Filmmaker reacts to Dark City (1998) for the FIRST TIME!
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- čas přidán 13. 01. 2022
- Hope you enjoy my filmmaker reaction to Dark City. :D
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Original Movie: Dark City (1998)
Ending Song: / charleycoin
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Dark City is very quietly, one of the most beautiful and interesting films of the 90s. In terms of high concept storytelling, this is top tier. In terms of the atmosphere and the effects, remember that this film pre-dates the Matrix by a year, and it pre-dates Inception by 12 years. The best experiences we ever have with movies, is seeing things we have not seen before. Dark City remains unique to this day. I also want to point out, the performances in this film are fantastic - especially Rufus Sewell and Jennifer Connelly. Great reaction as always James!
Appreciate ya Matthew!!
So true! Thank you for this great reaction!
I suggest *_The Thirteenth Floor_* as a companion to this film?
Kiefer Sutherland and William Hurt are also quite good in this movie.
@@PACKERMAN2077 That so much. And nobody on CZcams has reacted to that movie, which also has insane twists related to the nature of reality.
Oh shit, someone watching Dark City! One of my favorite movies. Doesn't get the recognition it deserves.
YES!!! Such an underappreciated masterpiece, most people have never even heard of this movie but I saw it in theaters and probably seen it 100 times since then and I recommend it to anybody I know
Yo I dragged my girlfriend to go see this movie with me when it came out and the theater was practically empty! When we were leaving she was like, "wow what WAS that?" and I said, "IT. WAS. AMAZING!"
I saw it at the cinema too, and loved it! For some reason though, I’ve never returned to watch it (whilst I have many other lesser movies), but often think of it.
Didn't see this in theaters but found it later when it was on TV. One of my favourite movies ever since, there's just that something about it that draws me to it.
I was lucky enough to see this in theaters, by accident! My brother and I had just finished watching Rounders and snuck into another theater. It was Dark City and we were amazed. I still have the DVD even though I don’t have a DVD player anymore. Love this movie.
i also saw in theaters. amazing movie.
I freaking LOVE THIS MOVIE and nobody ever talks about it. Fantastic production design, fantastic villains, fantastic twist, and a highly underrated score. Just great. Would have loved more movies set in this universe.
Back in the day, I remember Siskel & Ebert really liked it, so I made a point of seeing it
Found it on a free trial of some movie channel in the early 00s. Watched it when I was 15 and it was kind blowing. Never scene anything like it. I didn't know anyone that knew about it so I thought it was just a fever dream
This movie is incredible, my roommate at the time and I saw this theatrically in a empty theater and it scrambled our brains in the best possible way.👍
Agreed!!
Same. I watched it when it came out and there was literally no one else in the theater. It’s a shame such an underrated film.
Ha! I went on a first date to watch this in the theater- and like your experience, almost no one else was there
I guess I was pretty into the movie, since my date (according to her friend) said I couldn't shut up about it!
(No second date, but it's still a great movie!)
Same! My friend and I were alone in the theater and confused as to how empty it was. Fantastic visuals and soundtrack.
Same. A friend and I saw it in a screening with may 3 other people in there. More people heard about it from us than actually saw it that day.
This movie is phenomenal! I saw it in the theater and later bought the dvd. On the dvd, Roger Ebert does the commentary, and one of the things that he really loved is the fact that in the third act, instead of breaking into a ton of action, like other movies, they actually take the time to give more narrative. Great film! 👍
From what I can remember, this is one of his favorite films of the 90's and I believe rated it his favorite film the year it came out.
that commentary is amazing!
It was one of six commentaries he did for film. The others are masterpieces as well. Amazing!
I remember seeing this movie as a kid and not really understanding what was going on, but I thought the look and atmosphere were really fascinating 👀
Immersion is a powerful thing especially when you’re a kid
So glad this movie came to you. This is a very under-appreciated film that so many missed out on. To me, at the time, it was mind-blowing
What a masterpiece. One of my all-time favorites.
