dark city

[rueful]

Jul 25, 2012 13:05:33 GMT kissmekate said:

This review of Dark City just came up on a Google search, and while it's not entirely in favour of the movie, I found it quite interesting. (I wonder whether the reviewer ever saw the Director's Cut!)

Thanks, Kate. That was an interesting review. The reviewer makes some good points to back up his response to the film. I think he might have been talking about the director's cut, because he mentions that he feels like it "gave up its secrets 20 minutes in," but the original film gave everything away right at the beginning didn't it? I had the feeling he was talking more about the fact that elements of the plot would be familiar to viewers who have watched a lot of sci-fi.

On the other hand, although the reviewer makes good points, I've become a little less harsh about plots that don't surprise me, as long as they're not too obvious. There aren't really any basic plots that haven't been around since the time of the ancient greeks (the Strangers aren't much different than the gods, who sit on Olympus and mess with the lives of humans), and with all of us consuming so many books and films, it's not a director's fault that we're going to guess the secrets. Obviously a degree of subtlety is important--so the studio's addition to theatrical release was terrible--but what is Proyas supposed to do about a generation of viewers who have already watched Star Trek, as the reviewer mentions, not to mention all the other cultural influences?

[kygal]

I agree Rueful. Or you can be like me and watch or read the end first. Its really hard to surprise me that way. I dont worry so much about the plots anymore eighter as long as I enjoy how I got there.

[kissmekate]

Jul 25, 2012 13:50:45 GMT rueful said:

On the other hand, although the reviewer makes good points, I've become a little less harsh about plots that don't surprise me, as long as they're not too obvious. There aren't really any basic plots that haven't been around since the time of the ancient greeks (the Strangers aren't much different than the gods, who sit on Olympus and mess with the lives of humans), and with all of us consuming so many books and films, it's not a director's fault that we're going to guess the secrets.

My views exactly! As long as something is well done and not too in-your-face obvious, I don't mind if it's not terribly original.

[joyceinva]

I think I learned, many years ago in school, that there are five basic plots. That's it. What makes a movie, play, what have you, good is what the author does to those plots. How well does she/he develop the characters? How well do they hide what's coming? Do they create a good sense of place?

As Rufus said in an interview recently posted here - sometimes orgininality is over-rated.

[barbicanbelle]

I finally got to see Dark City (the Director's Cut) !! yay!! Just read all the posts in this thread and I agree with a lot of you, that it has a lovely retro feeling and feels noirish. The film which most immediately came to mind was Metropolis.
And I don't see why RS doesn't rate his performance in it. Or maybe it's been a while since he watched the opening sequence

[thecrownprincess]

I saw this for the first time a little over a week ago, before I submerged myself into TPOTE. I think the thing I liked most about it was how it explores the question, "How do we know if this is who we really are?" Perhaps that's more philosophical than what the movie intended, but still, I like the concept. That opening sequence didn't hurt, either.

[kissmekate]

I found another review of Dark City here. No special mention of Rufus other than that he's John Murdoch, but a favourable opinion on the movie as a whole.

[kygal]

Thanks Kate.

[kygal]

DC getting a lot of love today. 20 year anniversary.