Underappreciated 'Dark City' Heading Back to Theaters?

When people talk about distinct, vibrant depictions of the future in movies, there are a few candidates that always come up: Metropolis, Blade Runner, I guess you could throw Minority Report in the mix (I know I would).

And then there's Dark City, which is probably the least well-known flawless movie of the last ten years or so. Even though no less an authority than Roger Ebert named it his best film of 1998, there still has not been enough tribute paid to Alex Proyas' best and most unique production.

It's gothic, moody, incorporates a lot of influences from the past but doesn't ape them and instead crafts something wholly new that has gone on to influence a lot of other filmmakers in the ten years since its release.

So it's deeply gratifying to hear that Dark City may get re-released theatrically, which would only make sense if a slick new DVD launch were to follow, so let's hope that's true.

Bloody Disgusting recently caught up to David Goyer, who co-wrote the film, and he was full of information. "It's coming out fairly soon [and will] probably have limited theatrical, but Im not sure," says Goyer. "I have seen almost all of it and I took part in an over hour long making-of."

The film, which stars Rufus Sewell, Keifer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, and (if you look closely) Melissa George, was an effects feast probably half a decade ahead of its time technically and in terms of its atmospheric storytelling, I'd say that for a studio release, it's still ahead of its time.

Despite all that, Goyer told Bloody Disgusting that there were several substantive changes made, with a new score (or at least a new recording of the score) and a longer running time. I remember seeing it in the theater at the time, although I didn't give it my full attention until watching it on DVD some months later. When I did, I wished I could go back and see it again the way it was intended.

Now, maybe there's hope that we all can.