Yasssssss, this is one of my favorites from my teenage hood, I remember seeing this in the theater 🍻
*** shout out to Strange Days (1995)
I want to see some younger people watch Stranger Days. I wonder if the time period is so important to that movie that it is weaker for people who weren't alive then. It's strange to think of a Sci-Fi movie based in what is clearly the future as tied to a specific time, but that one really is.
@@ApesAmongUs I think that the acting, social commentary and writing still hold weight enough to impress, I have introduced it to several 20 somethings and have never heard anything less that thoughtful commentary.
The disc versions of Dark City have a full-length commentary track with Roger Ebert doing an analysis of the movie. Highly recommended.
Heh, I came in to the comments to share this same fact. *Such* an amazing commentary.
All of the films with Ebert's commentaries are worth buying and listening to, and I encourage anybody who's even remotely interested in film to pick them up.
One of the best commentaries ever, a real masterclass in film analysis and appreciation. This is what made me realize just how deep Ebert could get. 🤯
It's too bad he doesn't catch that Emma finds the prostitute John met simply because he told her where it was when he first meets her.
he gave it the best movie of 98. he has it like number 26 all time.
Good movie with great performances all around and some neat ideas/worldbuilding. Keifer Sutherland in particular really turns in an interesting character. And damn does Jennifer Connelly look amazing in retro styles 😍 (definitely check her out in The Rocketeer).
Absolutely had a blast with the world building!
Connelly was also excellent in the 1950s set The Hot Spot
Iv’e seen bad reviews for Sutherland, particularly the way he talks. I think it’s perfect. Adds “color” to the noir atmosphere. Especially since he’s the only person that knows what is really going on, and the mental toll it must take on him.
@@MikeB12800It shows he's been *mangled,* his eye and shortness of breath. How many times did they just erase his exhaustion, compelled him to ignore an illness or a wound, just to keep their useful tool?
You've been on a streak recently where you've watched some of the best films of all time. I think this is unquestionably one of the best science fiction films ever made and one of the best noir films ever made. Roger Ebert used to give a frame by frame analysis of this movie. Every frame of this movie is a painting.
Yooo I'm so glad you did Dark City! My brother (RIP) put me onto this one when I was a kid. It quickly became a favorite putting a new spin on the two genres. Also brings back great memories. Thanks for this Bro!
Brotha has great taste fam. Much love to him! 🙏🏽♥️
This film blew me away when I saw it in the theater! I saw it 3 times in one week! The issue was this film was covered over by the continuing juggernaut success of Titanic and it wasn't marketed well, as New Line didn't quite know what they had. I'll say the original trailer is fire, though! Dark City is a Top 5 all-time Sci fi film for me. Roger Ebert declared it his film of the year, even recording a commentary on the DVD! This movie was out a year before The Matrix and, while I dug The Matrix, I think this is the superior film! So glad you got into it to the level you did!
Roger Ebert declared Breakin 2:Electric Boogaloo as the best movie of the 1980's.
@@SabadoDomingo-gb5swlol, no he didn’t; but he should have! Raging Bull topped his list of 80’s movies. That aside, his commentary on this movie is a masterclass in cinematic analysis. The guy was the real deal.
I'm so happy to see you react to Dark City, it really is a hidden gem. I remember watching this at the Cinema and it totally blew me away, I'd never seen anything like it at the time.
Finally I found someone who reacted to this 90s Classic!! I loved it when it came out and was given to me on DVD as a present with my first DVD player, so I've seen it like 100 times 😆 and it gets better every time!
Great reaction!
This is one of my favorite all time movies. I remember the audience going NUTS when the Shell Beach wall reveal happened (remember, this was pre THE MATRIX so this all felt next level to those who didn't walk out thinking it was too weird). On the original DVD, one of the commentary tracks was Roger Ebert just talking about all the ways the filmmaking impressed him. The director's cut is a little bit better and I wish had been the theatrical release (it annoyed me that the studio added in a voice over narration for the theatrical version, it's that Blade Runner problem of assuming the audience needs it hand held).
I am so happy you enjoyed this movie as much as you did. I loved this movie so much the first time I saw it. I think I randomly picked it up having no idea what was in store and it blew me away. The concept and visuals were like nothing I had ever seen before. So many years later it still sticks with me and continues to amaze me. Loved your reaction.
