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The Matrix - the concept - its roots
Posted By: agdDate: 6/10/03 8:10 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) (RunnerPaul)

: I'll grant you that. However, I still have reservations about the whole human
: beings as a source of power, especially since the Machines supposedly also
: have fusion power. It's the one glaring inconsistancy in the series so
: far, IMO. One could accept the fact at face value, that would be to accept
: a fact that's so glaringly self-contirdictory and seemingly not well
: thought out, from a series of movies that we've come to expect much better
: things from.

: I think the Conversatron says it much better than I could, so I'll leave a
: llink to that.

Okay, so this is not Marathon, but if the sci-fi discussion may be allowed to continue..

I haven't actually seen Reloaded yet!

But I'd like to comment on the Matrix in general.

Yes, it's got a lot to discuss philosophically and in terms of the plot logistics. But I don't think that the Wachowski brothers' genius is in their philosophical meanderings, or their story. I think they've done so well because they've been able to appropriate and rehash older concepts for a wider audience.

E.g. I take it many of you will have seen Ghost in the Shell (I'm talking about the 1995 movie, not Masamune Shirow's manga). The Wachowski brothers readily admit to the influence of anime in the creation of the Matrix, but if you watch Ghost in the Shell, you will see just how blatant this is. Bodily in-built computer hardware? Landing heavily atop buildings? The 'number-stream' credits thing? The cold-stark-minimal direction of photography/design? These were all in the Matrix (no. 1 at least).. ..but first in GitS. The Matrix positively reeks of GitS, even though the plotlines are really quite different (in the details, though not the man-machine interface concept). I would even go so far as to suggest that the Matrix movies are little more than a re-hashing of anime/sci-fi ideas (as seen in GitS) for mainstream western audiences, with a hip soundtrack laid over the top. It's here that I think the Wachowskis have been so clever - they've made various things, formally of more 'underground' niche subcultures, appealing to pop culture (the Matrix is only one of a number of steps in this direction, however). Indeed, they have opened these subcultures themselves to pop culture in general.

Personally, then, I don't think the Matrix is particularly exciting or original. But its creators have made a darn good job of assimilating various things, and because of this, the Matrix does break new ground, despite its lack of basic originality. Plus, its weaving-in of hi-tech special effects is noteworthy.

If you haven't seen GitS, then do so. It's got a rad, Durandal-esque, complex storyline (and hey, it could be worth comparing Project 2501 with Durandal himself!).

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

Matrix Question...The person 5/29/03 2:38 p.m.
     Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Mark Levin 5/29/03 2:58 p.m.
           Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Vaxuum BOB 5/30/03 1:52 a.m.
                 Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGRunnerPaul 5/30/03 12:36 p.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGScifiteki 5/30/03 4:25 p.m.
                             Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGMcNutcase 5/31/03 12:36 a.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGBlacksmith 5/30/03 7:16 p.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGTru7h 6/1/03 5:41 p.m.
                             forgive my innocenceukimalefu 6/1/03 7:27 p.m.
                             Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGRunnerPaul 6/2/03 3:36 a.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGDurandal1010 6/15/03 2:27 p.m.
                             Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) LONGMark Levin 6/15/03 6:21 p.m.
                                   Sill you could use humans for power *HM*Durandal1010 6/15/03 6:45 p.m.
                 Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Djof 5/30/03 8:41 p.m.
           Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Vaxuum BOB 5/30/03 1:53 a.m.
                 Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Reinaldo De Leon 5/30/03 2:17 a.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Reinaldo De Leon 5/30/03 2:37 a.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS) - LONGReinaldo De Leon 5/30/03 2:42 a.m.
                             That's my best guess too. *NM*Djof 5/30/03 8:48 p.m.
                       Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Djof 5/30/03 8:45 p.m.
                             Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)RunnerPaul 5/31/03 3:17 a.m.
                                   Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)ukimalefu 5/31/03 1:11 p.m.
                                         Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)RunnerPaul 6/1/03 3:06 a.m.
                                               Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)ukimalefu 6/1/03 5:28 a.m.
                                               Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)Jacke 6/1/03 2:01 p.m.
                                                     Re: Matrix Question... (SPOILERS)RunnerPaul 6/2/03 3:46 a.m.
                                                           The Matrix - the concept - its rootsagd 6/10/03 8:10 p.m.
                                                                 Re: The Matrix - the concept - its rootsukimalefu 6/10/03 9:27 p.m.
                                                                       Re: The Matrix - the concept - its rootszudo 6/11/03 4:33 a.m.
                                                                             Re: The Matrix - the concept - its rootsagd 6/29/03 9:27 p.m.
                                                                                   Re: The Matrix - the concept - its rootszudo 6/30/03 12:43 a.m.



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