and foreshadowing corporate economic modelling but at 4 hours it is style over substance.

Welt am Draht may very well be ahead of its time story-wise on a philosophical level discussing aspects of the modern man vs. machine and maybe the totalitarian regime topics. The Matrix definitely borrows the best aspects of this movie.

But if you take a look at the screenplay, timing, editing, acting, sound editing, visual effects and production design I have never seen a movie that looks so hopelessly outdated. Maybe that's the price for trying to make an ultra modern avantgardistic film, or it's just the result of trying to put too much (or too little) effort into a philosophical/intellectual sci-fi/action movie of 200 minutes.

I'm sorry that I didn't find more positive aspects to point out, especially considering Rainer Werner Fassbinder reputation but all the mentioned downsides made the 2010 remastered DVD version nearly unwatchable for me.