It wasn't easy but I managed to grab a copy of the new blu-ray release of Dark City. When I say it wasn't easy, I mean it: there was a queer shortage of the discs all over town. It wasn't to be found at Best Buy, Circuit City, or Virgin Megastore. I finally found a copy at the Union Square Barnes & Nobles of all places.
Ever since the abysmal director's cut of The Abyss, I've been wary of re-edited films, director's vision or no director's vision. However, Dark City has long been one of my absolute favorite films. So, with much excitement and a dash of trepidation, I tossed the disc into the PS3. This action almost induced a fit the likes of which even Richard Pryor in The Toy had never seen. Almost.
When I popped the disc into the PS3, it loaded as it should. After a moment, it pauses at a screen at which you can select the director's cut or the theatrical cut. All was well. Well, all was well until I touched any (and I mean any) button on the bluetooth remote. As soon as I pressed a button, I was dumped out of the player, back to the cross-media bar. I tried many different buttons. None of them worked.
A lesser man might have quit but not I. In a stroke of pure, unadulterated genius, I tried the controller instead of the remote. Problem solved. I don't know what sense that makes but there it is. At least I got the movie to play.
Other than removing the voice-over at the beginning (ala the Blade Runner director's cut- coincedence?), the changes from the theatrical release are mostly subtle but almost always welcome.
Instead of being told up front essentially exactly what is going on and why, it is now slowly drawn out over the course of the film. We're no longer waiting for John Murdoch to catch up with what's already been revealed to us. We find everything out at the same time.
Since I can't recall anything being cut in the new edit, it must certainly be longer than the old one. That said, I couldn't tell by watching it. It just moves along so well, and I was so caught up in it, that by the time I looked away from the TV the end credits were running. It was already a great film and I think this edition makes it just that little bit better. I already can't wait to watch it again.
There aren't too many villains better than Mr. Hand. Oh, how I've missed him.
It seems that life is never without its little problems. I got the new PC up and running but I can't get my laptop hard drive to work. I've got it inside an external enclosure and when I plug in the USB cables, I get a blinking red light as if the drive is working or thinking or plotting acts of unkindness but Windows just won't see it. I've tried it at work on an XP PC and here at home on Vista. No dice on either flavor of OS. The hard drive was not the reason the laptop went south so I'm assuming at the moment that it is alive and well inside its new home. However, I'm running out of ideas on why Windows is shunning it. Something will have to be done. I just don't know what that something is yet.
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