Dark City (1998)

Director:

Alex Proyas

Writers (WGA):

Alex Proyas (story)
Alex Proyas (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 February 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

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

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.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Memory | Hotel | Night | Soul

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Rufus Sewell	...	John Murdoch
William Hurt	...	Inspector Frank Bumstead
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Dr. Daniel P. Schreber
Jennifer Connelly	...	Emma Murdoch / Anna
Richard O'Brien	...	Mr. Hand
Ian Richardson	...	Mr. Book
Bruce Spence	...	Mr. Wall
Colin Friels	...	Det. Eddie Walenski
John Bluthal	...	Karl Harris
Mitchell Butel	...	Officer Husselbeck
Melissa George	...	May
Frank Gallacher	...	Chief Insp. Stromboli
Ritchie Singer	...	Hotel Manager / Vendor
Justin Monjo	...	Taxi Driver
Nicholas Bell	...	Mr. Rain

Also Known As:

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

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

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)

Filming Locations:

Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Mystery Clock Cinema

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.

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.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

References Repo Man (1984)

Soundtrack:

Sway

A perfect nighttime movie

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.