Matrix News and Info

MATRIX INFLUENCES NEW FILM:
I recently received an e-mail from Carmelo Pirrone from Sony Pictures Classics, he is working on a film called CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON starring Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh. The film is released in America during December and features fighting choreography and special effects similar to those in the Matrix, the find out more visit - www.crouchingtiger.com

OSCAR AWARDS:
The Oscars have been handed out, and the Matrix walked away with four of them, check out the Oscars link on the left for more info.

THE SUNGLASSES:
As I have found out, most people who love The Matrix, would also love a pair of the sunglasses worn by Neo and Trinity. Well, after scanning the net, I have found out some info on them.

The shades were designed by RICHARD WALKER of Blinde Optics in Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately, the sunglasses are not on sale to the public, but producton has begun. Don't get upset just yet, there are some models out there that are very, similar to the ones in THE MATRIX. If you want to find out more, check out this web site:

NEO's SHADES		TRINITY's SHADES

NEO (Keanu Reeves) wears a pair of shades which are identical to KILLER LOOP'S COUP MODEL #K0770 (Matte Black Frame and Dark Grey Lenses). If you want a pair of these glasses, expect to pay		TRINITY (Carrie-Anne Moss) models a pair of glasses identical to RAY-BAN'S ORBS OVAL MODEL #W2309 (Matte Black Frame and G-15 Lenses. This pair would set you back $111.99 or £69.99!

I have also been e-mailed by a few people about other sites that contain Matrix sunglasses for sale, check out these.

THE PHONE:
The MODIFIED Nokia 8110 is the stylish mobile phone used by the group in The Matrix. The original 8100 was modified to include the always-cool quick sliding cover/mouth piece. However, it is the 7110 that is being marketed as 'The Matrix' phone because of the sliding mouth piece. However, the phone still impresses all, and it includes feature like Voice Recognition, e-mail, Internet Access, Paging Facility and Caller ID.

Because of some features on this phone, it is not available in the USA, but is available to us in the UK (Yes!), other European countries and Australia (where the film was made).

POSTERS:
While I was looking around the web, I came across these sites. They are sites that allows you to purchase film posters, Including Matrix posters. If your interested, visit

SPECIAL EFFECTS:
Did you know that the slow motion moments in the film (e.g. the bit where Keanu dodges the bullets) was pioneered by the gap adverts.

TRAILER MUSIC:
Seen the Matrix trailer? Loved the end piece of electro music? I do , but I bet like me you cannot find it. Its not on the soundtrack, and not even in the film so how can you get hold of it?

Well, I know how. It comes from the second half of a track by Enigma called "The Eyes of Truth". I've tried to find it on single but to no avail. If you can't find it on single, you should have better luck finding it on the album called "The Cross of Changes"

BUY THE MATRIX ON VIDEO AND DVD:
You can now own your own copy of "The Matrix". It includes 3 "The making of" video and the DVD version includes the usual extras plus some for your computer.

SEQUELS TO THE MATRIX:
The Wachowski Brothers have planned another 2 sequels to the Matrix. Rumours are that the first sequel will involve Zion in some way, and the second will be the destruction of "The Matrix", ending the trilogy.

CHARACTER NAMES:
If you re-arrange the letters of 'Neo', what do you get, eon, eno, oen, or 'ONE!"

COMPUTER SYMBOLS:
The symbols on the computer screens, (like my background), consist of letters, numbers and even Japanese Katakana characters.

DOOR NUMBERS:
When the police burst through the door of Trinity's room in the opening sequence, the door number is 303. Neo's door number is 101, this is because he is the one!

MUSIC OF THE ORACLE:
When Neo meets the Oracle, the music in the background is "I'm Beginning to See the Light" by Duke Ellington, is this a reference to Neo realising he is The One?

NO MORE HELICOPTER:
To achieve the effect of the helicopter crashing into the building, a 1/4 scale model of the helicopter and part of the building was made. The helicopter was then attached to a rig and swung into the building. At the point of impact, 1Kg of explosives blew up the helicopter and the glass from the building. 8 slow motion cameras filmed this sequence, one at 300 frames a second! The FX crew had to use real glass, and by the end of the sequence, the green screen was full of holes from the glass spray.

