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Post by zenina on Mar 20, 2011 20:02:36 GMT
I have to watch it again - I'm addicted to this film. Maybe I will even be able to write a comprehensive review at some point. So off I go.  |
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Post by zenina on Mar 31, 2011 17:06:18 GMT
www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Dark-City--1998-/2241746Dark City (1998) By: Gabbe Morris Home | Arts-and-Entertainment | Movies-TV Director:Alex Proyas Genres:Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller Rating:R Release Date:1998 February 27 Screenwriter:Alex Proyas Starring:Jennifer Connelly, Kiefer Sutherland, Rufus Sewell, William Hurt What Worked? What constructs the definition of an individual? We are defined by our status, our clothes, our money, even our memories, but there is a facet of our respective selves that stays the same even if all else was erased: the soul. For those who believe and those who dont, the soul is a mythical blueprint of our being, and Dark City is a tribute to its capabilities. Visually mesmerizing with committed performances, and an amazingly intricate and involved script, Dark City is a surreal piece of cinema that defines the soul through Sci-Fi. Alex Proyas gives us a city draped in night that morphs and shifts like a Salvador Dali painting. The sets and costume design definitely give off a timeless noir vibe, and the film is filtered to mute the colors and emphasize the gloominess of the eerie city. Proyas also uses strong contrast, making the shadows dangerously sharp. His camera zooms and sweeps around the peculiar city, perfectly capturing its dark beauty. The entire world were plunged into is a mysterious nightmare where every corner is to be feared. Rufus Sewell, holding an eager panic and growing courage in his eyes, does well as John Murdock, a person who loses his identity. Sewell storms the streets looking for answers, while also dealing with his newfound powers and the pale-faced creatures called Strangers, trying to detain him. Sewell brings Murdock to life with his seamless transition from paranoid lost loner to prophet, and he is surrounded by a terrific cast. A young, curvy Jennifer Connelly does amazingly well playing Sewells estranged wife with wounded eyes. William Hurt is a perfect fit for the gumshoe detective, even bringing in some humor to all the seriousness. Finally, Kiefer Sutherland turns in a well-inspired performance as the crippled Dr. Shreber, trying to guide Murdock through his maze of problems. Rarely are there movies that feel brand new, and even throughout the years where there have been films that have tingled our intellect, like the Matrix or Inception, Dark City still gives those other films a run for their money. The film is a rich study of what makes us distinct from other living creatures, and even potentially from creatures beyond our reach, as it examines the human condition. Murdochs journey to find his identity, to find Shell Beach, and what he ends up finding is phenomenal. This gripping mystery/crime story feels naturally unique and is a golden reminder of how original cinema can still be. Read more: www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Dark-City--1998-/2241746#ixzz1ICJpSbeQUnder Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives Got this in my google alerts today and thought it was really a great review of the film and of Rufus.
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Post by kissmekate on Mar 31, 2011 17:10:54 GMT
Got this in my google alerts today and thought it was really a great review of the film and of Rufus. Absolutely, thanks for the link! One beautiful thing (beside Rufus ) about Dark City is its retro feeling. Most films with a similar concept are set in some sterile futuristic world (like the Matrix), while this feels more like the very old classics like "Metropolis". |
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Post by annachibi on Apr 1, 2011 3:48:56 GMT
Excellent review, zenina, thanks for sharing that. ^_^
I definitely agree, KMK. It's almost got a sort of film noir feel to it, doesn't it?
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Post by joyceinva on Apr 1, 2011 13:42:17 GMT
Not just a noir feel - but a definite 50's feel. A decade in which many of the great sci-fi movies were made. I agree with KMK - the director made an excellent choice when he went back in time for his inspiration rather than forward in time.
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Ems
Mind in the Sew-er
It's the wanting that keeps us alive.
Posts: 198
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Post by Ems on Apr 16, 2011 11:10:18 GMT
Dark City will be showing on TCM on Wednesday at 11:15pm (GMT)  |
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Post by vmaciv on Apr 17, 2011 3:38:18 GMT
I think despite what Rufus may think that this is his best role. I thought at one point there might be a sequel. I hope there is but I hope Alex Proyas gives us the dark side followed by the prophet. What makes any villain interesting some times is there salvation. I think that is what fascinated me about this movie. If I did not absolutely love Rufus Sewell after Jacob Hood I adored him after this movie.
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Post by robela on Apr 17, 2011 7:37:38 GMT
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Post by GreenEyesToo on Apr 17, 2011 10:14:33 GMT
Robela. you need to get the Director's Cut version - parts of the film were re-cut, because Alex Proyas had never been happy with how the film company wanted it, and that has extras.
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Post by wichiwoman on Apr 17, 2011 12:14:11 GMT
Thanks for the info, ems. I'll have to set my DVR since I'm too young to stay up that late. ;D I think despite what Rufus may think that this is his best role. ... If you read a lot of the news online about Rufus and ALVH, a lot mention only Dark City as work that Rufus has been in. So a lot of people associate him with the film. |
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Post by zenina on Apr 26, 2011 20:10:04 GMT
Got this in my google alerts www.obsessedwithfilm.com/features/top-10-goth-films-of-all-time.php..... 10) Dark City (1998) The first of the film’s on this list from the one time auteristic director. Fresh from the unexpected financial success of The Crow, Alex Proyas was given a remarkable degree of autonomy and a similarly expansive budget. Proyas employed these resources to contrive a neo-noir thriller that explored the very nature of reality, perception, identity and freedom. In a version of earth rebuilt and reprogrammed each night by an alien race determined to comprehend human individuality, Rufus Sewell is the isolated hero that strives to recover his right to determine his own fate and see daylight once more. The result is a triumph in which the threat is not so much what lurks in the shadows, but the shadows themselves. A much neglected classic that pre-figured infinitely less poetic and cerebral works such as The Matrix and The Adjustment Bureau ...... And Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet made it to place 5 |
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Post by annachibi on Apr 26, 2011 22:12:20 GMT
Excellent! ;D And Hamlet was #5 for a goth film? That strikes me as a little odd. Maybe the person who came up with that is a Rufus fan?  |
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Post by kissmekate on Apr 27, 2011 8:05:40 GMT
A much neglected classic that pre-figured infinitely less poetic and cerebral works such as The Matrix and The Adjustment Bureau Absolutely! Thanks for finding, zenina  |
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Post by VictoryGirl on Apr 28, 2011 8:11:08 GMT
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Post by Petruchio - Good God on Apr 28, 2011 8:21:44 GMT
 ..... congrats  .... enjoy it !!! |
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.... enjoy it !!!