Steppenwolf (1974) User Reviews

Wind from another planet.

[Nedmilly · 7/10 · 19 December 2007]

This adaptation of the novel is a really interesting movie - in ways, I feel like it's so unique that it makes it difficult to judge how "good" the film really is. There are a lot of colorful, unusual and even rather creepy special effects, including animation of several kinds.

The quality of the acting is also difficult to gauge because the interactions between characters are already supposed to be so far removed from the kinds of things that people in your life most likely say and do. Max von Sydow's performance was very different from how the character of Harry Haller existed in my head before seeing the movie: I had read the book first and couldn't quite see Harry as being so silly-looking or laughable throughout the whole story. Dominique Sanda did convey an appropriate mystique as Hermine, and has a really interesting speaking voice. A very nationally and sexually ambiguous guy named Pierre Clementi seemed to have a lot of fun with his crazy take on Pablo. Hilarious! The music and the whole sound concept of the movie were also.. can anyone think of another word for "unique"? But in this case, I also thought they were excellently conceived.

Part of me found that the movie's endearing irregularities were a great way to reflect the absurdity and awkwardness that are felt by the main character, but another part was not entirely convinced. So, I give the movie a 7/10 after some deliberation, partly out of the respect I have for works of true originality, of which this is certainly one.

Helped me to appreciate the book.

[alan-467 · 6/10 · 18 August 2008]

I read Hesse's "Journey To The East" and "Siddhartha" in my early twenties and thought they were excellent, but, when I then tried to read "Steppenwolf", it defeated me after a dozen or so pages. I put it to one side for a few weeks, then tried again, with the same result. The same thing happened for a third time.

Then I saw that the movie was showing at a local art-cinema, so thought I'd go and watch it. I allowed myself to suspend judgement until the end, and found it to be an unforgettable movie. OK - it has several flaws, as other reviewers have highlighted, but it certainly made a strong impression on me. I then went home and read the book from cover to cover. It's still not my favourite Hesse book (that honour goes to Siddhartha), but it is definitely a worthwhile read, and I probably would never have finished it if I hadn't seen the movie.

Some good and bad.

[alantate09 · 5/10 · 8 October 2014]

This movie communicates only bits and pieces of what the book itself does. It doesn't show well the actual character of Haller at all and, not understanding his personality well, the rest of the film doesn't pass on the original message very well except through occasional one line sum-ups of an idea by a character. This movie includes tons of lines taken directly from the book but I found that the movie uses some of the weaker lines at times while leaving out most of the best. I found the first half of this movie to be utterly boring however the second half was moderately well done. I like the feel to the second half although I barely made it through the first. That said I give this 5 stars because of the nice surrealism (really psychedelic more than just surreal) and I found the film to be overall very poor considering the material its based. I don't particularly like some of the acting selections either. Overall if you just read this book or ever have for that matter I would say don't watch this film because it leaves me with much less feeling than the book did and really calmed down some of the feelings racing in me for days after reading the book. If you've never read the book I would say watch the film but know that the book is a masterpiece and this film is not. But like I said if your into psychedelic feels to films this has plenty to offer there. All that said I believe my review is biased because of comparing it to the book and had I never read the book some of the ideas presented in the film would have really hit home. But that's not hard to do when your script is pretty much taken directly from the book. I think being disappointed is what I feel. I also particularly dislike the scene with the war against machines where in the book the attorney or whatever he was was (I forget) wasn't treated the same as in the film. I think the last few sentences of Gustav and his conversation in the book really hit at what was being said in that section and that the film didn't.

In Search of One's self

[thinker1691 · 6/10 · 3 June 2007]

Max Von Sydow is perhaps one of the finest versatile actors of all time. In any film which originate in Europe, one can expect not only finally crafted and intricate drama, but also superb acting. In this complex tale, he is convincing as Herman Hess, a soul in search of himself. Tragic in his troubled journey is the fact that like his character, Max Von Sydow will always fills the bill for classic theater as he does in this dark tale. With supporting actors like Pierre Clémenti who plays Pablo and Dominique Sanda as Hermine the film is both mysterious and deep. Expect the best from both author and actor as you follow along in a surreal life man scratching for the inner man. ***

A Struggling Adaptation

[tabuno · 6/10 · 19 January 2019]

22 January 2010. Perhaps it was the primitive special effects/animation technology, but the by end of the movie the chaotic last third of the movie seemed vastly outdated, outmoded and the fantastic visions of the book seemed to pale into imitation and distortion, losing much of the emotional/surreal impact required of such a movie endeavor. The magical chemistry between the two leads (Harry Haller and Hermine) do not result in a believable intimate relationship by the end of the movie and perhaps thusly the shocking end isn't quite as meaningful nor poignant as it might be. Somehow this movie version doesn't quite have the immersive impact and the dichotomy of the book. While the basic elements of the storyline are captured, the editing and the feel seem less pungent and captivating. 6/10.