Same thing happened to me, my mom and I found a stack of tapes at a discount liquidator literally the month after it was released on home video, bought one on a whim, and were both blown away.
I saw this movie when it aired on TV here in Australia, and since then I've always wondered how it has consistently slipped under the radar for most people. It's one of those hidden gems, and it needs to be brought out into the light.
This is one of my all time favorite movies. It perfectly mixes sci-fi, noise, and psychological together.
I'm glad you enjoyed Dark City!
I wish someone had given you the heads up to watch the Director's cut instead, as the biggest change is that it completely omits the opening narration, just dropping you straight into the movie. Makes it have even more of a wtf factor, but the studio decided people were just going to be lost without it, so it was added.
The similarities to The Matrix are mostly coincidental; both productions began, independently, around the same time, but they were similar enough that The Matrix production crew used some of Dark City's sets when they were done with them.
I think this is actually the better movie in terms of fleshing out the concept and getting under your skin in a creepy way, but there's just nothing in terms of entertainment value that can compare to Woo-Ping's wire-fu sequences, although the buildings growing like time lapse vines during "The Tuning" comes pretty close
I liked Dark City much more, it keeps you on your toes and makes you wonder far longer what's actually going on. The Matrix spills its beans pretty early, the rest of pomp and circumstance about the "how".
The rooftop chase scenes in The Matrix definitely reused sets from Dark City
I don't know... Alex Proyas said that this movie was filmed and kept in a can for one year (so it was filmed TWO years before Matrix came out); one of the Dark City producers was also a producer for the Matrix, and he projected the still unreleased movie, without the director's authorization, to the Wachowsky brothers. Matrix doesn't only use some Dark City sets, it even uses the same cameras and lenses. While I'm sure the Matrix story was fully developed before Dark City, I also believe the brothers lifted a lot of stylistic ideas from Dark City, from the cinematography to the music. That's why the first Matrix is so moody and classy, especially at the beginning. I think Alex Proyas deserved more credit.
I saw "The 13th Floor", before seeing "The Matrix", also the same year, I recall.
"eXistenZ" came out in 1999, too. The following year, "The Cell" came out.
Other strangeness, "The Thirteenth Year" came out in 1999, and "The 13th Warrior".
@@catoblepag Yeah. Dark City is a stone cold classic in my book. I'm glad it's finding a new life by this younger generation and these reaction channels.
I grew up on the Science Fiction movies of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, so I knew everything there was to know about special effects, being the nerd that I was. But when "Dark City" came out, I had never heard of CGI. In the early 1990s, Computer Graphics meant cheesy 8-bit video arcade games. So I watched the Dark City changing scenes, watched the small shacks become skyscrapers, watched small, dirty rooms become magnificent chambers, and I wondered at the model-building geniuses who had put together these physical models that could morph so completely. It was a few years before I learned that it was all done in computers powerful enough to make Zeroes and Ones look photorealistic.
And then to have all this technology at hand, and still give us a script that was self-consistent, with well-drawn characters about whom we cared, and a storyline that was mysterious and yet compelling, with imagination and originality and great acting too! It was too much to ask for, and still, here was this surprise gift from Hollywood.
This is one of my fave movies of this genre. I got the pleasure of seeing it in the theater and the whole crowd was speechless. Keefer's acting was mind-blowing.
What most impressed me about the ending is that the feeling isn't really one of 'truimphant win over evil', but rather both the music and the tone of the dialogue is one of a pyrrhic victory. Murdock has control over the machine and the city ship, but he can't return anyone to where the Strangers took them from, or restore who they once were. He knows they are all where and who they will be from now on, all lost in the stars. And, for as long as they last, co-existing with the Strangers. That ending was a subtle one that I find many people don't pick up on, and shows the hand of a master storyteller.
Stunning film. I find it quite funny how often during this time period Jennifer Conley ends up at the end of piers looking out to sea. This Dark City, House of Sand and Fog and Requiem for a Dream.
