Dark City - A Hidden Sci-Fi Gem
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2024
- In 1999 pop culture was changed forever with the release of The Matrix. But these days whenever The Matrix comes up someone also brings up the more obscure 1998 movie, Dark City. Although Dark City is a darker, stranger and less action packed movie, its themes surrounding artificial reality and what makes us human are fascinating and it has provided food for thought for a passionate cult fanbase ever since its release.
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00:00 Intro
00:46 SideQuest Promo
01:33 Dark City Review
06:05 Dark City Spoilers
08:42 Dark City's Legacy
09:42 Outro - Krátké a kreslené filmy
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Rowan for future game reviews I wondered if you planned to do The Last of Us and Last of US 2. 2 incredible games I'd be interested in your thoughts on. Especially as Last of US is due to be a HBO series with Pedro Pascal
I loved this movie when it came out and bought the DVD also.
@RowanJColeman just wanted to say thanks for the don't ask to remove cannon video, especially the part about the star wars expanded universe. I had more ties to that than the prequels... and when they "took" it I had to move on and know that star wars was still star wars. I watched the sequel trilogy, loved the first two, not so much the third... but the thing that upset me most was these "so called" fans saying they wanted Mara Jade in the franchise, while also saying Luke would never attack his nephew or run off... and all I could think is, Do you know how many times Luke has fallen to the dark side? Luke has been fallible plenty of times in the Expanded universe, to act as if that can't happen, because it makes him what, more human... These idiots... so thank you for making a video on the subject... Long Live Anakin Solo!
"When was the last time you remember doing something during the daylight?"
The detective remains silent. His memory fails him. The man he considered so strange is now speaking sense, when he's supposed to be a murdering lunatic. Could he maybe be right?
For me Dark City is up there with Gattaca in terms of sci-fi masterpieces with unforgettable messages.
oh man. gattaca was another amazing film. thanks for reminding me!
Love both movies and watch them every few hours.
Holy shit. Gattaca. Havent heard that name in a while. Surprisingly so because i throughly enjoyed it.
Always glad to see this masterpiece get more attention! I bought the DVD when it came out, knowing nothing about it, and loved it. I have introduced so many people to it over the years as well. You are correct that it is hard to describe. One friend asked "What's it about?" when I wanted him to see it, and I said "It's about an hour and a half. Trust me." He loved the movie, too.
U were lucky 😂 I had to watch it in vhs format:) I miss the days of rental. On a side note.. awesome answer with about an hour and a half😂😂
I watched in the theater when it came out. I was in awe for days after.
The director’s cut of Dark City is literally my favorite movie.
I saw the theatrical cut on TV and loved it. When I got the director’s cut, I loved it even more. Great picture.
It's one of my favourites. Classic film.
It cut out the unnecessary explanations
I remember discovering this before I watched the Matrix. It tainted my appreciation of the latter, feeling this superior film got overshadowed by it's more famous cousin.
This is exactly what I was gonna say, my mind wasn't blown by the Matrix because I had already seen Dark City
Dark city is an absolute masterpiece. I remember seeing this as a teenager and it completely blew my mind. it's truly a shame that wasn't well recieved by the masses, but it's completely understandable. for all who have found it dark city will always be with them.
because the masses have the brain of an goldfish !
Mr. Coleman, please consider doing a video on 1997's Gattaca. Like Dark City, it is also a deeply underrated sci fi gem that *desperately* deserves more respect and recognition than it's gotten. (Also this year is it's 25th anniversary!) P.S. Thank you for doing this video. I love Dark City as well!
A comparison that always works for me is that if the Matrix is like Star Wars, Dark City is like Blade Runner.
So Matrix = "Use the Force, Neo!" and Bladerunner = "Hey you can tune!.. 'You got the wrong guy pal!'"
Yo! Dark City. What a great film. It's the only BluRay I own.
Like or Dislike: Like. Dark City is a masterpiece and reminds me of The Thirteenth Floor. I wasn't aware there was a director's cut.
