Film matrix content of the film. The history of the film "The Matrix"

If you influence the smell nerve in the same way as the smell of lilac, you will smell lilac. That is, in theory, if you replace all the sensations that get on your nerves with electronic analogues, you will not even understand that, say, you are lying in a cocoon and producing electricity for robots. So the young hacker, driven by Neo, has no idea who he really is. But if you follow the white rabbit...

Neo meets a girl with a white rabbit tattoo. Following her, he comes to night club, where he meets a hacker girl named Trinity. She promises to reveal the secret of the Matrix to Thomas, and to do this, the latter must meet with the one who has been looking for him for a long time - Morpheus, whom the authorities consider the most dangerous terrorist. Neo has no time left for hesitation, because the so-called “agents”—a kind of “guards” of the Matrix—have already become interested in his computer crimes.

Having arrested Neo at work, they interrogate him and offer him cooperation. Neo refuses, and the agents implant a bug in him. Morpheus invites Mr. Anderson to see the Matrix with his own eyes and offers a choice of two pills - a blue one, which, after taking, Neo will wake up in his bed and believe that he dreamed everything, and a red one, which will allow Neo to understand what the Matrix is. Neo chooses the last one and finds himself in an eerie destroyed world, which turns out to be the real real world.

He learns that the world he knows is an illusion generated by the artificial intelligence of a supercomputer. The planet is plunged into eternal darkness, and the cities lie in ruins. Humans are enslaved by all-powerful machines to produce the energy the machines need to survive. Those few who were able to retain consciousness hide in the catacombs and wage a guerrilla war against the machines, having learned to independently enter and exit the Matrix.

The last city of humanity is Zion, located deep underground, from which desperate forays are made on flying ships into the world of the Matrix to save people connected to it. One of these ships is called the Nebuchadnezzar, and its captain is Morpheus. He believes that Neo is the Chosen One, who was already born when the Matrix was first created, with rare opportunity change everything around and adjust the Matrix to suit you.

It was he who saved the first people from the machine resistance movement, revealed the truth to them and will be able to save humanity forever from the power of robots. All types of martial arts are downloaded into Neo's mind so that he can resist the agents. Morpheus tests Neo in a fight, in which he initially easily defeats him, but then Neo manages to defeat Morpheus. Next, he teaches Neo to make huge jumps, but the latter doesn’t succeed the first time, like everyone else. The team is surprised by this, because if he is the Chosen One, then the laws of the Matrix should be within his power.

However, a traitor Cypher appeared in the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, ready to exchange the lives of his friends and freedom of mind for the illusion of happiness offered by the system. He betrays his former friends to agents - security programs of the Matrix who are eager to obtain access codes to Zeon, as the entire team heads to the Oracle of Pythia so that Neo can find out whether he is the chosen one or not. The Oracle predicts that Neo will have to choose between his life and Morpheus's.

Morpheus is captured by the agents while saving Neo. Cypher kills half the team, but Tank, the cameraman, manages to kill him with a Tesla rifle. Neo and Trinity, at the cost of superhuman efforts, save their captain. When they are almost out of the Matrix, Agent Smith manages to shoot telephone handset, and Neo doesn't have time to get out. He decides to fight with the agent, since Pythia said that everyone decides for himself who he should be.

In a difficult battle, Neo barely manages to neutralize one of the agents and escape from the rest. When he already enters the room with the phone, Smith kills him. However, Neo, feeling the power within himself, comes to life, since in fact he is the Chosen One. He easily destroys Smith by destroying his programming code. At the end of the film, Neo makes a phone call: he promises that he will show the people locked in the Matrix that they actually live in a world where there are no rules and boundaries - in a world where “anything is possible,” and then soars into the sky.

Lana (born Lawrence) and Lilly (born Andrew) Wachowski gained worldwide fame as the authors of such recognized film masterpieces as “Assassins”, “Connection” and, of course, the “Matrix” trilogy.

But, perhaps, no less, if not great fame brought them the fact that they are among the first transgender people among Hollywood celebrities.

The story that happened to the Wachowski brothers is reminiscent of one of the bizarre scenarios they wrote, in which the truth of life seems to be fiction, and the fiction is so plausible that it is not too surprising.

Larry and Andy were born in Chicago, into an American-Polish family. Larry in 1965, his brother two years later. Their father is a businessman and a convinced atheist. Mother is a nurse, a Catholic, who later converted to... shamanism. One must think that such an explosive mixture of ideologies and religions, which hovered in their house, could not help but leave an imprint on the psyche of the brothers.

The boys became interested in theater while still in school; they took part in all productions. However, even then they did not strive for acting, remaining behind the scenes as directors, assistant directors, text authors, and so on. Write incredible stories and make things up strange worlds the brothers began already at this time.

Then both, as usual, went to college, however, neither of them graduated.

