Film review

Last night I saw a pre-release version of a film called "The Thirteenth
Floor". It's an SF film a bit like "The Matrix", but in my oh-so-humble
opinion it kicks "The Matrix" into a cocked hat. The main thing it doesn't
have that "The Matrix" has is Hollywood backing - as "Thirteenth Floor" is
not a Hollywood film.


"Thirteenth Floor" is presented from the opposite perspective - we start
with the designer of the virtual reality, a man called Hannon Fuller. He
comes out of the virtual reality, tries to contact his business partner,
Douglas Hall with some urgent news, and is murdered before he can pass on
his message. The bulk of the film follows this younger partner, Hall, as he
tries to figure out what is going on before either Fuller's mysterious
daughter closes the project, or someone frames him for the murder of his
partner.

The plot is tense, believeable, and twisted, just the way I like it. The
acting was good, although it suffered from some lip-synching problems on the
preproduction copy we saw. Likewise the special effects - which supported
the film, rather than other films (TM, for instance) where the special
effects seem, at times, to be the reason for the film.

To put it another way, if you preferred "Gattaca" to "The Fifth Element", or
"Deep Impact" to "Armageddon", you will probably prefer "The Thirteenth
Floor" to "The Matrix". I did.


This film has one of those odd release schedules that starts in Denmark,
goes to the US then wanders around the world, carefully avoiding the UK.
This may be because the US release date (May of last year) put it up against
TM directly, and as a result they may have decided that it is not worth
releasing here yet. Possibly not worth releasing ever. However, due to the
miracle that is region-cracked DVDs, we have ordered it on Region 1. So the
film-makers will get their royalties as a result of us seeing a ripped-off
copy. Isn't piracy a strange beast?


We now return you to your scheduled program...


Simon

---
"This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind" -Ecclesiastes 4:16

simon@ | Not affiliated to any religion
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H (+44/0)1784 431998 | Not affiliated to any ideology
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simon@ wrote some stuff about the Thirteenth Floor.

Ahh nuts, for a minute there I thought you were gonna
tell us that someone's finally made a 2000 AD cartoon into
a decent film. Although as I recall the comic strip had a
bit too repetitive a plot really, "oh look the lift has
stopped and the door's opening .....ARGH!" did seem to end
most of them.

Darren
(Nostalgic Bob)

The same concept was then stretched to an entire episode of Babylon 5.

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Philip Ayres
payres@
www.netcomuk.co.uk/~payres
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Philip Ayres wrote:
<SNIP>
Was that the one with Gerrabaldy always being in the lift
when the original psi corp girl tried to use it?

Darren

<approximately 4.5 hours remaining until Blakes 7>

No I'm thinking more Grey 17 is missing....
"Your species requires a visual reference point. THIS shall be your
reference point"
"Who are you ?"
"ZEN !"

I got into an argument in the Curry House with one of my workmates last
night. He tried to ask me what was the name of the 2nd ship in Blake's 7
and then claimed the answer was Slave. No.... Slave was the computer on
the Scorpio.

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Philip Ayres
payres@
www.netcomuk.co.uk/~payres
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Ha, now there's 4.5 Hours remaining until Blakes 7
starts, bluddy Tennis.

I was looking forward to it last week as well.

Grumble, grumble, just gonna buy the lot on video,
grumble grumble.

Did that years ago - been watching S4 all week .....

I think it is out again at the moment....

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Philip Ayres
payres@
www.netcomuk.co.uk/~payres
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Philip Ayres wrote:
Seen it in HMV. Wouldn't mind it on DVD though.
Wonder if they'll ever do it.
All i'd need then would be a player.

Hattrell and Bryson are b@$t@$ for showing me
how cool DVD players are.

Darren
(DVDless of Bob)

Apparently the Wharfdale model that's been retailing at a ton eighty is a
good buy. Especially since it has Region 1 built in. I'm eyeing a DVD up
as a way to rid myself of my forthcoming bonus. That and Super Fire Convoy
from Japan .....
You and me both. But there again I have got a few videos.

