Dark City and other strange and imaginative places

[tomalak301]

I finally saw Dark City and I really liked it. Everyone is talking about it being a precurser to The Matrix and it's true, but watching it I was thinking more along the lines of Inception, with the city twisting and growing as it was. I loved the set design, and it was easy to look at despite it being shot in the Dark.

I watched the Directors cut so I didn't get the narration, but what else did I miss from the theatrical cut?

 

[Christopher]

I watched the Directors cut so I didn't get the narration, but what else did I miss from the theatrical cut?

Other way around. The Director's Cut is 15 minutes longer, adding a lot that was missing from the theatrical cut. Aside from some alternate takes and differently edited scenes, there are only a couple of lines that are in the theatrical edition but not the DC. Here's an overview of the differences: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/alternateversions?ref_=tt_ql_sm

 

[tomalak301]

Other way around. The Director's Cut is 15 minutes longer, adding a lot that was missing from the theatrical cut. Aside from some alternate takes and differently edited scenes, there are only a couple of lines that are in the theatrical edition but not the DC. Here's an overview of the differences: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/alternateversions?ref_=tt_ql_sm

Good list. I did mean how are the two different. Evidently the theatrical version was about 90 minutes. That seems pretty short to tell a movie like this.

 

[galleywest]

My sister reminded me of one of her favorites, which is Picnic at Hanging Rock. Both the original and the remake are eerie atmospheric pieces. I have to see the new one, it comes highly recommended to me (and I need some January viewing material).

Then this reminded me of The Haunting of Bly Manor, which was the weaving of a set of Henry James plots into one coherent storyline. If you haven't seen it, it's a really clever and often unsettling haunted house story. To me the best aspect was how it brought humanity and empathy into the story, making you understand what was happening with the ghosts as well as the living characters. Highly recommend! (I did watch Haunting of Hill House--another good one, though i like Bly Manor better.)

 

[DarrenTR1970]

@galleywassail If you're into haunted house movies I would recommend 'The Legend of Hell House' adopted from the Richard Matheson novel 'Hell House'.

Matheson adopted his own book, so I was actually able to read along with the movie as it unfolded; that how close the dialogue follows.

The only change is the shifting of the location of the haunted house in question from upstate New York to the English countryside in order to accommodate the English cast.

 

[Commander Troi]

Ooh, stuff to add to my To Watch list!

I loved Dark City but haven't seen it in ages. A re-watch seems in order.

I know I saw Tin Man, but don't think I saw Alice or Neverland. I often enjoy new twists on old stories.

@JD I want to live in Eureka! Such a fun show.

Given the season, I have to recommend the gloriously weird Finnish Christmas movie, Rare Exports. I can't describe it, but it's fun and funny and has amazing visuals.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401143/

 

[dupersuper]

Ooh, stuff to add to my To Watch list!

You say that with far more excitement than I would. So much to watch/read/listen to, so little time.

 

[tomalak301]

I know it's not quite the same as the other stuff we've been talking about, but I've loved the titular town ever since I first saw Eureka.

Last year when I was watching the Stargates, I was thinking about Eureka. Just that time period in the network just brought back a lot of memories in my life. Maybe in the new year I do a watch of Eureka and Wherehouse 13. There is also Dark Matter and Killjoys, but I think those came a few years later.

 

[dupersuper]

Maybe in the new year I do a watch of Eureka and Wherehouse 13.

No Alphas?

 

[Truffula]

Hmm, Rare Exports sounds really interesting. I'll have to see if I can watch that some time!

 

[tomalak301]

No Alphas?

I kind of forgot about that one. Wasn’t it short lived?

 

[Christopher]

I kind of forgot about that one. Wasn’t it short lived?

Alphas ran two seasons, which is more than a lot of shows get.

 

[publiusr]

@galleywassail If you're into haunted house movies I would recommend 'The Legend of Hell House' adopted from the Richard Matheson novel 'Hell House'.

I like that better than THE HAUNTING.

Roddy’s strongest role too.

 

[vandevere]

I like that better than THE HAUNTING.

Roddy’s strongest role too.

Ah..."The Legend of Hell House"...

The one movie where I still sleep with the lights on when I see it.

 

[Commander Troi]

Last year when I was watching the Stargates, I was thinking about Eureka. Just that time period in the network just brought back a lot of memories in my life. Maybe in the new year I do a watch of Eureka and Wherehouse 13. There is also Dark Matter and Killjoys, but I think those came a few years later.

SyFy still does some fun shows, but now tends to kill them sooner.

 

[Christopher]

SyFy still does some fun shows, but now tends to kill them sooner.

Not really. If you look at the link in my previous post (here it is again), the list I made there shows that a bit over half of SciFi/Syfy's shows over its history have been cancelled after no more than two seasons -- pretty typical for any network, really. It's always been more common in television for shows to get cancelled after only one or two seasons, or even less, than to have long runs. But the irony is that we forget most of the short-lived shows, which creates the false impression in our minds that the long-lived shows are the rule rather than the exception.

 

[Commander Troi]

Not really. If you look at the link in my previous post (here it is again), the list I made there shows that a bit over half of SciFi/Syfy's shows over its history have been cancelled after no more than two seasons -- pretty typical for any network, really. It's always been more common in television for shows to get cancelled after only one or two seasons, or even less, than to have long runs. But the irony is that we forget most of the short-lived shows, which creates the false impression in our minds that the long-lived shows are the rule rather than the exception.

Good point. I was thinking of the gloriously bizarre Vagrant Queen, which only got one season (probably because the first few eps were meh), and this year's super fun SurrealEstate, which:

In October 2021, series creator George Olsen confirmed that Syfy would not be picking up a second season, adding that he would attempt to find a new home for the series. The originating Canadian network, CTV Sci-Fi, did not make any announcement regarding a renewal or cancellation at that time.​

 

[Christopher]

Good point. I was thinking of the gloriously bizarre Vagrant Queen, which only got one season (probably because the first few eps were meh), and this year's super fun SurrealEstate, which:

That's the fate of most young shows. Success is never guaranteed. But Syfy has kept a number of shows around for five full seasons, the maximum of any scripted show on Syfy (the only ones with longer runs were imports from elsewhere), recent ones including Killjoys, The Magicians, and Van Helsing, with Wynonna Earp making it four seasons.

Granted, though, in looking at Syfy's list of shows, it does seem that they don't currently have any shows that have been around for more than a year. So you might be right after all, at least as far as the past year or so is concerned. That is kind of odd.

 

[galleywest]

No Alphas?

Awwww, Alphas! I forgot about that! That was an interesting premise. I know, I know, special super human abilities, like we haven't seen that before. But they had some cool ideas! I would have watched that for a few seasons.

Had anyone seen Micmacs? It's one of those movies I always meant to watch and never got around to.

@DarrenTR1970, I could swear I've seen the Haunting of Hell House, but maybe I'm just thinking of The Haunting (the "your holding my hand too tight!" part always freaks me out).