The Matrix is one of the most iconic movies to ever grace the silver screen. It has philosophical overtones and some brilliant yet subtle storytelling. Do you ever wonder what went on during the production process? Now before we get to see Matrix 4, let’s look back at the first Matrix movie. Here are 11 Extraordinary behind-the-scenes details from The Matrix.
Behind-The-Scenes Details from The Matrix
Charitable Keanu
This is probably one of the more famous ones. Keanu Reeves decided to take a pay cut equating to millions of dollars just so that the crew that worked on The Matrix was fairly compensated. The man is a true hero when it comes to philanthropy and caring for fellow human beings.
Sushi Code
If you’ve ever wondered what the ominous code in The Matrix means then you need not wonder any longer. The code is actually just a bunch of sushi recipes that an FX director used to create the symbols. If you translate it you may get a very delicious dish out of it but not secrets to infiltrate the dominion of the machines. Quite disappointing for Zion but quite funny to fans.
All I see is red
“The woman in red” is one of the greatest highlights of The Matrix. It reminds us to keep our eye on the prize or lose our life if we don’t. Fiona Johnson, the actress playing the character distracted a lot of folks on set. So much so that one driver bumped directly into a roller door when eyeing her up. In short, her stunning looks caused an accident that involved several men. “Men will be men!!!”
Bullet Time
The iconic scene of Neo bending over backward to avoid bullets was never seen before. Now famous as “Bullet Time” the effect took 120 cameras to be shot. It was truly a feat of the crew to create such a believable scene. The 120 cameras went off almost simultaneously to create the shot.
Racist Aussies
Part of the movie was shot in Sydney, Australia. Sadly, the country is not as progressive as one would like to believe. Lawrence Fishburne even commented later that he felt a vibe there that was akin to 1950s America. If that is not a comment on the regression of thought, then I do not know what is.
Green Not White
One of the most iconic things about The Matrix is the green tones that the computer world has. It really helps the audience differentiate between what goes on where. Interestingly enough the white shirts worn by the actors throughout the movie were dyed a light green to go with the tone of The Matrix.
Path Of Neo
Before Keanu Reeves was cast as Thomas Anderson aka Neo, the role was offered to Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Will Smith. All of these A-listers passed on the role of Neo and the role ended up in the hands of Reeves. We cannot even imagine anyone else playing the character anymore.
A 600 Page Comic
The “Proof Of Concept” for The Matrix was a 600-page comic book that the Wachowski sisters commissioned Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce to create. It was essentially the entire movie in storyboards and it helped the studio executives envisioned what was about to happen. It was so good that the directorial pair ended up securing $60 million from the studio for their project.
Recommended Reading
The directorial pair wanted to make sure that the actors understood the weight of what was going on. They asked Keanu to read a book by Jean Baudrillard called Simulcara The Simulation. This understanding of philosophy certainly comes across when we watch the final cut of the movie.
Cleaning out the Closet
Lilly commented after a few years had passed from the release of the movie that The Matrix was an expression of their rage. This was a dime when the Wachowski sisters were still in the closet. But the movie gave them the strength to come out as transgender, truly an inspiring moment for the pair.
Herniated Disk
The Matrix required the actors to go through a lot of physical martial arts training before filming could begin. The only problem was that Keanu had had surgery for herniated disk right before training was supposed to start. He came to the first day of training wearing a neck brace and even suffered a lot of pain during filming. The man is truly a Saint.
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