|
Existenz [DVD] [1999] | ![Existenz [DVD] [1999]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AN7X095SL._SL160_.jpg) | Director: David Cronenberg
Actors: Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Don McKellar
Studio: Momentum Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £3.36
as of 22/11/2009 23:04 GMT details
You Save: £6.63 (66%)
New (10) Used (12) from £1.94
Seller: halfpricedvds
Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 22603
Format: PAL, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 93 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5060001621197
ASIN: B00004SPFF
Theatrical Release Date: April 23, 1999
Release Date: March 25, 2002
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Director David Cronenberg's IeXistenZ/I is a stew of corporate espionage, virtual reality gaming, and thriller elements, marinated in Cronenberg's favourite Crock-Pot juices of technology, physiology and sexual metaphor. Jennifer Jason Leigh is game designer Allegra Geller, responsible for the new state-of-the-art IeXistenZ/I game system; along with PR newbie Ted Pikul (Jude Law), they take the beta version of the game for a test drive and are immersed in a dangerous alternate reality. The game isn't quite like PlayStation, though; it's a latexy pod made from the guts of mutant amphibians and plugs via an umbilical cord directly into the user's spinal column (through a BioPort). It powers up through the player's own nervous system and taps into the subconscious; with several players it networks their brains together. PGeller and Pikul's adventures in the game reality uncover more espionage and an antigaming, proreality insurrection. The game world makes it increasingly difficult to discern between reality and the game, either through the game's perspective or the human's. More accessible than Crash, IeXistenZ/I is a complicated sci-fi opus, often confusing, and with an ending that leaves itself wide open for a sequel. Fans of Cronenberg's work will recognize his recurring themes and will eat this up. Others will find its shallow characterisations and near-incomprehensible plot twists a little tedious. --IJerry Renshaw, Amazon.com/I
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 26
 Of Mixed Reviews... March 1, 2003
N. Clay (england)
24 out of 25 found this review helpful
If you haven't already seen this film, you will no doubt be confused by the mixed reviews that are featured here, ranging from five stars to one star. People often compare it to the Matrix as it deals with artificial reality and such, and thus people are disappointed by it not only because it doesn't have the same special effects, but in many ways it is simply not a superior film, though it has a more intelligent script.pPeople also have a problem with the ending where the film seems to fall apart and becomes very confusing. Personally I think that this confused ending compliments the film, whether it is intentional or not. There are some decent performances from the stars Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and many small appearance from high flyers such Ian Holm and William Dafoe. This is a star-hunters dream.pI thought this was a great film that tackled the issues involved in an interesting and subtle way. The highlight for me was the scene where inside the game Ted says "We're both stumbling around together in this unformed world, whose rules and objectives are largely unknown, seemingly indecipherable or even possibly nonexistent, always on the verge of being killed by forces that we don't understand ... that sounds like a game that's not gonna be easy to market", to which Allegra responds "But it's a game everybody's already playing".pThe DVD of this film contains pretty interesting commentary from director David Cronenberg and seperate commentary from director of photography Peter Suschitzy, and visual and special effects supervisor Jim Isaac. I can't say that I've listened to all three, and it is unusual to have commentary from anyone other than the director and the stars. There is also a documentary focusing on production designer Carol Spier. Why they decided to focus on these important but unrecognised members of the film crew is uncertain, but it does all make for some insight into how a film like this is made.pFor this price, I would definitely recommend that you fork out for this DVD ... but only if you've already seen the film and know whether or not it suits you. You'll either love it or hate it.
