Some films are forgotten over the years, and some now and then pop up in the memory of the viewer, leaving vivid impressions after watching. In 1999, the first film from the series "Matrix”Simply blew up the public, ahead of his time in many aspects. Despite the fantastic genre, the intricate storyline, this tape is more than just a plot that people puzzled over and admired. Quite a lot of the attention was drawn to behind-the-scenes moments, elements of intriguing scenes and those moments associated with its release on the big screen. At the same time, several films appeared on the screens that attracted general attention and were then popular. Fantastic thriller "Matrix”Not only attracted a huge number of viewers, but also became the inspiration for some amazing films.
Trilogy "Matrix"raised the leading actors of the project to a new level, and also brought popularity to the creative union of the Wachowski sisters. They were once considered unscrupulous filmmakers with a terrible amount of ambition. But when it came to the film"Matrix", it became clear that they could be trusted to work on an ultra-modern film, right up to the release of the big screens. And although many fans have already watched their beloved film literally to the holes, there are some tidbits of information about the film still hidden. Check out 15 hidden facts about the film and then you can safely call yourself a true fan "Matrices"You may be interested in the article 10 of the most spectacular and expensive tricks in the history of cinema.
15. Replacing the Oracle due to death
Gloria Foster was the actress who played the mysterious Oracle in the first film. She appears in "The Matrix Reboot " in the same role, but already having health problems due to diabetes. Foster eventually died of illness during filming. And for the role of the Oracle, I had to look for another actress for the rest of the films. V "The Matrix: Revolution"the audience saw Mary Alice instead of Gloria.
Many fans did not pay much attention to the presence of two different actresses playing the same role. This happens quite often in big-budget films. In fact, it seemed that such a move was not accidental, but even planned by the scriptwriters. Indeed, in subsequent films, the image of the Oracle acquired a more serious character. And that was the main distinguishing feature from the former character of the first two films.
14. Will Smith could have been cast as Neo
In Hollywood, many films could be completely different if the lead role was given to the first candidate for it. For example, in "Beauty“Molly Ringwald could have taken the lead in the place of Julia Roberts, and Forrest Gump in Tom Hanks could have been John Travolta. Obviously, the actors cannot accurately predict the likelihood of a film's success.
Will Smith was the first actor to be considered for the lead role of Neo in the trilogy. "Matrix"but he refused. It was probably one of the biggest mistakes of his career. Especially since the image of Neo has become a cult, continuing to unfold in the following films that became box-office hits. However, Keanu Reeves was ideally suited for the role.
13. The date of the tragedy 11.09 is fixed in the "Matrix"
In the movie world, there are a number of conspiracy theories that relate to events in the real world. This is especially felt in films about the future, the most prominent example of which is "Back to the FutureThe world falls into madness and chaos from a single action: betting on a baseball game.
V "The matrix»There is an entry in Neo's passport, which is valid until September 11, 2001. The film was released in 1999 and no one could match this coincidence with the real 9/11 attacks. But after him, theorists drew attention to this mysterious circumstance, although in fact no one from the film crew could be an accomplice.
12. Morpheus could have looked completely different
In preparation for shooting the first film "Matrix"There were many more characters that had not yet been cast. The portrayal of Morpheus was not immediately given to Laurence Fishburne. In fact, the role was assigned to Russell Crowe. But that was before Crowe took on the shooting."Gladiator"where his character became iconic. So it's even good that he turned down the offer back then."The matrix".
In the role of Morphius, Russell would have to constantly be associated with the film. And he probably never would have been able to take on some of his most famous roles. Sean Connery and Chow Yun Fat also turned down the role of Morpheus. But Fishburne played the character well, so there is no point in regretting anything.
11. Comparison with Greek mythology
Although the film itself has a futuristic focus, there are some peculiarities related to ancient Greek culture. In mythology, Morpheus is the God of Dreams, which is even appropriate, since he is an integral part of the awakening of people from sleep in the Matrix. Among the ancient Greeks, Persephone was forcibly married to Hades, the god of the underworld.
You can draw a parallel with the character of Persephone in "The Matrix Reboot"She seemed to be trapped with her husband the Merovingian. Persephone helps the rebels, much like an ancient Greek heroine would intercede for mortals in the underworld.
10. Numerous bloopers in all the films about the "Matrix"
There are a number of films and television shows that are famous for their controversy. In fact, the quest for inconsistencies has become a curious hunt for fans studying the fragments. For example, actors holding completely different types of food in interconnected scenes, or characters in suddenly different clothes when the camera returns to them. There are a lot of subtleties that often catch the eye of closely watching fans.
In the trilogy "Matrix"There are a lot of bloopers that are fun to discover while watching the film. In the episode where Morpheus changes reality, his glasses change from black to matte. Another shot of the Oracle, where she holds a plate of cookies, then one or another quantity. There is even a shelf. which moves in one of the scenes.
9. Representatives of supporting roles who threaten the crew
Some actors hurt their own careers by their words or actions. Hollywood is filled with promising faces that are rapidly disappearing from the film industry. And fans quickly lose interest in their disappearance from sight. The case of Markus Chong is a prime example of what not to do when negotiating. He played the role of Tank in the first film "Matrix"and was reportedly to appear in the next two parts.
