[Curiosities] Twenty curiosities of 'Matrix' to fulfill its twentieth anniversary of premiere

[S e u o n g]

 

1. The origin of "Matrix"

The term "Matrix" (matrix in Spanish) is attributed to the author William Gibson, who even declared that the Wachowski sisters "stole" the expression from his novel Neuromancer, a science fiction classic. It seems that the thing was anecdotal, since Gibson has always claimed to be a loyal follower of the franchise.

 

2. Will Smith was going to be Neo

Recently, Will Smith revealed on his YouTube account that he was about to become Neo but did not understand the script and when he met with the directors, they did not understand each other. With which, he turned down the role to star in Wild Wild West. Smith also confessed that the role of Morpheus was intended for Val Kilmer.

 

3. Johnny Depp, the favorite of the directors

The composer of the Matrix soundtrack, Don Davis, stated that Johnny Depp was the Wachowski sisters' first choice for the role of Neo. On the other hand, Warner Bros wanted Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio. Names such as Ewan McGregor and David Duchovny were also considered among the candidates.

 

4. Samuel L. Jackson, the other Morpheus

In addition to Val Kilmer, Samuel L. Jackson was another candidate to play Morpheus. Before Laurence Fishburne took the role, actors like Russell Crowe and Gary Oldman also auditioned for the film.

 

5. Sandra Bullock, from Neo to Trinity

Sandra Bullock's case is interesting. Because the producers could not find the ideal actor for Neo, they thought to turn him into a woman and had a name in mind, that of the Gravity actress. Unfortunately, Bullock did not want to, nor did he agree to be Trinity, since, later, that role was proposed to him. A decision of which he regretted, despite the fact that it would have meant the reunion of the protagonists of Speed.

 

6. Agent Smith would have French nationality

Before Hugo Weaving became Agent Smith, French actor Jean Reno was considered for the role of the iconic villain.

 

7. Keanu Reeves' Pain

Shortly before filming, Keanu Reeves underwent surgery for a two-level fusion in his cervical spine and was in the process of recovery throughout the production. This would explain the stiff upper body movements in the movie, especially when turning the head.

 

8. The "Matrix" code

The Matrix code was designed by Simon Whiteley, who did not appear in the film's credits, is personalized and includes Japanese characters as well as Western letters and numbers. The bright green font color is a tribute to the monochrome monitors of old computers.

 

9. Tribute to "Ghost in the Shell"

Although the green colors of the Matrix code were a tribute to the old monochrome computers, it was also a tribute to the animated film Ghost in the Shell (1995), which was a clear inspiration for the Wachowskis in creating the universe of tape.

 

10. Risk scenes

Keanu Reeves actually came out and tried to climb into the office scene, when he's on the phone with Morpheus.

 

11. Greek mythology

The Wachowskis used Greek mythology to build their story. In fact, Morpheus is named after the god of dreams.

 

12. A very restless protagonist

During the first two parts of the film, Neo asks more than 40 questions, half of his lines of dialogue are question mark. Not for less, going from a virtual reality (which he believed was the real one) to a very different one, makes him have many doubts to solve.

 

13. A nod to Bruce Lee

Before fighting Morpheus in his training sessions, Neo scratches his nose. This is a tribute to Bruce Lee, since it was his hallmark, he did it right before every fight.

 

14. About the glasses

Virtually all the characters have sunglasses. However, there is a slight difference in each. The good guys, Neo, Trinity or Morpheus, have round sunglasses, while the villains, like Agent Smith, have square ones.

 

15. The simulation

Neo's book in the film is an essay by French philosopher and sociologist Jean Baudrillard called Culture and Simulation, in which he talks about postmodern concepts about simulation and hyper-reality. The Wachowski sisters forced the entire cast to read the rehearsal. In fact, one of the phrases of the book appears in the film: Welcome to the desert of the real.

 

16. Reusing decor

The rooftops, buildings and other exterior ensembles were repurposed from the filming of the film Dark City, directed by Alex Proyas. In fact, the scene in which Trinity escapes from the agents was filmed on the same set.

 

17. Agent Smith, 1950s

For his portrayal of Agent Smith, Hugo Weaving stated that he was inspired by the hosts of news programs that aired in the 1950s. Laurence Fishburne compared him to journalist Walker Cronkite.

 

18. Shot in Chicago

The Matrix is not set in any real place, but the exterior scenes, many of them were shot in Chicago, the hometown of the Wachowski sisters.

 

19. The Oracle Cookies

In computer language, a "cookie" is data. Whereupon, when the Oracle offers Neo a cookie, he is giving him information.

 

20. Anagram

Neo's name is the anagram of the word "One". This highlights his position as Chosen in the film.