I'd just like to point out what many other people have already pointed out on Other Boards, but we all agree; "The Matrix" barrowed alot of little visual aspects from Blade, and expanded on them, and recieves alot of the credit.
With exception to the camera rotating effects, bullet dodging was also present in Blade. Theres also a Scene at the end, of blade, where the Charcter "Frost", is descending upon Blade, just like in old Kung-Fu movies. The Same thing was done for Keanu. Also Blade was heavy on Martial Arts as it's main form of Action, and Plenty of Gun violence. A combination the Matrix, is famous for. I must say as for special effects, I give it to Matrix, for doing very well. But as Far as the fight scenes, I'd give it a Tie. But I must Give Blade the Credit for doing it First. Those Fight scenes, were exciting, and the visual style, pacing, and camera movment, aiding to these Fight scenes brought Blade to a new Level of a Comic books come to life. They created the feel, of "what it would be like", if it were real, better than any other movie before them.
There is a scene where Blade Kicks a man off of the floor into standing position, but the point is, the camera work reflects the force of the kick very well, it's not Overdone and seen as fake. It also works because Blade is not exactly human, and his one track mind for being unbeatable is consistant, his character is very solid, and from this you almost expect him to be capable of more.
Blade does'nt normally recieve accolades in it's breakthrough's in it's visual style, because Blade came out in 1998, and The Matrix came out in 1999. Other Things originated in Blade: All Black wardrobe, shades, and a Line in the Movie where Blade is referred to as "The Chosen One". Which is the Whole Basis of the Matrix. Basically Neo is "the one" who will defeat the machines, and give earth back to humans. Same for Blade, but he has to defeat all the Vampires. And in his world they seem to be all over the place, but very well hidden....just like the Matrix.
Look, just about everything in both movies was ripped off something else. Originality is NOT what these things scored for, bullet time excepted.
I am afraid you will just have to face the fact that Matrix did things a. better and b. in a way that people just plain liked more... never had there been a better translation of imagination to screen since 1977...
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"We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you buds has the midi-chlorians to stop her!"
I agree with that. Although I like Blade better than the Matrix and Wesley Snipes is far more beleivable than Keanu Reeves as a "chosen one". But I don't enjoy either of those movies much because of the gun violence.
If I had to pick then I would pick Blade because it's just more believable i.e acting, characters, setting, martial arts scenes.
Hmm... I'm still not convinced that Matrix realy stole any of Blade's thunder...
KJ, I stand by what I said. T2 was impressive (JP less so, I think), but in sheer visual imagination stakes nothing quite matched the Tantive IV coming into view purssued by the Star Destroyer, and the ride that followed, I think The Matrix is the only film that has come close.
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"We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you buds has the midi-chlorians to stop her!"
The Matrix did not borrow anything from Blade. The Matrix was in production and started filming before Blade did. Also, because The Matix took so long to film, a time came when Blade and The Matrix were filming at the same time in different parts of the world. It would of made it impossible and unnecessary for The Matrix to copy off Blade. The similarities are striking, but The Matrix does not owe anything to Blade.
I knew Someone would come out of the woodworks with the Production started first, but not THAT, early, and not before, Blade had It's concepts fully completed, and definitly did not finish before Blade.
Blad came out early 98, but it certainly mostly complete in 97.
And furthermore, Im not saying flat out they ripped them,, off, (but in hollywood, I would'nt doubt it). Im just saying overall gets Matrix gets all the praise, and Blade gets none. It deserves more credit, but who knows maybe that will change next year.
On the Matrix DVD, they have sketches and story boards that were created before Blade was in pre production, which proves that the concept and style for The Matrix was not borrowed from Blade. What it comes down too, is that The Matrix hit a strong chord with society and Blade did not.
Anyway whilst the film did a lot for the comics industry to aid the translation of comic to film, the end of the day the Blade comics were predominantly crap.
Actually an intersting question then is given costume design did X-men rip style from Blade or MAtrix?
lets face it, it is just following the contempory market and not copying from the styles of each others movie but rather the mood of the general public, for instance note why Buffy and Angel did very well at that time. Nobody claimed they ripped from Blade...
Maybe popular wasn't the right word. Even though only one of my freinds liked it and the rest hate it.
I really meant that it didn't "strike a chord" with people anymore than T2 did at the time.
To Wong Fu, thanks for everything, Julie Newmar, was on cable last night, and I forgot all about that movie, and when I saw Wesley Snipes dressed as a woman(Noxzema), I couldn't stop laughing, it's funny to think that he was Blade Wesley Snipes is a good actor, and a better actress!!!
Hm, Blade vs. Matrix. Well, I must say that Matrix made a much greater impression on me than Blade did. I guess it came across as cooler and more original. Allthough at second and third viewing the logical flaws becomes so apparent and so bad that Matrix is allmost reduced to a normal brainless action movie.
The special effects were probably so similar because they had many of the same sources for inspiration, but also because these things all of a sudden *could* be done. The same way we will probably see a few movies which are a lot like Final Fantasy in the years to come.
I guess Blade deserves a bit more recognition for the special effects, but I have to say, the effects are not really what makes Matrix interesting, as far as I'm concerned. And those effects were pretty much all that Blade had.