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Johnny Mnemonic
(1995)


plot summary
 

In the 21st century, information is the ultimate commodity. In a world where cyberspace is a workaday reality and outlaw hackers thrive, the most valuable information must sometimes be transported by mnemonic couriers -- professionals like Johnny (Keanu Reeves) who offer the ultimate in security and confidentiality. Johnny guarantees delivery, for the right price, but he's paid a price of his own -- a heavy one -- for his chip-enhanced data-storage capacity; he's dumped his own memories to make room for the programs he smuggles for shadowy corporate clients. Now, he wants those memories back, and it's going to be expensive -- so expensive that he'll have to make one last run to pay for it.

Based on the short story by acclaimed "cyberpunk" author William Gibson and directed by celebrated artist Robert Longo, JOHNNY MNEMONIC stars Keanu Reeves in a unique action adventure that takes us on a wild ride down the dark side of the information highway to a place where technology has taken some very lethal turns.

Johnny contracts to deliver priceless data for a pair of scientists, defectors from Pharmakom, the world's third-largest corporation. The massive upload is too much for the mnemonic implant embedded in Johnny's brain. With no idea of what it is he's carrying, Johnny must find the secret access-codes that allow him to download the information -- or die.

But data-overload isn't the only thing threatening his life. The Yakuza, the world's most powerful crime-syndicate, are working for Pharmakom. Takahashi (Takeshi Kitano), the Yakuza sector chief, distrusts his own men; he secretly hires the ruthless bounty hunter known as Street Preacher (Dolph Lundgren) and orders him to bring in Johnny's head... cryogenically preserved. With an army of professional killers on his trail, and terminal brain-crash closer by the minute, Johnny's running for his life.


director/cast
 
Robert Longo Director
Keanu Reeves Johnny
Dolph Lundgren Street Preacher
Takeshi Kitano Takahashi
Ice-T J-Bone
Dina Meyer Jane


genre Action / Sci-Fi
rating R for strong sci-fi violence, and for language
production co(s) Alliance Communications / Cinevisions / Electric Pictures / Pressure Pictures / TriStar Pictures
budget $26 million (US)
location(s) Montreal, PQ (Canada)
Toronto, ON (Canada)

interesting facts
 

- Val Kilmer and Jane March were originally cast to play Johnny and Jane.

- see alternate versions section


interesting quote
 
"Nobody got to see the film that Robert Longo shot. Longo shot the script I wrote which I was happy with.[...] Sony cut 90 % of Dolph’s role because they said it would offend the religious right. He doesn’t even have a character in the movie they put out. He’s just this insane caveman who comes rushing in and flinging people around. It doesn’t make any sense. In the film we shot you get his backstory where he is preaching stark naked to churches full of women whoa re afflicted with the weird disease in the movie. He completely got into doing this comic villain and it just ended up making him look like an idiot. I personally felt very bad about that because he was doing what he was told to do." writer William Gibson, SuicideGirls.com


webmaster's opinion
 
A pretty decent movie, although Keanu Reeves (poor attempt at) acting does take away from a great story by William Gibson. Dolph's role as the Street Preacher is brilliant though - a religious lunatic who kills for money so he can keep adding new machine parts to his body - he chases after Johnny, spewing zany religious statements at the same time that he's butchering whomever gets in his way. A definite departure from the usual type of character he plays, and he's incredibly entertaining because of exactly that.


web links

Production Notes

Cybernetic Screen - info on the genesis, cultural icons, novelisation, soundtrack...

Johnny Mnemonic: Cyberspace and the Displacement of Digital Anxiety in Hollywood Cinema Dissertation by Steven Napleton (.DOC)

Internet Movie Database - full details
E! Online - Fact Sheet
Johnny Mnemonic paperback - Amazon.com
Johnny Mnemonic: The Screenplay and the Story - Amazon.com


buy the soundtrack
Amazon

buy this movie
Amazon
- DVD

Buy the Japanese (UNCUT) version in DVD:

- nagasaki-free.com

- sazuma.com

- amazon.co.jp


pictures
 find movie stills here - Johnny Mnemonic

Screenshots Gallery

Behind the scenes screenshots


TRISTAR FILMS and PETER HOFFMANN present an ALLIANCE production a ROBERT LONGO film KEANU REEVES DOLPH LUNDGREN TAKESHI "JOHNNY MNEMONIC" ICE-T DINA MEYER HENRY ROLLINS and BARBARA SUKOWA as Anna music by BRAD FIEDEL edited by RONALD SANDERS production designer NILO RODIS JAMERO director of photography FRANCOIS PROTAT supervising producer JEAN DESORMEAUX executive producers STAFFAN AHRENBERG B.J. RACK VICTORIA HAMBURG and ROBERT LANTOS screenplay by WILLIAM GIBSON based on his short story produced by DON CARMODY directed by ROBERT LONGO

 

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