I was gonna post this in the Wes/Scream thread but thought better.

And from that discussion I have learned that, from what has been mentioned of Scream it's true!

You just have to look at horror and see that there are 2 camps:

The real fans of horror - Us on HHAH

And the average Joe who doesn't venture past Scream, Jeepers Creepers, Final destination etc etc!!!!

Now i know that Gothika has been labelled as crap by the majority of my horror companions, but the everyday folk keep popping up telling me it's brilliant and can i get them a copy

But anyway back ONTOPIC

Is Dark City A brilliant film or as lame as many people have lead me to beleive?

A copy of Matrix and far superior?

I know I could watch it but thought would see what you guys thought, as if the majority of you say no it probably won't go down well with me!

I thought it was excellent, even keifer was good

Dark City is a great film, I loved it to bits. I also liked Thirteenth Floor which predates Dark City but is the same basic concept. Don't have time to get into this at the moment, but I rate both of them, matrix was never anywhere near as clever, but I don't think that was its point, its an action film whilst the other two aren't. Dark City is an excellent gothic thriller, and Thirteenth Floor is a very stylistic and enjoyable thriller also. All three cover the same basic idea, but I believe that matrix took the easy route and did the 'lifting'. Matrix appeal was very clearly as an stylistic action film (although there's a surprising lack of action for about an hour!!!) that relies too heavily on its visuals and style which, for me at least, left an empty "un-original" (I had already sat two dark city and thirteenth floor you see) pretty action film. I would rather watch the aforementioned titles to the Matrix, but I don't mind watching matrix if i'm in a "dumb entertainment mood"



Damn, that Marty McFly gets about a bit doesn't he

Dark City completed shooting before Matrix was even filmed, therefore its its physically impossible for it to be a copy of it, if you believe they are striking similar, then its Matrix doing it They were infact filmed in the same studio, and, being cheapasses that they are, instead of making new sets, they recycled the city scape from Dark City in the opening rooftop chase

That's why Matrix so blatantly looks (visuals) like a ripoff right from the offset. That's what happens when you shoot to films that are striking similar in plot and concept, and do it on the same sets

The similarities are too obvious to dispute that a bit of copying was going on (what with the Matrix's creators lifting the story straight out of a comic book, and lifting much of its visuals from darkcity). Anyway, if you haven't seen these links before, do so if your interested:
http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... safe%3Doff
http://rob.mitsi.com/movies/comparisons ... mages2.htm
http://www.townonline.com/arts_lifestyl ... 202003.htm

Interesting to say the least I thought



I don't think I can go that far! Na, the acting was fine in that film on all counts. Just wish he didn't sound like that black kid from Malcolm in the Middle

doooohh - I'm at it again, YES obviousley I meant the other way round - Matrix a copy of Dark City and less superior

/note to self read posts more closly from now on!!!

And thirteenth floor, wow, I remember renting that little beauty a while ago and not really expecting much from it but has got to be one of the great little finds I've come across - Gives you hope in renting straight to video / unheard of films in the future!!!

hhmmmm - I'm more confident now that Dar city will be good!

And you don't hear much of 13th floor really do you!

Thats another to add to the list i need to get and re watch!

hmm well i wasn't that keen on dark city personally but i guess it's just OK....thirteenth floor i enjoyed and as for the matrix,yeah i got sucked into that world enough to thoroughly enjoy it no matter what ppl think about Keanu

1=Matrix (first one) the 2 others where kinda lame but since part one was SO good IMO they could never match it
2=Thirteenth floor
3=dark city

but thats me and i daresay i'll get slated for liking the matrix

1=Dark City
2=Thirteenth Floor

for me I think. I love the crow, so Dark City felt so naturally awsome when watching it.

I feel the same although agree with what Spud says about Matrix rellying on action / effects to get you sucked into it!
And thats probably why I did!

Now I am looking forward to seeing Dark City....soon(ish)

its a great movie, so you dont have to be a shamed becouse u want to watch it paul

So I can sleep better at nigh tnow then

Just gonna search for a link or maybe go down and rent it sometime this week!

both Dark City and Thirteenth Floor are wickid movies paul and both are widely spread on the network.

Now has anyone seen Cypher?

thirteenth floor was utter shite IMO. dark city was ruined for me by the preformance of the lead actor. it put Ed Wood to shame.

The HHAH resident movie critic didn't like it - damn shame!!!

hehe. lol

that's my new sig.

Well ya kinda are mate!

In that I at least enjoy your comments on the films you watch / rate.

Even when you say it's crap, you put forward goos arguemetns and describe films in ways I couldn't.

So when I saw you'd posted in the Dark City? thread I thought right here goes another cool John Doe critique

And you posted So was a bit shocked you didn't rate them high!

tnx mate. nice of you to say so.

I usually write much about films I've just seen though, and it's a long time since I saw these two. was thinking aboot writing a review for 'Virgin Suicides' but then I saw Ebert's and it was so fucking perfect I could never hope to achieve the same level.
was also thinking aboot writing aboot 'Killing of America' but couldn't be bothered.
I've written an article aboot asian films (kinda like an introduction) but alas it was for a norwegian magazine and useless for anyone who don't know this shitty language. My next article is aboot drug themed films and the deadline is whenesday. Damn, I gotta get cracking!

I've got a new short story planned though, which I've been playing around with for a long time and I suspect it might be fucking amazing!!! Just gotta sit down and write the damn thing.

Couldn't agree more.

hhhmmm Spud and i might not stand for such 13th floor bashing!

What about Dark City though Polityk?
Although I'll tend to beleive you didn't think much of that after 13th floor!

dark city and thirteenth floor are very different kinds of films... dark city is a comic booky... well the director made The Crow (i love that film) so i think that about sums it up.

I enjoyed Thirteenth Floor but I find it perfectly understandable that people won't. It's very sci-fiy, whereas Dark City is a gothic kind of film

does anyone know where the computer environment plot came from originally? A rat in a maze, and they know that they are neither a rat or in a maze.

It's a damn good plot hence why its been done so many times.

Reminds me of the whole Last Broadcast vs. Blair Witch, then it turns out Cannibal Holocaust did it first

On the contrary, I really like Dark City. As Spud said, it has this gothic atmosphere, nice storyline... Besides I think Sutherland's performance is interesting.

In 13th I do not find any of these; poor acting, predictable plot (not very original either) etc. Plus idiotic ending.