Films: Dark City (1998)
Alias: Various, notably Mr. Book, Mr. Hand, Mr. Wall, Mr. Sleep, and Dr. Schreber
Type: Alien
Location: Civilized Area/Eldritch location
Height/Weight: Indescribable (true form).
Affiliation: Good (Dr. Schreber), Evil
Summary: There is an old consensus that the film noir genre uses the city as a metaphor for an endless sprawling labyrinth of uncertainty and oppression. Prepare for that idea's logical conclusion. With aliens.
History: Welcome to a city where the sun never shines. Ever. The buildings are never in the same place, no one seems to bat an eye, and there are only a few who know what's really going on. This city is a carefully constructed space prison from the Strangers, a horde of alien beings that have taken on human form and enslaved people that they have taken from different points in time. Their goal? To study humanity and become just like them so that they may continue to survive.
Notable Kills: Nothing special
Final Fate: The Strangers are ultimately thwarted when one of their prisoners learns how to use their powers, the art of Tuning, and overthrows their regime. He soon brings forth the sun for the first time, and creates a new world.
Powers/Abilities: The Strangers are capable of Tuning, or basically being able to warp reality and manipulate memories. They can also possess dead bodies.
Weakness: The Strangers hate both sunlight and water, hence why they kept the prison away from stars and any oceans.
Scariness Factor: 4-The idea that a faceless organization has been manipulating your miserable life is a truly chilling thing. Even more so when it's these creepy, sociopathic monstrocities. Their true forms may be held back by dated CGI, but as humans, they have a truly imposing presence.
Trivia: -Against the original cut's intentions, an opening narration was added that spoils just about everything. Thanks for nothing New Line Cinema. We'll take the director's cut any day.
-Originally, the ending was going to be much darker, with people getting skinned alive and the Strangers prevailing.
