Sin City
Robert Rodriguez is a genius.
And Frank Miller is a saint. :-p
Seriously though, the creative forces of Rodriguez and Miller has managed to produce the most faithful comic book adaptation yet from panels on paper to pictures on celluloid.
They practically filmed each scene panel from panel directly off the comic book pages onto the silver screen.
For the uninitiated, Sin City is a series of independently produced comics from Frank Miller circa the early Nineties. Now when you think comic books, your mind would directly associate it with images of brightly hued heroes and villains in multi-coloured spandex of every imaginable tone under the sun. Two dimensional characters with basic morality and clear distinctions of black and white, good and evil, etc.
Sin City however, was one of those independent comic books from the early Nineties which aimed to break the stereotype of comics only being about simple superheroes and villains.
It featured the denizens of Basin City, termed Sin City because of its morally corrupt denizens ranging from crooked politicians to drug peddlers to two-bit gangsters and hitmen. Behind every corrupt man would of course be an equally corrupt woman. Sin City is divided into multiple boroughs or neighbourhoods and Old Town especially is controlled a group of strippers and hookers all under the protection of a cabal of whores.
This sure ain’t ur grandpa’s comics, kids! ;-p
As you can see, Miller derived his influences not from the comic book origins of superheroes, but instead his favourite genre: film noir. Using his genius, Miller transplanted noir-ish standbys like interplay of black and white in every scene, the usage of shadows and lights, the sexy broad, the flawed but repentant hero, two-bit side characters...the works!
And he succeeded !
Frank Miller’s Sin City was the break out independent comic in the early Nineties and it spawned multiple wannabes and clones aping his black and white simplified style. No one can beat Miller a this game tho’.
So imagine comic fandom’s surprise when Robert Rodriguez (famed director of actioners such as Desperado, Once Upon A Time in Mexico, and um... Spy Kids??) revealed in 2003 that he would be filming Sin City and be as faithful as possible to the subject matter.
After comic-book-turned-movie duds such as the Hulk, LXG and Daredevil, fandom was in uproar over fears that such a sacrilegious piece of American comic history would be pissed upon by Hollywood. Their fears were allayed however upon further revelations that Frank Miller actually gave his blessings after watching a 5-minute short Rodriguez made to convince Miller he’s the man for the job. (note: this is the first 5 mins of the movie with Josh Hartnett as a contract killer).
Anticipation grew and when it finally came out last month....comic fandom received it with open arms and ensured this faithful adaptation succeeded at the box office. Heck, even mainstream viewers supported it enough to make it gross close to USD 70 million at the end of its box office run.
Not bad for a comic book movie that’s R rated and doesn’t have a kid-friendly super hero in sight!
Kudos has to be given to Rodriguez and his superb line up of talented actors from Bruce Willis as the straight arrow cop with the heart of an angel, Hartigan; to Elijah Wood who plays the silent but deadly cannibal, Kevin; to the sexy and alluring Old Town ladies such as Jessica Alba, and Rosario Dawn. Countless other actors like Benicio Del Toro, Carla Gugino, Clive Owen, etc. pulled off their parts perfectly despite having to act in front of a green screen with mostly nothing around them.
They acted naturally and believed in their characters enough to make the story live and work.
In summary, this is the most faithful comic book to movie adaptation yet and H'wood execs should realise now that even non superhero comics CAN be adapted AND still turnover a healthy amount of profit if the creative team behind it is faithful enough and respects the subject matter properly.
Here’s to more GREAT comic book movies in the future!
And Frank Miller is a saint. :-p
Seriously though, the creative forces of Rodriguez and Miller has managed to produce the most faithful comic book adaptation yet from panels on paper to pictures on celluloid.
They practically filmed each scene panel from panel directly off the comic book pages onto the silver screen.
For the uninitiated, Sin City is a series of independently produced comics from Frank Miller circa the early Nineties. Now when you think comic books, your mind would directly associate it with images of brightly hued heroes and villains in multi-coloured spandex of every imaginable tone under the sun. Two dimensional characters with basic morality and clear distinctions of black and white, good and evil, etc.
Sin City however, was one of those independent comic books from the early Nineties which aimed to break the stereotype of comics only being about simple superheroes and villains.
It featured the denizens of Basin City, termed Sin City because of its morally corrupt denizens ranging from crooked politicians to drug peddlers to two-bit gangsters and hitmen. Behind every corrupt man would of course be an equally corrupt woman. Sin City is divided into multiple boroughs or neighbourhoods and Old Town especially is controlled a group of strippers and hookers all under the protection of a cabal of whores.
This sure ain’t ur grandpa’s comics, kids! ;-p
As you can see, Miller derived his influences not from the comic book origins of superheroes, but instead his favourite genre: film noir. Using his genius, Miller transplanted noir-ish standbys like interplay of black and white in every scene, the usage of shadows and lights, the sexy broad, the flawed but repentant hero, two-bit side characters...the works!
And he succeeded !
Frank Miller’s Sin City was the break out independent comic in the early Nineties and it spawned multiple wannabes and clones aping his black and white simplified style. No one can beat Miller a this game tho’.
So imagine comic fandom’s surprise when Robert Rodriguez (famed director of actioners such as Desperado, Once Upon A Time in Mexico, and um... Spy Kids??) revealed in 2003 that he would be filming Sin City and be as faithful as possible to the subject matter.
After comic-book-turned-movie duds such as the Hulk, LXG and Daredevil, fandom was in uproar over fears that such a sacrilegious piece of American comic history would be pissed upon by Hollywood. Their fears were allayed however upon further revelations that Frank Miller actually gave his blessings after watching a 5-minute short Rodriguez made to convince Miller he’s the man for the job. (note: this is the first 5 mins of the movie with Josh Hartnett as a contract killer).
Anticipation grew and when it finally came out last month....comic fandom received it with open arms and ensured this faithful adaptation succeeded at the box office. Heck, even mainstream viewers supported it enough to make it gross close to USD 70 million at the end of its box office run.
Not bad for a comic book movie that’s R rated and doesn’t have a kid-friendly super hero in sight!
Kudos has to be given to Rodriguez and his superb line up of talented actors from Bruce Willis as the straight arrow cop with the heart of an angel, Hartigan; to Elijah Wood who plays the silent but deadly cannibal, Kevin; to the sexy and alluring Old Town ladies such as Jessica Alba, and Rosario Dawn. Countless other actors like Benicio Del Toro, Carla Gugino, Clive Owen, etc. pulled off their parts perfectly despite having to act in front of a green screen with mostly nothing around them.
They acted naturally and believed in their characters enough to make the story live and work.
In summary, this is the most faithful comic book to movie adaptation yet and H'wood execs should realise now that even non superhero comics CAN be adapted AND still turnover a healthy amount of profit if the creative team behind it is faithful enough and respects the subject matter properly.
Here’s to more GREAT comic book movies in the future!
posted by NiK! at
11:50 AM
