The Matrix (1999) Filming Locations – Shot-for-Shot – Sydney, Australia [video]

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Sydney as the “North American” Matrix city

  • Many were surprised the film was shot in Sydney, having assumed New York/Chicago/Toronto/Vancouver because it feels so “North American.”
  • Commenters note central Sydney has a strong US-style CBD vibe: dense high-rises, business district, but with LA-like weather.
  • The Wachowskis reportedly chose Sydney because it reminded them of Chicago; Chicago street names are used throughout.
  • Jokes about tourist stereotypes (Opera House, beaches, “outback,” giant spiders) contrast with how urban the film’s locations are.

Studios, incentives, and gentrification

  • The movie used the large Fox Studios campus in Sydney, now Disney Studios Australia; there’s mention of a controversial sweetheart lease deal with the state.
  • Several inner-city areas (Surry Hills, Chinatown, Redfern, Castlereagh St) are said to have been much more run-down in the 90s; later gentrification makes revisiting locations feel surreal.

Real locations vs sets

  • Viewers are surprised major interiors like the “Heart O’ the City” hotel and the “déjà vu” staircase were real locations, not sets.
  • Debate over how dilapidated those places actually were vs how much set dressing was added.
  • Conflicting claims about the subway fight location (disused St James platform vs White Bay freight siding vs city loop; conclusion remains unclear).
  • Oracle’s building, lift lobby, club scenes, and various offices are identified as real inner-Sydney sites.

Visual and audio style

  • Discussion of crosswalk/pedestrian signal sounds sampled in music and heard in the “woman in red” scene.
  • Debate over the original color grading: some 35mm scans show no green tint; others recall the green being added later for home releases. At least one person reports seeing an original print without the heavy green.

Matrix sequels and expanded lore

  • Strong disagreement on the value of the sequels: some dismiss anything after the first, others argue 2 and 3 are flawed but interesting, especially philosophically.
  • The fourth film is described as starting with an intriguing meta-deconstruction before devolving into weak action and plotting.
  • Broader criticism that over-explaining fictional universes (Matrix, Star Wars) kills mystery; lore bloat vs imaginative space is debated.

Shot-for-shot/location video genre

  • Many enjoy this kind of side-by-side location content and share links to similar videos (Terminator, Jurassic Park, Jaws, The Last of Us 2, etc.).
  • Frustration that such videos are scattered across many small creators, making them hard to systematically find.

Games, tech, and miscellaneous notes

  • One person sketches an ambitious new Matrix MMO/shooter concept with linked “Matrix” and “reality” layers and purely cosmetic monetization, which another dismisses as ignoring that the original Matrix Online failed mainly on gameplay.
  • Small production anecdotes include reversing car footage for right-hand driving, people faking left-hand driving positions, and significant use of then-high-end compositing tools.
  • Phone booths shown in the final shot still exist in Sydney and now offer free calls and Wi‑Fi.
  • Multiple commenters remark on how ordinary Sydney locations were transformed into iconic, moody imagery, highlighting the film’s visual artistry.