For some time the brothers worked as carpenters in Chicago, then went into construction business, and the direction of their activity was distinguished by its originality: being talented artists, the guys painted the facades of buildings, transferring their fantasy worlds and illusory characters onto them. Soon they began drawing comics. And then they wrote their first film script - “Assassins”. The script immediately brought them success and some fame, because the film starred such stars as Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas. And four years after that, in 1999, The Matrix appeared. It made its creators famous and rich.

By this point, the Wachowski brothers gave the impression of being quite brutal guys. In the recent past, they were builders and carpenters from Chicago, both of them were married, and did not at all look like mannered, handsome boys.

Thunder struck in 2000, and completely unexpectedly: one day the elder Wachowski, Larry, appeared on the set of “The Matrix Reloaded” in a woman’s dress. Further more. In 2003, at the Cannes Film Festival, Larry no longer looked like a man in a woman's dress, but like a real lady: makeup on his face, carefully styled hair, feminine manners, thoughtful jewelry. He appeared on the red carpet arm in arm with his new passion, Ilsa Strix. Then more and more photographs began to appear in the tabloid press in which Larry was caught by the paparazzi in a female guise. They began to say that Larry had undergone sex reassignment surgery. However, official confirmations this did not happen until 2012, when Larry Wachowski publicly announced to the press that he was now Lana.

Actually, for the family, Larry has long become Lana. Speaking at one of the charity events. Lana Wachowski said that hatred of one's own male body tormented her for a long time, she experienced severe depression and even thought about suicide, and only the support of loved ones helped her survive this crisis and decide to publicly acknowledge her transgenderism.

Andrew remained younger brother, a big guy with a penchant for crude humor. This one will definitely remain a man, the tabloids decided. And they were wrong. In 2014, Andrew made a sensational statement to the press, revealing that he was now Lilly!

Perhaps this recognition would have happened a little later and under other circumstances, however, the ubiquitous journalists got wind that the younger Wachowski was also thinking about changing his sex and had even started taking hormonal medications. Under threat of disclosing his transgender status in the tabloids, Andrew called a press conference.

However, if everything went quite smoothly with Lana Wachowski, many journalists, and not only them, accuse Andrew-Lilly of insincerity. Still, the healthy and cheerful Andrew, who had been married for decades, did not at all give the impression of a man who hated his masculinity. And it is unlikely that two brothers with such an unusual worldview would be born in one family. In general, Lilly Wachowski’s behavior was considered almost a tribute to fashion.

However, Andrew Wachowski disappeared, and in his place appeared Lilly - a large lady with reddish hair and, perhaps, a little too muscular, however, with quite rounded shapes.

It is hardly possible to answer the question of why such an extraordinary story occurred. The easiest way is to accuse both siblings of insincerity and the desire to earn additional fame (and money, of course) for themselves in such a scandalous way. Two brothers write scripts, which they then use to make great films – it’s boring. But if these two brothers suddenly became two sisters - wow, how cool that is!

But still, it would be wrong to reduce everything to the desire for fame and money. Still, the brothers don’t just dress up women's dresses, they underwent operations, after which their life will never be the same, and it’s not easy to decide on this.

It seems that the origins of the strange decision of two apparently prosperous guys should be sought in early childhood, which passed in an atmosphere of tossing from the denial of God to Catholicism, and then to a strange cult - shamanism. This very shamanism, by the way, involves the journey of souls to other worlds and their introduction into other bodies. Who knows if mommy instilled in her children some strange idea that their souls had entered the bodies of men who were strangers to them? It is very likely that the mother had a serious influence on the brothers; it was not for nothing that they gravitated so much toward the feminine. We should not forget that the eldest of the now Wachowski sisters, Lana, having abandoned her masculine nature, chose not a man as her life partner, as it would be logical to assume, but a woman, and what a woman! The owner of an elite club where practitioners of sadomasochism gather.

The first part of the film trilogy “The Matrix” was released to the world in 1999. Literally from the very first days, the creation of the Wachowski brothers was dubbed “cult.” The success of the sci-fi action movie was due not only to the stunning special effects for that time, but also interesting dialogues with ambiguous implications. So what is the point of the movie "The Matrix"? And how does the plot of the picture resonate with the latter? scientific discoveries and trends in modern philosophy?

The work of the Wachowski brothers before and after “The Matrix”

The Matrix trilogy was produced by the mysterious Wachowski brothers (born Lawrence and Andrew). The duet became a discovery for the world of cinema, since no one had heard anything about the brothers before. Only later did it become clear that two sisters were hiding under this pseudonym - Lana and Lilly. Both sisters are openly transgender women.

Lana and Lilly with teenage years felt a craving for theater and cinema, but never received the appropriate education. Instead, the Wachowski sisters for a long time They were engaged in the construction business, and in their free time they wrote comics.

