dark city

[tipou]

dont you like a good movie adaptation of a novel.
now, this would make for a great new movie thread.
hmmm.

[peach]

I do, if done well, and if there were major changes made I haven't seen them thus far.

Sometimes adaptations of books turn out better that the actual material it was lifted from. It's hard to tell what came first the book or the film. Still it's a good read, and I keep picturing Ruf and all the others who appeared in the film, it gives the book clarity.

[Vittoria]

What a cool day this has been! First I find a long lost friend in MySpace. Then, I decided to rent The Illusionist (posted comments in appropriate thread) and also noticed that in a little more than two hours from that, Dark City was going to show on Space channel!

First let's get this part out of the way: Oh how I wish I could rewind that bath scene at the beginning of the film! What a pleasant surprise that was! Made my day. Hell, it made my.... well.... infinity. And those beautiful eyes! I never get enough of seeing those!

Erm... ~clears throat~ Yeah.. and moving on... The movie was awesome! I loved it! Imagine having everything in your reality change around you, doubt your own sanity, and then realize the power within to change the whole world! I loved the whole dark ambience of it. I loved the freaky bad guys who remind me of the nightmare guys in one episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer show.

The whole thing was a mind f**k. And oh how I love a good... never mind. I'm lost now. Obliterated. I surrender.

[tipou]

vittoria, i love your posts! we need more! personal, original, funny, my kind of comments.

i understand that dark city may not be everybody's cup of tea, but i wonder why it was not widely successful when it came out, since truly original movies are so far between, and such outstanding acting too.

it's not only a great sci-fi story, its practically a lesson on how to stay sane in a crazy world like ours. be strong enough to stay the course, keep our head, and fulfill our dreams, without letting anything or anyone stop us.

this movie will stay with me, not only on account of the bath tub scene(well, ok, perhaps a little bit...).

[Vittoria]

Feb 2, 2009 14:11:17 GMT tipou said:

vittoria, i love your posts! we need more! personal, original, funny, my kind of comments. ... this movie will stay with me, not only on account of the bath tub scene (well, ok, perhaps a little bit...).

I'm glad I entertain you! ;D .... and I totally get what you're saying about how this movie sticks with you- me too. I'm glad I ordered a copy. And... erm... yeah... that bathtub scene certainly helps! Indeed!

[tipou]

hope you ordered the director's cut though, apparently the original cut stinks.

[lizap]

According to the various commentaries, or maybe it was that 2-part Cannes interview with Rufus on youTube, when they were test-screening the movie they felt the audience was utterly lost and they were losing them, so they panicked and moved that expository speech Kiefer makes when they're in the boat at the end of the film to the beginning as a prologue, thus giving everything away at the very outset. There weren't any other major changes, although the director felt that the small ones there were, were important to continuity and understanding. Even so, though, I don't know why the theatrical release was not more of a commercial success. Maybe it was just a bit before its time.

[Vittoria]

Geez, I hope I ordered the DC. I think it was the DC I saw on television last night. Keiffer did a bit of the prologue but it definitely was not all given away. Was that the DC then?. Anyway, I hope I ordered the right one.

[lizap]

I don't own this movie yet, and I can't remember if the DC starts out with Kiefer talking.

[tipou]

i have the DC, and if there is someone talking at the beginning, its very short, not a whole speech and explanation.

its kind of blurry in my mind, the beginning, because of the bathroom scene.

ok i will not mention it again. but its not my fault, it made quite an impression.

[ambra]

Loved this movie! Intelligent, well-acted, original, all things seriously lacking in most commercially popular films. And, oh the bathtub scene at the beginning! Just what I needed to warm me up on a cold winter's night! I can't really add more than what has already been said. I'm glad I got the director's cut because for me, the feeling of confusion I had at the beginning of the film let me travel on the journey with Murdock as he discovered the truth of his existence rather than feeling like I was just observing.

I also watched the commentaries and one of the writers was talking about the casting. They had evidently tried to get Johnny Depp; no disrespect to Mr. Depp, but the writer summed it up very well when he said that even though the character was an amnesiac it would've come off as Johnny Depp playing an amnesiac, making it harder for the audience to go on the frightening journey with Murdock. There was even talk of Tom Cruise being cast in the lead which is just blasphemous! There's no way he could've carried that role with the same skill as Rufus!

One of the funniest parts in the commentaries is when they're talking about adding the prolougue to the beginning of the original theatrical cut because people found the movie too confusing. Rufus makes the comment that he felt they were forced to do it to make the film appeal to a certain audience and says, "I just say to that F--- 'em!" God that made me love him even more because I SO agree with that sentiment! There's nothing wrong with movies that are strictly for entertainment; they're a great respite from the real world but for the love of all that is holy, I wish Hollywood would stop "dumbing down" intelligent movies because some people can't or don't want to think at all when they see a film! There are those of us who don't mind paying money to see a film that challenges us intellectually while it entertains!

And who else thinks Rufus should publish a book of his photographs? He took beautiful pictures on the set and I'd love to see more of his work.

[tipou]

Feb 4, 2009 10:32:53 GMT ambra said:

There's nothing wrong with movies that are strictly for entertainment; they're a great respite from the real world but for the love of all that is holy, I wish Hollywood would stop "dumbing down" intelligent movies because some people can't or don't want to think at all when they see a film! There are those of us who don't mind paying money to see a film that challenges us intellectually while it entertains!

AMEN TO THAT!!!!!

[peach]

Tip, one of many reasons this amazing film was not even on the radar was because it was released at the same time as a rather smallish film was realeased at the same time. Perhaps you've heard of it, it was called "Titanic", that and the studio that released the film didn't know how to promote it so they kinda let it die. I had the privilege of telling William Hurt how much I enjoyed his performance in it, and he said and I lossley quote, "You were one of the only ones who've seen it". Much like CBS is doing to EH, no publicity and no faith. Too bad, it's a great little film that should have been seen by a much wider audience. It should have been marketed much like Blade Runner. Their loss is out gain.

[rueful]

Peach, you have accomplished what I thought to be impossible. You have caused me to hate Titanic even more.

[tipou]

i kind of liked titanic myself, i love those grand movies when they are well done, and titanic was well done. acting was good too - hey, for the rare pleasure of seeing kathy bates, its worth it!
but i hate how we are made to look at only one direction - as if the only movie worth of any recognition on any given year was the one with the bigger budget.

where is the art value comparison?
where is the true consideration for cinema?

box office and artistic merit do not necessary go together, alas.

of course, we can point fingers at the big companies, but where was i looking when dark city came out? i am supposed to love movies, my brother was convinced that i had seen it with him when it came out, and wanted to throw rocks at me when i told him i never saw it before this year.

we movie lovers are supposed to at least scoure the aisles at video clubs to find those gems that go unnoticed.

i have been guilty of cinematic laziness.