Adam Graham
Oral Presentation on Sin City
I. Sin City is a collaboration of three different stories. It was filmed in black and white with certain objects and features shown in color, with a Pulp-Fiction type story line.
The first story “The Hard Goodbye” Marv an unattractive, mentally unstable tough guy, spends the night of his life with a beautiful mysterious women who winds up dead next to him. Marv spends the rest of the story torturing and killing his way to the truth behind “Goldie’s” murder!
The second story “The Big Fat Kill” Dwight a reformed murderer, with a soft spot for women. Helps some prostitutes dispose of a corrupt cop they just murdered, In order to stop a turf war between the hookers, the police, and the mafia.
The third story “The Yellow Bastard” Hartigan is a detective that saves a little girl Nancy from a murdering pedophile, who 11 years later try’s to settle a vendetta against Hartigan who robbed him of his man hood so many years earlier.
II. The biggest characteristic of Sin City that links it to classic film noir is.
The fact that the whole movie was primarily done in black and white, another major characteristic that links this film to classic film noir is, every scene in the film was shot at night. All in the same dark, depressing, corrupt urban environment in Basin City.
The most obvious link of a character to classic film noir is in the story “The yellow bastard”. Hartigan Played by Bruce Willis is one of the more traditional film noir characters. The ambiguous protagonist, a detective that does the morally, honest, and right thing, but uses questionable means, and practices to accomplish his goals. When Hartigan catches senator Rourk’s son the cereal murdering pedophile, he takes away his pistol, and takes away his other weapon, Hartigan shoots him and blows off his man hood, so he could never hurt another little girl again. The ambiguous protagonist is a symbol of power, and so is the male penis. By taking away the villains genital, he also takes away his power in the subconscious of the audience.
III. One of the more obvious elements that deviate from classic film noir and link the film to neo noir is. The use of CGI computer generated imaging, Sin City was one of the first films to be shot with high-definition cameras and used CGI to create the back ground settings, thus creating a totally artificial environment that simulates the picture perfect nourish urban environment.
Another element of the film that deviates from the classic film noir and links it
to neo noir is the fact that there are three different stories in the film, and the storyline jumps from one story to another in no chronological order. But in the end the stories are linked together, and everything comes into light and makes perfect sense.
In the article Sin City, Film Noir, and the Animation, Fascination W Mclean quotes the film by saying “walk down the right back alley in Sin City, and you can find anything” I found film noir in Sin City (1). This Quote is the most memorable line in the whole movie, and it connects the film with film noir in a clever way.
Andrew Hartman in the article Sin City as Neo-Noir; Or, the Aesthetics of Post-Alienation explains “The brilliance of Sin City-and it is brilliant-lies not in its ability to connect to its audience in some human capacity, but rather, in the ways that it reflects America circa 2005, desensitized to horror by its awful war in Iraq and revelations of torture and abuse at Abu Ghraib-torture sanctioned by the upper rungs of the chain of command” (3). This quote ties the film to neo noir, and shows the anxiety’s of the American public during its time period.
This is the opening scene of the film, where you have many elements of film noir, and also neo noir. The young handsome hit man on a terrace overlooking Basin City at night, with the beautiful femme fatale running from something. We don’t know from what, but it finally catches up with her. There are a lot of elements of film noir in this scene, he gives her a cigarette, and you have the voice-over narration giving the audience background information, black and white, with high contrast. They are both nicely dressed, and in the end you have the ambiguous protagonist shooting and killing the femme fatale, just like in Double indemnity where Walter shoots and kills Phyllis.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sin City neo noir source review
Sin City (2005)-Retrospective Film Review
A Ground Breaking Piece Of Film-Noir Fantasy
The film Sin City cost 45 million dollars to shot. Sin Citywas shot in Austin Texas, at co-director Robert Rodriguez's sound stage. The actors were shot in front of a green screen, creating an artificial enviroment that gives Sin City that Black and white noirish feel. The film was based on a novel by Frank Miller. Sin City has a pulp-Fiction type story line that is crude but very effective. The film was shot in black and white, with specific objects and features in color, which really brings your focus to the colored object. Alot of people try to compare Sin City with Sky Captin And The World of Tomorrow, Both movies were shot in HD with digital cameras, and used CGI to create background settings.
The Ultimate Filmmakers Guide To Film Noir
http://filmmakeriq.com/2010/08/ultimate-filmmakers-guide-to-film-noir/
This film review is more about film noir than Sin City, film noir which means black film. When you hear film noir you usualy think about private eyes and femme fatales, shadows and smokey night clubs, urban crime and corruption. The film noir era is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. There has been many attempts at defining film noir, but cinema historian Mark Bould says "film noir remains an elusive phenomenon... always just out of reach". A French critic Nino Frank is credited with coining the term film noir(French for "black film"), in 1946. The question of wether film noir qualifies as a distinct genre is still in debate.
