13.3 Sci-Fi/Tech Noir
Sci-Fi/Tech Noir
Until the End of the World (Wim Wenders, 1991)
So-called post-noirs (modern tech-noirs, neo-noirs, or cyberpunk) appeared after the classic period with an attempt to revive the themes of classic noir, although they portrayed contemporary times and were often filmed in color. Tech-noir (also known as 'cyberpunk') refers specifically to a hybrid of high-tech science-fiction and film noirs portraying a decayed, grungy, unpromising, dark and dystopic future - similar to what was found in the low-life, underworld environments of hard-boiled 'pulp fiction' made popular by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
Tech-noirs are modern-day noirs set in futuristic settings. 'Cyberpunk' was first popularized by William Gibson's 1984 book Neuromancer, and best exemplified in the late 70s-90s with the following cyber-noir films - some described earlier:
*Ridley Scott's dark horror film Alien (1979) (Links to an external site.), set in outer
-space, told about the crew of a deep space trawler named Nostromo that became
infested with an extraterrestrial parasite from an alien spaceship on an uncharted planet.
-space, told about the crew of a deep space trawler named Nostromo that became
infested with an extraterrestrial parasite from an alien spaceship on an uncharted planet.
*writer/director Peter Hyams' Outland (1981) starred Sean Connery, with a space-related
science-fiction plot borrowed from High Noon (1952) (Links to an external site.) - it
was ridiculed as "High Moon."
science-fiction plot borrowed from High Noon (1952) (Links to an external site.) - it
was ridiculed as "High Moon."
*also, Ridley Scott's sci-fi thriller Blade Runner (1982) (Link Here) set its film noirish
story in a decaying, tech-noir LA society of the future, with Harrison Ford as a futuristic,
LA 'blade-running' detective intent on killing replicant-androids.
story in a decaying, tech-noir LA society of the future, with Harrison Ford as a futuristic,
LA 'blade-running' detective intent on killing replicant-androids.
*Michael Radford's Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984), based on George Orwell's fearful tale
of totalitarianism under Big Brother and filmed with de-colorized shades of color, told
about Ministry of Truth worker Winston Smith (John Hurt) who fell in love with Julia
(Suzanna Hamilton) with disastrous consequences.
of totalitarianism under Big Brother and filmed with de-colorized shades of color, told
about Ministry of Truth worker Winston Smith (John Hurt) who fell in love with Julia
(Suzanna Hamilton) with disastrous consequences.
*James Cameron's The Terminator (1984) (Links to an external site.) told about a
indestructible cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent from the futuristic year of 2029 to
kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in 1984, the future mother of resistance leader John
Connor.
indestructible cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent from the futuristic year of 2029 to
kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in 1984, the future mother of resistance leader John
Connor.
*Paul Verhoeven's Robocop (1987), set in crime-ridden Detroit, told about cop Alex
Murphy (Peter Weller) who was graphically executed in the line of duty, and brought
back (resurrected) as a cyborg RoboCop to curb crime in the city led by gang member
Clarence Botticker (Kurtwood Smith).
Murphy (Peter Weller) who was graphically executed in the line of duty, and brought
back (resurrected) as a cyborg RoboCop to curb crime in the city led by gang member
Clarence Botticker (Kurtwood Smith).
*Steve de Jarnatt's chilling apocalyptic film noir Miracle Mile (1989) told about a
musician (Anthony Edwards) who intercepted a phone booth call outside a coffee shop
from a panicked missile silo operator and accidentally learned that a nuclear war had just
been initiated.
musician (Anthony Edwards) who intercepted a phone booth call outside a coffee shop
from a panicked missile silo operator and accidentally learned that a nuclear war had just
been initiated.
*Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall (1990), based upon a tale by Philip K. Dick, told about
construction worker Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in the year 2084 who used
the services of Rekall, Inc's travel agency to take a fantasy adventure trip (as a secret
agent) to the planet of Mars through an implanted memory chip
construction worker Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in the year 2084 who used
the services of Rekall, Inc's travel agency to take a fantasy adventure trip (as a secret
agent) to the planet of Mars through an implanted memory chip
*German director Wim Wenders' haunting, sci-fi noir Until the End of the World (1991),
partially a road film and love-triangle story, told about the end of the century in the year
1999, when nuclear war threatened (in the shape of a rogue, out-of-orbit Indian nuclear
satellite); it told about young woman Claire Tourneur (Solveig Dommartin) who met a
mysterious stranger named "Trevor"/Sam (William Hurt) while serving as a courier for a
bank heist, leading her into a web of intrigue around the world
partially a road film and love-triangle story, told about the end of the century in the year
1999, when nuclear war threatened (in the shape of a rogue, out-of-orbit Indian nuclear
satellite); it told about young woman Claire Tourneur (Solveig Dommartin) who met a
mysterious stranger named "Trevor"/Sam (William Hurt) while serving as a courier for a
bank heist, leading her into a web of intrigue around the world
*the big-budget, cyberpunk film Johnny Mnemonic (1995), a derivative adaptation of
scriptwriter William Gibson's own cyberpunk short story, and a Keanu Reeves-precursor
to The Matrix (1999) (Links to an external site.), told about the title character, a 21st
century courier (Reeves) with downloaded information in his data-packed head who must
transport the top-secret data from China to New Jersey in a race against time before his
brain exploded (due to 'synaptic seepage') in 24 hours
scriptwriter William Gibson's own cyberpunk short story, and a Keanu Reeves-precursor
to The Matrix (1999) (Links to an external site.), told about the title character, a 21st
century courier (Reeves) with downloaded information in his data-packed head who must
transport the top-secret data from China to New Jersey in a race against time before his
brain exploded (due to 'synaptic seepage') in 24 hours
*Kathryn Bigelow's film noirish, high-tech apocalyptic thriller Strange Days (1995), from
a script co-written by her husband director James Cameron, was set on Millenium New
Years Eve; it featured ex-cop hustler Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) who was involved in
marketing Virtual Reality discs (sexy and violent digital content or "clips") fed directly
into the cortex of the brain; he uncovered a plot involving illicit 'blackjack' playback
clips of murders (snuff films)
a script co-written by her husband director James Cameron, was set on Millenium New
Years Eve; it featured ex-cop hustler Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) who was involved in
marketing Virtual Reality discs (sexy and violent digital content or "clips") fed directly
into the cortex of the brain; he uncovered a plot involving illicit 'blackjack' playback
clips of murders (snuff films)
*Brett Leonard's cyber-age VR thriller Virtuosity (1995) starred Russell Crowe as
computer-generated criminal mastermind named SID 6.7 (Sadistic, Intelligent,
Dangerous) in near-future Los Angeles - a virtual reality killer originally to serve as a
police-training tool - who broke free into the real world and was pitted against vengeful
LA police officer Lt. Parker Barnes (Denzel Washington)
computer-generated criminal mastermind named SID 6.7 (Sadistic, Intelligent,
Dangerous) in near-future Los Angeles - a virtual reality killer originally to serve as a
police-training tool - who broke free into the real world and was pitted against vengeful
LA police officer Lt. Parker Barnes (Denzel Washington)
*New Zealand screenwriter Andrew Niccol's directorial debut film Gattaca (1997) about
futuristic genetic engineering was set in the near future; it starred Ethan Hawke as
Vincent Freeman - a naturally-born 'in-valid' working as a janitor at the aerospace
company Gattaca, who posed as a genetically-engineered elite worker and future
astronaut by borrowing the genes of a perfect specimen - he was threatened to be
exposed when a murder in the company revealed the presence of a genetic inferior
futuristic genetic engineering was set in the near future; it starred Ethan Hawke as
Vincent Freeman - a naturally-born 'in-valid' working as a janitor at the aerospace
company Gattaca, who posed as a genetically-engineered elite worker and future
astronaut by borrowing the genes of a perfect specimen - he was threatened to be
exposed when a murder in the company revealed the presence of a genetic inferior
*Alex Proyas' labyrinthine, visually-inspiring tech-noir Dark City (1998), a combination
of science fiction (inspired by Metropolis (1927) (Links to an external site.)) and crime
melodrama, was set in a strange, futuristic, post-modern (40s style), dark urban locale;
the story involved an underground, malevolent, pale-skinned alien race called the
Strangers (led by Mr. Book (Ian Richardson)) who control human consciousness and
memory, and the plight of amnesia-suffering, murder-suspect John Murdoch (Rufus
Sewell) searching for his identity while eluding police detective Bumstead (William
Hurt) and the Strangers, but who also found himself confronted by sinister psychiatrist
Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland)
of science fiction (inspired by Metropolis (1927) (Links to an external site.)) and crime
melodrama, was set in a strange, futuristic, post-modern (40s style), dark urban locale;
the story involved an underground, malevolent, pale-skinned alien race called the
Strangers (led by Mr. Book (Ian Richardson)) who control human consciousness and
memory, and the plight of amnesia-suffering, murder-suspect John Murdoch (Rufus
Sewell) searching for his identity while eluding police detective Bumstead (William
Hurt) and the Strangers, but who also found himself confronted by sinister psychiatrist
Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland)
*David Cronenberg's cautionary, plot-twisting, game-related, alternate-reality, sci-fi horror
film eXistenZ (1999) explored a 'virtual reality' (VR) game called Existenz to which
players could become addicted; players with organic pods were connected by umbilical
-like cords inserted in ``bioports" or orifices at the base of their spines; the deceptive plot
was triggered by an assassination attempt during a demonstration of the game by game
-master Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh)
film eXistenZ (1999) explored a 'virtual reality' (VR) game called Existenz to which
players could become addicted; players with organic pods were connected by umbilical
-like cords inserted in ``bioports" or orifices at the base of their spines; the deceptive plot
was triggered by an assassination attempt during a demonstration of the game by game
-master Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh)
*the Wachowski Brothers' popular, imaginative, visually-stunning science-fiction action
film The Matrix (1999) (Links to an external site.) and The Matrix Trilogy (1999-2003),
began with the premise that all of humanity, in the year 2199, was inside a computer
simulation dreamworld (The Matrix), that the actual Earth was scorched, and that
everyone had been tricked into believing that the simulation was reality; it starred Keanu
Reeves as "Neo" - a computer software company techie programmer and illegal hacker
real-named Thomas Anderson - who was informed that he was the champion or chosen
one to save Mankind from a malevolent, sentient machine race
film The Matrix (1999) (Links to an external site.) and The Matrix Trilogy (1999-2003),
began with the premise that all of humanity, in the year 2199, was inside a computer
simulation dreamworld (The Matrix), that the actual Earth was scorched, and that
everyone had been tricked into believing that the simulation was reality; it starred Keanu
Reeves as "Neo" - a computer software company techie programmer and illegal hacker
real-named Thomas Anderson - who was informed that he was the champion or chosen
one to save Mankind from a malevolent, sentient machine race
*Josef Rusnak's tech-noir sci-fi, time-twisting and complex film The Thirteenth Floor
(1999) told how falsely-accused murder suspect Douglas Hall (Craig Bierko) had to
"jack into" the simulated virtual reality world of 1937 LA to discover the truth of the
killing.