Interesting

[crbattisti · 7/10 · 1 April 2012]

Although I found the movie interesting and it fit with the original book, the execution left the movie lacking. This movie should probably have been done in German with English subtitles, as was clearly evidenced by the strong accents of some of the actors. The actress playing Hermine left me wanting more. Her voice lacked depth, which is probably because English is not her first language. The animated frame shift depicting the main character's life story as the Steppenwolf made for an interesting dichotomy between the abstract and real. This is further shown in the magic theater, a place where reality and fantasy supposedly intertwine. I felt the change in medium was well done here, albeit a little corny. The music, on the other hand, was distracting at best. This movie was made in the 1970's, so the musical styling are fitted to Germany of the time, but in this case the music still disrupts the story more than amplifying it.

Harry Haller is a man in existential crisis. In the magical theater, he is confronted with a series of doors, behind which lie a multitude of desires and choices to be made.

[akrogh-329-204000 · 4/10 · 28 March 2012]

I give the movie 4 stars out of 10. I would like to have seen this movie in German with English subtitles in stead of the at times barely discernible spoken English. I do think the movie is a decent attempt at capturing the feel of Hesse's very complex work. The Monty Python-esque animation does add a layer of surrealism, which is important to the rendering of Hesse's ideas. The soundtrack is, in my opinion, annoying and detracts from the experience in stead of adding to it. It was an interesting take on the book and it is worth viewing, but I must say I would recommend that people read the book and form their own imagery. For anyone interested in existentialism and/or students of German literature, this is a worthwhile film to watch.

A flawed masterpiece

[YourDemonLover · 9/10 · 22 March 2005]

This is one of my all-time favorite films. I gave it only 9 stars, however, because there are a few obvious problems with it. Some of the editing is imperfect, and there are a couple points that suggest some additional scenes were cut. Also, there are a couple dubbing flubs, especially in the Magic Theater section, and several scenes that are poorly lit. In all, it's obviously a low-budget effort. If you want a James Cameron film, go rent one of those.

Still, the screenplay is topnotch. It even IMPROVES on Hesse's story in places, and I like the ending to this film better than the book's. Not really a spoiler - the ending is not that big a departure; it just concludes with more emotional punch, and resolves the angst better.

Max Von Sydow is the PERFECT Harry Haller, Dominique Sanda at least has the perfect look for Hermine (although I admit she could have used a retake on a couple scenes), and Pierre Clementi handles the challenge of Pablo's character admirably - and obviously relishes the role.

I've seen the comment, both here and in reviews elsewhere, about the second half being some sort of druggie trip-fest. It's true that the tone changes, but that's in keeping with the original work. But it's far from being some sort of Deadhead dance party, which is the way some critics unfairly portray it. Yes, the Magic Theater sequence has cartoon backdrops. Get over it. Personally, I think that was an excellent choice.

I would love for this to come out on DVD. The fact that it hasn't is an indication of its obscurity, not its quality. For ****'s sake, Gigli is out on DVD, so that's a ridiculous argument. I'll stop now to avoid becoming insulting.

Ambitious project!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 16 April 2018]

A valuable art movie about a man who believes that your life no longer make sense, anguished and alone he defines a final chapter when he reaches 50 years old, meanwhile he found a pretty girl who drive him to final process, ambitious movie about that explore such modern ill of society over existentialism, too complex after the middle to the end, even so is great, hallucinogenic and bright on cromatic colors.

Resume:

First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

Too much wrong with this to be regarded as either an acceptable book adaptation or a film in its own right

[prustage95 · 4/10 · 9 September 2019]

I am very fond of the book and have just finished re-reading it. Couldn't imagine how they could film it and was surprised they even tried. OK it is a good attempt but there is too much wrong with this to be regarded as either an acceptable adaptation of the book or a film in its own right.

