Cube (1997 movie)
| Cube | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Vincenzo Natali |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Derek Rogers[1] |
| Edited by | John Sanders[1] |
| Music by | Mark Korven[1] |
Production company | Cube Libre[2] |
| Distributed by | |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes[4] |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $350,000 CAD[5] |
| Box office | $9 million[6][7] |
Cube is a 1997 Canadian science fiction horror film directed and co-written by Vincenzo Natali.[8]
Plot
[change | change source]The film centers on seven strangers who wake up trapped in a massive, elaborate labyrinth made of thousands of cube-shaped rooms. Each room has six hatches leading to adjacent rooms, many of which contain deadly traps, such as acid sprays, razor wires, or motion-activated weapons.
The group—which includes a police officer, a math student, an escape artist, and an architect who unknowingly designed the Cube's outer shell—must work together to figure out the Cube's purpose and find an exit. They realize that the rooms move and that the only way to navigate the maze is by using mathematical formulas (involving prime numbers) hidden in the rooms' identification codes.
As the mystery deepens, the psychological tension among the captives rises, with the initial unity breaking down into conflict, paranoia, and violence. The film is known for its low-budget, high-concept style, surreal, industrial setting, and Kafkaesque themes of futility and bureaucratic horror.
Production
[change | change source]The film was produced on a very low budget (around $350,000 CAD[9]) and was shot in only 21 days[10] using a single 14-foot cube set in Toronto, Ontario,[11] which was redressed and re-lit to create the illusion of thousands of different rooms.[12]
Reception
[change | change source]Despite a poor initial box office performance in Canada, the film became a major international success, especially in France and Japan, earning over $9 million worldwide and gaining a significant cult following.[13] Cube inspired a franchise, including a sequel, a prequel, and a Japanese remake in 2021.[14]
References
[change | change source]- 1 2 3 4 5 "Cube". Collections Canada. 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
- ↑ Eisner, Ken (October 20, 1997). "Cube". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Cube (1997)". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ↑ "CUBE (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 7 July 1998. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- ↑ Kornits, Dov (8 May 1999). "eFilmCritic – Director, Vincenzo Natali – Cube". eFilmcritic.com. Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ "Cube (1998) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ↑ "Cube (1998) – Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ Gates, Anita (11 September 1998). "Cube (1997) FILM REVIEW; No Maps, Compasses Or Faith". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ↑ "A deadly puzzle". The Record. September 11, 1998. p. 133. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ↑ "Director escapes own maze". The Ottawa Citizen. October 8, 1998. p. 50. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ↑ "Cube - Canada, 1997 - reviews". MOVIES & MANIA. 16 March 2019. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- ↑ "Director found creative freedom in a 14-foot cube". The Record. 14 September 1998. p. 58. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Canadian small film a huge hit in France". The Leader-Post. 5 July 1999. p. 23. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ↑ Schilling, Mark (February 1, 2021). "Shochiku Confirms 'Cube' Remake in Japan". Variety. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.