You're in for a treat. The Director's Cut is much better.
"The Thirteenth Floor" is another under-rated masterpiece, imo. Well worth the time.
This movie is such an underrated gem. The director's cut makes it that much more enjoyable to watch. Worth the time to watch.
I only saw the film back in 98 after I'd seen the Ebert review. I would probably have skipped it if not for that. I went to see it and was immediately blown away and told my coworkers the next day to go see it. They came back and profusely thanked me and promptly spread the word to their friends. I think that word of mouth is the only way this film got properly promoted!
Good to see you continuing that tradition!😊
I really wish that I could get the Director's Cut for this on Blu Ray at a reasonable price. Hopefully we get another Blu Ray release someday.
This Film was really Snubbed at the Oscars for its Phenomenal Production Design.
An excellent movie, all the better for not having had any of the plot spoiled before I watched it.
Apparently there's a TV series in development. Alex Proyas is involved so it could be interesting.
One of my favourite films. Extremely claustrophobic and foreboding atmosphere. The opening scene with the light swinging in the bathroom as we and the protagonist come to grips with the surroundings, is to this day one of my favourite openings to a film ever. As long as it's the directors cut with removed spoiler ridden audio at the start, quality film
This film has always been one of the greatest sci-fi films. Saw it in the theater knowing almost nothing about it other than it was supposed to be a type of sci-fi noir mystery suspense thriller. It is very hard to recommend this movie without spoiling it as any bit of the story can erase the surprise you receive as the story unfolds.
I've seen this film probably more than 50 times. Love it!!
Such a great film.
Tone, Characters, Production design, Score are all on point.
It's a melancholy yet beautiful thing.
Saw this movie in theaters, own the Director's Cut, it is the absolute definition of an underrated gem.
I think you hit it right on the head. It's an excellent movie overall and one of my personal favorites.
So much of the story is told through the environment and interactions well before any exposition. It shows rather than tells. That's one of the things I think makes it such a good watch. It's a mystery you piece together as you're watching it and then at a certain point you get that happy little rush when your suspicions get confirmed. It rewards those who payed attention and that's always a bonus.
I remember just entering high school when Dark City came out....and I was no where near a film buff but for some reason I really enjoyed Dark City and was intrigued with its story. Then the next year when the Matrix came out everyone was telling me how awesome it was and hyping it up, but when I finally watched it I was like, "Uh, that's it?" I mean don't get me wrong it was cool of course but I wasn't as blown away by it as everyone else. I'm guessing subconsciously I saw it done before with Dark City and always held that movie in high regard. Thanks for touching on this hidden gem!
Had this on my list for years but seeing those clips of the buildings change sold me on it to finally watch it tonight. Love it, kicking myself for putting it off.
Boyfriend was sold the moment he saw Riff Raff.
I would suggest that this film is better than The Matrix, they're both good films, but this one is not burdened with lackluster sequels.
The atmosphere of Dark City is very well presented, and the performances are really good.
And The Strangers as antagonists are great! Some great casting there.
Now I have to go shopping for the Director's Cut.
The deliberate noir aesthetic and the very nature of the setting means the film will never be dated like the Matrix already is in a lot of ways. Plus the motivations of the Strangers are a lot more interesting, make a lot more sense, and ask a lot more open questions than that of the Matrix. Not to harp on the Matrix as it's a fine film, but I believe Dark City did a much better job of executing very similar ideas.
I was actually introduced to Dark City by Roger Ebert himself, when I attended his "Cinema Interruptus" wherein he led a weeklong discussion of the film. This was before it was actually released on home video, but Alex Proyas provided him with a DVD screener to use on the projector at the University of Colorado. I've loved the movie ever since.
Curiously, Dark City also shares a number of plot points, scenes, and ideas with Who Framed Roger Rabbit. A man framed for murder, his bombshell lounge singer wife with a glittering dress, a mournful detective helping him, a city which is elastic and strange, pale villains who wear dark trenchcoats and hats and whose outward appearance conceals their true nature, and a bunch more little things.
