Dark City (Part 3) - Personal Thoughts [SPOILERS]

Now that we've finally finished viewing Dark City, I would just like to say it's one of my favorite films; it ranks in the same level as Runaway Train and the Seventh Seal, even though nothing can top Runaway Train, and even though I liked Ashpalt Jungle, this one trumps it. [WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR ANOTHER MOVIE. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP READING, DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK]
First off, there's this tidbit I read in the IMDB trivia section; apparently, in an earlier draft, Dr. Schreber was supposed to be flayed alive during the third act, but in the end, it never happened. No one ever speculated why, but it may've been either too gruesome for the movie or viewers would've cried foul and claim it ripped off Hellraiser. If this happened, we would've had some reverse roles for John Murdoch and Dr. Daniel Schreber and two characters from the first two Hellraisers. In Hellraiser, Frank Cotton is a perverse drifter who is always looking for pleasure... until he discovers a puzzle box and loses his skin, which leads to the film's plot. The second Hellraiser, Hellbound, has Dr. Philip Channard, a neurologist looking for the puzzle box's secrets... and after a series of events, he turns into a Cenobite like his subjects. Obviously, Murdoch's no sexual predator or serial killer, but he looks quite similar to Frank, in my opinion. Take a look down below:

Maybe it's only coincidence, but the point is, if they kept this in the final draft, it would have been role reversal. Murdoch would've had a chance to be one of the Strangers, and Dr. Schreber would just be another victim on the list. It wouldn't have been a big loss for me, personally. I never liked the doctor in this one, not only because of what he's doing, but because he has plenty to hide. He's also too cowardly for my taste, but to paraphrase a forum member on IMDB, "you'd be scared too if the Strangers beat and scare you all the time".
The way Murdoch takes down his enemies is also similar to Carrie; he's had enough and he's not going to take it anymore, and he does it the best way he knows - telekinesis. With this in mind, I also want to address the final fight scene. Not many viewers liked this bit, if at all, and I don't blame them. I thought it was enough for him to wipe out their resources, but going up to Mr. Book like that is going too far. This isn't too bad, but the execution's been done before. Otherwise, this is a seamless film.
So "you wanted to know what made us human?" According to Murdoch, you won't find it in memories. If not, where do we find it? Is it in our deeds? Our accomplishments? Our mishaps? It all depends on the person. It's a mix of everything for me personally. I've never been a science and math person, but I've always been humanistic. It all depends on how one looks at it.
Also, about Emma, we can't have absolutely everything. It would be nice if she remains the way she is, but there always have to be sacrifices. Even though Murdoch acquised to the Strangers, she still became Anna anyway. They have nothing to gain from her, but they did it anyway. That's how low they are.
Shell Beach also symbolizes renewal. Dark City has a chance now that most of the Strangers are gone (except for Mr. Hand, but that's another story), and with sunlight comes a new hope. It suggests that Anna and John Murdoch have a chance, and that maybe they could be a couple, like they were in Anna's past life. Let's hope it's possible, even though that's where the film ends.
P.S. This may sound a little silly, but I always wondered what would've happened if Dark City and Hellraiser were meshed together. Maybe Kirsty and John Murdoch could help each other beat their respective enemies? Mr. Hand definitely would've gotten together with Pinhead and the gang, that's for sure. He would've loved the darkness, the lack of water and being "an explorer of the further regions of the universe", and if he were a Cenobite, he would've had his pick of Souls to experiment on and toy with their memories. However, revenge might've been his first course of action, and also, I have a feeling he might've been more interested in Emma/Anna than the director wants us to believe. It would've made for an interesting fanfic, if I had an exact idea what the plot would be like.
P.P.S. Inception is the only Christopher Nolan film I've ever seen in my life, and let's hope Memento blows me away like this one did.