The 90s Sci-Fi Masterpiece Flop Everyone Forgets Thanks To The Matrix

by Drew Deitch
| Updated 31 seconds ago

Dark City It’s one of those movies that people either seem to love or have never seen before. Whenever I mention Alex Proyas’s 1998 black sci-fi film, those who know what it is react with glee. The film has maintained a strong cult following over the years with critical adoration coming from notable figures such as Roger Ebert.

And after, Dark City It was never able to properly establish itself as a great classic. For some reason, she has remained beloved by a relatively small portion of pop culture. Why is this?

Let’s find out. But first, let’s examine exactly why Dark City This is a triumph for science fiction cinema.

How brilliantly the Dark City was made

Dark City It represents the pinnacle of director Alex Proyas’ effects-based filmmaking style. He left a great impression with Crow in 1994 and this was his big-budget follow-up that seemed like a more visionary experience. With an announced budget of $27 million (about $43 million today), Proyas embarked on a journey to create a world that harkens back to the surreal spectacle of films like Metropolis, Braziland City of lost children. Dark City It will serve as a testament to the power of truly imaginative storytelling.

In this regard, Dark City It is wow. The entire film was shot on sets created without any sets at all. This adds a sense of deliberate dishonesty to the whole endeavor that is vital to where the story is going. Production designer Patrick Tatopoulos enhances the sense of unease looming around every corner. As he described in an interview with Cinefantastique:

“It’s a city built out of pieces of cities. One corner of one place, another of another. So, you don’t really know where you are. The piece will look like a street in London, but part of the architecture looks like New York, but the bottom of the architecture again looks like A European city. You’re there, but you don’t know where you are. It’s like every time you travel, you get lost.”

Dark City As a piece of production design alone it is stunning. From the sets to the costumes to the score by Trevor Jones, everything works in perfect harmony to bring a very specific vision to life. But what matters most is whether or not the story and characters thrive in this extraordinary world. Fortunately, Dark City It is interspersed with an exciting mystery that ends by questioning the nature of reality itself. The story of John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) is a compelling mystery that ends up revealing the story’s secrets in a compelling way.

Speaking of Rufus Sewell, the cast Dark City It’s delightfully eclectic, with unique performances from not only Sewell, but also Kiefer Sutherland and Richard O’Brien. William Hurt and Jennifer Connelly fit their film noir archetypes perfectly, and you can tell that everyone involved is committed to the uniqueness of the project.

Without spoiling the entire film, a large part of that uniqueness has to do with the film’s themes and twists. Dark City Represents an era Science fiction Cinema that exclusively asked a big question: What is reality? We’ll talk about that in a moment, but suffice it to say Dark City It’s a film with a lot on its mind and a desire to implement those ideas in a dynamic and engaging way.

So, with all of this in his corner, why does this happen? Dark City Not as promising as it should be? We’ll have to take the red pill to answer this question…

Why is it unfairly overlooked?

Dark City It came out a year ago Matrix It explored many similar science fiction ideas as a major success. In fact, a number of films in the late 1990s – presence, thirteenth floor, The Truman Show – They were walking on the same existential ground. but, MatrixIt was he who truly captured the imagination of mainstream audiences and became a juggernaut in popular culture. It was certainly also the most action-packed and modern of them all. Interesting information: Matrix It was actually filmed on the sets for which it was prepared Dark City!

This does not mean blaming him alone Matrix For shading Dark City. Proyas’s film is deliberately more ambiguous and distant at first, making it difficult to jump right into it. In fact, New Line Cinema anticipated this and reshaped the film to make it more legible to wide audiences. This includes adding a voiceover that spoils the movie in its first seconds. Fortunately, Proyas was able to release a director’s cut of the film years later and it’s easily a favorite viewing version.

However, like many It is equally overlooked Death Patrol, Dark City It might be too weird to really click with a large enough number of people. Maybe that’s why it remains so strange and beloved by cinephiles. Films that manage a real sense of authenticity are often so special that only certain tastes will enjoy them.

Dark City He is not shy in his eccentricities and enjoys the mysterious and hypnotic world he creates. This enchanting aura won’t work for everyone, but those who find themselves drawn into the shifting corridors of this film’s mystery will be rewarded with an unforgettable adventure. Open your mind and see the truth…