The Tenth Level

This made-for-TV movie is taken directly from the work of Dr. Stanley Milgram. Although much of Milgram's scientific methods are omitted in favor of dramatic content, the central point of the experiment remains true and very poignant. There is supposed to be a remake of this film which came out in 2005. I haven't seen it and the title eludes me (something like Atrocity?). However, like the subject matter of "The Tenth Level", there are many eye-popping discoveries in psychology which movies could exploit to lay naked the flaws and fallacies of human nature without Hollywood's melodrama making the case inane and useless to a public desperately in need of modern morality tales. The most wonderful thing about "The Tenth Level" was that it sought a higher ground instead of the formulaic boy-meets-girl, boy-saves-world, boy-gets-girl garbage. If there is any way you can see this film, it is well worth watching even if all you wish to see is what William Shatner did between Star Trek and T. J. Hooker.

I saw this movie when I was 13 years old. I have not seen it since, but to this day, the movie keeps me emotionally gripped whenever I think about it. It well demonstrates what man is capable of doing to another man if pressured enough. William Shatner is absolutely, devilishly brilliant as the menacing doctor. I would love to see this movie again, so if someone knows how I may obtain a copy I would be terribly grateful.

I saw this movie as a teen, and have been looking for it ever since. Something about it stuck with me, and I wanted to see it again.

I've since stumbled across a reference to it in a pamphlet written by Chuck Colson. That article stated that the film "was a powerful testimony about man's inability to safeguard human rights."

The 10th Level is intense and moving, because it displays, via a real life incident that reveals how very malleable people can be.

I think it should be shown in every High school Political science and psychology class in the country.

If ANYONE knows how I could obtain even a "taped off TV" copy, please let me know!

I sat transfixed, even through the commercials (made for TV, I think), and it affected me on a deep emotional level. I loved it, but unfortunately, it must have been deemed too powerful, as I have never seen it aired again. I have not talked with anyone else who has seen it, other than the person who viewed it with me originally. I wish I could find a copy of it, as I would like to share it with others. I guess it is not available anywhere, and that is indeed a shame.

This is Shatner's most important and probably least-known vehicle. I wish I could remember more about his performance, but it really doesn't matter compared to the issues raised by the experiment depicted here. Laurence Olivier would have disappeared behind this story.

Milgram's experiment involved convincing a subject that he or she was testing another subject (who was actually not, but was performing out of sight, and could obviously be heard) by supplying info and then asking questions. A wrong answer from the hidden subject required the real subject to administer a shock, and each successive wrong response got a higher-voltage shock, up to "The Tenth Level", which was lethal.

Somehow, even more shocking were the results of the tests, which were done all around the world and are revealed at the end of the show.

Somebody tell Shatner to get this put on a DVD (or do a remake!) because it is that important. I have never forgotten it, and sincerely doubt that anyone else who saw it forgot it, either.