LogFAQs > #913123654

#17 - Dark City (1998)
Karo - 3
KBM - 3
Snake - 3
Charon - 10
Wickle - 11
Stifled - 19
Johnbobb - 21
Inviso - 32
JONA - 33
scarlet - 33
Genny - 35
Total: 203

"An amazing sci-fi noir movie set in a 1940s-ish city where an amnesiac man struggles to put his memories together. Basically he is wanted for a murder that he is not sure if he committed or not, and he goes on the run from the police, his supposed psychiatrist, and aliens in trenchcoats.
There is an incredible mood to the world and the mystery at the heart of it, and is always engaging as the protagonist searches for the meaning of his existence and the location of of his supposed hometown of shell beach.
It probably would have been a bit better if they waited somewhat longer than they did to reveal the more outlandish elements of the plot to the viewers, to better preserve the air of mystery. But still, it is a highly entertaining movie that feels very different in a good way." ~Karo

"For my money, Alex Proyas' masterpiece Dark City is one of the most underrated movies of all time. It's a triumph of the darker, ultra-atmospheric side of the genre that I love so much. It's a movie that really captures the imagination and keeps you guessing along with its twists and turns, which really rewards you upon repeat viewings. Stylistically and thematically, it seems very likely The Matrix took a lot of cues from this movie or, at the very least, from the exact same sources as this movie. It's dark, grungy, and dirty, in a way that brings the world of the movie to life, but not in a way that's unpleasant to look at. The weird characters that populate this weird world are super memorable, especially Kiefer Sutherland's delightfully bizarre, quirky Dr. Schreber. Rufus Sewell is great, Jennifer Connelly is great even William Hurt, who I don't normally like all that much, is perfect for the role he's playing here. The shades of noir add a lot to the flavor and it's clear that this aspect inspired the actors to make a lot of fun choices and take a lot of risks that end up paying off. This is one I definitely enjoy showing to people for the first time. (Specifically the director's cut the theatrical edition has voice-over narration that takes away some of the mystery, although it's not as bad as the similar problem with the Blade Runner theatrical cut. Both due to executive meddling.)" ~KBM

"Timeless film that uses the best elements of noir and Gothicism to craft one of the scariest film narratives of all time. The cinematography is astonishingly good and Kiefer Sutherland turns in a killer performance. The film never leaves a twisted and ominous tone behind, with an ambient and frantic score underlining every scene. I dont think the nightmare of the Strangers will ever leave my memory, that is, if they dont erase it first." ~Snake

"While the Matrix got the reputation and the groundbreaking film, Dark City is very much akin to it in many ways. There are fight scenes featuring psychokinesis, though both the films treat this in different sorts of ways. There's also a world outside of the world that most people live in, with people never being the wiser. It's a bit more direct however, as this world only exists at night and unbelievably no one can even the last time they saw the sun. I ultimately thought this too was a great film, filled with its own sense of identity and style. Sometimes I think the city feels a bit like Gotham and sense an influence from that, as well as by the dark, gritty characters they used here. I'm an easy sucker for movies themed this way." ~charon
---

"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful