World on a Wire was directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder in 1973, twenty-six years before The Matrix was released. And despite the fact that Fassbinder’s film was only recently discovered, I can’t help but think it was a heavy influence on the Wachowskis.
World on a Wire deals with a paranoid cybernetics engineer who grapples with reality, virtual reality, and numerous possible conspiracies. The film takes place in a mid-century modern world that manages to feel like the future, even though it’s quite clearly a seventies vision of it. The cinematography is insane and playful and daring, as is the production design. Every person involved in this film clearly had a blast contributing to its magical, odd universe.
The movie is very long, as it was originally made for television, so you can treat it like a mini-series and watch it over two consecutive nights. You will be rewarded for your time and get to see a visionary wunderkind at work.
Watch the Three Reasons here.
