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WhileThe Matrixis one of the most popular sci-fi movies from the late 1990s, there was another film that also deserves attention.The Thirteenth Flooris an underrated movie with a fascinating plot and a quick pace.Craig Bierko, an actor known for movies such asScary Movie 4andCinderella Man,starred in the movie.
Although most would consider themselves fans of The Matrix who were excited to watch the2021 sequelThe Matrix: Resurrections, not everyone has seenThe Thirteenth Floor. There are many reasons to check out this compelling sci-fi story.
What Is The Thirteenth Floor About?
Craig Bierko played three charactersin theunderappreciated ’90s sci-fi movieThe Thirteenth Floorin three different timelines. He played David (who exists in 2024), Douglas Hall (who exists in 1999), and John Ferguson (who exists in 1937). People think that Bierko’s character killed Hannon Fuller (Armin Mueller-Stahl), whose company just released avirtual reality programset in Los Angeles in 1937. Since Douglas Hall works there, he is under suspicion right away. As Hall gets further into the VR world, he discovers strange facts about the world around him, and he begins to wonder what is virtual reality and what is real.
May 28th, 1999 (United States)
100 minutes
28%
Where To Watch
Rent on DirecTV, Buy on AppleTV+
The Thirteenth Flooris aforgotten ’90s sci-fi movie, but it shouldn’t be. Its exploration of VR might feel a little dated since the movie was released in May 1999, butThe Thirteenth Floortells an engaging story about how humans deal with technology.
Another memorable aspect ofThe Thirteenth Flooris the relationship between Douglas Hall andJane Fuller (Gretchen Mol). In one scene, Jane says, “I fell in love with you before I even met you.”
Hall replies:
“How can you love me? I am not even real. You can’t fall in love with a dream.”
“You’re more real to me than anything I’ve ever known.”
In an interview forthe Germany DVD release, Craig Bierko said:
“I wouldn’t limit it to being a science fiction story. Any good story, whatever genre it’s in, has to be about people, you have to care about the characters. You have to recognize something of yourself in the characters and I certainly did when I read it.”
What Is The Thirteenth Floor Based On?
The Thirteenth Flooris based on the novelSimulacron-3by Daniel F. Galouye. It was published on January 1st, 1964. The novel is about Douglas Hall, who must pick up the pieces when his co-worker Morton Lynch disappears and the top scientist at the company, Hannon Fuller, passes away.
What Other Books Did Daniel F. Galouye Write?
Like manysci-fi movies based on books, some changes were made during the adaptation process. However, both the movie and the novel are both compelling in their own ways, and they complement each other. While both the movieThe Thirteenth Floorand the novelSimalcron-3feature people who think that their virtual reality is actually real, the book is about a company that creates avirtual cityto research what people think without needing polls.
Why The Matrix Overshadowed The Thirteenth Floor
SinceThe MatrixandThe Thirteenth Floorwere both released in the spring of 1999, audiences went to seeThe Matrixinstead, and the box office numbers prove that it was a more popular movie. AsEntertainment Weeklyreported,The Matrixearned $158 million over 10 weeks, andThe Thirteenth Floormade $1.9 million in the second weekend it was in theaters.
What Were The Box Office Numbers ForThe Thirteenth FloorAndThe Matrix? (According to Box Office Mojo)
There are a few reasons whyThe Matrixis more memorable thanThe Thirteenth Floor. Audiences were likely interested in the hype and buzz ofThe Matrix, which uses theLife Simulation sci-fi tropeperfectly. If moviegoers heard about another movie that was also about virtual reality, they might have thought it might not be as interesting asThe Matrix. That is a shame asThe Thirteenth Floorhas an exciting plot and an ending that is as riveting asthe end ofThe Matrix Revolutions.