Von Sydow is really the only good thing in it, the supporting cast are dire. I would have been happier if they had performed in German with subtitles as their English acting is awful. Hermine doesn't have the controlling hypnotic quality she has in the book and the other characters seem to be caricatures of the [people they are supposed to portray.

There is some nice camera work but direction is weak and fragmented. We rely heavily on quoted bits of Hesse's text to convey Haller's internal struggles as there are no real clues in the direction. Nothing against the animated bits in principle but they are a bit too cartoony and don't convey the right level of eeriness. Orson Welles used animated sequences in his version of Kafka's "The Trial" to better effect. The Magic Theatre sequences use good special effects for the time but they could have achieved more with less psychedelic visuals and more subtlety.

Most disappointing is the music. Handel, Bach, Brahms, Wagner and Mozart feature in the book, Mozart is even a significant character in the story yet we hear almost nothing from them in the soundtrack. Instead the score by George Gruntz is very much the sound of the 70s and hasn't dated well. Kubrick would have chosen classical cues all the way through and it would have worked perfectly.

But in the flaws, the beauty

[triffids4us · 9/10 · 20 May 2006]

I first saw this film back in 76 or 77, I think. A strange little underground art-house cinema (which is now a Burger King) in Melbourne...

It remains with me as a thing of beauty, its environments and music always evoking a wave of optimism. This is an exploration of the possibilities of the human spirit, as well as a joyous declaration of non serviam. An aesthetic revolt into surrealism, it suited the time well.

The animated sequences in particular are very impressive: as a means of dealing with the concepts of 'The Treatise on the Steppenwolf' within the film, but separate from the body of the narrative.

The film is not Hesse's novel, but a magical gesture towards the novel. As an adaptation of a complex and sophisticated novel it is a valiant effort. I will cheerfully admit that this, along with Lindsay Anderson's if... was what ultimately interested me in studying cinema.

Religious censors again?

[kotarski4 · 2/10 · 30 April 2004]

Similar to the "Razor's Edge", one of the main points in the book was totally ignored in the film. It's a terribly difficult feat to transcibe a book into film sometimes, and in Steppenwolf's case, the task was beyond the scriptwriters. Probably beyond anyone. I couldn't help but notice that the one point that Hesse was driving at, and that Razor's Edge did as well, reincarnation, was either totally struck out of the dialogue, or was given no more than one or two sentences before the scene was abruptly changed. It reminded me of Moby Dick, except in reverse--how one of the greatest movies of all time came from a horribly written book. Hesse was a great writer, that can't be denied, but his books really just don't translate to film.

Howling...

[amonduced · 3/10 · 23 September 2006]

Being one of the thousands (millions?) who rate the book as their all-time favourite, I just had to watch the film. It took me more than 20 years to do so; and, yes, it is unfilmable. Or maybe not; there are examples of "unfilmable books" that made fascinating movies. But not this one. Hesse's book is timeless, unlike the movie, which is very much a product of its time. After all, it's all a matter of talent and/or commitment. I mean, why on earth D. Sanda?!...Why not a fridge, a piece of wood or something, instead?... Among this array of bad performances, poor M.V.Sydow is perhaps the only reason to watch this movie, and even though he too seems to lack direction after a while, his presence and his physical resemblance to Hesse are quite astounding. And then the music score...A film adaptation of "Der Steppenwolf" without Mozart's music! And only just a little bit of Bach somewhere in there...It's not fair, as little Alex would say. Anyway. All of you thousands (forget about the millions...): get drunk and watch this movie. I know I did. And I'm going to watch it again. Sober. I'll try. Promise. And hope no one will ever try his hands on this book again. After all, how many dead directors do you know that are still alive?

