MovieChat Forums > Dark City (1998) Discussion > Who saw this in cinemas back in 98?

Who saw this in cinemas back in 98?

posted 9 years ago by bozo_500
25 replies | jump to latest

Who saw this back in the day? What were your memories - the anticipation of seeing it in the weeks/days before, the actually seeing it and how much a big deal was it where you were back then, the crowds, audience etc and after coming out of the cinema what were your thoughts and in the days/weeks that followed...
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I remember being intrigued by the film noirish poster http://posterposse.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Darkcity.jpg, it being from the director of The Crow, and vague reviews which described it as Kafkaesque (had a very vague awareness about the works of Kafka). thought was would be something similar to the J Irons Kafka movie (which I hadn't seen but read about in Cinefantastique when it came out and was intrigued. in fact I still haven't seen it yet). Absolutely didn't know it was a SciFi movie (don't think it was revealed in any promo stuff although I wont have seen the trailer or anything back then like you can now easily) so when weird SF stuff started happening it was a big surprise, and recall being very shocked when they broke through the wall (and when we saw the whole picture I immediately thought 'Terry Prachett!'). as youd expected there was only me an maybe a couple others in the theatre (which has since closed which kind of adds a sort of Dark Cityesque distant memories quality for me now). quite a haunting film so it stayed with me a good long while after - the mystery of it all...the eerie dark atmosphere ..the retro/gothic/noir 'night hawks'/kafka look....that feel of a dark underworld that only some people know about.. the urban legendness of it ('whens the last time you saw daylight'/the need to get to Shell Beach/the circle rats in a maze symbol/Walenskis madness/the alleyway leading to the door revealing 'shell beach' and then breaking through the poster brick wall where they uncover 'the truth')..

[–] ShaskaRevolver 9 years ago

Saw it in french Canada, opening day when I was 14. Nobody was really talking about that movie and we were only like 10 people in the theater. Still, I remember being the only one of my friends who loved it really much. I was blown away buy the special effects (big city at the end on screen was amazing) and loved the noir aspect of it. I think it was the most underrated movie of that time and nobody cared.
Back than it was forgotten easily but I was sure it would become a cult one. And thats what happened.
Also, thanks to Roger Ebert who put it number 1 on his list of 1998 films.

[–] tgovostis 9 years ago

I did. Initially was disappointed as my expectations were so high after the Crow. Repeated viewings made it grow on me.

[–] jkcj37 9 years ago

my vivid memory of this film was sitting in the cinema and after about 30 minutes thinking "i have no idea what is going on. but i dont care, whatever it is i am loving it" by the end all was understood and i left having seen one of the best films i seen in years

[–] jrowe805 9 years ago

I saw it in the theater in a town close to Shell Beach, CA.

I forgot how to get there though, I think you take a left turn at Albaquerque

[–] bozo_500 9 years ago

the other day I paid a visit to the cinema where I saw it back in 98. its gone now replaced with a music store. I walked about trying to picture where I was I saw the posters in plastic at the entrance, where youd buy the tickets, popcorn etc and then where I may have sat to watch it..

felt abit Dark Cityish with the buildings getting altered and me as Murdock trying to remember stuff...

[–] ashmoore01 9 years ago

That's an interesting thought. Awesome.

[–] bozo_500 (12228) 5 years ago

Thanks it was interesting 😊

[–] spanners163 (75) 5 years ago

Impossible. It's been a music store for 30 years. No days off for good behaviour.

[–] santosreyesgar-sr 7 years ago

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^the other day I paid a visit to the cinema where I saw it back in 98. its gone now replaced with a music store^^^^^^^....they still have music stores? hhhmmm interesting,

[–] b-a-h TNT-6 9 years ago

I did. To be honest, I think it was just "ok" the first time I saw it, though I enjoyed the way it looked A LOT. It kinda grew on me. And I think the director's cut did a good job cutting out the unnecessary explanation at the beginning which killed the mystery.

[–] edofarabia17 8 years ago

I was 14 at the time and my dad took me to see the late show on a school night. It was great because it was us and three other people in the entire theatre. The sound did not work until a little after the doctor checked his watch which gave it an even earier feel to the film. My dad and i loved the noir mixed with the scifi and walked away from it very satisfied. For the next couple of weeks we would greet each other by saying "Hello Mr. Murdoch..." LOL

[–] sean-elstob 8 years ago

I have very strong memories of this as I was a projectionist at the time of release in the UK. I had to rehearse our two 35mm prints on consecutive mornings at around 8am.
This being prior to release and not really being aware of what the film was about, other than it was from the director of The Crow, I didn't really know what to expect from it. This is the best way to experience new films in my opinion.
So for two mornings in a row, I was transported to another world and another dimension. Everything seemed so strange and off kilter, from the production design, the acting and Sutherland's bizarre line delivery.
An absolute favourite of mine and it beat The Matrix to the screen, with its concept of an alternate reality by nearly a year.

[–] bozo_500 8 years ago

nice - yes when I saw The Matrix the following year I had a strong deju vu feeling

[–] svalinanikola 8 years ago

I wish I've seen it in the cinema.

[–] bozo_500 8 years ago

I wish you could've seen it too. it was so good