Houston Tower in "Matrix" cameo?

[snooch]

This is a pointless post, but I recently bought a DVD copy of "Matrix Reloaded" and watched it the other day. I saw something that I missed when I watched it in the theater, during the freeway chase scene. Right before, during and after the two semi trucks collide head-on, you can see the massive skyline of the nameless city in the background, and for a split second I thought I saw the Texaco Heritage Plaza building (http://www.emporis.info/en/wm/bu/?id=117639) among the forest of towers.

When I paused, rewound, and slowed it down, sure enough, there it was. The only reason I knew that is because my girlfriend is from Houston and I visit there frequently. I wonder if the computer graphics gurus created an amalgam of known skylines for the scene.

Like I said, pointless. Anyway, might be of some interest to our H-Town brethren.

[boozo]

I seem to recall that the highway chase was filmed in Austrailia.

Perhaps there is a building in Austrailia that resembles the one in Houston?

[snooch]

Actually, I think they filmed the highway chase on a stretch of highway they built for the scene outside of Los Angeles. But the city in the background is obviously computer-generated. I might be smoking crack, though.

[texman]

the matrix freeway was filmed on a twelve mile stretch built souly for the movie outside of los angeles. the skyline though is pimp. ^wish dallas was like that!^

[SpaceCityDood]

I ran into this just now. The city was probably made by patching several buildings into it. i actually saw SEVERAL Houston buildings, including the THP, former Enron I and II, and a few others.

[drumguy8800]

that movie's so stupid. as they're driving down the highway, you see the same exit sign like 90 times.. they just keep passing it. whoever said they built a stretch of highway was probably right.

[rantanamo]

^ remember they are in a computer. Whether that was on purpose or not it adds to the inside of a program effect.

[freewaytincan]

^ remember they are in a computer. Whether that was on purpose or not it adds to the inside of a program effect.

I shouldn't have even bothered with Reloaded and Revolutions. Stupid Matrix; it was a freakin' game.

[SpaceCityDood]

RELOADED was uber horrible. It was THE WORST of the three. Second worst was the third. So cheesy, too. THE best part of thes eries was-- you guessed it- the skyline!http://www.dallasmetropolis.com/forum/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[bloodandpopcorn]

I disagree, I think the third (minus the last five minutes) is by far the best of the series. The second has some good ideas, but overall I agree it's kind of a flop. The hour long epic Sci-fi battle in the third is one of the most amazing war scenes EVER filmed though, IMO!!

The first one really isn't much better than the third one, I don't think, and it has some pretty glaring problems and cheese moments. But because Western audiences were so stunned by "revolutionary" filmmaking (sarcasm, the Bullet Time started in HK filmmaking, and the plot is 100% Anime cheese) that most people didn't even notice.

[tamtagon]

But because Western audiences were so stunned ... and the plot is 100% Anime cheese) that most people didn't even notice.

It's pretty funny.

[drumguy8800]

anyone ever watch the animatrix? so odd.

[SpaceCityDood]

anyone ever watch the animatrix? so odd. Yeah, MOST of them were odd. HOWEVER, the one by SQUARESOFT was UBER!

[rantanamo]

I disagree, I think the third (minus the last five minutes) is by far the best of the series. The second has some good ideas, but overall I agree it's kind of a flop. The hour long epic Sci-fi battle in the third is one of the most amazing war scenes EVER filmed though, IMO!!

The first one really isn't much better than the third one, I don't think, and it has some pretty glaring problems and cheese moments. But because Western audiences were so stunned by "revolutionary" filmmaking (sarcasm, the Bullet Time started in HK filmmaking, and the plot is 100% Anime cheese) that most people didn't even notice.

I'm with you. I think the third is by far the best as well and the battle was incredible though still far behind the ROTK battle, D-Day on Saving Private Ryan and the space part of the Battle of Endor.

I also agree on the shock value of the first. I think many were stunned because that just wasn't American style cimena(Crouching Tiger rode this wave too). I was pissed that it beat Star Wars for best special effects that year(Just watched Ep. 1 and there was no way the matrix should have beaten it in that category). Didn't think the effects were any better than The One.

The Animatrix was very Asimov-like. You'll see that in I'Robot. Thankfully they left a little of the sci-fi at home once the fighting started. I love sci-fi, but sometimes it leaves no room for new discoveries, alternate physics or true utility.

[drumguy8800]

I'm with you. I think the third is by far the best as well and the battle was incredible though still far behind the ROTK battle, D-Day on Saving Private Ryan and the space part of the Battle of Endor.


Whoa, hold up- LOTR Return of the King, battle at Minas Tirith (sp). the elephants.. and when Gandolf leads that huge wave and they crash into the orcs (sp).. very awesome.

[SpaceCityDood]

Whoa, hold up- LOTR Return of the King, battle at Minas Tirith (sp). the elephants.. and when Gandolf leads that huge wave and they crash into the orcs (sp).. very awesome.
YEAH! Thats like one of the best ever! They just mow those punks down!