Ahead of its time

[brian_whistler · 10/10 · 9 March 2006]

I always thought this wildly psychological Hesse book was unfilmable until I saw this movie . Even thought it contains just a portion of the ideas in the dense original, it was an amazing attempt, especially considering the technical limitations of the period. Using video techniques to pull off the kind of stuff that is done easily with cgi, Haines brings us into the surreal internal reality of Harry haller's psyche. I wish someone would clean this flick up and release it on DVD. Worth getting and watching. I think the rating it received here was really off the mark. A cult film that deserves wider recognition, Max von Sydow does a great job, as does Dominique Sanda and Pierre Clementi

Film is not as good as the book

[brandon-334-69272 · 5/10 · 3 April 2012]

This movie adaptation of one of Hermann Hesse's classic works really just does not do the book justice in my opinion. For one the language of the film and the overly pronounced accents were too much for me. I am afraid that the script and the direction of Hesse's state of mind is just not conveyed the way that Hesse portrayed it in his book. The chaotic scenes, especially towards the end when he finally falls deep into madness, sparks too many memories of Monty Python. I give the film just 5 stars. I give it 5 stars because I honestly believe that a good filmed version of this book would be difficult even in the hands of even the truly great directors.

Absolutely wonderful film!

[dpeart · 10/10 · 13 January 2002]

I have long been a fan of Hermann Hess and have read Steppenwolf innumerable times and will most likely reread it many more times. With this kind of familiarity of a book it would normally be quite unlikely that a movie adaptation would be found to be satisfying. This movie is the very rare exception. Max von Sydow is the perfect Harry Haller! The Magic Theatre was done very well! I highly recommend this movie to all who Herman Hesse fans.

Good story, bad acting

[warneralysha · 4/10 · 27 March 2012]

The film is a mostly accurate showing of the novel, Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse. The frame of the story is missing, however. The film was well made for the time, but the acting is pretty bad. The accents make the intentionally vague story of the film even harder to follow. I really enjoyed the way the Tractat was created, and I appreciated that it is very distinct from the rest of the movie, as this follows the pattern of the book. If you have read the book, the film is interesting and worth-while. If you have not, it will most likely be incredibly confusing. I would really like to see a remake of this film, even though I'm not usually a fan of remakes. In this instance, however, I would love to see this book filmed with better acting and a less confusing script.

A tragic fable of a life of quiet desperation

[lefty-11 · 23 February 1999]

A noble attempt to bring the Herman Hesse novel to the screen, enlivened by a complex and poignant performance by Max Von Sydow as the Steppenwolf, Harry Haller. His efforts are considerably aided by gloomy lighting and long meditative takes which convey the burden of the Steppenwolf's world view as a self proclaimed "outsider". Closely following the book, however, the film too, falls apart in its second half. It validates the asocial Steppenwolf, a misguided hero/martyr wanting to transcend personal inadequacy rooted in the disorder of the everyday world: his redemption comes through a woman who leads him into an enchanted magical world. Experience, with art often the privileged vehicle, might be better understood as redemptive if read in interpretive rather than metaphysical terms- i.e. it is a product of engagement with and not transcendence of or withdrawal from the social. Harry Haller reminds one of the "steppenwolf" in Apted's documentary "7 Up", Neil. Numerous visions of this transcendence, which can foster megalomania, are also evident in e.g.'s such as George Lucas's Jedi philosophy (Luke SKYWALKER), and Kubrick's Starchild in "2001". 2 documentaries on film making, "Hearts of Darkness" and "Burden of Dreams", show the difficulties faced by "control freak" directors in realising the theme of redemptive transcendence on the screen, given the teamwork of the production process etc. The Romantic poet in Cocteau's "Orphee" is similarly frustrated upon discovering the "afterlife" is routinised/bureaucratised. "Sphere" and "Solaris" also make critical overtures in this direction by questioning the desirability and possibility of experience bearing no disjuncture between thought and expression. But for a critique of "Steppenwolf" philosophy, it is hard to better the film adaptation of Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground".

Wolf of the Hour

[Oslo_Jargo · 3/10 · 4 March 2004]

I understand why this stinker has not been released on DVD, obviously because no one concerned themselves with it. This is a boring film and an adaptation that does not work, namely because of the foreign actors who can't converse properly in the first place and the drug-induced chaotic second half of the film that leaves the viewer completely in the dark.

Could have been an interesting film if done properly, avoid at all costs.

Another extremely rare film that I was let down by.

I really liked the film

[bodhidharma · 8/10 · 4 January 2006]

I feel like a minority of one by saying I liked Haines' adaptation of Steppenwolf. I first ran across it in 1989 when I found it mis-filed under horror in the video store I was living above my senior year in college. I was already a fan of Hesse, I especially liked the Glass Bead Game, Steppenwolf, Demian and Siddhartha.