Roger Rabbit draws on tropes from film noir mysteries, as does Dark City. Things like the bombshell lounge singer wife are well-worn ideas used many times. It's implied that the reason the lounge-singer wife was created to study in the alien city was precisely because there are so many stories about that type of character, which Schriber was aware of.
Every character he created is based of an archetype he was already aware of. None of them have "fresh" identities. They are just traits he swaps around like a kaleidoscope.
@@William-the-Guy of course that's all true. But what about "Toon" and "tune?"
Honestly I don't actually think there was any intentional resemblance. It's all just a manifestation of the Cosmic Lattice of Coincidence.
@@William-the-Guy true, a touch of childhood trauma to build character he says lol
The rooftop set made for Dark City was also used in The Matrix at the beginning where Trinity is running across the rooftops.
Yep, there are several parts of the Dark City set that were reused in The Matrix.
I know I shouldn't comment before watching the video, but I frelling LOVE Dark City. One of my favorite movies. And the only, let's say regular kind, that's got music in essentially every second of its runtime. Also, that reveal!
I remember my parents renting this. I wasn’t old enough to understand everything, but for whatever reason, I remember huge parts of the plot though. I had planned on going back, but never did. Maybe it’s time to change that.
Remember watch this movie really young, and much earlier than Matrix...
It was late and so I was send to bed before I could see the end...
Being young and internet not being a thing...the movie became just a memories and I had no idea how to find it other than describing it to people...
It took decades to finally reveal what the name of the movie was and finally watch it...
What memories the childhood can create...
Dark City has always been one of my all time favorites.
I remember putting it on our flat screen and then my roommate and I moving our couch closer to the TV because he "wanted to put his face in this movie ... it looks AWESOME!"
Thank goodness Dark City never got ruined by success.
The movie is so self-contained that I have absolutely no idea what they could do for a sequel. There's like two ideas you could go with where either you continue the first movie with Murdock trying to find Earth or something or the aliens built multiple Dark Cities and we focus on another one and you just do the same movie again. I think a studio would reject either one to be honest.
This film makes The Matrix look like a fairy tale in all honesty.
One of the best of the fantasy films from the 90s.
what i loved about the ending of this movie is how limited in scope our hero is. He's gained the power of god over this place, but all he wants to do is go to the beach. At first it seems like a good and heartfelt ending, but upon deeper reflection you start to see the problem inherent with this ending. A normal, limited person now holds the power of god. he's not a very intelligent man, nor particularly imaginative. you can't help but assume the lives of those people inside this prison will not improve as he has no imagination to improve it, or even free them from it. Its a bitter sweet ending as the main character gets what he wants, but what he wants is only what he wants. he's not saving the world, he's not saving the city. worse he is now god of this place. and the first action of that god was to satisfy his own deepest desire. giving us a hint at what type of god he will be.
Still one of my favorite movies, another movie i really enjoyed and no one talked about was Equilibrium.
Edit: TRhe 13th floor is kinda inline with the Dark City as in the end was rather unexpected for 18 year old me
Equilibrium is on the list of films to cover for this series :)
@@RowanJColeman Cool! looking forward to it!
I see what you did at the end there... keeping an element of mystery alive by leaving the Patreon patrons anonymous? Genius! lol
Another great video. This time was so amazing. A lot of films with themes like this. Dark City, The Thirteenth Floor, Gattaca and more. Great time for film.
5:57 “If I’ve intrigued you so far, go see this movie and then come back”
You have intrigued me, but also provided me with enough information to know that I wouldn’t actually enjoy watching it.
Every so often when powering down a misbehaving PC or other piece of kit I still intone: "Shut it down! Shut it all down!" and then get annoyed that no-one else gets the reference.