It was during such a difficult period of life that the plot of the future cult film was born in their heads. Gradually, the very elusive meaning of the film “The Matrix” took shape.

It still remains a mystery how Wachowski managed to get from the construction business into the world of big cinema. But nevertheless, in 1996 they released their debut film “Communication”, and three years later - “The Matrix”. On this moment The duo has nearly 13 film projects in their arsenal and the status of universally recognized cult directors.

Brief plot of the Matrix trilogy

It is impossible to understand what the meaning of the film “The Matrix” is if you skip the main milestones in the development of the plot.

The trilogy begins with an introduction to the main character, Thomas Andersen (Keanu Reeves). Thomas’s life proceeds normally, as millions of residents of megacities around the world live: in the morning he goes to work, and all day he somehow fulfills his duties in the office. But in the evening, Andersen is passionate about what he loves: hacking on the Internet under the pseudonym Neo.

One day, a hacker girl named Trinity approaches Neo. He meets her in a night bar, then talks with her friend Morpheus and receives confirmation of his guesses: there is another life somewhere, not similar to the one he now lives.

Neo takes the red capsule as a sign that he agrees to learn the truth. In response, Morpheus shows Andersen the true reality. And, unfortunately, it is terrifying. The world has long been ruled by machines. They enslaved people, locked them in peculiar capsules and connected them to a computer matrix to receive energy. Machines feed on this energy, they exist due to it. And the “normal” life that Thomas contemplated every day is just an illusion, part of the program.

Neo freed himself from the yoke of the machines and joined the rebels who are fighting against them both in the real world and in the matrix. The young man had to lose many friends and give his life so that in the finale the Main Computer would provide everyone with the opportunity to leave the Matrix.

Leading actors

Keanu Reeves is the constant leading actor in all parts of the trilogy, including the film “The Matrix 3”. The meaning of the film was ambiguous, and main character so selfless and touching that Reeves instantly became Hollywood's most intriguing star.

Neo's partner and lover was played by Carrie-Anne Moss. For the Canadian actress, participation in “The Matrix” is still best job to the cinema.

And Laurence Fishburne, who played Neo’s mentor, the mysterious Morpheus, looked especially colorful on the screens.

Interesting facts hidden in the plot outline

So, what is the meaning of the film “The Matrix”, hidden behind meaningful dialogues, that viewers and film critics have been trying to find for more than 15 years?

In search of subtexts, people analyzed every frame and every component of the plot. Here are some interesting facts we were able to notice.

1. Thomas Andersen's apartment number is 101. In the book "1984" by George Orwell, this number was a torture chamber in which people were tortured with the help of artificially created fears.
2. On Neo’s bookshelf is a copy of “Simulacra and Simulation” by Jean Baudrillard. This is a philosophical work that develops the theory of the illusory nature of the visible and tangible world.
3. The name of the company where Andersen worked as a programmer literally translates from Latin as “going beyond the brain.”
4. Morpheus in ancient mythology is the god of sleep. Laurence Fishburne's hero, in fact, is just that, since he has learned to be the master of his destiny in the matrix - the kingdom of people with “sleeping” consciousness.
5. The main unresolved mystery of the film lies in the 18th minute of the film: the frame clearly displays Neo’s personal file, in which the expiration date of the passport is indicated on September 11, 2001. The whole world knows this ill-fated date, when the twin towers collapsed in New York. However, The Matrix was released three years before these events.

The real meaning of the movie "The Matrix"

An incredible number of attempts have been made to define true meaning The Matrix trilogy. The most incredible ideas were put forward. For example, that behind the Wachowski brothers there are actually extraterrestrial civilizations, and it was they who whispered the script into the directors’ ears. For what? To leave a secret message for earthlings!

Or there is a version that the Freemasons had a hand in the creation of the film trilogy.

But even if you don’t dig so deep and don’t involve Freemasons and aliens in the making of the film, it’s worth paying attention to the dialogues of the characters, in which they voice some pretty interesting thoughts.

Morpheus, explaining the laws of the Matrix to Neo, constantly emphasizes that all limitations exist only in a person’s head. If Thomas removes these restrictions, then any action - soar to the skies, jump over an abyss, smash a stone wall with one blow - will cease to be a problem.

The entire universe created by the Wachowski sisters in the film is proof that the way one thinks completely determines a person's reality. This is perhaps the most important thing to learn when watching the trilogy.

Interpretation of "The Matrix" from KOB

Is it possible to find any other hidden meaning movie "The Matrix"? KOB (social movement under code name“The Concept of Public Safety”) gives his interpretation of the idea of ​​the film.

