So, I'm watching City of Lost Children on tv right now, and I just went to imdb.com to check it out, and it turns out that some people think it's a lot like Dark City, another movie i've liked for a while.

Haha, this is probably dumb, but in Dark City, there are some characters named Mr. Hand, Mr. Book, and Mr. Wall. I was wondering if they were the same type of entity that Mr. Wood and Mr. Stone are.

Even though the baddies in DC were aliens and the AG ones weren't..

Meh. Just a thought. I like people named after inanimate objects.

It is an odd conceit, one I rather like. I don't the descriptions of Wood and Stone quite fit with what the guys from Dark City looked like, but I do think that they're related in their nature. Both creatures are impersonal, cold and unnatural.

Dark city = very cool flick. An interesting observation b/t AG and the film. Just thought I'd offer a short comment and my approval on the movie

Neil's got an essay on the "Dark City" DVD-- it talks about how wonderful Dark City is, and how dark, and how Alex Proyas, the director, is a genius, and how great Rufus Sewell is... it reads like one of those reviews they pay people to write.

hell, if he likes him that much, why not get Proyas to make a Sandman movie? he already did The Crow...

(Seriously, I loved loved love love Dark City, and i do approve. I thought of Wood and Stone as more like Agents (from "The Matrix") or Men in Black (the generic type). Faceless gov'ment villian types, a common modern archtype

As you reference The Matrix in similarity to AG, you may also notice the entire premise of Dark City - which was released before The Matrix - is strikingly similar.

The 'strangers' in Dark City were simply named after non-specific (the word 'random' is far overused these days) and common objects; almost like how Agents in the Wachowski brothers' films were given common names too, such as 'Smith'.

Plus, there's also the airborne final battle between John and Mr Book... Something surely stolen for the climax of the Matrix trilogy?

That's interesting how you mention City of Lost Children, because to me that movie sounds like something Neil would write. As for Dark City, I've yet to see it, but I do agree that such movies probably laid the groundwork for the Matrixes of the world.

Check out Truman Show and Pleasantville, too, and compare with Dark City... they all came out right around the same time. Simillarities are bizarre.

Someone is trying to tell me something... not you... you're all actors/aliens/computer programs.

And you forgot The 13th Floor, which i put above Dark City and under The Matrix (the original), or possibly the other way around. Great 'what is reality?' movie

i just found this thread... i forgot Pi

anyway, faceless agents with nonspecific names are a modern archtype

Didn't forget the Thirteenth Floor. Just never seen it.

Dark City is one of the best movies dealing with the possible world of tomorrow. The Matrix was a clone and but great. I hope that the mirror mask will be in the same veign os these greats

quote:

Originally posted by Tehnsuko:
As you reference The Matrix in similarity to AG, you may also notice the entire premise of Dark City - which was released before The Matrix - is strikingly similar.

Speaking of great "What is reality" movies, let's not forget the amazing story and production of "Ghost In The Shell" which the Matrix also ripped off....

(Hey, look at that... my first 100 posts!)

well... ripped off in the sense that the Wachowskis acknowledged they were huge GitS fans and the director of Ghost said he like the Matrix and was completly okay with it and how the Wachowskis pitched their movie as a 'live action anime' and how they gave recognition to anime artists with the Animatrix...

but you do have a point. not much of the Matrix is original. its all from the same basic 'what is reality?' sources.
i love championing Dark City, 'cause its a bit more obscure and has a better atmosphere... the king of this sort of thing is, of course, Philip K Dick
bringing it back to comics and Neil (kinda), the Batman: The Animated Series ep where Bats is trapped in a dream was a great use of the idea

I just watched Dark City, about 15 minutes ago.
Mr. Hand was creepy. Hooray for post-modernism...can't believe I just said that...must be 'cause I'm sleepy.

yay Richard O'Brian

but yea, seriously fun movie. need to watch it with the Ebert commentary

didja read the Neil essay? it was so fawning it was scary

yeah, I think i read it, it was very short. someone lent me it and he burned it so I'm not sure if we got everything on teh special features.

i didn't watch that movie but i do love Dark City - because of Alex Proyas - Rufus Sewell and Jennifer Connelly. and i remembered of American Gods when i heard the names of characters. but it also reminded me Tom Robbins.
did you ever read Tom Robbins?

it reminded me of tom robbins, too, except that I hate Tom Robbins--so it reminded me of what I liked about Tom Robbins, but better written and without the bits I loathe.
I know a lot of people love him, and I like things about his work, but overall...i don't know, I just feel like he tries too hard to audacious and bawdy and earthy--it's fine if that comes naturally, but he just seems forced sometimes...I can't lose myself in his words. And sometimes, honestly, his sex is just gross to me. Gaiman's writing is just...more mature, more elegant...imo.
I liked Dark City, quite a bit.

actully, the bit about the gods named mr. wood and mr. world and such imediatly reminded me of dark city. but i don't think it was a ripoff. for the whole novel i saw them as sort of conformed govorment agents who looke the same.