Thomas Anderson published in the new book
„Film on Canvas Volume Two”
_
The Matrix / 1999
The Matrix is one of my favorite movies ever. It had a great impact on me as a young boy and its influence is still visible in what I enjoy watching, reading and creating today. I watched it numerous times, and I’m a huge fan of the artistic values of The Matrix – the light, soundtrack, picturesqueness of every single frame, the poetry and symbolism of characters. I was 10 years old when The Matrix was released, and I had to wait a couple of years to watch it. I finally got it from a video rental shop, and I watched it over and over again. At the beginning, it was just a marvelous action movie for me, but as I grew older, I was able to dive deeper into its symbolism and cultural references. The Matrix hit me so hard, that I believe it woke up the creative side of me.
The themes of faith and messianism are the core of the story. Neo questions the fact of being the chosen one and searches for the truth about himself. I see Neo’s self-doubt as the opposite of the story of Saint Thomas, who refuses to believe in his messiah without direct personal experience. For me, Neo represents both: the skeptic and the messiah in one person.
Artistic means – such as light, the hand gesture modeled on Saint Thomas’, and the general mood of the painting – emphasize the gravity of the situation. This is the moment when the protagonist chooses to believe in Morpheus’ words, realizing he is the one.
References and inspirations:
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio / 1601
Self portrait by Rubens / 1638
Shop:
https://paragon-books.com/products/film-on-canvas-volume-2