Film Analysis: Dark City (1998)

   To further understand the influence of German Expressionism on contemporary media, we will look at the thematic and stylistic elements adapted from the film movement in modern sci-fi film Dark City (1998) by Alex Proyas.

   Dark City unfolds its story in a world where aliens known as the Strangers have taken control over the humans with the latter functioning as lab mice in the former’s grand experiment. A man, who wakes up and finds himself amnesic, flees from the pursuit by a group of strange men after receiving advice from a mysterious caller, Dr. Schreber. As he journeys to gain knowledge of his true identity as “John”, he discovers his ability to “tune”, similar to that of the Strangers that allows him to make changes in things by his will. In the midst of all conflicts surrounding his interactions with the Strangers, Emma (his wife), Dr. Schreber (a scientist working for the strangers) and Inspector Bumstead (a curious member of the authority), he uncovers the truth to the reality of the world in which memories are artificial and there is no day and places outside of the city. He combats the Strangers with his newfound ability in tuning with the help of Dr. Schreber and upon his triumph, he creates daylight and a place that exists in his vague memory, Shell Beach and meets Emma who has become Anna in a memory alteration.

   The central theme of madness in German Expressionist films can be observed in the nature of the story world and the characters living through their vexation. Madness is prevalent in the experimentation of the Strangers on human memory as means to overcome their crisis in extinction. They are eager to become like humans although they think of them as inferior and are consumed by so immense an obsession that they are willing to risk imprinting human memory into themselves despite their logical character. Eddie Walenski becomes insane from realizing the truth, spending his days in recluse and drawing spirals in his room. He commits suicide in a jolly state, calling it “a way out”. In fact, the whole world is crazy for not noticing the obvious in which there is no daytime at all in the city. People could not explain the oxymoron in how they could not remember important details in life and the way to Shell Beach but are still comfortable living in the realm. The landscape of the city changes every so often and no one is able to tell any difference after their sleep. John too turns to the madness within himself when he knowingly accepts the desirable part of his artificial memory and changes the world into a place he acknowledges, becoming the new “Stranger” of the story world himself.  

   Revolt is represented by John Murdoch, from the triggering event of his resistance to the memory injection to later on his fight against the Strangers who have long exercised control over humans. John has been pursued throughout the entire film, either by the police or the Strangers which are both symbols of the authority. He revolts against the police by refusing to be arrested for crimes he did not commit while against the Strangers, he rejects to live the live forced into him for the likes of the Strangers. Dr. Schreber who has aided the Strangers in their experiment, reacted to John’s awakening by betraying the all-powerful Strangers. He assisted John in his escape and injects into him a tutorial to combat the Strangers. On the other hand, Inspector Bumstead acts upon realization of the irregularities in the world and embarks on a journey with John to seek the truth, putting his life on the line. 

   Self-analysis is another German Expressionist theme present in the film, whereby the characters would constantly be looking for themselves, their identities. John Murdoch is a solid example of self-analysis being portrayed explicitly as he has been searching for his identity all along. Also, the Strangers with a collective mind, are also pursuing the individuality that lies in human souls to acquire a perfect genetic construct that will ensure both their survivability and superiority. Mr Hand showed his desire for an identity explicitly in two particular scenes; one when he requests for John Murdoch’s memory to be imprinted on him and at the end of the film where he tells John Murdoch about his desire to understand the human soul.

   Primitive sexual savagery is seen from the depiction of primal and beastly instincts of the child Stranger. He represents a raw, uncultured soul that seeks violence. He is most fond of the idea of killing John, openly declaring his intention to kill him. He finds pleasure in killing women and carving spirals onto their dead bodies (Figure 4.01). In the scene where John falls clinging to the building, the child Stranger bites his hand in attempt to throw him off the building instead of using a knife or other weapons (Figure 4.02). This acts as a depiction of the dark primal instincts found in the nature of beings.

Figure 4.01 Woman murdered and carved with spirals

Figure 4.02 Child Stranger biting John’s hand

   Dark City by Alex Proyas is reminiscent of Metropolis by Fritz Lang as it questions what makes human human and why it cannot be changed by decree. “Both films are about false worlds created to fabricate ideal societies, and in both the machinery of the rulers is destroyed by the hearts of the ruled. Both are parables in which a dangerous weapon attacks the order of thing: a free human who can see what really is, and question it.”  (Ebert, 2005)

   Dark City is set in a surrealistic or dream-like (nightmarish) world, typical of a German Expressionist setting. There is a world underneath the world where the Strangers established machinery for their experiments unknown to the humans (Figure 4.03). The city comes with no daytime and changes its landscape in the flick of an eye. In fact, no other places exist outside of the city and the city itself is connected to the outer space (Figure 4.03b).

Figure 4.03 The machine that allows Strangers to focus their psychokinetic ability in a Gothic design of a mask

Figure 4.03b John and Inspector Bumstead uncovers the truth to the world

   Distortion of reality can be observed in the shape-shifting of the buildings and interiors when the tuning commences. Buidings twist and turn, elongate, stretch and expand while patterns form and grow on furniture (Figure 4.04 and Figure 4.05). The doorway to Shell Beach is narrow and slanted (Figure 4.06), casting a striking resemblance to the slanted doors in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The irregularity of the world in Dark City enhances the feelings of unpredictability and insecurity in the film.

Figure 4.04 Furniture stretches and patterns grow

Figure 4.05 Distorted staircase

Figure 4.06 Doorway to Shell Beach through the narrow corridor

   The distortion and wicked psychological state are further suggested by the gothic and dark appearance of the Strangers. The Strangers are pale, bald, wear only black colour clothing and have stiff, rigid and constricted movements (Figure 4.07). They have little movements in putting humans to sleep or even when attempting murder. It reinforces the fact that the Strangers are alien beings and their dark appearances symbolize evil.

Figure 4.07 The Stranger

   Heavy and dramatic shadows play a significant part in the film to create an intense mood of murkiness (as shown in Figure 4.08). As most events take place at night time, the entire film is dark and dimly lit with low-key lighting to suggest malice and insecurity. The film plays with lighting especially at the scene where upon the entrance to a bedroom with hard light, the light bulb swings from one end to another (Figure 4.09). This instils a sense of instability and puts the audience off their psychological balance to evoke fear. When the Strangers arrive at the police station, their shadows are casted on the floor as they make their entrance (Figure 4.10). Shadows that used to tell the story through the casted shadows (Figure 4.11) to show the actions of the character are evident of German Expressionism influence where the technique originated from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu.

Figure 4.08 Prevalence of area of darkness in scene

Figure 4.09 Lightbulb swinging in the bathroom



Figure 4.10 The Strangers enter the police station

Figure 4.11 The Stranger approaches

    Oblique angle is seen in the scene where John escapes from the inspector, running down the stairs. The camera follows his movement down the stairs from the top view, revealing a zig-zag shape of the staircase (figure 4.12). It depicts feelings of anxiety and confusion in John when he finds out about the danger surrounding his situation.

 Figure 4.12 The staircase

   “This is essentially an old film noir amnesiac yarn, set in a hostile urban environment defined by late '40s noir ("Dark City" could easily have served as the title for just about any noir ever made). But tale is shot through with a futuristic element that vastly increases the visual opportunities beyond dark shadows on slick city streets.”  (McCarthy, 1998).

Updated: 6 April 2012

References

Ebert, R. (2005, November 6). Dark City. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from RobertEbert:

   http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article

   AID=%2F20051106%2FREVIEWS08%2F511060302

McCarthy, T. (1998, February 19). Dark City (Futuristic Thriller--Color). 

   Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Variety: 

   http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117467192/