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Dark City (1998)

R  |   |  Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi  |  27 February 1998 (USA)
7.7
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Ratings: 7.7/10 from 147,553 users   Metascore: 66/100
Reviews: 615 user | 221 critic | 23 from Metacritic.com

A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Walenski
...
Karl Harris
...
Husselbeck
...
May
Frank Gallacher ...
Stromboli
...
Hotel Manager / Vendor
Justin Monjo ...
Taxi Driver
...
Mr. Rain
Edit

Storyline

John Murdoch awakens alone in a strange hotel to find that he has lost his memory and is wanted for a series of brutal and bizarre murders. While trying to piece together his past, he stumbles upon a fiendish underworld controlled by a group of beings known as The Strangers who possess the ability to put people to sleep and alter the city and its inhabitants. Now Murdoch must find a way to stop them before they take control of his mind and destroy him. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Forget the Sun. Forget Time. Forget Your Memories. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violent images and some sexuality | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

27 February 1998 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Dark City  »

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$5,576,953 (USA) (27 February 1998)

Gross:

£848,615 (UK) (19 June 1998)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

There were many deliberate anachronisms to give the viewer a feeling of confusion of the time of the film. See more »

Goofs

(at around 60 mins) After John Murdoch opens the door and almost falls from the building, he grabs the ledge and slams into the side of the building. The building bends in with John's impact. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. Schreber: [voiceover] First there was darkness. Then came the strangers. They were a race as old as time itself. They had mastered the ultimate technology. The ability to alter physical reality by will alone. They called this ability "Tuning". But they were dying. Their civilization was in decline, and so they abandoned their world seeking a cure for their own mortality. Their endless journey brought them to a small, blue world in the farthest corner of the galaxy. Our world. Here they ...
See more »

Connections

References Book of Dreams: 'Welcome to Crateland' (1994) See more »

Soundtracks

Le Chale Bleu
Written by François Perchat (as Francois Perchat)
Sung by Anita Kelsey
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Truly Dark.
14 September 2006 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

Dark City (1998) New Line Cinema.

Review: Dark City being directed by Alex Proyas, who directed the dark thriller The Crow, I had to see this movie. This is an original, dark, engaging, and one of the best movies of 1998.

The story is the best. A man who wakes up in a bathtub has no memory at all. He discovers that some ominous beings are coming after him. Who are they? What do they want? And to top it off, he is a suspect in several murders. As the story unfolds, it just gets more interesting. The look of the city is quite a sight. It has an old school comic book feel to it. The style of everything is a nice 1940's style, from clothing to the cars.

As we follow our hero, we learn more about him....or do we? What is real? What is fake? Questions keep coming up but, are their any answers to all these questions? Even more weird is when at the stroke of midnight, the city changes shape while everyone sleeps.

Our hero is also followed by an honest detective, Insp. Bumstead, who just wants answers to the murders and gets involved in the mystery too. Our hero wants to look for one location that could unlock the mystery to everything. What could it be?

Another strong point here is the acting is excellent. Rufus Sewell plays his role with conviction and passion. The casting is flawless.

The Last Word: Awesome flick. This is a movie that is excellent brain food. It makes you think....a lot. You will most likely watch this over and over again to figure everything out. No problem. This movie never gets old. Highly recommended.


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