However, in October 2000, it was reported that Chong was aggressively negotiating with the studio, demanding more contract money for the role. As a result, he was removed from filming and another actor was taken in his place.
8. The role of Marvin Gaie's daughter in "The Matrix"
As the filming of the trilogy "Matrix"continued, doors began to open for several new characters. It was just a tremendous opportunity for actors to join the sensational film. Fans already knew the faces of Tank and Dozer, but in subsequent films it became necessary to introduce characters such as Zee's sister, the wife of a new operator on the ship Nebuchadnezzar.
The filmmakers ultimately cast the role of Nonna Gaye, daughter of legendary soul singer Marvin Gaye. She had a small but important role, which became an integral part of the Battle of Zion.... Not being a professional actress, Nonne did a great job creating a romantic storyline.Her character's defensive actions during the Battle of Zion and helping open the Docks Gate were an important part of the storyline.
7. The Matrix writers are transgender sisters
When looking for funds to shoot the first film "Matrix"The studios were wary of trusting tens of millions of dollars to the two brothers, then not yet so experienced in making films. Nevertheless, the Wachowskis managed to achieve what they wanted, with all the chances of winning. And although their names became known for their achievements in the film industry, they still attracted more press attention. their personal life.
The two brothers gradually began to appear in public as women, demonstrating their transgenderness without hesitation. They now live like the women Lily Wachowski and Lana Wachowski. In a statement that was released, Lilly Wachowski wrote: "SHOCKING SEX CHANGE - BROTHERS WACHOWSKY ARE NOW SISTERS !!!"
6. Secrets of the "Matrix" budget
First film "Matrix"had a budget of $ 63 million. A significant difference from the $ 10 million originally offered by the studio. With that kind of money, everything was supposed to be done just perfect. However, it was difficult to imagine the possible popularity of an action movie with the presence of computer graphics. During the filming, some measures were taken.
For example, the costumes of the heroes were made from cheap materials. Costume designer Kam Barrett stated that Trinity's costume was actually made of PVC. Neo's cloak was also made from inexpensive fabric. There were certain combat scenes that had to be filmed in one take due to limited resources.
5. Locations from the movie in the real world
Often times, TV shows and movies have to change the names of places so that viewers do not know about it right away. It was extremely difficult to do this in the film "Matrix". The scene was supposed to be in a futuristic environment and a fictitious city within the Matrix. Although there are a number of references to Chicago in street names and terminology, most of the film was filmed in Australia.
The club in which Neo meets Trinity is the same as the real club. "S & M"in Sydney, called"The hellfire club"The scene in which Neo is distracted by a woman in a red dress shows a circular fountain in Sydney's business district. In fact, this fountain is a popular attraction that has been shown many times in films.
4. The work of real stuntmen
V "The matrix"a grandiose combination of digital processing and prosthetics was used. It imitated the work of a stuntman, in the implementation of large-scale scenes where the actors already entered the action. The Wachowskis were adamant and required proper physical preparation of the actors to shoot all the stunts. Preparing for the first battle with participation. Trinity, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, took the actress about six months of training.
Legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wu-ping has trained the actors for months on end. He sought to train them to act in such a way that the audience had the impression of many years of practice in fighting. The scene where Neo calls his finger during the fight is similar to the scene with Bruce Lee, who is best known for his techniques. But in reality, this is pure improvisation by Keanu Reeves during the battle scene.
3. Realistic view due to real filming
In recent years, the world of special effects has evolved at a rapid pace. You can see with your own eyes the cardinal differences in computer graphics in films of the 90s and now. Having excellent graphic special effects for work, the creators of "Matrices"they knew that there was nothing better than real shooting, the introduction of artificiality into the frame was avoided as much as possible. In the scene where Neo's body is pierced with needles to restore muscle work, a dummy was used.
But when it came to the head of the actor, a real specialist started sticking needles into Reeves' skin. The moment in the boardroom, when Neo and Trinity went to rescue Morpheus, was filmed with little or no special effects - on the actors' real stunts, explosions and gunfire. They did not use computer graphics. The helicopters were fixed on ropes, and the water flowing into the building was natural.
2. References to philosophy in the film
Bringing a romantic idea to the screen is pretty easy. The same cannot be said about the intricate storyline "Matrices"The Wachowskis demanded that the actors read a series of philosophical books to prepare for their role. For example."Introduction to Evolutionary PsychologyDylan Evans andOut of control"Kevin Kelly - were must-haves from the list.
One such book - Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard - was actually used in the film. It was in a cache disguised as a book that Neo kept his illegal programs. Also, in lines from it, Morfius explained the essence of the matrix: "Welcome to the desert of the present".
1. Recycling materials from the site
One of the things that they don't like to mention, and often forget, is the amount of waste after filming. V "The Matrix Reboot“The entire section for the freeway scene was specially created from scratch. After the end of the filming process, the layout was disassembled. The materials were reworked and reused from a different angle.
Tons of lumber were sent to Mexico, where houses were being built for low-income families. Even the polystyrene blocks were sent for reuse in insulation. And the highway section itself was dismantled to make it the basis for a real road. Thus, after the film, there is no debris that clogs up the space.
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Another portion of interesting facts about the cult film "The Matrix", which reveal all the ins and outs of how special effects were created and who they wanted to take on the role of other heroes of the franchise.
