The Thirteenth Floor (1999)

Note Générale:

6,7/10   

Réalisateur:

Josef Rusnak

Scénaristes:

Daniel F. Galouye (book)
Josef Rusnak (screenplay) ...

Date de sortie:

28 mai 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Mystère | Romance | Science-Fiction | Thriller

Accroche:

Question reality. You can go there even though it doesn't exist.

Intrigue:

Computer scientist Hannon Fuller has discovered something extremely important. He's about to tell the discovery to his colleague...

Plot Keywords:

Letter | Parallel World | Shot In The Head | Stabbing | Hollywood Sign

Récompenses:

1 nomination

Avis des utilisateurs:

intriguing, thoughtful sci-fi thriller

Ensemble

Craig Bierko	...	Douglas Hall / John Ferguson / David
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Hannon Fuller / Grierson
Gretchen Mol	...	Jane Fuller / Natasha Molinaro
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Jason Whitney / Jerry Ashton
Dennis Haysbert	...	Detective Larry McBain
Steven Schub	...	Detective Zev Bernstein
Jeremy Roberts	...	Tom Jones
Rif Hutton	...	Joe
Leon Rippy	...	Jane's Lawyer
Janet MacLachlan	...	Ellen
Brad William Henke	...	Cop #1 (as Brad Henke)
Burt Bulos	...	Bellhop
Venessia Valentino	...	Concierge
Howard S. Miller	...	Chauffeur
Tia Texada	...	Natasha's Roomate

Autre(s) titre(s):

Abwärts in die Zukunft (Germany) (TV title)
The 13th Floor (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Durée:

100 min

Pays:

Allemagne | USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Couleur

Rapport de forme:

2,35 : 1

Son:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Classification:

Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | South Korea:12 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:Livre

Lieux de tournage:

777 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Société:

Centropolis Film Productions

Anecdotes:

The science fiction novel Simulacron-3 was also published under the title Counterfeit World, it was first published in 1964 by Daniel F. Galouye in the United States, and is one of the first literary descriptions of virtual reality.

Goofs:

Anachronismes: In the first scene of the film, Fuller writes the letter with a fountain pen. This is clear in the close-up where the "feed" is visible under the nib. It also has a cap. The pen is dipped into a desk inkwell. Fountain pens are never dipped into an inkwell. It is set down in a grove on the desk set, which would be a correct action for a dip pen, which it was not.

Guillemet:

Hannon Fuller: [First lines] Ignorance is bliss. For the first time in my life, I agree.

Connexions:

figurer Gilda (1946)

Bande son:

The Future of The Future (Stay Gold)

intriguing, thoughtful sci-fi thriller

As the last millennium comes to a close and a new one opens, the science fiction genre seems to have latched onto a brand new narrative format - the cyber/techno thriller, wherein characters are free to wander in and out of virtual reality worlds and are even forced to call into question the validity of the world we have hitherto smugly referred to as "reality."

In 1999 alone, this theme has been explored in "The Matrix", "eXistenZ" and "The Thirteenth Floor." Actually, of the three, this is probably the most intriguing, intelligent and involving, successfully combining the elements of a whodunit with a clever sci-fi tale of a group of characters who drift in and out of a simulated version of Los Angeles in 1937. The plot, though complex, is spun out with coherence and ever-increasing clarity as the layers of information are slowly peeled back to reveal the larger picture. The filmmakers manage to create a sense of unbalance in the audience as we and the characters become more and more unclear as to what is reality and what is a simulation. Because the writers never lose their way, the result is a work of considerable mystery and intrigue.

In terms of art direction and cinematography, the film is a total triumph. The Los Angeles of 1937 the moviemakers have visualized on screen actually has a slight studio backlot, artificial feel to it - perfectly befitting just the kind of world a simulator would create. The photography in these sections also utilizes a slightly off color cast, nicely reflecting the tone found in color pictures of that era.

"The Thirteenth Floor" may not be a very "deep" movie, but it is an honorable addition to a newly formed genre that has not yet had time to ossify in its own conventions. Time alone will tell if filmmakers will be able to expand on this theme or whether, as with most genres, it will fall victim to its own inevitable cliches.