(And Mrs Darren still hasn't rung me !)

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Philip Ayres
payres@
www.netcomuk.co.uk/~payres
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I remember 13th Floor from Eagle comics (Dan Dare etc). You're
right though, the plots always consisted of morally reprehensible
type gets in computer controlled lift which stops at the 13th
Floor where some gruesome fate awaits him. Usually it was
themed to whatever crime he had committed. And yes "ARGH!" was
the standard ending ;-)

Doomlord the Movie - now that would be fun.

Paul
(Another Nostalgic Bob)

Personally, I remember The 13th floor starting in Scream and
later moving to Eagle when Scream sold as many copies as it
deserved to.
There were a couple of other plots though, like when Max the
computer joined MI5 and faced off against Russian supercomputer Boris.
Truly Silly (but fun for a young teen) stuff.

---

Chris Lyth (Clyth@)

Never trust a rich dead man's wife.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ilsley, Paul G <Paul.Ilsley@>
To: <chat@>
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2000 8:36 AM
Subject: RE: Film review

"Ilsley, Paul G" wrote:
Actually there was a really lame horror movie of that name.
Can't remember the plot at all - horror movies should
always be watched whilst drunk - but I do vagualy remember
doors opening ....ARGH being a part of it.

A quick trip to the IMDB shows that mine was made in 1988.

Best cheesy horror to watch whilst drunk: The leprechaun
every time...

Laters,

Adam

So am I just going mad or did Thirteenth Floor
migrate to 2000AD?

Mach1 the movie would be good staring Jet Lee.
Rogue trooper with Lister, Kryten and Rimmer as
the voices of Gunnar, Bagman, and what the hell
was the hat called?

Darren
(of Bob)

I'm recalling this too. Chris L has got a huge 2000 AD collection - he
might be able to recall more acurately.
Helm. I read the Rogue Trooper strip in the millennium special issue and
the sight of the damaged bio chip with the R on in wasn't nice.....

I'm quite fond of the humorous stories - Ace Trucking Co, Sam Slade and DR &
Quinch.

DR & Quinch the movie is probably a non starter though.....

"Mind the Oranges Marlon !"

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Philip Ayres
payres@
www.netcomuk.co.uk/~payres
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I seem to recall Nemesis, Slaine, ABC Warriors and esp. DR and Quinch as
being worth reading. Does anyone know any second hand shops selling the
complete stories (as opposed to the comics) as i'm missing a few and i believe
they've been out of print for quite a while now.
Probably a bit too off-beat for most peoples tastes but still very amusing.

Have fun,
Andy.

---

awright@
"Credo, quia absurdum est." [I believe, because it is absurd.]
-- Tertullian, Roman lawyer, theologian and misogynist; man of questionable
judgement



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and
DR &
believe
No. I spent ages hunting for the Apocalypse War and the Dead Man. I
found neither. As a consequence all bar one of my 2000AD Books now reside
in the IFIS library. The one being my copy of DR Quinch's Totally Awesome
Guide to Life.
amusing.

More than very amusing at times :-)

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Philip Ayres
payres@
www.netcomuk.co.uk/~payres
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My 2000AD are of relatively recent vintage, not much before
Judgement Day, ie circa 780.
I did collect Scream, and when it finished, I remember it moving
to Eagle. Max the computer became editor of the comic Scream
'merged' with. Tharg would have fried his circuits for trying.

---

Chris Lyth (Clyth@)

He who burns a man's home, murders his wife, rapes his daughter, and
buries his son up to the neck in an anthill, should not expect to sit
at that man's table without the topic cropping up in conversation.

I have a complete collection of 2000AD (& I mean complete)- i don't recall
there ever being a "floor 13" story- "Vector 13" yes... but there are about
a decades worth of progs i've only skimmed so could have overlooked it. I'll
check, if i can be bothered...
ashleaf
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