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IMDbPro

Dark City

  • 19981998
  • RR
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
199K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,931
474
Rufus Sewell in Dark City (1998)
Trailer for Dark City
Play trailer2:14
2 Videos
99+ Photos
FantasyMysterySci-Fi
A man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.A man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.A man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
199K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,931
474
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Alex Proyas
    • Writers
      • Alex Proyas(story)
      • Lem Dobbs(screenplay)
      • David S. Goyer(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Rufus Sewell
      • Kiefer Sutherland
      • Jennifer Connelly
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Alex Proyas
    • Writers
      • Alex Proyas(story)
      • Lem Dobbs(screenplay)
      • David S. Goyer(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Rufus Sewell
      • Kiefer Sutherland
      • Jennifer Connelly
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 752User reviews
    • 207Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
    • Awards
      • 12 wins & 19 nominations

    Videos2

    Dark City
    Trailer 2:14
    Dark City
    Dark City
    Trailer 0:31
    Dark City

    Photos120

    Jennifer Connelly and Richard O'Brien in Dark City (1998)
    Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City (1998)
    Dark City (1998)
    Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City (1998)
    William Hurt in Dark City (1998)
    Rufus Sewell in Dark City (1998)
    Kiefer Sutherland and Richard O'Brien in Dark City (1998)
    Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City (1998)
    Ian Richardson and Paul Livingston in Dark City (1998)
    Dark City (1998)
    William Hurt in Dark City (1998)
    Rufus Sewell in Dark City (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rufus Sewell
    Rufus Sewell
    • John Murdoch
    Kiefer Sutherland
    Kiefer Sutherland
    • Dr Daniel Schreber
    Jennifer Connelly
    Jennifer Connelly
    • Emma Murdoch
    William Hurt
    William Hurt
    • Inspector Frank Bumstead
    Richard O'Brien
    Richard O'Brien
    • Mr Hand
    Ian Richardson
    Ian Richardson
    • Mr Book
    Bruce Spence
    Bruce Spence
    • Mr Wall
    Colin Friels
    Colin Friels
    • Walenski
    John Bluthal
    John Bluthal
    • Karl Harris
    Mitchell Butel
    Mitchell Butel
    • Husselbeck
    Melissa George
    Melissa George
    • May
    Frank Gallacher
    • Stromboli
    Ritchie Singer
    Ritchie Singer
    • Hotel Manager…
    Justin Monjo
    • Taxi Driver
    Nicholas Bell
    Nicholas Bell
    • Mr Rain
    Satya Gumbert
    • Mr Sleep
    Noah Gumbert
    • Mr Sleep Filming Double
    Frederick Miragliotta
    Frederick Miragliotta
    • Mr Quick
    • Director
      • Alex Proyas
    • Writers
      • Alex Proyas(story) (screenplay)
      • Lem Dobbs(screenplay)
      • David S. Goyer(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A number of pieces of the set, including those used for the rooftop chase, were sold to the production of The Matrix (1999) at the end of shooting.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 5 mins) When the glass partition is broken, a second sheet of glass is used to protect Jennifer Connelly. At slow speeds, John's hand is clearly visible reflected in this safety glass.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Schreber: I call them the Strangers. They abducted us and brought us here. This city, everyone in it... is their experiment. They mix and match our memories as they see fit, trying to divine what makes us unique. One day, a man might be an inspector. The next, someone entirely different. When they want to study a murderer, for instance, they simply imprint one of their citizens with a new personality. Arrange a family for him, friends, an entire history... even a lost wallet. Then they observe the results. Will a man, given the history of a killer, continue in that vein? Or are we, in fact, more than the sum of our memories?

    • Alternate versions
      The director's cut omits the opening monologue.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Palmetto/Senseless/Dangerous Beauty/Mrs. Dalloway/Nil by Mouth/Live Flesh (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Le Chale Bleu
      Written by François Perchat (as Francois Perchat)

      Sung by Anita Kelsey

    User reviews752

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Outstanding sci-fi film noir
    THE CROW director Alex Proyas followed up his stylish debut with this even more stylish slice of sci-fi film noir. It's a complex yet eminently watchable beast, featuring a twisted, world-changing plot and using all manner of innovative ideas to create a true work of science fiction. Where THE MATRIX took a sci-fi principle and used it as a basis for a straightforward action flick, DARK CITY remains about the ideas and their implications all the way through.

    The film kicks off as a straightforward murder mystery, featuring the ever underrated Rufus Sewell (in a rare Hollywood good guy role) as a wronged man on the run from the authorities. So far so Hitchcock, but throw in a dogged cop (William Hurt, who's never been better) and a series of repugnant baldies led by the camp but excellent Richard O'Brien, and you have the recipe for one uniquely thrilling film.

    There are missteps along the way, including the infamously bad judgement of the studio to include an opening narration which makes redundant all the genuine twists and surprises later on in the story, but for the most part this is an exhilarating slice of film-making and much more mature than the better known Keanu Reeves-starrer. Proyas elicits some fascinating performances from his assembled cast, including an alluring debut for Aussie starlet Melissa George, a creepy turn for British character actor Ian Richardson, a bug-eyed role for MAD MAX 2's Bruce Spence, Jennifer Connelly as a paragon of virtue and the surprisingly excellent Kiefer Sutherland, cast against type as a twitchy doctor whose role owes much to Peter Lorre. The special effects involving the buildings are superb and the film as a whole is a refreshingly original piece of sci-fi done on a grand scale.
    helpful•22
    3
    • Leofwine_draca
    • Mar 23, 2013

    FAQ9

    • Is 'Dark City' based on a book?
    • What Roman mythological elements are found in the film?
    • How do I solve the "To Shell Beach..." game on the DVD?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 27, 1998 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Australia
      • United States
    • Official site
      • WarnerBros.com
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Dark Empire
    • Filming locations
      • Museum Underground Station, Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Mystery Clock Cinema
      • New Line Cinema
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $27,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,378,331
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,576,953
      • Mar 1, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $27,200,316
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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