Movie of the Month - Dark City (July 2017)

Same! You did a great job. And hey, anything you didn't get a chance to say, feel free to post in here!

The only things (from memory at least) that stand out as negatives were 1) the hand-holding narrative at the start and I think again near the end with Sutherland's coaching, and 2) Connelly's awkward club scene introduction covering "Sway with Me." Beautiful song, and perfect for the mood, but felt weird to me watching her sing it. Minor gripes though, for one of my favorite movies.

I'm excited to listen the links later.
@Yoda
Was your reference in the conspiracy thread about the Mandela Effect any way related to ideas in this movie?

Yeah, agree about the song. For the first thing, though (and we talk about this in the podcast): that's the theatrical cut. The director's cut omits it, and is much better for it, though as you say there's a bit of an info dump later.

Yep, I think I said in the other thread that we'd discussed it in the podcast, which was recorded over a week ago.

Ok that makes sense. I wasn't sure if you were referring to another, unrelated podcast!

Thanks for the update and I'm definitely going to listen to this one.

Just starting but want to ask before I forget - are you saying they used the matrix set pieces? Shouldnt that be the other way around? I thought Matrix was shot after DC? Not important. Just grabbed my ear.

And who chose the intro music and quotes for the podcasts?

OK back to my cuppa.

I thought that's what we said, but it might have been phrased ambiguously.

I put the opening together something like eight years ago, when I was just fiddling around with podcast stuff. It came out way better than I thought it would, given my total lack of expertise.

I meant to ask @Slappydavis in regards to the memory implants climax sequence. You mentioned you like the idea behind it, but the scene just didn't sit right with you. Do you think it's due to the execution of how they show us the memories in the first place? The awkward sound and blurred fragmented boarders around the frame? I felt like they could have made that bit a little more engaging, but it was really fast and frenzied.

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Suspect's Reviews

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.
-IMDB.

I might have said they used the same sets as The Matrix, awkwardly phrased to imply they used it after. My bad. I knew they were the same sets though.

I say a version of this on the podcast, but I think the "oomph" it was missing was that they mention the "he would need several lifetimes" thing once, off-handedly. If that'd been built up a little more, I think that reveal would've landed a lot better.

Probably just my caffeine free brain hearing it wrong. Thanks for clarifying. I didnt even notice to be honest, but love the green hue.

The intro is great, Yods. Gets my toes tapping just like music in a porn (just kiddin. Havent watched a porn in years, but loving it anyway).

Bugger. Hit pause to go make a coffee and it took me back to the beginning. Wont let me FF but I'm pretty sure the last podcast did let me FF. Oh well, More toe tapping coming up.

Embedded player? If so, yeah, it can be wonky if the browser's open awhile, I think, depending on your system and setup. The lowest-friction version is hitting the download link above it and playing on whatever your computer's native player is.

Maybe I should finally get off my butt and start uploading these to YouTube, too.

Interesting comment not many people seem to talk about it. I;m always surprised when people, especially Australians, say they've seen it. I dont recall any promotion here for it. I think we just found it by accident in the video store.Tragic - I'd love to see this on the big screen.

And I can pick TUS but very very slight hardly there Canuck accent. Nice dynamic between you three.

urghhh. Never mind about my previous questions. I think my computer is having a hissy fit because she just stalled it and took me back to the beginning again. I think I'll give her a freaking coffee!

Interesting commentary on the 'toy city' look. That really worked for me which was a surprise. Gave it an otherworldly atmosphere in my mind. And I had no idea Gattica was low budget - looks pretty schmick.

Will continue after I bitch slap this 'puta

I liked it from the beginning, especially since it established itself as a high concept film pretty early (sometimes I have trouble with initial viewings of films that rely on a thoughtful high concept mindset but don't relay that idea to me properly until later). But that same mindset created a few seemingly irreconcilable problems such as but talking through the movie with you two gave me some insight that let me get rid of those issues.

I also think that very problem is why I kinda like giving it a score at the end, because sometimes it can seem like a movie struck any of us as terrible or great based on content of the podcast, but actually we were just inspired to find faults in a great movie, or silver linings in a terrible movie.

Yeah, main problem was the production.

I'll send you some vegemite if you do. Silly thing still wont let me FF and I was enjoying the buzz of energy in that.

I actually bought Dark City on Blu Ray a couple months ago. I watched the film because I'd heard praise from a lot of people on this forum. I watched it, and while I thought it was creative and definitely inspired from a visual perspective, I thought the film floundered from a narrative perspective.

Getting my wife to listen to it tomorrow.

What did she think?!

I love Dark City. One of the most underrated sci-fi movies of all time in my opinion. I only saw the director's cut it turns out, so I can't compare, but I love it.

I love the noirishness of Dark City although feel that Rufus Sewell was miscast. I’m a big fan of his but felt that an American would be better and that he wasn’t engaging enough as a lead. For me, its high concept would work better as a TV show.

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You cannot have it both ways. A dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love can never be a great dancer. Never. (The Red Shoes, 1948)