Why SIN CITY rocks and sucks simultaneously
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Friday 1:10 pm and I'm on my way to check out SIN CITY. Now let me preface this with the fact that I am a huge fan of SIN CITY. Ever since the comics first came out in 1991 I was hooked. I have always been a big comic book fan but when I read SIN CITY for the first time I was blow away. Shit, I even have two versions of the "Marv" action figure, both in color and black and white, the latter of which has yet to be taken out of it's original packaging. That's not an easy thing to admit.
After seeing the movie though, I think that the fact that it was transferred vs. translated or adapted for the big screen was both it's strength and it's weakness. I have been so geared up to see this flick that it in no way could have ever met up to my expectations. So excited, in fact that my anticipation for the film was, at the time, bigger than Episode III. Which in my given social and business circles, mind you, would be considered blasphemous. I've seen the clips on-line, I've seen the ads, and read practically ever article written about the movie. Dare I say on the verge of over exposure even before it was ever released?
I did not read any reviews of the movie for the simple fact that I really wanted to be honest about how I felt about the movie given my preexisting prejudiced; I didn't need any other influence going in. So, finally what's my review, get the fuck on with it already. I loved it! However, I was also a bit disappointed. How's that? The visuals were stunning and given the fact the director Robert Rodriguez had been invited up to Skywalker ranch, years before SIN CITY was made, to see the developments in digital filmmaking by Lucas himself showed itself on screen. Hell I think half the reason I love and will see any movie made digitally is because that what we do here at Twenty One. Film? Why? It's expensive; it's unpredictable in a novice's hands, and it''s a fucking headache. Shit even Tarantio who is a staunch film maker bought into digital after directing his one; count it one, scene in SIN CITY. And really it's all because of Lucas.
Back to my review. While the movie looked like the comic book, it also sounded like the comic book. Now I don't know if that's the same old song and dance theory as the book was better than the movie but in many ways that's what I felt. I think anyone going to see this movie needs to buy into the spirit of the film to enjoy it. On that level I did. But I watch films and ask the same questions about the movies I direct, is the general audience going to get it? In the case of SIN CITY I doubt it. It is noir it the ultimate sense. Ugly mug, dames, broads, my mitts? And that's my biggest problem with the movie. It reads better than it sounds coming from actors on the screen. If you buy into it, no big deal, but if you are someone who doesn't understand the nature of the comic book then I think the dialogue gets hokey. And coming from Brittany Murphy it just ruins a fucking scene, which she did on every time her bug-eyed face appears on camera.
The stories themselves play great though. I really enjoyed Mickey Rourke as Marv. That was fucking flawless performance. Clive Owen, Willis, Del Toro, Frodo as Kevin, shit even Rutger Hauer were spot on. I was very happy to see that Rodriguez stuck to the spirit of the comics with the violence, hard-edged toughness and to be quite honest the nudity. Carla Gugino as Lucille who is nearly nude in every scene was amazing. Karen Cisco and the mom from the Spy Kids series never looked so incredible. Jamie King, can't go wrong. But the one thing that bothered me was Jessica Alba. She plays Nancy Callahan. She's a stripper in the movie and she doesn't get naked, at all. In the comic she does and often. Nancy is dancing on stage, topless, when the man who saved her life 8 years earlier walks in and sees her again for the first time. Now why do I find this important? It's not because I needed to see Jessica Alba nude. But it really was for the story. This woman, this stripper, who is in love with a man old enough to be her grandfather is in a position to show him why she is irresistible to him as a lover and we have the obligatory, "I am an actress who doesn't do nudity" shot. Hartigan needs to see that Nancy is all grown up and you don't do that by prentending he can envision her nude but buy showing it. Give him a fucking reason to have a conflict in his feelings for her! His little head needs to duke it out with his big one. Here's my solution, and David agrees, find an actress that is just as attractive who will do the nudity. Every other aspect of noir is maintained except that scene and only because of the actress playing the part. Bullshit, pure and simple.
So to finally sum up my review, I loved it. But I "got it" I'm not so sure the general movie going audience will, but I have faith. Mostly because I hope this movie does so well that it moves the digital movie making movement even further into the norm. Lucas has been pushing, developing and making his movies that way for many years now and Rodriguez was one of the first young directors to buy into it and run with the ball. Because that's what we at Twenty One have as our norm and future and we embrace it. I seriously doubt that I will ever shoot a movie on actual film stock and if I never do so fucking what? After all whether it's a comic book movie, sci-fi, drama or whatever, digital filmmaking is still just another tool to make a great story and if the story sucks who cares what it was shot on.