An intelligent matrix October 20, 2002
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
Of the recent crop of reality bending movies - The Matrix, The Thirteenth Floor, Dark City - Existenz is perhaps the smartest. Superficially a tale of a game designer on the run from industrial rivals in a dystopian near future, it soon takes a step beyond typical Hollywood virtual reality and begins to question what it really means to be in an undetectable simulation.pExistenz doesn't boast stunning visuals or ground breaking effects, but its strength lies in its understated presentation: without realising it, you are gradually sucked into an increasingly disturbing metaphysical territory. Of all the abovementioned films, Existenz is the only one that actually forced me to pause for a moment in order to recollect which of the nested levels of reality the protagonists were currently experiencing, and the only one where the post-movie conversation centred more on the intricacies of the premise than the effects.pAnd it's always nice to see a movie that credits the audience with some intelligence. It's perhaps unfortunate that such a clever film drips with Cronenberg gore, but if you can stomach that, it is still fully deserving of its five stars.
An under-rated masterpiece December 6, 2001
TJ Ramsbottom (UK)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful
This is a seriously clever movie. If there was ever evidence that Hollywood is dumbing down then eXistenZ is the anti-hollywood food for the brain. Cronenberg opts for intelligent ideas and dialogue rather than full out special effects. Ted Pikul (Jude Law with an impeccible American accent) has to protect Allegra Gellar (Jennifer Jason Leigh) from supposed assassins who want to kill her for creating virtual reality games that could potentially damage people's view of reality. The question in this movie is: when does killing a person in a game become as easy in reality? What is reality?brI would describe this as a Matrix type film (it has the same themes of reality and computers controling our lives) but only in theory. Visually, eXistenZ is the furthest thing from The Matrix so don't expect big explosions and machine guns.brOne qualm about the DVD: it isn't anamorphic. Thus you have to manually stretch the picture on your widescreen tv. But the sound and picture are great and the extras (especially Cronenberg's commentary) are fascinating. Definitely a movie that gets better on repeat viewings. Its such a complicated story that you can't help but miss some of it first time round.brI loved it.
Beautiful and mad February 25, 2003
Horridbloke (Bournemouth, UK)
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
Funny how a movie concerning games consoles manufactured from mutant amphibian organs can count as one of Cronenberg's more mainstream offerings, but there you go. Be aware this is not an action film: it requires attention from the viewer and rewards it well. It's a deliciously paranoid virtual-reality romp about the latest games sensation. In many ways it's the nineties succesor to Videodrome: the two films share various themes. Everything in the film looks fantastic in that classic Cronenberg slightly-unsettling way, from the sets to the spot-on casting: Jennifer Jason Leigh, as the game creator/celebrity, is unreasonably sexy. Jude Law plays a totally-out-of-my-depth guy well. The remaining mix of "real" and deliberately-cheesy "game" characters all convince. The script has a lot of fun playing with nested realities (I won't spoil it for you) with visual effects being low-key but well realised (with one exception). The ending isn't a major surprise, but never mind.brA real bonus is the director's commentary track, easily the best I've heard to date. The evil Mr Cronenberg tells us about the sets, visual effects (including the one deliberately- slightly-duff effect), actors' ad-libs, critics and other good stuff in a vaguely Hannibal Lector-esque deadpan.brA very tidy package.
Superb! July 27, 2000
mrlamppost@hotmail.com
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
How could you give this film any less than 5 stars? It is simply a work of art. The plot is tight, fast moving and twisted. Although directed by David Cronenberg, it has a Lynch-esque feel of spontaneity to it. Some people may avoid this, thinking But its just a Matrix copy. This is so wrong. Existenz is a more intelligent and unusual film and in my opinion is just as good as the Matrix.pI found the directors comentry fascinating. Although David did ramble on a bit sometimes, he manages to give a good insight into the film such as how each scene can be interpted or how the scenery was constructed etc.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 26
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON EU S.à.r.l. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. | |
![Spider [DVD] [2002]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0019GJ3Z2.01._AA75_PU_PU-5_.jpg)
![Dark City [DVD] [1998]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004D360.01._AA75_PU_PU-5_.jpg)
![The Thirteenth Floor [DVD] [1999]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004TITG.01._AA75_PU_PU-5_.jpg)
![Spider [DVD] [2003] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000F4MA.01._AA75_PU_PU-5_.jpg)