Cube (1997)

6 complete strangers of widely varying personality characteristics are involuntarily placed in an endless maze containing deadly traps.

Director:

Vincenzo Natali

Writers:

André Bijelic (as Andre Bijelic), Vincenzo Natali

Stars:

Nicole de Boer, Maurice Dean Wint, David Hewlett

13 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Nicole de Boer	...	Leaven
Nicky Guadagni	...	Holloway
David Hewlett	...	Worth
Andrew Miller	...	Kazan
Julian Richings	...	Alderson
Wayne Robson	...	Rennes
Maurice Dean Wint	...	Quentin

Storyline

Six different people, each from a very different walk of life, awaken to find themselves inside a giant cube with thousands of possible rooms. Each has a skill that becomes clear when they must band together to get out: a cop, a math whiz, a building designer, a doctor, an escape master, and a disabled man. Each plays a part in their thrilling quest to find answers as to why they've been imprisoned.

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Plot Keywords:

maze | trap | escape | red light | labyrinth | 

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Taglines:

Fear... Paranoia... Suspicion... Desperation

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some strong sci-fi violence/gore and language

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English German

Release Date:

11 July 1998 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

El cubo

Filming Locations:

Wallace Avenue Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 365,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$57,147, 13 September 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$501,818

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cube Libre,Odeon Films,Ontario Film Development Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All the characters were chartered accountants in the original first draft of the script.

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Goofs

Leaven claims that the problem of finding factors or primes is astronomical. This is ridiculous. It is very easy to determine if a 3-digit number is prime. The largest factor you have to check is 31, and 2, 3, 5, 7 and 11 are all very easy to check, leaving only 6 factors to check. In addition, powers of primes for 3-digit numbers are MUCH easier to check: there are only 11 primes that have squares, only 4 that have cubes, and higher than this there are only powers of 2 and 3, and those are trivial. In short, the calculations should be simple. Not astronomical.

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Quotes

Quentin: Somebody has to take responsibility around here.
Worth: And that somebody has to be you?
Quentin: Not all of us have the luxury of playing nihilist.
Worth: Not all of us are conceited enough to play hero.

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Connections

Spoofed in Futurama: Lethal Inspection (2010)

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Soundtracks

David Torn
(Q-up Arts)

User Reviews

This is one freaky movie...

Cube is a movie that explores human nature and our instinctive urges for survival vs our humanitarianism. Not a new concept, I know, however this movie does it in style, with a plot so simple that it could only be the work of a conceptual genius. I don't intend to give too much away, as the power of the film lies in it's mystery, but I will say that this movie could almost be classified as disturbing, not due to its content, but rather the thoughts that it instills in the audience. I found myself rather shaken as I left the cinema, feeling as though I had been exposed to an ugly, hidden side of humanity and society. Don't get me wrong, this movie is definitely worth seeing, I would even be so bold as to say that it must be seen! I must admit that there are few movies I have seen that have had such a profound affect on me, and I don't think I am alone in my feelings.