Tiscali rocks! I can now be online ANY TIME, cor blimey, guv. So, i'm going to try and catch up with...
Tiscali rocks! I can now be online ANY TIME, cor blimey, guv. So, i'm going to try and catch up with alerts. let me know if you're mad at me for not reading something, and i'll bawl in a corner...
Member since:23.07.2003
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Whenever my friend comes to visit, after much deliberation and possible activities, we always end up watching a film. After trying to persuade her that we wouldn't be trying to finish watching 'Lost in the Bermuda Triangle', she settled on Dark City, a video Ian picked up cheap somewhere, and which I didn't even realise we had.
Why I hadn't already seen this film, I have no idea. It's written by the writer of 'The Crow', which despite having a slightly dated soundtrack, is still a superb film. It's also full of English actors, and I usually try and support the British film industry in some small way (oh alright, one of the English actors happens to be Rufus Sewell, whose mis-matching eyes I find quite attractive.) Last, but not least, my husband and a good friend had been telling me for years to watch it because, 'It's good'; why this fantastic recommendation didn't make me rush and watch it straightaway, I can't think.
The film starts with John Murdoch (Sewell) waking up in cold bath. He can't remember anything, but does find a dead girl in the bedroom next door - never a good way to wake up, I think you'll agree. The film follows him searching for his
identity. Unfortunately, sinister creatures known as 'the Strangers' are also following him; however, they know exactly who he is, and aren't too happy with him for one reason or another. It's all down to Dr Schreber (Keifer Sutherland), a nervy geek with too many syringes, to help Murdoch discover his past, and beat the Strangers whilst he's at it.
As this is written by Alex Proyas, who also wrote the adaptation of 'I, Robot', you'll probably guess this is science fiction. However, like 'The Crow', there are definite gothic touches; the whole thing is, as you might expect, very darkly lit, whilst the actual sets are populated with art deco style buildings with towering spires and arches. The visuals are so overblown and the villains so exaggerated, I was very surprised to learn that, unlike The Crow, it wasn't actually based on a comic, but was developed from Proyas' own ideas.
The whole thing is a very surreal, yet slightly familiar experience. The Strangers themselves look like a cross between Pinhead from "Hellraiser", and Neo from "The Matrix", whilst a lot of the scenery reminded me of "Brazil", particularly the diner with the windows displaying food.
The actors are also surprisingly familiar for a film not many people seem to have heard of. As well as Rufus Sewell, the film stars William Hurt, Ian Richardson, and Jennifer Connolly. Richard O'Brien as the lead Stranger Mr Hand is the best bit of casting I've ever seen; they didn't even need to put any make-up on him as far as I can tell, and he gives the best performance I've ever seen him give.
The rest of the acting can sometimes be a little embarrassing. Sutherland's mannered portrayal of the nervous Schreber can get irritating, particularly the strange way he insists on speaking, and some of the minor Strangers can be tiresome. Luckily, Sewell is perfect for the lead, coming across as clueless and bumbling in the beginning, and yet making a convincing action hero by the end.
However, the hit and miss quality of the acting is more than made up for by the intense visuals. The city itself is a masterpiece, and once its secret is revealed, the imagery is even more amazing. Scenes where buildings mutate before your eyes are smoothly choreographed, particularly during a chase scene through the changing scenery. Flashbacks have a hyper real dreamlike quality to them, due to the beautiful colours and a slight skewing of the picture. However, the Strangers themselves are most effective when their appearance doesn't require any CGI; only then do cracks appear in the production sheen.
The plot does at times become difficult to follow, and I'd definitely only recommend watching it alone, or with someone who can follow convoluted plots. If you didn't like The Matrix or Twelve Monkeys, then I wouldn't recommend it to you at all; I certainly won't be lending it to my Dad, who would spend the entire film pausing it to explain it to his fiancée.
'Dark City' has a definite 'film noir' slant to it; from Jennifer Connolly's nightclub singer, to William Hurt's trilby-ed detective, it reeks of Raymond Chandler. However, the science fiction elements make this a truly enjoyable, original and immensely watch-able film, even with the slightly silly scenes which creep in towards the end. *Please note - I am reviewing the film only in this review, as I watched it on video. There are no DVD extras (as it's a video) but unfortunately due to the reshuffle, I can only review this film in the 'DVD' section. There is a 'director's cut' DVD due out soon, so if I get a chance to watch it, I will add more to this review*
Pictures of Dark City (DVD)
START THE FANS!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: K.C. Bascombe - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jesse James, Rachel Skarsten, Charles Powell, Linda Purl, Kevin Zegars
Really well written film review indeed, on a very strange film, I remember seeing it in the Cinema a long time ago, not sure if I enjoyed it or not..........Roy
whoopidoo 02.07.2005 09:52
I keep seeing this everywhere at the moment. Must watch - huge guffaws at your piccy captions :oD
MAFARRIMOND 27.06.2005 09:49
I haven't seen it yet but would be interested. Maureen
If you're a fan of brooding comic-book anti-heroes, got a nihilistic jolt fromThe ... more
Crow(1994) and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to callDark Cityan instant classic of visual ima...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
If you're a fan of brooding comic-book anti-heroes, got a nihilistic jolt fromThe ... more
Crow(1994) and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to callDark Cityan instant classic of visual ima...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon...
John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awakens alone in a strange hotel to find he is wanted for a ... more
series of brutal murders. His memories have vanished and even his beautiful wife, Emma (Jennifer Connelly) has become estranged from him. So begins a quest to unrav...
Advantages: The film creates a fantastic vision that makes you want to explore its depths Disadvantages: It's dark and foreboding which is its power yet its downfall
![Dark City [DVD] [1998]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78548028.jpg "Dark City [DVD] [1998]")
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