'Das Experiment' heads for America

Oliver Hirschbiegel's brilliant film is to be given the remake treatment by the man behind 'Prison Break'.

Oct  9 2006

Oliver Hirschbiegel's 'Das Experiment' was one of the most disturbing and effective thrillers of the last few years, so it's no surprise that the film is about to undergo the remake treatment.

What is a surprise however, is that Paul Scheuring, creator of the absurd TV drama 'Prison Break', will write and direct the film; a dramatic change of pace for a man who turned the most implausible of concepts into television gold.

The original 'Experiment' was loosely based on the Stanford University prison psychology tests that took place in America in the 1970s, in which a random group of men were selected and turned into either jailers or prisoners. As the men became immersed in their roles, so their behaviour became more outrageous and alarming.

Hirschbiegel's film took the concept to its logical and horrific conclusion, and in the context of German history, it was a disturbing account of the ease with which power can corrupt.

Whether or not Scheuring will be able to capture such horrors remains to be seen, but rest assured we'll be following this one closely so keep your eye on The TOMB for more news.

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