I'm glad you enjoyed the movie. I suspect you watched an edition that had the opening monologue that sorta explains the plot, which was a last minute alteration. The original intent (existing in the director's cut) was to throw audiences blind into an "amnesiac noir tale" and just totally blow viewers away when it turns out to actually be a sci-fi story. But it doesn't change the fact you had a great time with this film. It really is a good movie that was passed over.
Would be considerably better without the opening monologue. I think I saw the directors get, and being thrown in the deep end makes it a lot more fun.
The monologue doesn't ruin the mystery of the film as shown in this watch of it for example.
Such a gorgeous movie! And it's right up there with Westworld and Inception for making you question the nature of reality. Glad you liked it and hopefully the exposure you're giving it inspires other people to check it out!
This movie was arguably as "revolutionary" as The Matrix, but it just didn't get any publicity at all. It's a shame because the themes it deals with is quite intellectually interesting, and the way it tries to convey those themes is very cool.
Agreed, I watched this when it came out and it was so much better than other films at the time, but it got zero press.
I think I actually saw the trailer for the Matrix at this film. LoL
I remember all the trade publications hyping this up when it came out. It got great reviews. But it still got hammered by the more hip & cool The Matrix in the end.
My apologies I had to like and ruin the count.
@@the-NightStar Matrix is held up mainly by its cool exteriors and style, and Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving's great performances, but at its core it is indeed not that brilliant. The restaurant analogy is on point, although I would say Matrix is at least more of a gourmet burger.
When the video was uploaded I hadn't seen Dark City yet, so I proposed to watch it with my friends and we were amazed we had never heard of that movie before. A great discovery! You caught me off-guard when you ended the video with "Sleep." Nice touch!
I fell in love with this film ever since I'd initially watched it in the theatres. To this day, Dark City (1998) is my third favourite film, behind Blade Runner (1982) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
The way he gets his memories back and it keeps flashing back to just go deeper. I saw this in theaters when it came out, i was 14 or 15 and i remember being blow away. I come back to this every couple of years and it always manages to keep me entertained. I love the director's cut.
Wow! This film takes me back.
"Something Wicked This Way Comes" (based on the Ray Bradbury story) is dark fantasy/ horror with elements of sci-fi mixed in. Not talked about much, but certainly worth a viewing. Saw it as a kid an it really put the hook in me.
It's notable for being one of the few legitimately spooky/scary movies Disney released under the Disney label, along with The Watcher in The Woods.
They're still aiming for a certain age range but, within that range, they are not pulling any punches.
Still can’t finish Watcher in the Woods without chickening out. But I do like Bette Davis and Christopher Lee in the Escape to Witch Mountain sequel.
Guys...what did you think about that ending!?
Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema
Be safe out there and enjoy the day!
A formative movie from my youth, this is an old way to tell a story, my friend, not a new one. It harkens back to the oral tradition in the Way the story is told. Like It is similar to a socratic debate in allegory form. A mind bending, Joseph Campbellish story, it is not what I just call crime noir, although it also fits into that category. I would assert it much more a commentary on the entirety of the western thought tradition. Nietzshe esq in its amorality and immorality, they killed God and then went looking for the one thing that cannot be traded or quantified. As Nietzche correctly predicted, it gave rise to a hero, and ironically for Frederich, a Christe consciousness hero. Brilliant! A truly infinite Jest. Hence with all their innate power and technology, they failed and lost. Great reaction Brother.
Absolutely check out The Crow if you haven’t seen it. Helmed by the same director of Dark City; Alex Proyas.
This movie was made a little before the matrix. The various rooftop sets during the second tunning sequence were recycled for the early Trinity rooftop run.
This film was definitely a game changer in terms of the usual storyline that I began watching.
Jennifer Connelly played with Keanu Reeves in "The Day The Earth Stood Still".
And as a teenager with David Bowie in the movie "Labyrinth".
This may be one of your best reactions! Glad you enjoyed it! Imagine seeing Dark City, Donnie Darko & The Matrix within the same period. My mind was warped from age 17 and forward 🤯
Dark City is one of my favorite films. People are always comparing this to the Matrix, but I think a better comparison is The Truman Show-watch that next if you haven’t yet.
