A tragic fable of a life of quiet desperation
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".

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".

- Landscapes of the inner mind
An interesting, experimental and largely successful adaptation of Herman Hesse's multilayered and psychologically complex novel. Max Von Sydow is perfect as Herman Hesse's character/ alter ego Harry Haller. Haller plays a disillusioned man going through a mid life crisis who plans on commiting suicide by the time he turns fifty. Instead he goes on a spiritual journey and regains his humanity again. The first half covers the novel well while the second half and denoument seem like one self indulgent "acid" trip replete with cartoon animation during some scenes. The animation setup at the begining even reminds me of Terry Gilliam's Monty Python work.

Definitely recommended to those who have read the novel and want to see the only film version attempted yet.

- Absolutely wonderful film!
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.

Credited cast:
Max von Sydow .... Harry Haller
Dominique Sanda .... Hermine
Pierre Cl?menti .... Pablo
Carla Romanelli .... Maria
Roy Bosier .... Aztec
Alfred Baillou .... Geothe
Niels-Peter Rudolph .... Gustav
Helmut F?rnbacher .... Franz
Charles R?gnier .... Loering
Eduard Linkers .... Mr. Hefte
Silvia Reize .... Dora
Helen Hesse .... Frau Hefte
Sunnyi Melles .... Rosa (as Judith Melles)

Also Known As:
Lupo della steppa, Il (1974) (Italy)
Runtime: 107 min
Country: USA / Switzerland / UK / France / Italy
Language: English
Color: Color