'Dark City' as an Example of Contemporary Gothic Esthetics

When I think of the Gothic in contemporary culture Alex Proyas' film Dark City immediately comes to mind. Dark City is a hard film to categorize in many ways because it draws on influences as diverse as film noir, expressionism, and science fiction, however the foundations for the film both stylistically and thematically are undeniably gothic. The first thing one notices about Dark City are the striking visuals. The story takes place in a throbbing, congested tangle of buildings based on a hodgepodge of 19th century cities. This mysterious city and all it's inhabitance are suspended in eternal night . The monsters in the film, called Strangers, congregate in cathedral-like industrial spaces underground which are bursting with religious imagery. Although there are no castles, churches or victorian mansions in Dark City it characterizes the bizarre, modern post-industrial equivalents in much the same way. The sense of dread the setting provokes in combination with constant darkness is undeniable. As the amnesiac hero struggles to comes to terms with his situation, the constant and impenetrable shadows of his surroundings are host to a mysterious and pervasive evil. At first this may only seem to be reflection of the character's own considerable inner turmoil and distorted perceptions, however he soon finds himself at battle with monsters that seek to exploit the nature of mankind for their own immortality. Ultimately the hero must confront this evil head on to fight off the supernatural forces that enslave humanity and stave off the darkness. Dark City is perhaps not the most obvious example of "contemporary gothicness" because it strives for much more. It uses gothic esthetics as the basic ingredients for a rich melange of themes, styles and references. It is this blend that I find particularly fascinating.