I’ve been loving your videos for the past couple weeks or so. You watch a lot of great movies that most “reactors” seem to miss.
The Truman Show is an excellent comparison!
I got to see this in the theater back when, and sadly we were 2 of maybe 8-9 people during primetime hours. I loved it.
Must’ve been a great childhood memory!
OMG! It's happening!!!
I saw this in the theater as a teen and was blown away.
James, congrats good sir. Your edification has been so enjoyable to watch. After seven years of banging my head against the wall, I’ve finally gotten full time at the apple store, and I wanted to let you know that on payday I will become a Patreon of yours. The first, and out of all the reactors I watch I gotta say I can’t wait. Keep up the good work man. Talk to you next Friday!
BRO!! LETS GOOOO!! Love to hear that man what a win!! Congrats man.
I'm so happy that you enjoyed this one so much! I loved watching your reaction. This is one of my favorite movies of all time and I feel like it's not as well-known as it should be. Glad you finally got to see it!!
I've only started watching your reaction video and I am smiling ear to ear. Long before I read this was one of Roger Ebert's favorite movie of that year, I saw the trailer in the theater and saw Dark City when it opened. Whether the theatrical version or the Director's cut (both I own on DVD), this is a unique and interesting movie. The production design, the music and especially the story catapult it to true cult classic status. If more people knew about the movie, it would be deemed a classic in the same breath 2001 is considered a classic. Now I'll undo the pause and see how close your reaction was like mine on first viewing. As always, I really enjoy catching your videos.
The Director's Cut of Dark City is absolutely the only version to watch. The theatrical cut has that studio mandated voice over that demystifies most of the film right at the start.
One of those films me and my mates saw first week in the UK...LOVED IT! blew our minds
A week later, the reviews come out..... and it kinda bombed
Glad to see it get another chance! Keep up the good work x
The main "bad guy" is Richard O'Brien, he wrote and starred in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the stage version and the movie.
Another VR based movie from that same year was The Thirteenth Floor. Seriously underrated movie. One of my favorites.
Definitely, one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made. Great concepts, great script, great set designs, great performances and great direction from Proyas. The noir/detective story elements are the ones which elevate the whole concept, making the atmosphere a character in itself. That's a shame it didn't have the success it fully deserved. And you should have watched the Director's Cut version, it's a superior movie overall. And, most importantly, it got rid of the voiceover narration in the beginning, which practically gave away the whole plot.
I'm so glad that Dark City is getting the love it truly deserves. ❤❤❤
The year this came out Gene Siskel named this film as the best of that year.
The phone booth scene in the beginning is one of the best lessons in filmmaking. Cinematography, screenplay, and setting the atmosphere of a mystery! Awesome film!!
Great choice, brilliant movie! Film Noir has always felt to me like an exploration of the human condition, especially darkness/redemption and to then meld that with Science Fiction brings that to new heights. Definitely one I rewatch often.
I remember seeing this in theaters when it came out in the 90s and I knew how special this film was when it came out. This movie went over most people's heads back then. It was definitely ahead of it's time. Such an underrated classic.
I'm glad you enjoyed this so much, it's one of my favorite movies. I love how it goes from noir mystery to sci-fi thriller to reality-bending sci-fi to anime showdown.
Fun fact: A girl I knew in high school had moved here from Australia, where the film was shot. She and a bunch of her friends were extras in the Strangers' lair - they all had to shave their eyebrows for the makeup.
Saw for the first time when I was 14 and was blown away. Incredible story that builds a mystery that keeps you engaged and strings along big philosophical questions of the nature of our personal identity. Then when they get to revealing the final mystery of Shell Beach and why it is a Dark City it was such an epiphany of perception and reality. Its always stuck with me.
The favorite movie of my dad😍so overwhelming to watch you see this masterpiece 🤩 you should watch i-robot if haven't already see it 😏
Had a blast!!
Bro, I am so happy you watched this! When I first saw this it blew my mind so much I had some intense space dreams. One of my all time favorites.