Shout out to Rowan J Coleman and his channel Plus all your subscribers ♐👍
So beautifully filmed. You are there, in the city
Saw this route when it was released in the theaters and I told everybody about it. It is a masterpiece and I don’t understand why more people saw this. It was just wonderful great gem. Just like another film noir that I really love which is dead again with Kenneth Branagh, It’s like nobody’s seen these movies and I don’t know why. Great cast great acting fantastic story and yet flopped at the theater
I love Dark City, such an unsung classic, especially Richard O'Brien.
On the DVD/BD version of this movie, there's an excellent audio commentary by Roger Ebert. Dark City was one of his all-time favourites.
I watched this in theater in college and is still an all time favorite.
I worked in a theater when this came out. I remember watching it in an almost empty theater and thinking it was amazing.
Came across this film by accident on tv...I was immediately hooked.
Found your channel today while looking for a documentary on dark city. Been binge watching as much content as I can . Loving the Battlestar galactiica retrospective. And then your matrix docs. Also subbed to your gaming channel as requested. Love how you can find such fantastic content on you tube . Who needs tv
I went and watched it, and am now back. What a strange, interesting movie. It’s so shocking to me knowing it was a year before the Matrix - it feels like two different generations of film
I’d love to see your thoughts on the movie The Thirteenth Floor. To me it is somewhere between Dark City and The Matrix.
@5:08 Mr. Coleman, you stole the thoughts re:Sutherland right out of my mind.
Fantastic review. This my single favorite pieces of media and I'll be using this to recc it going forward. (when I can't just tie somebody to my couch to watch it with me.)
I must thank you. Its so hard to find good films these days. Definitely worth a watch
Some of the shots are up there with Blade Runner, beautiful cinematography, lighting, and colour-grading choices.
It were #1 most sold or rented movie a few places on release. I never thought of this as a unknown movie. After all it were made by same director as "The Crow", and had Kiefer Sutherland in it.
I remember seeing this in the theater, and loving it. At that time, and after, I used it as a great primer for people who were trying to play Mage: the Awakening, to describe how an Awakening might play out.
Jennifer Connelly in her prime!
I just finished watching this, based on the first three minutes of your video. Thank you. This movie is fantastic! I loved everything about it: the actors, the plot, the style. Right down to Jennifer Connelly's version of "Sway".
I watched this movie yesterday for the first time and I can't stop thinking about it
I remember the great trailer. Gullible folks thought they were watching the movie itself.
I only discovered this movie recently after looking up more of Rufus Sewell's roles, as I thought he did an amazing job on The Man in the High Castle.
Thanks for the recommendation!!! Watched it and then came back for your review.. loved both!
SPOILERS MATTER FOR THIS! I usually think spoilers warnings are stupid, but this movie is one of the only times I REFUSE to spoil the plot. It's such an amazing, mind-blowing story, and it's so much better if you go in blind. One of my favorite movies ever.
Holy Crap, I think Dark City was a major inspiration for the Beta City 17 in Half Life 2, once you notice it, it’s hard to not see it. Now I think I have another reason to see it.
Dark City, The Matrix, and The Thirteenth Floor would make a hell of a triple-feature.
You are doing great work Mr. Coleman. Great choices after your amazing work on Star Trek! Thank You!
No question this has been one of my all time favorite movies since i first saw it almost 25 years ago in mid 1999 when i was 13, the atmosphere is what caught my attention, like this isn't just a film, the feeling this could be a real place like Blade Runner... it's something The Matrix didnt do..No its not quite the masterpiece that The Matrix immediately was and 25 years later in 2024 remains, but its very close, if it was the length of The Matrix it just might trump it and the fact it hit the year before not to mention they used sets from this movie for The Matrix and there's quite a few similarities between the two like John being this unique human who has broken free of an experiment/simulation ran by powerful beings and develops their abilities, becomes aware of the simulation and is therefore able to break free of it and even manipulate it, the cyberpunk feel of the sets and old timey type cars and green tint to the camera...this is a film ive recommended countless times, especially to anyone who loves science fiction and/or The Matrix, i almost see The Matrix as somewhat of a Spiritual Sequel/Successor cuz so much of the two remind me of each other...while its not quite the masterpiece The Matrix is, its extremely close and no question an absolute classic ...by 1999 i liked The Crow but this is the film that had me on the lookout for Alex Proyas, and unfortunately he didn't end up having the career i was hoping he'd have but that takes nothing away from this classic
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Great review, breakdown, analysis of a great movie!
