The classic 1998 science fiction movie
Dark City arrives on Blu-Ray which takes the original
movie beyond its original theatrical release and adds to this
exceptional film. Even though the movie may have not been a
theatrical hit, the movie did gain a steady following through its TV
and DVD releases. The movie could almost be considered the original
Matrix due to its complex storylines that always question the viewer
and of course beat the Matrix by a year or so.
As to the story, when
John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes with no memory, he is accused of a
murder that he may or may not have committed and is being hunted by
Inspector Frank Bumstead (William Hurt). Questions come into the
fray as he tries to "think" about his life, only to discover certain
parts of the puzzle such as him being married to Emma, a beautiful
cabaret singer played by Jennifer Connelly. Eventually he meets
Doctor Daniel Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) who promises to fix his
problem, only to discover that the city he lives in is a prison.
When John questions the reality of his world, strange albino typed
men begin to chase him as he eventually uncovers their deadly secret
and threatens the very fabric of reality.
Where the Director's Cut version does shine is through the extended
footage that gives more background on some of the motivations of the
characters and actually does make the movie a more thorough and
enjoyable experience. Originally when I first saw Dark City, I was
not that impressed, however the movie through its intricate plot
only grows on you and although I have not seen the movie for over 5
years, Dark City is still one of the most outstanding science
fiction movies made.
Director Alex Proyas does a remarkable job at
creating this story based on a tale by David Goyer through the
actors who have been chosen wisely and even the early uses of CGI as
the viewer is taken on a roller coaster ride of twisted truths and
hideous nightmares.
Video and audio wise, the Blu-Ray
edition of Dark City is superb that is presented at 16:9 widescreen
for 1080p HD viewing and looks amazing on our high definition TV.
Match that with amazing audio quality and this is as close as one
will get to experiencing the original cinematic version. The
director's cut also contains a variety of great special features and
even both the Director's Cut and Theatrical features available,
however the Director's Cut is far superior to the original. The
featurettes will also take you behind the scenes of this gritty,
dark and noir-inspired science fiction movie, giving you an almost
holistic movie experience.
Brilliant!
Special Features:
Includes both Director's Cut and Theatrical features
Intro by Alex Proyas
Memories of Shell Beach
Architecture of Dreams
Audio Commentaries by Alex Proyas, Roger Ebert, David Goyer and Lem
Dobbs
Production Gallery
Director's Cut Fact Track
The Metropolis Comparison
Neil Gaiman on Dark City
Theatrical Trailer
