The Matrix 4K UHD (1999)

[jamesdevil]

Originally Posted by Blu Cider

With all the bickering in this thread already I feel like Warner cannot win this one. No matter what kind of color timing will be present on the UHD there will be whining, I guarantee it.

By an infinitesimally small percentage of the people purchasing it. I guarantee they don't care.

[OutOfBoose]

Originally Posted by Blu Cider

With all the bickering in this thread already I feel like Warner cannot win this one. No matter what kind of color timing will be present on the UHD there will be whining, I guarantee it.

Ultimately, the only thing I care about - competent transfer: encoding, black levels, fidelity to the source, HDR. Color grading - whatever they (DP, sisters) want it to look. Green or not green, I'll take it.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Roonan

Come now, I love the Matrix, but I wouldn't go that far. The first Jurassic Park was much more of a landmark and I wouldn't compare it with Star Wars.

This was simply not the case as I was there for both releases and the subsequent aftermath of popularity. Jurassic Park rekindled the adventure genre, but it did not reinvigorate film in general. The Matrix caused countless knockoffs, ripoffs, parodies, and was immediately integrated into modern culture much like Star Wars. I mean many people were still talking about The Matrix and the theatrical experience of it several years after its release. Hell, people still reminisce about it frequently. It also changed quite a bit about how special effects were handled. Again, just like Star Wars.

[UltraMario9]

As someone who had just learned to walk when the first film was released(so not as well informed), The Matrix was widely considered the new Star Wars when I was growing up. From my understanding, it wasn't until 10 years later when the next landmark film had arrived.

[jerclay]

I remember Matrix came out when there were no other landmark sci-fi around, and I personally considered the genre to be dead. And then it happened. I still remember the shock and joy that I felt leaving the cinema. I couldn't care less about the sequels though... (Although I must admit, Reloaded trailer looked effing cool!)

[Roonan]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

This was simply not the case as I was there for both releases and the subsequent aftermath of popularity.

So was I. But I wasn't talking about pop culture impact. I was talking about the "believe in the magic of cinema" part.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by jerclay

I remember Matrix came out when there were no other landmark sci-fi around, and I personally considered the genre to be dead. And then it happened. I still remember the shock and joy that I felt leaving the cinema. I couldn't care less about the sequels though... (Although I must admit, Reloaded trailer looked effing cool!)

I clearly remember leaning over to my pal sitting next to me during the Morpheus/Neo training fight and saying "someday, all movies will be made this way" because it was SO kick-ass seeing this sort of thing in a Hollywood flick, being a big fan of HK kung-fu goodness since I was a kid. That did kinda come true as wire-fu suddenly became a big thing after that, but after a few years it fizzled out.

[s_har]

Originally Posted by Blu Cider

With all the bickering in this thread already I feel like Warner cannot win this one. No matter what kind of color timing will be present on the UHD there will be whining, I guarantee it.

If the UHD doesn't 100% match the colors of my 1999 VHS I'm suing WB.

[Lutz]

The popularity of THE MATRIX was a knock on effect from the anime movie boom of the mid 90s. It was one of the first western films to successfully cannibalise anime and offer it's themes up in live action. The real landmark for big screen sci fi here wasn't American but the introduction of films like AKIRA and GHOST IN THE SHELL.

[brian9229]

Yes, please don't give an opinion that differs from the majority here. This forum is only for those who agree with each other.

[Lutz]

(Not to mention the fact that sci fi in the 90s had seen BLADE RUNNER re released and re assessed as a classic. The relaunch of STAR WARS (the originals would just be cult classics now if they hadn't). TERMINATOR 2. DELICATESSEN and CITY OF LOST CHILDREN were big international hits. STARSHIP TROOPERS and THE FIFTH ELEMENT were both pre THE MATRIX and were just as well received. STAR TREK and BABYLON 5 changed TV viewing formats.)

[Lutz]

And just for my own aside, I didn't even hear about THE MATRIX until it hit VCR, the landmark sci fi movie that everyone went to see and talked about that year was STAR WARS THE PHANTOM MENACE.

[s_har]

Originally Posted by Lutz

And just for my own aside, I didn't even hear about THE MATRIX until it hit VCR, the landmark sci fi movie that everyone went to see and talked about that year was STAR WARS THE PHANTOM MENACE.

Yup. Back in '99 there was this little movie called Star Wars Episode 1 that overshadowed everything else being released that year.

The Matrix I've only really come to appreciate on subsequent viewings years later. I remember it being hailed by critics, but when I first watched it back in '99 I didn't much care for it. Even other '99 releases like The Mummy had a stronger impact on me if I'm being perfectly honest. I guess The Matrix is more of an aquired taste really.

