IMDb > Dark City (1998)
Dark City
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Dark City (1998) More at IMDbPro »

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Dark City (1998) -- A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.
Dark City (1998) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   56,775 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Alex Proyas

Writers (WGA):

Alex Proyas (story)
Alex Proyas (screenplay) ...
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Contact:

View company contact information for Dark City on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

27 February 1998 (USA) more

Tagline:

They built the city to see what makes us tick. Last night one of us went off. more

Plot:

A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans. full summary | full synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations more

NewsDesk:
(145 articles)

50 Influential Scream Queens: Part 1
 (From Fangoria. 27 October 2009, 5:54 AM, PDT)

Triangle (Film Review)
 (From Fangoria. 26 October 2009, 4:05 AM, PDT)

User Comments:

A perfect nighttime movie more (541 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:

Dark Empire (USA) (working title)
Dark World (USA) (working title)
more

MPAA:

Rated R for violent images and some sexuality.

Runtime:

100 min | 111 min (director's cut)

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Spain:18 | South Korea:15 (original rating) | South Korea:18 (DVD rating) | USA:Not Rated (director's cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #34966)


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

This film deals with 'Last Thursdayism', a philosophy that says that the world (with us included) could have been created recently, even the last Thursday, but we cannot demonstrate such thing because it would have been created to look as an older world. more

Goofs:

Continuity: When questioning a stranger on the rooftop, Murdoch falls and catches himself by grabbing the top of the railing on a fire escape below. In a following shot, he is climbing up the railing supports just below where he had caught himself. more

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Schreber: [voiceover] First there was darkness, then came the strangers.
more

Movie Connections:

References Repo Man (1984) more

Soundtrack:

Sway more


FAQ

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Where does this film take place?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
26 out of 42 people found the following comment useful.
A perfect nighttime movie, 10 June 2006
10/10
Author: johegn from E-tuna, Sweden

I'm not saying the acting was perfect, i'm not trying to say the story was told in the most professional way or all by rules of film-making. It wasn't at all an up-tempo film Hollywood style with lots of explosions and rapid smart dialogs.

But, somehow, unlike most films with few exceptions, it had the capability of putting you in a certain mood. A mood of inconvenience, because you become one with the character John Murdoch, mostly thanks to Sewell's acting. Maybe it's because when I've seen this movie, it's always way past midnight, but I guess it's part of the ultimate experience from it.

The thing is I've only felt this way about a movie once before, and unfortunately, I can't remember the title of that movie, only that it ended with a picture of an ocean, and an alone man on the beach, leaving us never knowing if he would ever meet his girl again or not. I love when a picture put that enormous hill of emotions in your heart, and just as many questions in your head. That feeling, that mood.

Most of the actors has received bad reviews for this movie, not least on this forum. But in my opinion, Rufus Sewell is doing his part very well. First so uncertain, then slowly growing into his role. Keither Sutherland, in a pretty uncomfortable role as a scared, weak doctor does it surprisingly good. William Hurt is hard and scarred, but soft on the inside. I guess the actors are telling more about their parts than the script itself.

Generally, all the actors seem to have captured this feeling, this sense, that colors all throughout the picture, making the picture. You are not watching it. You are in it. You are John Murdoch.

I'd like to end with a quote

John Murdoch: "When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?"

It sort of reveals the touch of it. If you haven't seen it, see it, in the middle of the night! If you've seen it daytime, see it again at nighttime. Not because you're tired, but because it's dark.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Dark City (1998)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Why was John the only one who questioned anything? Pete101
This is what happens,,, soslow
Protagonist's power ? onlsophisfilm
Kiefer rules so much in this Bill_Buchanan
You can't fake love. marius_em
So where do all the people living in the city come from? rscowboys
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