After philosophy major J.W. Victor '05 practices his routine for Disiac, he sends a slew of online instant messages to friends at night. Every one includes a little picture of Morpheus.
Morpheus — played by Lawrence Fishburne in the third and final installment of "The Matrix" films, "The Matrix Revolutions," which comes out today — is Victor's favorite character and his IM icon.
"He is strong and confident," Victor, with a shaven head, said. "And he's bald."
Victor is one of scores of Princeton students, intoxicated with the films' philosophy and by its special effects, who are going to see "Revolutions" tonight, six months after the cliffhanger "The Matrix Reloaded" and four years since the original film.
"The Matrix defines me in a way. It's about philosophy and rage," said Victor, who saw the original film 20 times and the second 10 times. "It's wonderful that the film can teach people about philosophical questions, like purpose, meaning and essence."
Eating club TV rooms were packed this week with students watching the first two films, which tell how a small group of humans, led by a messiah-like Neo (Keanu Reeves), tries to destroy machines enslaving humanity in a computer-generated reality.
The clubs have also subsidized and distributed tickets to see the film tonight.
But Princetonians are not only fans of the films. One also partly inspired — and acted in — them.
Andy and Larry Wachowski, brothers who wrote and directed the films, found some themes in the work of religion professor Cornel West GS '80.
West appears in the second and third installments as Counselor West, who serves on the governing council of Zion, the last remaining human city under assault by machines.
At a party after the premiere of "Revolutions" a week ago, West stayed up until 4 a.m. philosophizing with Larry Wachowski.
"Larry is so deep," said West, who spent about three weeks in Australia for the film. "We talked about the differences between resignation, obedience and surrender" — themes he said underpinned the film.
When the Wachowskis asked him to have a part in the movies, West wanted to know if his character would have "dignity."
"Of course he has dignity," West recalled the Wachowskis saying.
Already a famous professor, West said his film exposure "brought it to a whole new level."
He added, "All sorts of fans come with hugs now."
West didn't want to give too many clues about the answers "Revolutions" might provide to the many questions left open in the last film.
But Victor made clear what he would do if someone spoiled those answers before he sees the film tonight.
"Then I wouldn't have the philosophy anymore, and I would have the rage," he said. "And I'd have to take that rage out."
Read More
As endowment tax looms, Princeton asks departments to make plans for ‘permanent’ budget cuts, warns of potential layoffs
Christopher Bao and Annie RupertusPrinceton asked all departments and University units to prepare “separate plans for 5 percent and 10 percent permanent budget cuts to be phased in over the next three years in a memo sent Monday. Administrators warned of layoffs as the University prepares for a potential federal endowment tax, set to be debated in Congress later this week.
Princeton asked all departments and University units to prepare “separate plans for 5 percent and 10 percent permanent budget cuts to be phased in over the next three years in a memo sent Monday. Administrators warned of layoffs as the University prepares for a potential federal endowment tax, set to be debated in Congress later this week.
Newark airport disruptions snarl student travel plans
Cynthia TorresNewark has been facing disruptions for around two weeks amid a national air traffic controller shortage, leading to delays of up to five hours for some flights. As a result, some students flying home for the summer have changed their flights.
Newark has been facing disruptions for around two weeks amid a national air traffic controller shortage, leading to delays of up to five hours for some flights. Some students flying home for the summer and may be effected by delays and some students changed their flights.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ’03 ‘plagiarized’ small portions of his senior thesis, experts say. But how serious is it?
Sena ChangA review of the senior thesis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’03 by The Daily Princetonian, in consultation with three plagiarism experts, found eight instances of uncredited material, sham paraphrasing, and verbatim copying. According to the experts, each passage violated Princeton’s academic integrity policies but varied in severity.
A review of the senior thesis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’03 by The Daily Princetonian, in consultation with three plagiarism experts, found eight instances of uncredited material, sham paraphrasing, and verbatim copying. According to the experts, each passage violated Princeton’s academic integrity policies but varied in severity.