Sin City (2005)
Directed by: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, and Quentin Tarantino
Premise: An adaptation of Frank Miller’s series of graphic novels. The film is comprised of three short stories that take place in the crime ridden urban landscape.
What Works: Sin City is a gorgeous film but in a very gritty and grotesque way. This really is a true comic adaptation in the sense that it blurs the line between animation and live action. This is also a very violent film but the violence is part of the grotesque beauty of the picture and is reminiscent of the films of Mario Bava and other Italian horror films of the 1960s and 70s. The film’s parts, although created by different directors, do have a unified look and tone that makes each story distinct and yet stylistically part of a cohesive whole.
What Doesn’t: Although the three parts are unified in their look and location, the stories do not connect together very strongly and so the film lacks a unity and cohesiveness that would have strengthened the juxtaposition of these stories.
Bottom Line: Sin City is a landmark film. Watching this is like watching Tim Burton’s Batman or the original Matrix. There is a sense that this is something truly original and artistic.
Episode: #46 (April 3, 2005)