[Geoff D]

I queued up like eveybody else to watch Star Wars that year and I thought it was alright (I've never hated Phantom Menace, for what that's worth) but it was The Matrix that blew me away. It might seem like the hype train of Star Wars decimated everything in its path but let's not revise history here, The Matrix was released a couple months before and it's not like it just limped along, it was a genuine hit and raked in $463M (that be in 1999 dollars) worldwide, coming in 4th for global grosses that year behind the runaway megahits of SW and Toy Story 2, plus the phenom that was Sixth Sense. Don't tell me y'all are forgetting about that one too?

[s_har]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

plus the phenom that was Sixth Sense.

Oh and I completely forgot about the Sixth Sense. That one also had a much stronger impact on me than The Matrix.

[OutOfBoose]

It's worth remembering that it was also an R-rated sci-fi film. Stuff like this rarely makes money in theaters. It needs to try 5 times harder than family stuff.

[Nothing371]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

I know a lot of people share your appreciation.... I fell asleep seeing it at the theater (it was late...) I don't understand the love for these movies... none of them are any better than being good at best for me.....

Originally Posted by levcore

I never understood the love for the first movie and only found it average at best but I thought Reloaded was absolutely fantastic. Revolutions was a depressing bore though.

ROFL

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I clearly remember leaning over to my pal sitting next to me during the Morpheus/Neo training fight and saying "someday, all movies will be made this way" because it was SO kick-ass seeing this sort of thing in a Hollywood flick, being a big fan of HK kung-fu goodness since I was a kid. That did kinda come true as wire-fu suddenly became a big thing after that, but after a few years it fizzled out.

I think it was a combination of a few different factors. Mostly, it was all of the Matrix parodies in movies over the next five years that made the shine wear off the original. Secondly, like the Sixth Sense, its a one-time-only experience with the major spoiler/revelation for a lot of average people. The movie-going lot are going to feel like they already enjoyed the ride once and aren't going to be able to recreate that experience, nor recapture that magic. Finally, the lack of any truly excellent follow-up films easily takes away continued excitement for the franchise.

The Matrix eventually just became a parody of itself, and a by-product of the turn of the century. It's a landmark film in sci-fi history, but most people moved on from it after one or two rewatches.

[Geoff D]

Sure, sure. It's been parodied to death but seeing as even the parodies themselves have been parodied to death (though the visual language of some of the fight stuff is still being employed to this day) I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised when they revisit this on UHD. Not just for all the cool shit but because it's a damned good film that, like Sixth Sense, truly became a victim of its own success.

I love Sixth Sense too, always have, because the fascination for me lies not in the twist (which is a wholly reductive way of looking at the movie) but in everything else around it, how it's so deftly constructed to maintain the illusion. Same goes for something like The Game which everyone else always writes off as a one-and-done movie but sometimes it's about the journey, not just the destination.

[Mr Anderson]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I queued up like eveybody else to watch Star Wars that year and I thought it was alright (I've never hated Phantom Menace, for what that's worth) but it was The Matrix that blew me away. It might seem like the hype train of Star Wars decimated everything in its path but let's not revise history here, The Matrix was released a couple months before and it's not like it just limped along, it was a genuine hit and raked in $463M (that be in 1999 dollars) worldwide, coming in 4th for global grosses that year behind the runaway megahits of SW and Toy Story 2, plus the phenom that was Sixth Sense. Don't tell me y'all are forgetting about that one too?

Though not the most accurate of representations, The Phantom Menace earned 474 million Domestic and is now at approximately 829 million Adjusted dollars.

If you extrapolate The Matrix's 463 million Worldwide total to today's dollars, you'd probably have at least 700 something million if not 800 million dollars in sales.

IOW, if it came out today out of the blue, like it did back then, and earned 800 million dollars at the box office, it would be considered a pretty big achievement.

But back then before the internet was all-pervasive and an intrinsically integral part of our lives, for it to perform like it did meant that it was a global phenomenon. Meaning word of mouth was large for the film. 171 million in the U.S. back then was pretty good, but 292 mil (63%) globally was insane for an unknown property. Which is why The Sixth Sense's performance was also insane because it too was "out of nowhere".

[Nothing371]

You can't even compare box-office sales today with what they were 20 years ago. China actually has lots of theaters now. That's a new thing as of a few years ago. Both public and personal transportation have come a long way; more people are able to get to the theater. Metropolitan areas also HAVE many more theaters now than ever before. They are in malls now, and have become convenient spur-of-the-moment type decisions. Hell, a few theaters even have full liquor bars or are attached to one. Some of them have VIP seating and booze delivery to your seat. People buy their tickets online and print them, or use their smart phones, and often couple their purchasing with coupon sites, group discounts, or kids events.

Going to the movies used to require a phone call and a social date. Things have changed quite a bit in many regards. You can't compare ticket revenues to what they were 20 years ago.