Sin City DVD
Quentin Tarantino may write the best dialog, but Robert Rodriguez has sexiness and action over Tarantino. I recognized that guy's talent since Desperado. Some folks caught it with El Mariachi but I wasn't fortunate to see that film until years later.
Rodriguez takes a film noir comic strip by Frank Miller and translates it to film. The film looks like a walking comic book. It's just awesome.
The world's over the top dangerous. If you want any kind of justice, you best be a vigilante because the cops are all on the take. Corrupt politicians and the mob rule the city.
From a cinematic standpoint, Rodriguez shines. I'm not a fan of the comic book, having read a few of them after hearing about the movie, but the movie fills in all the blanks that I felt the comic book missed.
I love the cast. As George Lucas could take a talented cast and make them look awful, Rodriguez makes a moderate cast look cool. I especially liked Mickey Rourke's character, a hideously ugly guy in love with a whore he just met because she was nice to him. The guy's so ugly and his love for her is so true, you just have to admire the hero he plays.
The DVD itself pissed me off. It had a very short interview and some ads for TV shows. How lame is that? I'm not knocking the quality of it, but with a DVD, I'd like a few bonus features. Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings had plenty of bonus features, why couldn't Sin City? Lame.
Everyone told me that Jessica Alba was hot in the movie. I found her all right. It was Carla Gugino, even though she had a short part, that I fell for. She played Mickey Rourke's character's parole officer and did a fine job at it. Plus, that body's to kill for.
Jaime King didn't do it for me either. She played the dead hooker that Mickey Rourke's character wanted to avenge and also her twin sister.
Just a warning, this movie had a tremendous amount of violence. If I were running the show, I would have given it an NC-17 rating for the level of violence. So you probably want to see it and judge for yourselves whether or not you'll let the kids see it.
8 dead zombies. I would have given it 9 dead zombies, but if I'm going to shell out some dough for a DVD, I expect a few bonus features, not just some dumb ads for TV shows.
On an interesting side note, notice there are currently three strong American fantasy genres now? There's the Western, American Gothic (like Tim Burton), and a re-emergence of film noir. Or can we call film noir fantasy? I wish I was still in touch with my old film teacher. Wonder what he'd say.
posted by The Zombieslayer @ 9:55 AM
28 Comments:
I hope you didn't buy it. I was about to until I learned the *real* Special Edition jammed packed with features would not be released until December.
John bought that last weekend. Sygyzy I told John he should wait till christmas... They always do that. NEVER ever buy a first edition DVD of anything.
ZL - Our compound has dibs on Carla Gugino. You could have that blonde.
Sygyzy and Laura - Thanks after the fact. :\
That's like after the kid falls down, you tell him he forgot to tie his shoes.
I've heard that the movie is incredible, and star-studded. Great review Zombie, I really enjoyed your take on it.
I hate the special edition marketing ploy. DVD home sales are already dying; it's like the studios are trying to kill it off with this crap. I look forward to renting it -- I read a couple of the comics but am not much of a Frank Miller fan, but the flick looks intriguing just on style.
Scott - Thanks. Definitely see it. I gave the movie itself 9 dead zombies but was just upset that the DVD I bought had no extras. The interview was like 5 minutes long and was more an ad for the movie than a real interview.
Jason - I'm not a Frank Miller fan either. He's too dark and depressing for me. However, Rodriguez knows how to make movies and does a great job at making an over the top film noir piece with this. Rodriguez is someone who will be studied in film classes fifty years from now.
zombie - Can I borrow it from you sometime to try it out in my HT? You are welcome to come over too. Or I can let you borrow something in return.
I am not sure how most of guys can make any comments on Frank Miller. He is first and foremost a comic book guy. That's like me saying "I don't really like Bach" when I know next to nothing about classical music. Sure, I know what sounds good to me (not a classically trained musician), but it wouldn't hold much water.
My point is not that you guys don't have the right to your opinion and I am sure you know what looks good to you and what doesn't. But without having grown up with comics or followed the industry through at least one major transition (or "age"), it's hard to have a full appreciation for the comic-inspiried movies that are all the rage now.
If you followed even "Modern" comics like Spider-Man, Daredevil, X-Men, you would have a much wider understanding of the movies. The producers hid so many little easter eggs in there.
It's like The Harry Potter and LOTR series. When I watched it, I just understood it at face value. But my friends who've read the books, can explain all the extra background and history to each scene or event.
Not so much a rant, more of a suggestion.
Sygyzy - No, I understand completey where you're coming from. I'll readily admit that I won't have as informed as an opinion as someone who's followed comic books for years.
And an excellent example using classical music as an analogy. Most people can't tell the difference between Bach and Beethoven, but I can't stand anything from the Baroque period, whereas, I'm a huge fan of the Romantic era of classical music. Now if some guy came up to me and said he couldn't tell the difference between Brahms and Hadyn, I'd be upset too.
You're going to meet my wife soon. She's a huge fan of comic strips and when we watched the X-Men movies, she explained who everyone was. I of course knew Wolverine, but that's about it.
