Must See Movies: Sin City

04 September 2008

0Comments | Comment on this Article

Based on the graphic novels "The Hard Goodbye", "The Big Fat Kill" and "That Yellow Bastard" by Frank Miller have possibly been the most faithful big screen adaptation of a comic book in recent times.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez Sin City striking film noir infused with fantasy, taking place in a world where it is eternally nighttime and everything is drenched in rain and violence.

Using a unique combination of silvery black and white digital photography with occasional flashes of bright colour for dazzling punctuation, Rodriguez employs green screen techniques and paints a backdrop around each scene, using Miller's co-direction as his cue to match the original setting as closely as possible.

Three stories weave together, occasionally overlapping. With lines delivered flatly in the hard-boiled style of Raymond Chandler, these tales are about crime, love, loss, and being preternaturally tough.

Mickey Rourke plays the fearlessly lovestruck Marv, a trenchcoat-clad beast who falls in love with prostitute Goldie (Jaime King) only to find her murdered by a demonic cannibal (Elijah Wood).

In another segment, Bruce Willis plays Hartigan, a rogue cop with a "bum ticker" whose goal in life is to save Nancy (Jessica Alba), an innocent stripper, from a murderous rapist (Nick Stahl).

The third segment stars Clive Owen as a detective caught between murdered cop Jackie Boy (Benicio Del Toro) and a slew of lethally dangerous vixens lead by Gail (Rosario Dawson).

Released in 2005 Sin City really is a visual masterpiece and has become a moder classic in the film noir genre as Rodriguez contrasts the monochrome silhouettes and high paced action with occasional flashes of colour.

The director skilfully blends multiple narrative strands but without getting lost of muddled which is supported by three strong performances from Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Clive Owen who lead an impressive cast list.

The film was well received by the critics and gained a cult following, so much so that Sin City 2 and 3 are in the pipeline with stars such as Josh Hartnett and Johnny Depp rumoured to be linked to the projects amongst others.

Over the last few years comic book after comic book has been adapted for the big screen but it's Sin City that has remained closest to it's original form and has become one of the best film in the genre.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

0Comments | Be the first to comment!