KOB draws parallels between the structure of the universe in the film trilogy and the state of affairs in the real world in which we all live. KOB compares the supercomputers that enslave the human population in the Matrix with people endowed with unlimited power in our world: we are talking about corporations, political organizations and other structures that dictate the unspoken laws by which society lives. This interpretation is very ramified and cannot be described in a few words. But according to its main features, it gravitates toward the currently popular theories

Religious interpretation of the film

There were also critics who believe that the Wachowski sisters wrote the plot of “The Matrix” based on well-known biblical stories.

In 2004, the literary bestseller “Transurfing Reality” was published, created by a St. Petersburg writer, which explains the picture of the world in much the same way as it is done in the film: the power of thought determines what a person’s reality will be, there are certain pendulum superstructures above people that feed on human energy . Quite similar to the hidden meaning of the film “The Matrix” disguised as an allegory.

Two years after Reality Transurfing was translated into 20 languages, similar esoteric teachings appear in the United States. In particular, the film “The Secret” was very popular in 2006, which exactly repeats Vadim Zeland’s theory about the structure of the world.

The Matrix trilogy influenced not only the development of esoteric philosophy, but also introduced a certain fashion for films similar in meaning to The Matrix. “Oblivion” (2013), “Surrogates” (2009), “Equilibrium” (2002) - all these films tell about a future in which people are subject to mass enslavement and await salvation from a certain “Chosen One”. The technique began to be used much more often in cinema when reality turned out to be not what it was imagined: “Vanilla Sky” (2001), “The Island” (2005), “The Mysterious Forest” (2004), etc.

Conclusion

The hidden meaning of the film “The Matrix” haunts people to this day. New theories about true meaning cult paintings appear with enviable frequency. Perhaps none of the voiced interpretations are related to reality. Or, conversely, there is some truth in every assumption. But this will not in any way affect the fact that the Wachowski sisters' trilogy has already become a classic and has had a huge impact on cinema.

He finds himself drawn into a rebel struggle against machines, which also involves other people who have freed themselves from the “world of dreams” and emerged into reality.

The picture caused a significant resonance in the field philosophical thought, numerous articles are devoted to discussing its allegorical meaning. The most complete correspondence to the idea of ​​the “Matrix” is found in Plato’s myth of the Cave; In addition, the film contains whole line philosophical, religious and artistic reminiscences. Possible sources of inspiration for the film also include Gnosticism, cyberpunk and hacker subculture, Alice in Wonderland, Isaac Asimov's novel The Profession, Arthur C. Clarke's novel The City and the Stars, Hong Kong action films and anime.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ Fight scene where Neo stops the bullets. Film "The Matrix Reloaded". 2003

✪ Matrix. Training fight.

✪ Neo-Chosen One. The final. The Matrix (1999)

✪ NEO IS NOT THE CHOSEN *THE THEORY ABOUT THE MATRIX

✪ Fight with club security | The Matrix: Revolution

Subtitles

Plot

A young man named Thomas Anderson leads double life. By day he is a programmer in a large company, by night he is a hacker Neo (eng. Neo). One day a strange message arrives on his personal computer: “You are stuck in the Matrix” (The Matrix has you...). An unknown person gives him instructions to “follow the white rabbit.” Neo meets a girl with a white rabbit tattoo. Following her, he comes to a nightclub. There he meets a hacker girl named Trinity, who promises to reveal the secret of the Matrix to Thomas. To do this, Neo must meet with someone who has been looking for him for a long time - Morpheus, whom the authorities consider the most dangerous terrorist.

Neo has no time left for hesitation, because the so-called “agents”, a kind of “guards” of the Matrix, have already become interested in his computer crimes. Having arrested Neo at work, the agents interrogate him and offer him cooperation. Neo refuses, and the agents implant a bug in him. Morpheus suggests young man see the Matrix with your own eyes and offers a choice of two capsules - a blue one, after taking which, Neo will wake up in his bed and believe that he dreamed everything, and a red one, which will allow Neo to understand what the Matrix is. Neo chooses the red capsule.

Neo finds himself in a terrible destroyed world, which turns out to be the real real world. He learns that the world he is familiar with is an illusion generated by the artificial intelligence of a supercomputer. The planet is plunged into eternal darkness, cities lie in ruins. Humans are enslaved by all-powerful machines to produce the energy the machines need to survive. Those few who were able to retain consciousness hide in the catacombs and wage a guerrilla war against the machines, having learned to independently enter and exit the Matrix.

The last city of humanity is Zion, located deep underground, from which desperate forays are made on flying ships into the world of the Matrix to save people connected to it. One of these ships is called Nebuchadnezzar, and its captain is Morpheus. He believes that Neo is the Chosen One, who was already born when the Matrix was created, with the rare ability to change everything around and adjust the Matrix to himself, it was he who saved the first people from the machine resistance movement, revealed the truth to them and can forever save humanity from robot power. All types of martial arts are downloaded into Neo's mind so that he can resist the agents. Morpheus tests Neo in a fight, in which he initially easily defeats him, but then Neo manages to defeat Morpheus. Next, he teaches Neo to make huge jumps, but Neo doesn’t succeed the first time, like everyone else. The team is surprised by this, because if he is the Chosen One, then the laws of the matrix should be within his power.