Needless to say Epidsode III regains the top spot as the my most anticipated filck of 2005.
After seeing the movie though, I think that the fact that it was transferred vs. translated or adapted for the big screen was both it's strength and it's weakness. I have been so geared up to see this flick that it in no way could have ever met up to my expectations. So excited, in fact that my anticipation for the film was, at the time, bigger than Episode III. Which in my given social and business circles, mind you, would be considered blasphemous. I've seen the clips on-line, I've seen the ads, and read practically ever article written about the movie. Dare I say on the verge of over exposure even before it was ever released?
I did not read any reviews of the movie for the simple fact that I really wanted to be honest about how I felt about the movie given my preexisting prejudiced; I didn't need any other influence going in. So, finally what's my review, get the fuck on with it already. I loved it! However, I was also a bit disappointed. How's that? The visuals were stunning and given the fact the director Robert Rodriguez had been invited up to Skywalker ranch, years before SIN CITY was made, to see the developments in digital filmmaking by Lucas himself showed itself on screen. Hell I think half the reason I love and will see any movie made digitally is because that what we do here at Twenty One. Film? Why? It's expensive; it's unpredictable in a novice's hands, and it''s a fucking headache. Shit even Tarantio who is a staunch film maker bought into digital after directing his one; count it one, scene in SIN CITY. And really it's all because of Lucas.
Back to my review. While the movie looked like the comic book, it also sounded like the comic book. Now I don't know if that's the same old song and dance theory as the book was better than the movie but in many ways that's what I felt. I think anyone going to see this movie needs to buy into the spirit of the film to enjoy it. On that level I did. But I watch films and ask the same questions about the movies I direct, is the general audience going to get it? In the case of SIN CITY I doubt it. It is noir it the ultimate sense. Ugly mug, dames, broads, my mitts? And that's my biggest problem with the movie. It reads better than it sounds coming from actors on the screen. If you buy into it, no big deal, but if you are someone who doesn't understand the nature of the comic book then I think the dialogue gets hokey. And coming from Brittany Murphy it just ruins a fucking scene, which she did on every time her bug-eyed face appears on camera.
The stories themselves play great though. I really enjoyed Mickey Rourke as Marv. That was fucking flawless performance. Clive Owen, Willis, Del Toro, Frodo as Kevin, shit even Rutger Hauer were spot on. I was very happy to see that Rodriguez stuck to the spirit of the comics with the violence, hard-edged toughness and to be quite honest the nudity. Carla Gugino as Lucille who is nearly nude in every scene was amazing. Karen Cisco and the mom from the Spy Kids series never looked so incredible. Jamie King, can't go wrong. But the one thing that bothered me was Jessica Alba. She plays Nancy Callahan. She's a stripper in the movie and she doesn't get naked, at all. In the comic she does and often. Nancy is dancing on stage, topless, when the man who saved her life 8 years earlier walks in and sees her again for the first time. Now why do I find this important? It's not because I needed to see Jessica Alba nude. But it really was for the story. This woman, this stripper, who is in love with a man old enough to be her grandfather is in a position to show him why she is irresistible to him as a lover and we have the obligatory, "I am an actress who doesn't do nudity" shot. Hartigan needs to see that Nancy is all grown up and you don't do that by prentending he can envision her nude but buy showing it. Give him a fucking reason to have a conflict in his feelings for her! His little head needs to duke it out with his big one. Here's my solution, and David agrees, find an actress that is just as attractive who will do the nudity. Every other aspect of noir is maintained except that scene and only because of the actress playing the part. Bullshit, pure and simple.
So to finally sum up my review, I loved it. But I "got it" I'm not so sure the general movie going audience will, but I have faith. Mostly because I hope this movie does so well that it moves the digital movie making movement even further into the norm. Lucas has been pushing, developing and making his movies that way for many years now and Rodriguez was one of the first young directors to buy into it and run with the ball. Because that's what we at Twenty One have as our norm and future and we embrace it. I seriously doubt that I will ever shoot a movie on actual film stock and if I never do so fucking what? After all whether it's a comic book movie, sci-fi, drama or whatever, digital filmmaking is still just another tool to make a great story and if the story sucks who cares what it was shot on.
Needless to say Epidsode III regains the top spot as the my most anticipated filck of 2005.
1 Comments:
At 8:24 AM ,
Castor OiL said...
Rocking and sucking simultaneously....
dude...
Bonefury!!!!
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