Sin City and the future of film
Published April 03, 2005
But Rodriguez got it right. I feel this is his strongest work to date, and I guess I just have to hope that people are paying attention. Adaptations are tricky things, what with the legions of devoted fans out there clinging to their battered comics. It's one thing to do a book, which is only visual to the point of the author's skill, but with anime and comics, fans know exactly how things should look... and too much deviation tends to mean box office failure.
And this approach is far superior to an animated version. Animated films just haven't made the splash that's needed for true success in the States, unless they're kid friendly. Darker, adult material goes over about as well as a lead balloon when it's animated here. Live action films turn out more revenue... which is probably why the aforementioned adaptations are all set to be live action. But they scare me, now more than ever, because I just don't know if the directors are as dedicated as Rodriguez. After all, the man quit the DGA over his determination to have Miller billed as co-director (to which I say RIGHT ON, brother). That's dedication.
Can James Cameron do the same with Alita? Will he? The rumors of how the film will be done are exciting, but I'm just not sure anything can measure up to the Sin City yardstick unless great care is taken in production. There have been too many poor adaptations already (see: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and tragically, Ang Lee's The Hulk. Oh, but Ang Lee tried. He really did.)
Excellent work, Mr. Rodriguez. You've made the shoes of adaptation very difficult to fill indeed. Pay attention, directors. This will be on the final.
- Sin City and the future of film
- Published: April 03, 2005
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- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Books: Comics and Graphic Novels, Video: Action, Video: Crime
- Writer: Alisha Karabinus
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Comments
Yrah, take it back before he moves from CAPS LOCK to BOLD print, with possible italic asides. I don't think you know who you are messing with.
Morris, I'm not sure you actually read what I said.
Even though I'm not a fan of Evangelion (I guess now it's required for everyone? Evangelion fandom is compulsory?), I hate to think of anyone screwing it up just to make a live action film from the anime.
Please, no bold and italics. The post hurt my brain enough as is.
I would say that I am no fan of graphic novels, mecha or otherwise - but the Sin City trailers (sorry for the italics, LMonkey!) are really exciting.
Rodriguez may do more to bring new readers to graphic novels than the other way around!
I think that's an excellent point, and one I can appreciate since I don't really count myself as a fan, either... or didn't until I got introduced to a couple of really good GNs. Still, I'm not one to walk into a comic book store and pick up whatever, so I can definitely see how something this visually intriguing - that is so obviously straight from the book - could draw in new fans.
Which I think is great. I can't tell you how many people I know who or didn't like graphic novels until I handed them a copy of the first Transmetropolitan trade paperback. There are some titles that can draw anyone in - and some movies, like this, which could work the same way.
At least, I hope so. Over the years, as I've gotten pickier about what I'll watch and read, I find that my tastes have expanded to include really good works regardless of genre. I think a lot of people could be that way; they just don't know what's out there. Make sense?
very interesting LM, thanks! My son and his girlfriend saw it and walked out after 45 minutes - very strange to see such positive reviews here on the site. Not sure what the disconnect is
Clearly your son was influenced by his girlfriend, who is crazy.
he told me he found it "loathsome" - his word.
From the start it's pretty violent and sexual. Also, the dialogue is very film noir. It's not for everyone.
You can't fault the film for not having universal appeal. Plenty of people hate Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings, yet they're regarded as new classics.
I cannot praise Sin City wholeheartedly, much of the dialogue was terrible to the groaning and eye-rolling stage. As eye-candy though, it was delicious, and not just the hooker-gangsters of Old Town, though hotties with guns went a long way to salvaging the poorest executed sequence of the movie. MIckey Rourke and Bruce Willis, on the other hand, fit their roles perfectly, and I will never be able to look at Elijah Wood without shuddering. I enjoyed this movie, and will consider the DVD if the extras are worth while (extended babe-fu as Joe Bob Briggs calls it will be a plus), but I doubt I will go to see it agin in the theater. While we are at it, do you think that Jessica Alba was made to look like Britney Spears in leather by chance or design. (either way, I am not complaining, just asking.)
In retrospect (after much deliberation with others who watched it with me) I have come to the conclusion that the acting was the weakest point of the movie. Jessica Alba was alright, but it was apparent right off that she was strictly there for the booty shots. Rosario Dawson, who normally is pretty good, wasn't convincing. Madsen's involvement seemed completely wasted. Rourke, Del Toro, and Willis were pretty awesome, though, and more than made up for the weaker members of the cast.
Most of my complaints feel more like suggestions, which means that in the end, they're not really worth complaining much about.
Saw this last night. It wasn't loathsome. But I suppose I could see how one might see it that way.
I haven't read comics, graphics or otherwise, since high school which was about 30 years ago. I did see Sin City this weekend and loved it. That may be surprising to hear from a middle-aged woman, but I was surprised to see people about my age more than the expected so-called target audience of twenty-something males.
I am a fan of old film noir and was familiar with Robert Rodriquez's work, so that interested me enough to see the film. I went into the theatre knowing about the graphic violence and sexuality, and accepted that as part of Frank Miller's original work. That made it easier to look past all that to what Rodriquez and Miller were trying to accomplish. Honestly, I've seen worse.
Mikey Rourke completely made the movie for me with a wonderful performance under all the prosthetics. I was never much of a fan of Rourke, but I find myself praising his performance to everyone.
Elijah Wood's Kevin was enough to give me nightmares. The most ice-water-down-the-spine scene was him sitting calmly on the porch reading a bible.
The Bruce Willis/Jessica Alba story ranks second. It felt like a classic film noir story in some ways and actually gave me a few laughs. I won't offend by going into those, but those who've seen it may know what I mean.
The least interesting story was the Clive Owen/Benicio Del Toro segment. I actually got bored in a couple of places. The whole thing just felt weak against the other story lines.
After seeing and appreciating the artistry of the film, I am interested in checking out the graphic novels themselves.
I, too, found it to be an excellent film. But if you don't know what Sin City was about and thought it to be just another "comic book" movie, of course you won't like it. It is extremely violent and gritty.
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HOW DARE YOU BE SO JUDGEMENTAL OF EVANGELION!!! It is not an 'average mecha' as you say, but deeper with pschology and religious references, one could spend their whole life analyzing the series by Anno Hideaki. You better revoke that comment. I know what I am talking about. NGE is more than you think.