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Review: SIN CITY / Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez (2005)

July 30th, 2008 by Scott Marks

Sin City (2005)
Directed by: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and “Guest Director” Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Josh Hartnett, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, etc.
Running Time: 126 min.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Once again a Hollywood adaptation of a comic book looks great and goes nowhere. The long-awaited big screen version of Frank Miller’s Sin City presents a visually dazzling flipbook netherworld that should please only a comic book mentality.

Miller was soured on Hollywood after his experience writing the two RoboCop sequels and refused to relinquish the rights to any of his comic books. Rodriguez, a big fan of Miller’s work, filmed an “audition” scene between Josh Hartnett and Marley Shelton, later used in the finished product. He presented Miller with the footage and told him, “If you like this, this will be the opening to the movie. If not, you’ll have your own short film to show your friends.”

Rodriguez deemed the comic book’s visual style so influential he insisted Miller receive a co-director credit. The Director’s Guild of America refused and Rodriguez politely ceased to belong saying, “It was easier for me to quietly resign before shooting because otherwise I’d be forced to make compromises I was unwilling to make or set a precedent that might hurt the guild later on.” This brave move cost Rodriguez a gig on Paramount’s upcoming John Carter of Mars.

Why a ‘Guest Director’ credit? In addition to pointlessly referencing episodic seventies television credits, Tarantino expressed interest in experimenting with HD cameras, a Rodriguez pet. In exchange for one dollar, Rodriguez agreed to compose the soundtrack to Kill Bill Vol. 2. With another exchange of Washington’s, Tarantino returned the favor. Frankly, they both overpaid. Long a film-over-digital proponent, when asked about his experience, Tarantino merely replied, “Mission Accomplished.” (Tarantino directed the overlong Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia homage between Clive Owen and Benicio Del Toro.)

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