Kudos to Alex Proyas @MysteryClockCinema for creating such an incomparable masterpiece !
I love Dark City's portrayal of "living in a simulation" - making it physical and mental. Its unprecedented. And it's hard to compare The Matrix to Dark City because first, their budgets were not in the same class. No matter how great the Directing, Actors, Writers, etc., are, a 27 million dollar movie can't compete with a 63 million dollar movie. Second, The Matrix is an action, mental, philosophical movie, even delving into Existential territory. Contrastingly, Dark City is a who-done-it teleported into an Escher-esque, Cthulhu-esque mental horror movie. Third, when you, "pull back the curtain" in Dark City, you see all that there is, this moment is supposed to be a Cthulhu-esque movie reveal.
In The Matrix you are always left wondering if the truth is rather a Matrix in a Matrix, or even more complex. In (like the 3rd Matrix movie or something), Neo's powers start functioning in the "real world." Or is it?
Furthermore, there is Mr. Smith gaining form and agency in the "real world," or is it? When you break reality this badly, you have to explain it in a more convincing manner (speaking of Suspension of Disbelief). And the way Mr. Smith arrives in the real world seems like the writers are just waving a magic wand. Why does Mr. Smith look the same if he "took over" someone, a living person's, body? What technology can produce these effects, what technology can do this? And again, why is the same actor (Hugo Weaving) playing both himself in The Matrix, and the person that supposedly/apparently got possessed by Mr. Smith? They explain why Neo (and all other humans) look like themselves in real life: Residual Self Image. But Mr. Smith isn't made into reality like Russel Crowe's Serial Killer in Virtuosity. He comes through the phone. He also physically transforms while he is possessing someone - as if he was in The Matrix, like when Mr. Smith possesses "The Oracle." Now.....we could take this as just sloppy writing from sheer exhaustion over making movie after movie, expanding the story as they went. Or.......we could assume that the above was completely intentional (and I think there is a good argument for that) and the Wachowskis wanted to at least suggest that there was another layer in this world, a Matrix inside of a Matrix that held another Matrix.
Just thoughts.
P.s. I apologize, I just realized that I haven't seen the latest Matrix movie, so perhaps all of the above is mute, and now we know?
.
"One thing's for certain, it was good fun,
But now you're gone there is no sun..."
Dark City’s alien’s quest always reminded me of Dune stylistically.
One of the greatest Sci-fi AND Film Noirs of all time.
I got this film knowing nothing about it in a post apocalyptic 4 pack I mostly got for the other 3, of I am Legend, the Omega man, and Logan's Run this is the film I revisit and found the best of the bunch, so damn good, spooky, odd, offputting and flat out fantastic.
Gosh, I remember this one.. firmest memory is Kiefer selling an ice cream 🍨
I saw this “out of the blue” as a late night movie on Channel 4 many years ago. No preconceptions and wow it’s insane in all the right ways. A true Noir SF masterpiece.
For people who skipped out at the spoiler warning to go watch the movie, it's worth noting that there is a director's cut that makes the movie even better.
It makes me sad that this is a movie that so many people skipped. And sad that I'm old enough that a lot of people who would enjoy it just don't know it even exists.
I watched dark city last week, you're right it did reminded me a lot about the Matrix.
I saw this movie with about 8 other theater goers in North Dakota. I think we represented about 10% of the total.number of people from that state that saw Dark City.
