Hidden clues but I need some help. SPOILERS
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Film and Television Discussion
cesoyuji — 9 years ago(April 08, 2016 01:40 AM)
I need a little help from some math people. But let's first talk about why.
Obviously, the movie The 13th Floor is a movie about simulations within simulations.
It is made very clear from the beginning of the film that the 1930s scenes are a simulation. The main character even says that this vintage simulated world is 'desaturated' but the people inside don't seem to notice. If ya drive out into the desert you see the limits of this world.
Outside of the 1930's are what we are led to believe is the real world. However, certain elements still seem 'off'. The world is noir, the main character's room that has Aztec like qualities, all the rooms appear to be very very large, and the cityscapes reflect like mirrors. In one scene, one of the towers even seems to vanish like a mirage. This world is slightly more 'saturated'. Drive out to the edges of this world and you see the limits of this world yet again.
At the end of the film we find out there is another world. This world is 'very saturated'. The city is even more extravagant and futuristic, almost a sort of paradise. But the world appears filled with water. Skyscrapers are laid out on the water far into the distance. How can one actually go to the ends of this world without a boat? A bit harder to reach the ends of this world to find out if it's real. Seems oddly and suspiciously intentional.
Now I've got 3 images I want to present. The first two are very easily solvable.
The main characters 'wakes' up in the noir world and immediately look at the clock.
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com:443/data.filmboards/images/upload/S9JBKAI.jpg
If you take note at the time one can assume it is 6:25. Some basic math 6+2+5 reveals the number 13. Easy enough.
Later the character reinserts himself into the 1930's and 'wakes' up while dancing with a woman in a competition.
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com:443/data.filmboards/images/upload/5i9CUuV.jpg
Take note of the number on his chest. Again, some simple math 6+7 will result in 13.
In the final scene, when our main character 'wakes' up in the paradise like fantasy world, he immediately walks up to a news paper revealing the date to be Monday June 21, 2024.
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com:443/data.filmboards/images/upload/UpNAk21.jpg
However, I cannot find a way for this to result in the number 13. Maybe it is the real world, but for the sake of 3 shots all showing numbers when waking up let's roll with the fact that the number 13 is hidden here somewhere (especially considering the odd and suspicious intention of a water world where it is hard to reach the edges). Can anyone find an equation that will result in the number 13 in this shot?
Extra Notes:
Each world appears significantly more advanced than the last. Small cities become large dark noir cities. Dark noir cities turn into futuristic water cities. The saturation goes up with each level. Not only that, but the math signifying 13 gets a bit more complex. In the 1930's only two numbers represent 13 (the competition card number). In the noir world now 3 numbers represent 13 (the clock). Then in the final world, an entire date is given (the newspaper). It's as if the number 13 becomes slightly harder to find and is represented by more digits.
It may also be an error but looking up the date for June 21, 2024 reveals it to be a Friday not a Monday. This could be a mistake or it could be intentional signifying the simulation put the wrong day further providing a clue that nothing is as it seems.
Also, it could just be me or the copy of the film I have but there appears to be something scratched out on the newspaper
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com:443/data.filmboards/images/upload/JpmBTKY.jpg
I have circled it in the image below and attempted to fill it in. It could just be an illusion though. -
virgiltx — 9 years ago(April 08, 2016 03:52 AM)
I've always thought that the 1999 world was suspiciously artificial lookingall flat, rectangular surfaces and repetitious rectangular patterns, interior and exterior.
However, I think the 13 math is just meaningless coincidence. Why should the time be interpreted 6+2+5=13 instead of 6+25=31, or, 6+2+5=13 = 1+3=4?
The newspaper just shows how sloppy the screenwriting is, and how the exact numerical dates and times don't mean that much.
The story is king.
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johnjamesleahy258 — 9 years ago(June 19, 2016 01:57 PM)
Im going to rewatch the whole movie and pay close attention to the end. ..if I find ANYTHING NOTEWORTHY ill definitely post it to try to help out ! Also curious to know if you personally have any potential insights into the movie dark city ? Also the movie 13th floor reminds me of elements of PHILIP K DICK STORIES. ..your thoughts on that ?
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Smash — 1 year ago(November 22, 2024 12:15 AM)
Watched the movie yesterday for the first time.
Well done, for my taste.
As for your math dilemma, I believe the idea with the final date was different.
Now, first and second of your equations gave 13 by adding all the numbers.
Third, therefore, must be summed in the same way, giving 17.
But what if we just keep adding ?
1+7=8
Eternity
When Douglas asks Jane "How many simulated worlds like this are there ?", she answers
"Thousands. But yours is the only one that ever created a simulation within the simulation".
Considering last shot she's ovbiously wrong, so number of worlds might be close to
Infinity
Final date simply tells us it never ends.
For me, nice touch.
Going back to 13, same way.
1+3=4
All the sums are eventually 4.
And what are all the inhabitants of the worlds were programmed to believe ?
Googling 4 as it's getting late reveals that
"The number 4 represents the tangible, material world we inhabit"
But is it really ?
In the book, the "entities" are on the 2nd floor. Why otherwise change to 13th ? And making it title ? Couldn't find who and why did it, so it may be the director himself having same thoughts as he listed as one of the screenwriters.
It then rapidly intensifies.
Adding 6 from "Copyright 2013" to our 17 gives us 23.
2+3=5
"The number 5 symbolizes freedom, curiosity, and change"
Furthermore, adding 7 from "106 pages" following your mark, gives us 30.
3+0=3
"The number 3 biblically represents divine wholeness, completeness and perfection"
So maybe it's all His plan. It's a process.
See many of those themes in the movie and in the whole idea.
Not sure it was the intention though
Registered especially for this, must still be the impression …
And, dear thread, sorry for disturbing your peace.
PS actually wrote this two days ago, probably forgot to press the "Create Post" button and closed the computer. Chrome is configured to reopen the closed pages, but I was really surprised that the text was still in the box. Impressive, kudos