One of the greatest underrated gems out there. I'm glad you had the chance to experience this.
I saw this on the big screen when it came out. THAT, my friend, is an experience! How this masterpiece remains so relatively unknown to the general public is one of the great mysteries of the universe. This and "The Thirteenth Floor", another sci-fi/mystery masterpiece that hardly anyone even knows exists.
I'm fully convinced this movie would have been The Matrix if The Matrix itself had never happened. Dark City is a brooding and fascinating amalgamation of Film Noir and science fiction, like if Blade Runner was a 50's pulp comic. A gem of a film that never gets nearly the credit it deserves and in my opinion one of Kiefer Sutherland's most notable roles.
There are three directors of that era (1990-2000+) that made masterpieces but are underlooked. Alex Proyas with Dark City and the Crow. Tarsem Singh with The Cell and The Fall and Vincent Ward with Map of the HUMAN Heart and What Dreams may Come.
Each are auteurs with a distinct look, vision and style of storytelling they bring across each of these films. Alex is dark and Gothic noir. Tarsem is about the fantastical and mythical while Vincent is an out the romantic and melancholy.
I had never even heard of this movie until another CZcamsr mentioned it in passing. I'm so glad I looked into this movie. It's fantastic
I can't believe you did this one.. It's one of my favs... no one ever does it. Thank you. Great reaction.
This movie definitely deserves all the accolades and wow's that it gets. Always been one of my favorites. Thanks for helping me relive it, at least a little bit, through your eyes for the first time.
Thank you for reacting to this film, been a favorite of mine since it first came out back in '98, and its always remained an unappreciated classic, IMO. Glad to see it shared with a new audience.
There was also "The 13th floor". It's like these 3 movies competed to make the best movie out of the same idea
Damn, glad that patreon suggestion-thing works. Been waiting to know your thoughts on this 😄
Interesting to note that in the space of two years, three films came out that examined the nature of reality, identity and the self, and our relationship with technology in intriguing and unique ways: Truman Show, Dark City and The Matrix. 1998's Truman Show was directed by an Australian and written by a New Zealander. Dark City, also in 1998 was conceived of and directed by an Australian. And in 1999, The Matrix was filmed in Australia and reused many of Dark City's sets. As an Aussie, that makes me smile a bit. ;)
Don't forget the Thirteenth Floor. Another underrated late 90s sci fi movie dealing with similar themes
I’m a 73 year old woman and I just watched Dark City before I watched your review. Well done young man. I had to wrangle what I was seeing. Loved your review.
Thank you Ruth!
This movie changed my life. I saw it in 98, when I was way too young lol. It was great to see someone watch it now, and get to relive that first viewing. Thanks!
Aw man, for a second there. I thought your were watching DARK, and I got hyped as fuuuuuuudge... One of the goats of tv.
Dark City is one of my favorite science fiction films ever made. The film is pure cinema, and I love every frame. So glad you saw it and gleaned something from it.
So cool to see how immersed and mind lown you were. That's exactly how I felt my first time
Today is the first day I am watching your content. I think I have watched about 5 episodes so far. I am really enjoying it. With all the things to watch these days I dont get to go back and watch any of my old favorites, your content is scratching that itch. The first time I watched this movie was the first time I got stoned. Couch locked the whole movie in absoloute awe. It was on TV and the movie that followed was Office Space...one of the most memorable nights of my life
This is among my first recommendations to people. Few have heard of it and they all seem to comeback amazed by it.
This is one of the most underrated sci-fi masterpieces ever. Now I gotta rewatch it...thanks.
My man picking my favorite movies! You're a good egg!
I love endings that make you think. And this movie really made me question alot about the ending, the how, where etc
Great video! I am so glad people are rediscovering this Scifi Classic! It is so deserving of praise for what it did way back in the 90s.
OH FINALLY! I was waiting for a film reactor to do Dark City! One of my favorite movies ever! Very strange, unique and not too many people have seen it (maybe that's why people don't generally react to it?) BRAVO!
Criminally underrated film. I love that you watched this.
i love your background in the intro, seeing a shadow of you on two walls with different colors.