I loved Max von Sydow's performance as Harry Haller. I found Dominique Sandia to be a captivating Hermine.

It is definitely a weird film but that adds to its charm. This film captured the spirit of the book quite well -- better than David Lynch's adaptation of Dune. I'm speaking as a fan of David Lynch and of Dune. Some of the animated exposition looked a little awkward but I'm inclined to overlook that because some of it was funny and the live action parts worked really well.

An eccentric bunch of individuals pull off a real coup.

[ianlouisiana · 8/10 · 4 April 2006]

What a very useful word "apparently" is.Along with "allegedly" it can be used to preface a paragraph of unsubstantiated statements in order to bestow immunity upon the writer against the possibility that the facts he or she is reporting in good faith may not be 100% er,factual. Apparently Herman Hesse wrote a clause into his will that expressly forbade his novel "Steppenwolf" from being made into a movie. Allegedly it took the producer three years to persuade his heirs to option him the rights. Apparently a bit of a hustler,he rustled up money from American businessmen including Richard Sprague,chairman of "American Semiconductor". Allegedly Timothy Leary was tested for a major role. Apparently the use of certain substances was not uncommon amongst members of the production team during the making of "Steppenwolf",despite which Mr Leary never got the part. The very distinguished actor Mr Max von Sydow plays Harry Haller. A Limo was supplied to drive him around Basle.He would rather have walked,being keen on physical exercise,but he allowed himself to be driven because he didn't want the chauffeuse to be out of a job. He frequently got out of the vehicle and opened the front door for her. All these details and more are recounted by Mike Zwerin in his "The Paris Jazz Chronicles".what he calls "an improvisational memoir" that follows on to "Close enough for jazz" an earlier volume in similar vein. Mr Zwerin was employed as Press Attache on the movie,his wife was Mr von Sydow's driver. In all probability unless you're a committed admirer of Mr Hesse's book Mr von Sydow is the main reason to watch this movie. He is an actor who does not act.Only in very bad films does he find it necessary to do actorish things.In "Steppenwolf" there are no false notes.It may not rank with his early Bergman performances but it is a tribute to director Mr Fred Haines that it might be mentioned in the same breath. Despite its rather strange birth-pangs "Steppenwolf" is a brave and praiseworthy attempt to translate onto film a complex novel of ideas. There is absolutely no way that it would get made today.When movies are made from cash-cows like John Grisham,Robert Ludlum and Dan Browne why should anyone bother with an obscure book from some European intellectual who never wrote a best-seller in his life.Screw him. Thanks to a bunch of hustlers,businessmen ,retired hippies and dopefiends things were just a little different in 1974.We should be grateful for that.Who said the seventies was the decade that style forgot?

involving, beautiful, stands well apart from the book

[ltcinfo · 9/10 · 19 January 2013]

I've never "liked" Hesse, probably because his concerns seemed middle-aged, middle-class, and specifically European... when I first read him...in the 70s, when I was a young Northern Californian, starting to make a living in a rich graphic/photographic advertising community.

Decades later, in this film, Hesse anticipated one of my own possible futures. I hope never to be as completely alone as von Sydow's character and I thank Fortune for several mini-lifetimes with my own Dominique Sandas (will another one find me?).

Should I read the book? I have many reading priorities and the film may be sufficient...this may be von Sydow's best...I want to revisit it.

Down, boy! Down!(warning: possible spoilers)

[No Nukes · 6 November 2002]

This is one of those movies that left with a big, opaque question mark on my

forehead. For the first half it follows the book's plot but then it pretty much turns into a big fat acid trip, implementing every sort of color filter known to man and even a few cartoon backgrounds. Yes, I said CARTOON backgrounds. And watch how Harry's hallucinatory pal gets rid of the cadaver on the rug near the end. Seriously, watch for it. It's amazing. I hit the rewind button and had to see it about 5 times to make sure I had really seen it. Also, the cartoon near the beginning of the film explaining Harry's plight is amusing.

The film itself is very slowly paced, however, and it takes a lot of patience to get through it. Oh yes, and the ending. How did Harry die?! The tall object implies that he was hanged, but I'm not sure...

-No Nukes, The Satanic Pikachu