However, a traitor Cypher appeared in the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, ready to exchange the lives of his friends and freedom of mind for the illusion of happiness offered by the System. Cypher betrays his former friends to agents - security programs of the Matrix, who are eager to obtain access codes to Zeon, when the entire team heads to the Oracle of Pythia, so that Neo can find out whether he is the chosen one or not. The Oracle predicts that Neo will have to choose between his life and Morpheus's. Morpheus is captured by the agents while saving Neo. Cypher kills half the team, but Tank, the cameraman, manages to kill him with a Tesla rifle. Neo and Trinity, at the cost of superhuman efforts, save their captain and when they are almost leaving the Matrix, Agent Smith manages to shoot the telephone receiver and Neo does not have time to get out. Neo decides to fight with the agent, since Pythia said that everyone decides for themselves who they want to be. In a difficult battle, Neo barely manages to neutralize one agent and escape from the rest. When he already enters the room with the phone, Smith kills him. However, Neo, feeling the power within himself, comes to life (since in fact he is the Chosen One). He easily destroys Smith by destroying his programming code.

At the end of the film, Neo makes a phone call: he promises that he will show the people locked in the Matrix that they actually live in a world where there are no rules and boundaries - in a world where “anything is possible”, and then soars into the sky.

Cast

Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson also auditioned for the role of Morpheus.

Film crew

Before filming began, the leading actors trained for four months, learning the basics of martial arts. This training lasted from October 1997 to March 1998. The actors did not expect such workloads and were completely confident that a few weeks would be enough to gain practical skills. Despite the training, some filming of the fights was not without incidents: during the filming of the fight between Morpheus and Smith, Hugo Weaving, blocking a blow from Laurence Fishburne, almost broke his arm; Keanu Reeves himself underwent neck surgery before filming and therefore did not fight as much in the film as planned.

Design

The “Matrix Code” in the film is represented by green symbols running down. These characters are nothing more than a set of mirrored Latin letters, numbers and syllables of the Japanese alphabet - katakana. The rain flowing down the car window (in the scene under the bridge) and the streams of water from the window cleaner (in the office scene) also look like the Matrix code. The color scheme in the world of the Matrix is ​​clearly Green colour, and in the real world there is more emphasis on blue.

Similar “flowing symbols” are found in the anime film “Ghost in the Shell”, only there they run horizontally. The Wachowskis themselves admit that they were inspired by this anime, also made in the style of cyberpunk. The same horizontal symbols are visible on the alien monitors in the film “Independence Day,” which was released “only” 3 years earlier.

Visual effects

Music

The film's composer was Don Davis. He noticed that reflection effects were used very often in the film: the reflections of the red and blue pills in Morpheus' glasses; Trinity watches as the agents put Neo into their car through the rearview mirror of a motorcycle; reflections in a bending spoon; reflection of a helicopter in the windows of a skyscraper. Davis focused on the theme of reflections when he began writing music, trading orchestral themes for contrapuntal ideas.

Soundtrack

Release

The Matrix was first released in the United States on March 31, 1999, two months before the expected science-fiction film Star Wars. Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The film grossed $171 million in the United States and $460 million worldwide and was later released on DVD, selling more than 3 million copies in the United States alone.

Reviews

Awards

In 2000, the film received four Oscar awards in the following categories:

• Award: “Best Sound” (John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, David A. Campbell, David Lee);
• Award: “Best Sound Effects Editing” (Dane A. Davis);
• Award: “Best Editing” (Zach Stanberg);
• Award: “Best Visual Effects” (John Gaeta, Janek Sirrs, Steve Courtley, John Thum).

In addition to the Oscars, the film also received 28 awards and 36 nominations:

• 1999 - BMI Film Music Award (Don Davis)
• 1999 - Bogey Award in Gold
• 1999 - Golden Screen Award
• 1999 - Golden Trailer Award in the Best Action category
• 1999 - Golden Trailer Award in the Best Art Direction and Sales category
• 1999 - “Golden Trailer” award in the category “best editing”
• 1999 - Golden Trailer Award in the Best Show category
• 1999 - Reader’s Choice Award in the category “Best Foreign Language Film” (Wachowski Brothers)
• 2000 - Saturn Award in the category “Best Director” (Wachowski brothers)
• 2000 - Saturn Award in the category “Best Science Fiction Film”
• best actor" (Keanu Reeves)
• 2000 - nomination for the Saturn Award in the category “best costumes” (Kim Barrett)
• 2000 - nomination for the Saturn Award in the category “best makeup” (Nikki Gooley, Bob McCarron, Wendy Sainsbary)
• 2000 - nomination for the Saturn Award in the category “best special effects” (John Gaeta, Janek Sirrs, Steve Courtley, John Tam)
• 2000 - nomination for the Saturn Award in the category “Best Supporting Actor” (Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - nomination for the Saturn Award in the category “best screenplay” (Wachowski brothers)
• 2000 - nomination for the Amanda Award (Amanda, Norway) in the category “best foreign film"(Wachowski brothers)
• 2000 - Eddie Award for Best Feature Film Editing (Zach Steinberg)
• 2000 - nomination for the Excellence in Production Design Award in the feature film category (Owen Paterson, Michelle McGay, Hugh Batup)
• 2000 - nominated for the Japanese Academy Film Award in the category "Best Foreign Film"
• 2000 - BAFTA Award in the category “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (John Gaeta, Janek Sirrs, Steve Courtley, John Tam)
• 2000 - BAFTA award in the category " best sound"(John T. Reitz, Gregg Radloff, David E. Campbell, David Lee, Dane E. Davis)
• 2000 - nomination for the BAFTA award in the category “best cinematographer” (Bill Pope)
• 2000 - BAFTA Award in the category “Best Editing” (Zach Steinberg)
• 2000 - BAFTA Award for Best Design (Owen Paterson)
• 2000 - nomination for the Black Reel award in the category " best actor" (Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award in the category “favorite actor” (Keanu Reeves)
• 2000 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award in the category “Favorite Supporting Actor” (Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination for Favorite Actress (Carrie-Anne Moss)
• 2000 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination for Favorite Villain (Hugo Weaving)
• 2000 - nominated for a Brit Award in the category "Best Soundtrack"
• 2000 - CAS Award for Best Sound Mixing Performance in a Feature Film (John T. Reitz, Gregg Radloff, David E. Campbell, David Lee)
• 2000 - nomination for the CDG Award in the category " high quality fashion design for the film" (Kim Barrett)
• 2000 - Golden Slate Award in the category “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Keanu Reeves)
• 2000 - Golden Slate Award in the category “Best Actress in a Leading Role” (Carrie-Anne Moss)
• 2000 - Golden Slate award in the category “best visual effects»
• 2000 - "Empire" award in the category " best debut"(Carrie-Anne Moss)
• 2000 - Empire Award in the category “Best Film”
• 2000 - Golden Satellite Award nomination for Best Visual Effects (John Gaeta, Steve Courtley, Brian Cox)
• 2000 - nomination for a Grammy Award in the category " best album soundtracks"
• 2000 - nomination for the Hugo Award in the category “best production”
• 2000 - Image Award nomination in the category "Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture" (Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - Image Award nomination in the Outstanding Motion Picture category
• 2000 - Key Art Award in the category “Best Audiovisual Show”
• 2000 - Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Award for Best Visual Effects (John Gaeta)
• 2000 - nomination for the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Award in the category “Best Editing” (Zach Steinberg)
• 2000 - Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Award for Best Design (Owen Paterson)
• 2000 - Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Award for Best Screenplay (Wachowski Brothers)
• 2000 - MTV Movie Award in the category “Best Fight” (Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - MTV Movie Award in the category “Best Performance by a Male” (Keanu Reeves)
• 2000 - MTV Movie Award in the category “Best Film”
• 2000 - nominated for an MTV Movie Award in the category “Best Fighting” (Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - nomination for the MTV Movie Award in the category “Best Screen Duo” (Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne)
• 2000 - nomination for the MTV Movie Award in the category “major achievement in female role"(Carrie-Anne Moss)
• 2000 - Golden Reel Award in the category “Best Sound Effects Editing” (Dane E. Davis, Tom Brennan, Julia Evershad, Eric Lindermann, David Grimaldi, Susan Dudik, Valerie Davidson, Nancy Baker, David Mackrill , Barbara Delpich, Frank Long, Noel Mackintosh, John Reusch, Hilda Hodges, John T. Reitz, Gregg Radloff, David E. Campbell, Kevin E. Carpenter, Mary Jo Lang, Carolyn Tapp)
• 2000 - Golden Reel Award nomination in the category "Best Sound Editing - Dialogue" (Dane E. Davis, Charles W. Ritter, Julia Evershad, Susan Dudik)
• 2000 - nomination for the Golden Reel Award in the category “Best Sound Editing - Music” (Lori L. Ashler, Sigmund Gron, Jordan Korngold)
• 2000 - nomination for the Nebula Award in the category “best screenplay” (Wachowski brothers)
• 2003 - Artistic Achievement Award (for DVD release)
• 2005 - nomination for the Golden Satellite Award in the category “best film series”

Followers of the Matrix

The commercial success of The Matrix gave the green light for the creation of sequels (the plot outlines of the trilogy were originally conceived by the authors, but the studio demanded to determine the distribution results of the first film). As a result, the second part “The Matrix: Reloaded” soon appeared in cinemas, and after only 5 months - “The Matrix: Revolution”. New films contained even more impressive special effects. The story now centers on the upcoming Machine attack on the human city of Zeon. Neo introduces his new skills and also learns about the history of the Matrix, his role as the Chosen One, and the prophecy of the end of the war.

