Der Steppenwolf

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. ***

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.

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.

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special effects/animation technology, but the by end of the movie the chaotic last third of the movie seemed vastly outdated, outmoded and the fantastic visions of the book seemed to pale into imitation and distortion, losing much of the emotional/surreal impact required of such a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.

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.