In 1973, a West German TV production was screened with the title World on a Wire directed by R.W.Fassbinder. The film was unavailable for years up until 2009 when it was restored and distributed as a double DVD.
The idea of human-made virtual worlds became well-known in 1999 with Matrix. Fantasy novel readers were aware of this years before,in 1964, when Daniel F. Galouye published the book Counterfeit World, a story that takes place in the future and describes an artificial city made for marketing research. Simulacron – the name of the city – consists of well-programmed “identity units”, who have their own consciousness and don’t know they aren’t real with the exception of one experimental unit.
This book was adapted twice, first in 1973 by R.W. Fassbinder and then in 1999 as a German/USA film production from Roland Emmerich’s company. The Emmerich project (The Thirteenth Floor) was unsuccessful because of the simultaneous opening of Matrix, which was considered as an out-of-competition sci-fi film because of its revolutionary graphics.
On the contrary, Fassbinder’s project became one of the hard-to-find legendary films, after its screening on TV, due to the director’s experimentations on camera movement and mirror reflection shots. Eventually, the Fassbinder Foundation funded a complete restoration of the film which was completed at the end of 2009 and premiered at the last Berlin International Film Festival. The release of the DVD version, three months later, gives the chance for both Fassbinder and Sci-fi fans in general to discover a visional futuristic creation.
Visionary Visualization
Based on Plato’s Republic, the concept of ideal community and its ingredients inspired literature and cinema. In World on a Wire (original German title Welt am Draht) Fassbinder wonders if even a virtual world supposedly created for experimental issues such as prediction of future events in reality, is effected by financial and industrial profits. The key character is Fred Stiller, a noirish character, successor of Simulacron’s creator who died suspiciously.
Throughout Stiller’s attempt to investigate this death he has to confront the authorities and after a series of events he must also confront recently discovered secrets which pertain to his existence. The visualization of a future world is achieved by the use of monitors and mirrors due to the lack of expensive special effects, which give an illusion of an odd world. Irregular angles give us atmospheric shots, and over stylized pieces of furniture remind us of similar inspirations in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. All these impressive elements demonstrate the artistic freedom which Fassbinder had, which have come to represent part of modern sci-fi cinema.
Second Sight’s double DVD edition comes with an interesting documentary about the restoration and conversation with co-script writer Fritz Müller-Scherz and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus.
Technical Details
Original Ratio 4:3
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Colour PAL
Region Code 2
Main Feature 204 MINS
Special Feature 49 MINS
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