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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: New Line Home Video
Salesrank: 784
Released: July 29, 2008 |
| Our Price: $11.99 |
| Used Price: $10.46 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
The critically-acclaimed triumph from visionary director Alex Proyas (I Robot The Crow) is back with a brand new directors cut featuring enhanced picture and sound never-before-seen footage and three commentary tracks that take you deeper than ever before into the world of one of sci-fis most exciting and revered tales. When John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes with no memory at the scene of a grisly murder he soon finds himself hunted by the police a woman claiming to be his wife and a mysterious group of pale men who seem to control everything and everyone in the city.Starring Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist) Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) William Hurt (A History of Violence) and Kiefer Sutherland (TVs 24).System Requirements:Running Time: 111 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY/FANTASY Rating: NR UPC: 794043122965 Manufacturer No: 1000040288
Description of Dark City (Director's Cut):
If you're a fan of brooding comic-book antiheroes, got a nihilistic jolt from The Crow (1994), and share director Alex Proyas's highly developed preoccupation for style over substance, you might be tempted to call Dark City an instant classic of visual imagination. It's one of those films that exists in a world purely of its own making, setting its own rules and playing by them fairly, so that even its derivative elements (and there are quite a few) acquire their own specific uniqueness. Before long, however, the film becomes interesting only as a triumph of production design. And while that's certainly enough to grab your attention (Blade Runner is considered a classic, after all), it's painfully clear that Dark City has precious little heart and soul. One-dimensional characters are no match for the film's abundance of retro-futuristic style, so it's best to admire the latter on its own splendidly cinematic terms. Trivia buffs will be interested to know that the film's 50-plus sets (partially inspired by German expressionism) were built at the Fox Film Studios in Sydney, Australia, home base of director Alex Proyas and producer Andrew Mason. The underground world depicted in the film required the largest indoor set ever built in Australia. --Jeff Shannon
Dark City (Director's Cut) Reviews:
Simple review. 
2008-09-07 - BOTH versions of the movie are on this blu-ray disc. The sound and picture are great even if the people seem soft in a few scenes. The extra features are nothing to write home about, but there are more here than on the standard DVD version (non Director's Cut). It also comes with a free download of the movie in standard format. Overall, I'm very pleased.
Movie: 4/5 Picture Quality: 3/5 Sound Quality: 4/5 Extras: 3.75/5 
2008-09-07 - Version: U.S.A / Region-A
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
VC-1 BD-50 / Advanced Profile 3
Disc size: 45,52 GB
DTS-HD Master Audio English 6046 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 6046kbps (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 1536kbps)
DTS Audio English 256 kbps 2.0 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 256kbps
DTS Audio English 256 kbps 2.0 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 256kbps
Theatrical cut [No seamless branching]
Running time: 1:40:29
Movie size: 19,71 GB
Average video bit rate: 18.09 Mbps
Director's cut [No seamless branching]
Running time: 1:51:43
Movie size: 21,82 GB
Average video bit rate: 17.83 Mbps
#Director's Cut Expanded Commentaries
#Guest Critic Commentary
#Filmmakers' Commentary
#Introduction by Alex Proyas and Roger Ebert (SD, 5 minutes)
#Memories of Shell Beach (SD, 43 minutes)
#Architecture of Dreams (SD, 34 minutes)
#Text Features
#Production Gallery
#Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2 minutes)
Verdict: Skip it, if you dislike wax figures
Awesome Movie
2008-09-06 - Good to sse this come out in a director's cut. This is a great movie. It is also the most "original" sci-fi movie ever.
If Only...
2008-09-06 - ...the studio had allowed Mr. Proyas to release THIS version (the Director's Cut) of Dark City to theaters, maybe it would have been better received. I will not do a laundry list of what has been added or removed but I will say I believe this version has more depth than the original theatrical release and, frankly, makes more sense without being obvious or losing the sense of the story unfolding for both the audience and John Murdoch at the same time. One thing I will give away is that they have removed the opening voice-over which, together with the music, makes for a tense, eerie opening atmosphere that I liked quite a lot. I also think they restored Jennifer Connelly's own voice to the scenes of her singing in the club but I can't be 100% sure. All in all, I much prefer this Director's Cut version to the theatrical release. Mr. Proyas says in the special features interview that this version represents more closely what his original vision was for the film and I think he did an excellent job. Just brilliant!
Dark City Director's Cut Blu-Ray is the definitive version of the Matrix-inspiring classic
2008-09-05 - It was pure chance that I watched Alex Proyas's masterpiece back in 1998. Nothing better to watch, so although the trailer left much to be desired, in I went. Lucky me: the movie blew me away, in much the same way that Neo's "this isn't real?" would blow me away the following year. I won't spend more time discussing the merits of the movie itself, let's just say it ranks in my top 3 as a stunning work of art and philosophy.
The changes in the Director's Cut are actually quite significant, and watching it I repeatedly raised my eyebrows and even gasped at a few of the scene changes. I still haven't decided which version of the movie is better, but thankfully both are on the disc for your viewing pleasure.
The image quality is everything you would expect from Blu-Ray... Watching it on my friend's Pioneer Plasma was a fantastic experience. As you can imagine, black levels are extremely important in this movie, and Proyas's excellent cinematography can really shine in this format. The surround sound is equally amazing.
I haven't checked out the extras but this is a great movie in a great presentation. It's a must-buy.
