Sunday, April 24, 2005

Why the Original Matrix Was So Much Better Than 2 or 3

because it was stolen.

Or so I've come to believe [I say this just in case some uppity-up in the film industry comes after me for defamation :) ].

I just finished watching one of my favourite films, Dark City and I found it quite shocking to observe an uncanny amount of similarities between the two films. Both involve alter realities; both involve "the one"; both involve the programming of people's experiences; both involve sinister "agents"; both involve the manipulation of time; both involve extensive "machines". Here's the kicker though: Dark City was released to the general public in Feb. 1998. The Matrix didn't begin filming until March 1998. This means that Dark City which was in production for two full years before The Matrix even started its production run... Hmm... a little bit suspicious.

How come The Matrix' sequels didn't have the same edge, story-filled oomph? Because they ran out of material to lift, I suppose. Just browse The Wachowski Brothers' writing credits and you won't find much to be impressed about.

The one thing—if it provides any solace to Dark City's Witrer/Driector Alex Proyas, if not the ca$h that I think he deserves for his brilliance—is that Dark City itself is listed in the series of references that are attributed to The Matrix' production.


Why is it that all the good ideas are never attributed to those who come up with them, and why do those who steal the gems get all the glory? *sigh* life!

ps. I'll be posting a "real" entry about my adventures of the past severeal months sometime soon this week—I just have to finish my last exam, this Tuesday.

Until then, O faithful reader!