A collection of nine animated short films, The Animatrix, was also released independently. Most of the films are created in the anime style, which greatly influenced the trilogy. The Wachowski Brothers approved of The Animatrix; outlined the plot lines of the episodes, but in all cases, except for the first episode, they entrusted the animators with independently writing and directing the scripts.

Some films are forgotten over the years, while others pop up in the viewer’s memory every now and then, leaving vivid impressions after watching them. In 1999, the first film in the series Matrix" simply blew up the public, ahead of its time in many aspects. Despite the fantastic genre and intricate storyline, this film is more than just a plot that people puzzled over and admired. Quite a lot of the attention has been drawn to the behind-the-scenes moments, the elements of creating intriguing scenes and those moments associated with its release on big screen. At the same time, several films appeared on screens that attracted general attention and were popular at the time. Fantastic action movie « Matrix” not only attracted a colossal number of viewers, but also inspired some amazing films.

15. Replacement of the Oracle due to death

Gloria Foster was the actress who played the mysterious Oracle in the first film. She appears in "in the same role, but already having health problems due to diabetes. Foster ultimately died from the disease during filming. And for the role of the Oracle, they had to find another actress for the rest of the films. In " The Matrix: Revolution"The audience saw Mary Alice instead of Gloria.

Many fans didn't pay attention special 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 one distinctive feature from a former character in the first two films.

14. Will Smith could have been cast as Neo

In Hollywood, many films could have been completely different if the leading role had been given to the first candidate for it. For example in " To the beauty" main role I could have taken Molly Ringwald instead Julia Roberts, and the image of Forrest Gump instead of Tom Hanks could belong to John Travolta. Obviously, actors cannot accurately predict the likelihood of a film's success.

Will Smith was the first actor considered for the leading role of Neo in the trilogy." Matrix", but he refused. This was probably one of the biggest mistakes of his career. Moreover, the image of Neo became a cult, continuing to unfold in the following films, which became box office hits. However, Keanu Reeves turned out to be ideal for this role.

13. The date of the tragedy 11.09 is recorded in the “Matrix”

There are a number of conspiracy theories in the world of cinema that correlate with the events real world. This is especially felt in films about the future, the most striking example of which is " Back to the Future"The world is falling into madness and chaos from single action: betting on a baseball game.

IN " 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 the coincidence with the actual 9/11 attack. But after him, theorists drew attention to this mysterious circumstance, although in fact none of them film crew could not be an accomplice.

12. Morpheus could have looked completely different

In preparation for the shooting of the first film " Matrix“There were still many characters for which actors had not yet been cast. The image of Morpheus was not immediately given to Laurence Fishburne. In fact, this role was attributed to Russell Crowe. But this was before Crowe took up filming.” Gladiator", where his character became a cult. So it’s good that then he refused the offer in " Matrix".

As Morpheus, Russell would have to be constantly involved 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 perfectly, so there's no point in regretting anything.

11. Comparison with Greek mythology

Although the film itself has a futuristic bent, there are some features related to ancient Greek culture. In mythology, Morpheus is the God of Dreams, which is appropriate since he is integral to awakening people from their sleep in the Matrix. Among the ancient Greeks, Persephone was forcibly married to Hades, the god of the underworld.

A parallel can be drawn with the character of Persephone in "". She seemed to be trapped with her Merovingian husband. Persephone helps the rebels, which is very similar to how she might ancient greek heroine intercede for mortals in the underworld.

10. Numerous film mistakes in all films about “The Matrix”

There are a number of films and television shows that are famous for their controversies. In fact, the search for inconsistencies has become a curious hunting ground for fans poring over the fragments. For example, actors holding completely different types food in interconnected sequences, or characters wearing suddenly different clothes when the camera pans back to them. There are many subtleties that often catch the eye of closely watching fans.

In the trilogy Matrix"There are a lot of movie gaffes that are fun to discover while rewatching the movie. In the episode where Morpheus changes reality, his glasses change from black to frosted. Another shot of the Oracle, where she holds a plate of cookies of one or another quantity. There is even a shelf, which moves in one of the scenes.

9. Supporting actors threatening the crew

Some actors cause harm through their words or actions own career. Hollywood is filled with up-and-coming faces who quickly disappear from the industry. And fans quickly lose interest in their disappearance from view. The case of Marcus 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 reported to appear in two subsequent installments.