One of my favorites films of all time. Always looking for Shell Beach
Freakin love this movie, truly a masterpiece in cinema. I remember when I first saw it in the late nineties and how creepy it was. I love a movie that can feel like a nightmare. Came about it later in life and watched it many more times to discover it gets better the more you see it. How they brought together the creepiest pieces from different era’s from the past was perfect. And believe it or not I was not a fan of the matrix I appreciated it but was just to much for me.
Thank you, I was nearly an extra for this (with the change away from Fox Studios I think there must have been cuts) It's so long since I've seen it, I think I need to see it again
Great review
Great job, thanks for this, feel like you could have done another 20 minutes on it. Greatly appreciate you avoiding spoilers for 6 minutes. The original cut the studio added a prologue by Dr. Schreber that gave so much away from the first minute, many of us never got to experience it as a true mystery.
"Generous" is a great way to describe a movie.
Roger Ebert was one of the smartest and most eloquent film critics of all time. The commentary track he did for the Blu-ray of Dark City is absolutely essential viewing.
@@alandoane9168 wow, he really was a big fan. I had no idea he did a commentary track.
@@kildogery Listening to Ebert's commentary tracks on Dark City and Citizen Kane are like attending a year of film school for free.
Existenz as well from 1999 on similar themes.
The DVD commentary of Dark City by Roger Ebert is fantastic.
Thanks for giving this hidden gem done attention! I did like this movie. Agree with others that Gattaca is a good suggestion but I'd also like to suggest Coherence (2013). It was really good...
Thanks for the tip, will watch it tonight
I watched it, and that movie is totaly wired, but cool, and the ending is class...
Going to go watch the Director's Cut....AGAIN! Great movie and great video Rowan!
I love the tight narrative ride of the original cut, but I wish there was a feature on the Blue Ray to remove the opening narration. Apparently it was an insert based on initial test screening feedback, despite the boat scene.
I always felt like matrix was a child of Johnny Mnemonic, Dark City and 13th Floor :).
Right! The Matrix is but one of a quadrilogy of films about altered realities. Besides The Matrix and Dark City (a masterpiece) were "The Thirteenth Floor" and "eXistenZ" All four of these films are well worth watching. EAch has an entirely different take on alternate reality. Love 'em all.
Sewell was perfect for Murdoch and I don't think the movie could have worked otherwise. If the main character had been someone who looked heroic we wouldn't have questioned through much of the film if he was had done something awful before losing his memory. Sewell brings the look of a man who could possibly do those things.
You had me at satiating my brain for years to come.
Great movie. Absolutely love the soundtrack, especially in the epilogue.
How has this video only had 12k views so far?! It’s great (as is Dark City). Pity.
Okay, I've paused the video and will watch it and come back.
I saw this movie in the theater and while I liked it, I can’t recall much about it. I should probably see it again.
Love seeing this film get the attention it deserves - it's my equal favourite, alongside Labyrinth, depending on my mood (I'm always in the mood for Jennifer Connelly). I feel like there's nothing in the movie that boils down to 'oh, is that all?': everything, the story, the acting, sets, costumes, dialogue, it's all intriguing, and rewards stopping and thinking about it as well as just enjoying the film as it washes over you. I notice other people mentioning The Thirteenth Floor and I'd recommend it too (albeit it's not quite on the same level - no Jennifer Connelly, so it's at a natural disadvantage).
As I've never seen this film before I skipped to 8:41 when prompted because I'm very curious.
Blade and The Matrix are my all-time favourite films and (cue the multitudes of verbal abuse)
Blade 2 and The Matrix Reloaded are even superior for me personally. I'm tracking down the
Director's Cut of this film right now.
I also seem to remember pieces of another film from a year or two before this one where there
was this noir detective...? I'd like to see that too, if anyone can remember the name of that film...?
Anyway, thank you again for another informative & entertaining video and I'll update my comment
after having seen the film.
I saw Dark City at the cinema when it first came out. I found it very good