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 | Night | Soul | Hotel

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:

At the beginning of the film, there is a brief shot of the movie theatre which says "Now Showing, The Evil, Late Show Nightly" and to the right, "Coming Attractions, Book of Dreams" (a previous film by Alex Proyas). At the end of the movie the marquee still says Book of Dreams: 'Welcome to Crateland' (1994) is coming soon, even though the theater and marquee have changed.

Goofs:

Continuity: When John Murdoch jumps across the roofs, he jumps onto the same roof twice.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

References A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Soundtrack:

The Night Has 1000 Eyes

Truly Dark.

Dark City (1998) New Line Cinema.

Review: Dark City being directed by Alex Proyas, who directed the dark thriller The Crow, I had to see this movie. This is an original, dark, engaging, and one of the best movies of 1998.

The story is the best. A man who wakes up in a bathtub has no memory at all. He discovers that some ominous beings are coming after him. Who are they? What do they want? And to top it off, he is a suspect in several murders. As the story unfolds, it just gets more interesting. The look of the city is quite a sight. It has an old school comic book feel to it. The style of everything is a nice 1940's style, from clothing to the cars.

As we follow our hero, we learn more about him....or do we? What is real? What is fake? Questions keep coming up but, are their any answers to all these questions? Even more weird is when at the stroke of midnight, the city changes shape while everyone sleeps.

Our hero is also followed by an honest detective, Insp. Bumstead, who just wants answers to the murders and gets involved in the mystery too. Our hero wants to look for one location that could unlock the mystery to everything. What could it be?

Another strong point here is the acting is excellent. Rufus Sewell plays his role with conviction and passion. The casting is flawless.

The Last Word: Awesome flick. This is a movie that is excellent brain food. It makes you think....a lot. You will most likely watch this over and over again to figure everything out. No problem. This movie never gets old. Highly recommended.