I love that the epic music from this movie (more specifically the epic drums, strings and horns used in the opening and final battle) was so awesome they kept reusing it for over a decade after, in trailers for movies like X-Men and so many others.
James, I am so glad you like this movie and I love listening to artists talk about art on CZcams. When I first saw Dark City it popped my skull open. I'm always grateful when I see imagination at play . The heart and mind in motion. Artist have the ability to prove that the soul is in motion. I wish you would put "City of Lost Children" on your patreon poll as it is another extraordinary journey through the whims of hopeful dreams.
I saw this film in the Theater when it was first released back in 1998 and was blown away by it. This is a master crafted film from start to finish. If you're ever able to, find a copy of this on DVD that has the bonus Roger Ebert discussion of the film that runs the entire length of the movie as you watch it. There's so much information that he discloses and enlightens viewers with. One of my top 10 movies of all time.
Love all your reactions, James, but especially this one. The whole concept blew me away. I am glad there is someone who geeks out like I do.
Couldn't agree more 🙏🏽
The fish shot is really important at the beginning. It shows he has empathy and not a serial killer.
The director's cut of this is worth seeing as well.
highly underrated film. one interesting note, Mr. Hand (the one that gets Murdocks memories injected) is Richard O’brien, who wrote and starred in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I am SO DAMN HYPED to watch you react to this movie, it's one of my all-time favourites! It's one of those rare movies that I wish I could forget completely just so I could watch it for the first time all over again, it's just that good. Like, EVERYTHING about it is just perfect. The cast, the writing, the world-building, the way the 'human' actors are able to seamlessly jump from character to character...nothing is over the top, everything is understated...it's perfection.
On a side note, the story and direction were from Alex Proyas - the guy who cut his feature film directorial teeth on The Crow - and Mr Hand, the one John is talking to near the end when he says "you were looking in the wrong place" is the guy who created The Rocky Horror Show, Richard O'Brien
The end when the water comes out gives me goosebumps every time
This is the first time I've heard someone make that matrix link. Matrix really was based on this in almost every respect. From the noir settings, the green hue on everything, the bad guys inhabiting people's bodies, a world where you're not living a real life, a shit/red pill, the ONE that can do what they do. I'm surprised they didn't sue The Matrix for plagiarism!
Jennifer Connolly has been in a metric tonne of movies! Probably one of her first famous roles was Labyrinth with David Bowie.
I am so happy you got this, I haven't watched the reaction yet, but I believe I suggested this film a couple of weeks ago....AWESOME
This film is such a nice hidden gem, an absolute freaking DIAMOND
The same guy who did effects for the Matrix and for Lord of the Rings also did the effects for this film, as well the guy who did iRobot also did this film, and Dark City is highly regarded as his magnum opus. It's one of my all time favorite Plato's-cave-allegory films, and all time favorite films in general, definitely top 10 if not top 5. This was the Matrix before the Matrix, they actually used a lot of the same set pieces, the jump scene, the stairs, etc all the same.
When I first saw this, man, it blew my mind. It was like a live action anime, mingled with sci-fi and a crime thriller. It's very unique. I love it. Rufus Sewell was perfectly cast, as was Richard O'Brien. This was brave film making.
DARK CITY: "The Matrix ain't got shit on me!"
DARK CITY came out first btw, and I've ALWAYS loved this film!
This is one of the most underrated movies i ever saw. Absolutley brilliant. But almost nobody talks about it.
I don't even know if this came out in theatres, but when it hit the video store it was an instant cult hit. A very welcome addition to the genre, and a brilliant example of how to do a lot with a little, leaning on some excellent writing and world building to guide the look and feel.
Nice reaction, was waiting for this one. You could continue with the surreal city thing and watch City of lost Children next :)
Dark City was one of my favorites! Wow! Thanks for showing it!
I'm sorry you watched the theatrical cut. In the director's cut that opening narration doesn't exist (it was pulled from a later scene when they're traveling with Dr. Schreber), framing the movie in a much more mysterious fashion. One of my all time favorite films.