| Release Date: | Jul 1998 |
|---|---|
| Genres: | Thriller / Drama |
| Awards: | 7 wins & 4 nominations |
| Runtime: | 100 min |
| Cast: | August Diehl (Karl Koch), Fabian Busch (David) Dieter Landuris (Pepe) Jan Gregor Kremp (Lupo) Stephan Kampwirth (Jochen Maiwald) Zbigniew Zamachowski (Sergej) Peter Fitz (Brückner) Burghart Klaußner (Weber (as Burghart Klaussner)) Lilly Marie Tschörtner (Beate (as Lilly Tschörtner)) Patrick Joswig (Alex) Arnulf Schumacher (Seybert) Sven Lehmann (Computerverkäufer / Computer...) Oscar Ortega Sánchez (Mr. Minit) Brigitte Janner (Sekretärin / Secretary) Katrin Klein (Sekretärin / Secretary) Hedi Kriegeskotte (Heimleiterin / Head of Asylum) Karin Gregorek (Karls Stiefmutter / Karl's...) Regine Zimmermann (Pepes Freundin / Pepe's Girlfriend) Armin Dillenberger (Kellner im Zug / Waiter on Train) Alexandra Hartmann (Prostituierte / Prostitute) Claudia Boneberg (Prostituierte / Prostitute) Tom Keidel (Conan) Jörg Schmitz (Kugelfisch) Christian Wolff (Scarabaeus) Johann Claussen (Pfarrer / Pastor) Jan-Gregor Kampwirth (Partygast / Guest at Party) Nina Bühler (Alex' Freundin / Alex'...) Katja Klauss (Alex' Freundin / Alex'...) Hanns Zischler (Karls Vater / Karl's Father) Robert Anton Wilson (Himself) Tirzah Haase (Nachrichtensprecherin / Newsreader...) Beate Himmerlstoss (Nachrichtensprecherin / Newsreader...) Josef Tratnik (Nachrichtensprecher / Newsreader (voice)) Peter Veith (Nachrichtensprecher / Newsreader (voice)) Jessica Lohmann (Nachrichtensprecherin / Newsreader...) Anna-Maija Tuuliainen (Nachrichtensprecherin / Newsreader...) Igor Davidovski (Nachrichtensprecher / Newsreader (voice)) Dietrich Brüggemann (Bit (uncredited)) Muammar Gadaffi (Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)) Hans-Dietrich Genscher (Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)) Olof Palme (Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)) George Shultz (Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)) Richard von Weizsäcker (Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)) |
The movie's plot is based on the true story of a group of young computer hackers from Hannover, Germany. In the late 1980s the orphaned Karl Koch invests his heritage in a flat and a home computer. At first he dials up to bulletin boards to discuss conspiracy theories inspired by his favorite novel, R.A. Wilson's "Illuminatus", but soon he and his friend David start breaking into government and military computers. Pepe, one of Karl's rather criminal acquaintances senses that there is money in computer cracking - he travels to east Berlin and tries to contact the KGB.