I'll send you an email and we'll hook up and I could drop it off or whatever.
ZL - No! I already said you could have the blonde, not Jessica Alba but that other one.
The marketing ploy only works for the uninformed or impatient... sorry ZS. John is the latter. DVDs we've (read: john) re-purchased due to "special editions"
Terminator 2
Fight Club
Lord of the Rings (fellowship only)
Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Star Wars Ep 1(don't ask why he bought it, I don't know)
I'm sure there's others...
Too late...the dark side alrady claimed Katie Holmes.
SG - Yes, definitely worth seeing. The movie itself is a 9 dead zombies.
Laura - you two have good taste in movies, although I'll forgive him for SW1. I'm still trying to block that movie out of my memory banks. I wish there were such things as pensieves so I could put those 2 hours of my life in one of those things.
ZL - Wait a minute. I already called dibs on Salma Hayek, didn't I? Crap, I don't think I have. Okay, here's the deal. You could have all those mentioned plus Kate for Salma. How's that?
I'd like to see that movie - I'll have to go rent it. :-)
I didn't see the movie but the trailer was just about the coolist thing I've ever seen. I think I watched it about twenty times.
I ended up not seeing it though because it didn't seem like the right sort of movie to watch on a Saturday night then teach Sunday school the next day. My wife doesn't go far dark movies either and that about sealed the deal.
Oh well, I'll always have the trailer.
Levi - It was dark. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. I'm a film geek though, so I have no choice. I even have to sit through movies I disagree with to study their directing styles. For a director, Rodriguez is best of class.
Heather - This, Land of the Dead, and Devil's Rejects I really liked for this year. Hey, here's a challenge for you if you're up for it. You up to doing a post on your blog what are your fav film noir movies? I'd love to read it.
Jen - Let me know what you think. Would love to read your review after you rent it.
Okay, I must shamefully admit that I'm a Gilmore Girls fan. No comments about Alexis Bledel?
I guess I'll have to watch it myself to see if she can really act ;).
*hop* Thanks for another great review!
With all this Sin City talk on blogs, I really want to watch it.
Naturally, another great review from the Slayer.
Thanks! ;)
I've had the opposite problem with Special Editions: I'd see a documentary one and buy it thinking "well, it's all there is", then months later I'd find an ordinary edition for less than half the price! AAARGH!
ZS: It's actually Episode 2: Attack of the Clowns. John wanted to see the special effects on HD I think. I dread the day the entire set comes out on DVD... he'll have to have that one too... sigh.
it was a great movie..i loved the hell out of it and made my whole family watch it..much to the chagrin of my husband who hates black and white flicks..what does he know? he watches old cowboy movies all night..IN BLACK AND WHITE..
Yes, Sin City was awesome, easily made my top 10. My wife bought me the DVD last night. Awesome, even without the nudity.
Raemius - Now, that's a compliment, to say a movie is so good that it will still be good without nudity. :)
Dusty - some of my fav movies are in black and white. He doesn't know what he's missing.
ZL - Okay, we're going to have to make a trade then. I don't want to lose Salma. Hold on, let me talk to the guys and I'll get back to you on who we'd give you for Salma.
Laura - I actually enjoyed the fight sequences for that one and Jar Jar had a smaller part. It's stomachable, unlike SWI.
SME - I guess the movie is the important part. But still, one reason why a lot of us old timers liked Iron Maiden so much is you got tons of cool artwork every time you bought one of their albums, so it's nice to have some bonuses.
Jenn - See it. You'll love it.
Miranda - She's a cutie, but I can't comment on her because it will give away her role in the movie. Her role is central to the plot.
sygyzy, I used to be an avid comics guy and am very familiar with Miller's Daredevil run and of course, The Dark Knight and Year One. I read the first Marv Sin City and the next one focusing on the PI (don't remember the character's name). Just a bit too gruesome and dark for my tastes. I haven't picked up a comic in probably eight or nine years, so Miller's work may have changed, but that's why I say I'm not a Miller fan. Or those Image guys, for that matter.
ZS - Took your recommendation and just got done watching Sin City. I'm not sure what I expected, but it reminded me of old B film noir, but bloodier and with more nudity. :-P I will agree with your 8 zombie rating.
This is Jen, btw - thought I'd try something new.
Quite an amazin Wrok of ART!!
TC - Yes. I felt the same way.
Notta - I was wondering why I couldn't reach your blog. Love the name of the new one. Ever seen Best in Show? There was a character there who actually had two left feet.
Jason - I'm someone who read in the 70s and stopped because I started spending my loose change on records instead. I feel the same way. His world is too weird for me, but when Rodriguez put his touches on it, he changed it enough for me to like it. Admittedly I did see the comics only a month before seeing the movie, after all the hype.
Hmmm, I may have to watch it again. I really didn't like Sin City. Maybe it's one of those movies I have to see again. Perhaps I was expecting too much after the hype.
Thanks ZS - yah, Best in Show is one of the best movies. It's even better if you're a dog lover like myself.
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