Talk:Dark City

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Archives /Archive 1: Dec 2003 - Nov 2006

[edit] Twist ending?

Why is this in the list of films with a twist ending? I didn't see any twist when I watched it. Does anyone else agree that it should be removed?156.34.211.124 19:15, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

The twist is that the dark city is, in fact, an island in space. It's more of a surprise if you didn't listen to the voice-over that begins the film.

Atlant 22:07, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

Aren't you supposed to listen to the narration? The people who made the movie put it there for a reason...131.202.129.50 14:22, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

It appears that the narration was added ex-post-facto to help folks who don't like to be mentally challenged by a film. You've seen the statement come-and-go in the article that afficionados often turn down the sound during the opeining narration. (I don't, but I already know all the secrets that the film holds.) But even with the narration, the fact that the dark city is an island in space is not revealed and remains a surprise for the moment when Bumstead and Murdoch break through the wall at "Shell Beach".

Atlant 16:41, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Interesting, now that I think about it the movie would have been better if it let the audience think for themselves...the movie would have been full of twists actually.156.34.221.193 22:59, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

(Addition) I don't think it would count as a twist ending, that discovery of an island in space happened looong before the events near the end of the film (injection, fighting, rebirth), unless I'm mistaken.156.34.221.193 23:03, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

I'm removing it unless someone can prove that the movie ends around the time the island is revealed. 156.34.217.181 14:59, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

Just how close to the end does it have to occur to satisfy this requirement? 5, 10, 15 minutes? In The Village (film), the movie goes on for about, what, 20 or 30 minutes after the twist is revealed? You are trying to quantify what has so far been a qualitative measure. Do you want there to be separate categories for "Twist Endings", "Twist Middles", "Twists that occur 25-30 Minutes From The Ending"? There does not exist a definitive quantitative measure for when a Plot twist qualifies as a Twist ending. Instead, a twist ending is defined generally has occurring at the end of the film or in proximity to the climax. I'd say the primary climax of the film is definitely the battle between the lead stranger and the hero, but the confrontation at Shell Beach definitely qualifies as a climax. It can be viewed as the beginning of the climactic sequence, or as a climax the builds up to the big one. Considering it is the scene immediately before the climax, I think it falls in this realm. Personally, I'd say it qualifies as a "Twist Ending". But, I'll tell you what. We can all pretty much agree that the whole category that is "Twist Endings" is really a sub-category of that which can be called "Plot Twists". I also see the article for Twist endings is overflowing, but the article for Plot twists is rather anemic. What say we move the bulk of the info from twist endings to plot twists, and replace List of films with a twist ending with List of films with a plot twist? That should make everyone happy, and doesn't get us mired in unmeasurable qualifications. --Reverend Loki 18:42, 15 December 2006 (UTC)

You do raise some good points. I was only trying to help improve the article, to me it didn't seem like there was a sudden, unexpected conclusion. Please calm down (you look upset in your typing). - 156.34.217.161, 16:19, 16 December 2006 (UTC)

Nah, that was more along the lines of philosophical rambling as opposed to exasperated ranting inducing those rhetorical questions (in retrospect, I can see how they can look the same with the verbal inflections removed...) I do appreciate your motives, though. However, I may yet act upon the whole twist ending->plot twist idea yet... --Reverend Loki 18:50, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Gaping plot hole?

I love this movie, but I'm kind of confused. So, one time John woke up in the middle of being injected with memories. So what? The Strangers just fled the scene? Couldn't they just restrain anyone who does this and inject them again? Unless they struggle and escape, but then they would remember struggling and escaping. John just wakes up in a bathtub with no memories at all. How does that make sense? I assumed the reason he was a known serial killer was because someone when the police found him the Strangers would know exactly where he was, but no, he's just a known serial killer because his new memories were going to make him into one. So this means the Strangers took no measures to catch him other than 'guys let's chase him down'. --70.81.114.188 20:38, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

Although never explicitly stated, I believe it is heavily implied that no Strangers were present at this time. Once the scenario is setup, there is nothing more for the Strangers to do, so hey leave. The doctor then follows along making the injections. So, when he came to, the only one present was Kiefer Sutherland's character, and he wasn't real eager for the Strangers to have that it of info. --Reverend Loki 22:14, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Ohh, right. That makes sense. --70.81.114.188 00:40, 12 January 2007 (UTC)