Can a film about a psychological experiment become an experiment in its own right?
In short: The 2015 film The Stanford Prison Experiment dramatizes the infamous 1971 study where students adopted roles as prisoners and guards. After twelve years in development, the production captures the descent into abuse and psychological breakdown, ultimately questioning whether social situations, rather than individual traits, dictate how we behave.
Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez and written by Tim Talbott, the film chronicles the 14-day simulation conducted by psychology professor Philip Zimbardo in the basement of Stanford University's Jordan Hall. The narrative follows eighteen male students who were paid $15 per day to inhabit a mock prison. As the simulation progresses, the guards become increasingly abusive, and Zimbardo himself becomes immersed in his role as the prison superintendent. The experiment, intended to last two weeks, was abruptly halted after only six days following intervention from Zimbardo's girlfriend, Christina Maslach.
The path to the screen was arduous. First announced in 2002, the project faced numerous delays, including financing hurdles and the 2007 writers' strike. For a period in 2006, the film competed for development space against other projects, including a remake of the German film Das Experiment. Principal photography finally commenced on August 19, 2014, in Los Angeles, spanning 21 days. The resulting docudrama premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, coincidentally one day after the premiere of Experimenter, a film centered on the Milgram experiment.
Critical reception was generally favorable, with the film holding an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 67/100 score on Metacritic. Critics praised the film's ability to build tension, with Edward Douglas noting that the film itself feels like an experiment that invites discussion. However, some reviewers, such as Justin Chang, felt the 122-minute runtime suffered from a relentless, fastidious pace. Ultimately, the film serves as a chilling exploration of how quickly individuals can lose their sense of self when placed within a rigid, authoritative social structure.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Stanford Prison Experiment (film)
- Also: Wikidata — The Stanford Prison Experiment · CC0
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