AGENTS AND MiB:
Some of those that worked on the Matrix worked on MiB. The Matrix agents are called Smith and Jones, and in MiB, the actors are Will SMITH and Tommy Lee JONES.

EARLY CREATION OF THE MATRIX:
The Wachowski Brothers had written the Matrix years ago, at the same time that they were writing 'Assassins'.

Joel Silver had agreed to make the Matrix before Bound had been made, or the technology had been invented.

A REAL FIGHT:
When Morpheus and Agent Smith have the fight, they actually had to punch each other's fists.

AN ALTERNATIVE MEANING:
At the beginning of the film, the camera zooms in on the number 555. In numerology this means 'The Chosen One'.

A BOOK OF THE FUTURE:
Neo hides a disk in a book called 'Simulacra and Simulation', a book by Jean Baudrillard about an issue of reality vs. simulation. He opens the book at a chapter called 'On Nihilism' which explains the theory that everything eventually becomes nothing. (The human world becoming the Matrix).

APOC FROM FISHBURNE:
The name 'Apoc' is derived from the film, 'Apocalypse Now' starring Laurence Fishburne.

DOUBLES WITH THE WOMEN IN THE RED DRESS:
During the film where Neo is running through the Agent program, everyone but Neo, Morpheus and the Girl in the Red Dress, has a double, this is easiest to see when the program is frozen and Morpheus looks up. Do you notice the two bald guys? This was probably done by Mouse to save on programming.

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK:
Did you know that Mouse (Matt Doran) used to play Damien in Home and Away?

THE BALD GOD OF DREAMS:
Morpheus was the Greek God of sleep and dreams who was responsible for shaping dreams. His name means, "He who forms". This relates to his role of trainer to Neo in the film.

TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE:
The name 'Neo' is latin for New. He is also the one, or the Saviour of Humanity. This means that he must be the Messiah which makes Morpheus, John the Baptist and Cypher, Judas.

EXPLOSIVE SIDE KICK:
Trinity is also the name of the site of the first nuclear weapon test.

A FUTURISTIC WESTERN:
When Neo and Agent Smith prepare to fight in the train stations, and piece of paper is blown past. This resembles tumbleweed in western showdowns.

FAIRY-TALE MOVIE:
At the end of the movie, Trinity's kiss brings Neo back to life, this is like the kiss in Sleeping Beauty, only reversed.

THE MATRIX ON PAPER:
I recently received an e-mail saying that there is or soon will be a Matrix book available, if you want to find out more, its ISBN is 1557044058.

EARLY INDICATIONS OF THE MATRIX:
1) When Neo sells the disk to Troy, Neo says, "If you get caught using that". Troy replies "Yeah I know, THIS NEVER HAPPENED, IT DOESN'T EXIST". This is true because they are in the Matrix and therefore it did not happen.

2) Troy also say "You look a little whiter that usual man, sounds like YOU NEED TO UNPLUG". Unplug from the Matrix, enter the real world.

3) When Neo is late for work, his boss has a word with him and says, "YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE SPECIAL, THAT THE RULES DO NOT APPLY TO YOU". This is true because he is The One, therefore he is special, and because he can change the Matrix, the rules do not apply to him.

CHIPPED GLASSES:
When Neo is in Agent Smith, the Agent on the left has a chip in the top-left of his shades, however after Agent Smith is destroyed, his sunglasses are perfect.

REPETATIVE ORDERS:
Have you notice that the main characters are often given the same order. At the start of the film, Trinity tells herself to GET UP after evading the Agent. When Neo is on the helicopter, he tells Morpheus to GET UP, and after Neo dies and comes back to life, Trinity tells him to GET UP. Each of the three main characters is given the same order, to GET UP!

SOMETHING TO ADD?
If you've got some other news or info that you want to add to my list, then click on the CONTACT ME link on my the left to e-mail me your stuff.