(1999) told how falsely-accused murder suspect Douglas Hall (Craig Bierko) had to
"jack into" the simulated virtual reality world of 1937 LA to discover the truth of the
killing.
*Steven Spielberg's cyber-noirish action film Minority Report (2002), from an adapted
Philip K. Dick story, was set in the futuristic year of 2054; it starred Tom Cruise as Chief
John Anderton of the DC's Department of Pre-Crime - a cop whose job was to prevent
pre-committed murders (using the psychic abilities of three "precogs"), until he was
forced to flee and prove his innocence when he was identified as a killer, in advance
Philip K. Dick story, was set in the futuristic year of 2054; it starred Tom Cruise as Chief
John Anderton of the DC's Department of Pre-Crime - a cop whose job was to prevent
pre-committed murders (using the psychic abilities of three "precogs"), until he was
forced to flee and prove his innocence when he was identified as a killer, in advance
- Tim Dirks, FilmSite - Link Here
YOUTUBE CLIP OF ROBOCOP
RoboCop (4/11) Movie CLIP - You're Coming with Me (1987) HD
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
When RoboCop (Peter Weller) intervenes in a gas station robbery, he comes across one of the criminals that ended his old life.
FILM DESCRIPTION:
Paul Verhoeven's American breakthrough film, Robocop, is an exceedingly violent blend of black comedy, science fiction, and crime thriller. Set in Detroit sometime in the near future, the film is about a policeman (Peter Weller) killed in the line of duty whom the department decides to resurrect as a half-human, half-robot supercop. The RoboCop is indestructible, and within a matter of weeks he has removed crime from the streets of Detroit. However, his human side is tortured by his past, and he wants revenge on the thugs who killed him. The film was later followed by two feature-length sequels and a live-action television series, neither of which were as successful as the original film.
YOUTUBE CLIP OF DARK CITY
The city is falling asleep | Dark City [Director's Cut]
The city is falling asleep | Dark City [Director's Cut]
Dark City (1998)
Scene: The city is falling asleep
Playlist: https://is.gd/HqMDGm
Storyline: A man struggles with memories of his past, which includes a wife he cannot remember, and a nightmarish world without a sun.
Director: Alex Proyas
Writers: Alex Proyas (story), Alex Proyas (screenplay), Lem Dobbs (screenplay), David S. Goyer (screenplay)
Cast: Rufus Sewell (John Murdoch), William Hurt (Inspector Frank Bumstead), Kiefer Sutherland (Dr. Daniel Schrebe), Jennifer Connelly (Emma Murdoch), Richard O'Brien (Mr Hand), Ian Richardson (Mr Book), Bruce Spence (Mr Wall), Colin Friels (Walenski), Mitchell Butel (Husselbeck), Melissa George (May)
Production Companies:
Mystery Clock Cinema
New Line Cinema
WarnerMedia©
YOUTUBE CLIP OF UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD TRAILER
Until The End Of The World Trailer (1991) - William Hurt Movie HD
Until The End Of The World Trailer (1991) - William Hurt Movie HD
Link Here
Until The End Of The World Trailer (1991) - William Hurt Movie HD
Set in 1999, a woman (Dommartin) has a car accident with some bank robbers, who enlist her help to take the bank money to a drop in Paris...
Cast:
William Hurt: http://j.mp/TBO6p7
Sam Neill: http://j.mp/VTrS3S
Max von Sydow: http://j.mp/T1MgS3
Tom Waits: http://j.mp/111UGtI
Director:
Wim Wenders: http://j.mp/Zh3yKN
Producer:
Jonathan Tapin
Ulrich Felsberg
Julia Overton
Paulo Branco
Rosanna Roditi
Masa Mikage
Writer:
Peter Carey
Wim Wenders: http://j.mp/W6AesW
Solveig Dommartin
Michael Almereyda
Editor:
Peter Przygodda: http://j.mp/Zh3ydD
Cinematographer:
Robby Müller: http://j.mp/W6AgkD
Composer:
Graeme Revell: http://j.mp/VjUe6v
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