EXistenZ

eXistenZ is a Canadian feature film from 1999, directed by David Cronenberg . The lead was Jennifer Jason Leigh .

In the United States brought to the film at $ 2,856,712.

Contents

 * 1 Story
 * 2 Cast
 * 3 Nominations and awards
 * 4 Background and philosophy
 * 5 Trivia
 * 6 References

Story
Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is one of the most famous computer game designers in the world. Her latest "virtual reality" game, eXistenZ is tested on a group of volunteers in what looks like a church. To play the game, players have a "pod" (an organic version of a game controller) plugging in their "bio-port", an opening formed surgically down their spine.

So far it does not, because she is attacked by a fanatic with a bizarre-looking half organic pistol that was not noticed by security. Fearing further attacks, she flees with marketing trainee, Ted Pikul ( Jude Law ), which has suddenly identified as her bodyguard.

Her pod was damaged during the attack, and they must try to get Ted extent that he is a bio-port late implant themselves in order to play her game. This is the only way to find out whether her pod still "alive" and the version of the game that, in its pod is still working. It is found that this version also is the only version of the game.

Ted leaves himself a bio-port fitting at Gas ( Willem Dafoe ), the somewhat eccentric station attendant.

Then they visit an old friend of Allegra: Kiri Vinokur ( Ian Holm ) who can cure her pod.

In a bizarre adventure will then virtual reality and real reality so intertwined that it is impossible to keep still two apart. It is also unclear whether they follow their own will or through the game scenario.

Nominations and awards

 * 1999 Berlin Film Festival
 * Won: Silver Bear for David Cronenberg: Nominated for Golden Bear )


 * 1999 Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival
 * Won: Silver Scream for David Cronenberg


 * 2000 Genie Awards
 * Won "Best Achievement in Editing" for Ronald Sanders
 * Nominated: "Best Achievement in Art Direction / Production Design ' Carol Spier , Elinor Rose Galbraith
 * Nominated "Best Motion Picture" David Cronenberg, Robert Lantos , Andras Hamori


 * 2000 Golden Reel Awards
 * Nominated: "Best Sound Editing in a Foreign Feature" David Evans , Wayne Griffin , Mark Gingras , John Laing , Tom Bjelic , Paul Shikata


 * 2000 Saturn Awards
 * Nominated: "Best Science Fiction Film"

Background and philosophy

 * The film features several embedded realities for. The end of the movie is open in the sense: how many layers of reality are there?
 * The virtual world of the game, eXistenZ is quite similar to that of computer games from the end of 1980 / early 1990. Some characters / game characters repeat minor actions until they are handed a certain "trigger" (a phrase or action). The small number of residents of the virtual world is a hint in that direction, as is the fact that certain illogical locations are close together, such as the Chinese restaurant next to the trout farm (in a computer that's right handed).
 * Early in the story, when Allegra and Ted just be on the flight, the reality has been questioned: at the gas station, they see a small dragon.
 * Testing of the game takes place in a church: the computer game may have taken the place of God. Religion = "(again) connect ': the characters go a symbiotic bond with each other, with their pods and eXistenZ.
 * The existential themes of eXistenZ is often compared to that of The Matrix (which is reality, and is there much difference between reality and fiction?). The films came in the same year, and the instant cult classic The Matrix ousted from the tills eXistenZ.
 * Other themes: psychosis (the "game urge" the urgency felt by actors each time to do certain things, things that support the plot turn) and thus the theme of "free will" (which does exist?)
 * Other films that deal with such topics are Open Your Eyes , The Lawnmower Man , The Thirteenth Floor , Total Recall , Tron , The Truman Show , Vanilla Sky , Avalon and Cronenberg's previous films,Videodrome and Naked Lunch .

Trivia

 * Andras Hamori and Robert Lantos, two Hungarian-producers of the film, a pun in the title hidden "ists" is Hungarian for "God." Therefore, the X and Z are written with capital letters, to "ists" to drop.