However, in October 2000, it was reported that Chong was aggressively negotiating with the studio, demanding more money in his contract for the role. As a result, he was removed from filming and another actor was hired in his place.

8. The role of Marvin Gaye's daughter in "The Matrix"

As the filming of the trilogy " Matrix" continued, the doors began to open for several new characters. This was simply a huge opportunity for actors who wanted to join the acclaimed film. Fans already knew the faces of Tank and Dozer, but in subsequent films it became necessary to introduce characters such as Sister Zee, the wife of the new operator on the ship Nebuchadnezzar.

The filmmakers ultimately gave the role to Nonna Gaye, the daughter of legendary soul singer Marvin Gaye. She had a small but important role, which became an integral part of the Battle of Zion. Without being professional actress, Nonna did a great job creating a romantic storyline. Her character's actions in defense during the Battle of Zion and helping to open the Gate at the Docks 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 entrusting tens of millions of dollars to two brothers, who were not yet so experienced in making films. Nevertheless, the Wachowskis managed to achieve what they wanted, having every chance of winning. And although their names became famous for their achievements in the film industry, it was still the their personal life.

The two brothers gradually began to appear publicly as women, demonstrating their transgenderism without hesitation. Now they live as women Lily Wachowski and Lana Wachowski. In a statement that was released, Lilly Wachowski wrote: "SHOCKING GENDER REPLACEMENT - THE WACHOWSKI BROTHERS ARE NOW SISTERS!!!"

6. Secrets of the Matrix budget

The first film Matrix"had a budget of $63 million. A significant difference from the $10 million that was originally offered by the studio. With that kind of money, it was assumed that everything would be done just perfectly. However, it was difficult to imagine the possible popularity of an action movie with the presence computer graphics. Several measures were taken to reduce costs during filming.

For example, the heroes' costumes were made of 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 fight scenes that had to be shot in one take due to limited resources.

5. Movie locations in the real world

Often, TV shows and movies have to change the names of places so that viewers don't immediately realize it. It was extremely difficult to do this in the film " Matrix" It was supposed to take place in a futuristic environment and a fictitious city inside the Matrix. Although there are a number of references to Chicago in street names and terminology, most of The film was shot in Australia.

The club where 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 the Sydney business district. In fact, this fountain is a popular landmark that has been shown many times in films.

4. The work of real stuntmen

IN " Matrix"a combination of digital processing and prosthetics was used on a grandiose scale. With its help, a stuntwoman was imitated in the implementation of large-scale scenes where the actors were already in action. The Wachowskis were adamant and demanded proper physical training actors for filming all the stunts. Preparing for the first battle involving Trinity, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, took the actress about six months of training.

Legendary fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping trained the actors for months on end. He sought to train them to act in such a way that the audience would get the impression of many years of fighting practice. The scene where Neo makes the finger call during the fight is similar to the scene with Bruce Lee, who is best known for his moves. But in fact, this is pure improvisation by Keanu Reeves during the fight scene.

3. Realistic look due to real shooting

IN last years The world of special effects has evolved at a rapid pace. You can see with your own eyes the radical differences between computer graphics in films of the 90s and now. Having excellent graphical special effects to work with, the creators of " Matrices"We knew that there was nothing better than real filming, and the introduction of artificiality into the frame was avoided whenever possible. In the scene where Neo's body is pierced with needles to resume muscle function, a mannequin was used.

But when it came to the actor’s head, a real specialist began sticking needles into Reeves’ skin. The moment in the boardroom when Neo and Trinity went to save Morpheus was filmed with virtually no special effects - using real actors' stunts, explosions and gunfire. No computer graphics were used. The helicopters were attached to cables, and the water flowing into the building was natural.

2. References to philosophy in the film

Bringing a romantic idea to life on screen is quite easy. The same can't be said for the convoluted storyline." Matrices"The Wachowskis required the actors to read a number of philosophical books to prepare for their roles. For example," Introduction to Evolutionary Psychology"Dylan Evans" Out of control" Kevin Kelly - were a must from the list.

One of these books - Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard - was actually used in the film. Neo kept his illegal programs in a hiding place disguised as a book. Morpheus also explained the essence of the matrix with lines from it: " Welcome to the desert of the present".

1. Recycling of materials from the site

One of the things that people don’t like to mention, and often forget, is the amount of waste after filming. In "" the entire freeway sequence was specially created from scratch. After the end of the filming process, the layout was dismantled. The materials were recycled and reused from a different perspective.

Tons of lumber were shipped to Mexico, where homes were built for low-income families. Even polystyrene blocks were reused in insulation. And the section of highway itself was dismantled to make it the basis for a real road. This way, after the film, there is no debris left to litter the space.

Another portion interesting facts about the cult film "The Matrix", which reveal all the ins and outs of how the special effects were created and who they wanted to take on the role of other heroes of the franchise.