U.S. Intellectual History
http://us-intellectual-history/2011/02/sin-city-as-neo-noir-or-aesthetics-of-post-alienation.html
This review talks about film noir and neo noir, and how these elements makes the film Sin City fit into the genre of neo noir. Sin City reflects America circa 2005, desensitized to horror by the war in Iraq and revelations of torture and abuse at Abu Graib, torture sactioned by the upper rungs of the chain of command. Torture, death, and violence is some of the elements that are not lacking in this film. Alot of people say, "Sin City with its tough guys and femme fatales feels uninhabited, and the social anxiety and psychological unease of the old film noirs has been digitally swept away. Instead, "Sin City" offfers sensation without feeling, death without grief, sin without guilt, and ultimately novelty without suprise". but there is something missing- something human. But everybody seems to miss the larger point. The brilliance of Sin City and it is brillant, lies not in its ability to connect to its audience in some human capacity, but rather, in the ways it expresses how America was feeling at the time the film was released.
SIn City, Film Noir, and the animation Fascination
http://www.resnet.trinity.edu/wmclean/sincity.htm
A Ground Breaking Piece Of Film-Noir Fantasy
The film Sin City cost 45 million dollars to shot. Sin Citywas shot in Austin Texas, at co-director Robert Rodriguez's sound stage. The actors were shot in front of a green screen, creating an artificial enviroment that gives Sin City that Black and white noirish feel. The film was based on a novel by Frank Miller. Sin City has a pulp-Fiction type story line that is crude but very effective. The film was shot in black and white, with specific objects and features in color, which really brings your focus to the colored object. Alot of people try to compare Sin City with Sky Captin And The World of Tomorrow, Both movies were shot in HD with digital cameras, and used CGI to create background settings.
The Ultimate Filmmakers Guide To Film Noir
http://filmmakeriq.com/2010/08/ultimate-filmmakers-guide-to-film-noir/
This film review is more about film noir than Sin City, film noir which means black film. When you hear film noir you usualy think about private eyes and femme fatales, shadows and smokey night clubs, urban crime and corruption. The film noir era is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. There has been many attempts at defining film noir, but cinema historian Mark Bould says "film noir remains an elusive phenomenon... always just out of reach". A French critic Nino Frank is credited with coining the term film noir(French for "black film"), in 1946. The question of wether film noir qualifies as a distinct genre is still in debate.
U.S. Intellectual History
http://us-intellectual-history/2011/02/sin-city-as-neo-noir-or-aesthetics-of-post-alienation.html
This review talks about film noir and neo noir, and how these elements makes the film Sin City fit into the genre of neo noir. Sin City reflects America circa 2005, desensitized to horror by the war in Iraq and revelations of torture and abuse at Abu Graib, torture sactioned by the upper rungs of the chain of command. Torture, death, and violence is some of the elements that are not lacking in this film. Alot of people say, "Sin City with its tough guys and femme fatales feels uninhabited, and the social anxiety and psychological unease of the old film noirs has been digitally swept away. Instead, "Sin City" offfers sensation without feeling, death without grief, sin without guilt, and ultimately novelty without suprise". but there is something missing- something human. But everybody seems to miss the larger point. The brilliance of Sin City and it is brillant, lies not in its ability to connect to its audience in some human capacity, but rather, in the ways it expresses how America was feeling at the time the film was released.
SIn City, Film Noir, and the animation Fascination
http://www.resnet.trinity.edu/wmclean/sincity.htm
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Sinful Ways Of Noir
Sin City is great new spin on films made from comics. For the past five year movies inspired by comics have been hitting the box office with a vengance. For the most part D.C. has been leading this trend. Most of these movies have been spetacular, and lived up to the D.C. name. But there is one that has pushed the envelope even further Sin City. Heidi Medonald, Millers double noir 3/7/05 "Sin City is a neo-noir, black and white film, that attracted some of the biggest stars in Hollywood such as Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Del Toro, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, and britney murrphy." I beleive the actors and actresses played a critical part in the sucess of this film.
At one point in the film Marv (Mickey Rourke) explains "walk down the right back alley in Sin City and you can find anything!" I found film noir in Sin city." Some of the noir elements that were used in Sin City according to Charley Mclean were " the use of flash back and voice over narration. Through the voice over narration, the audience learns character information, and other information that is necessary to understanding the story line."
"the culture of distrust marking the relations between the male and female characters, and the downbeat emphasis of violence, anxiety, death, crime, and the compromised morality. that seems like a plague running through the city."
"the only colors are black and white , there is nothing , if no contrast. the high contrast is achived through chiaroscuro technique."
J.R. Jones said "shot in crisp black and white but with novel use of spot color , neo-noir sadistic violence, with Millers version of a 1940's hell hole!"
Roger Ebert describes " action stars rubbing sholders with snakey villans and sexy wenches'in a city were the streets are always wet, and where everybody smokes."
Roger Ebert.com 3/31/05
J.R Jones review Chicago reader 4/18/07
Heidi Mae Donald Millers double noir
Charley lean communication capstone 12/11/06
rotten tomatoes.com Sin City
At one point in the film Marv (Mickey Rourke) explains "walk down the right back alley in Sin City and you can find anything!" I found film noir in Sin city." Some of the noir elements that were used in Sin City according to Charley Mclean were " the use of flash back and voice over narration. Through the voice over narration, the audience learns character information, and other information that is necessary to understanding the story line."
"the culture of distrust marking the relations between the male and female characters, and the downbeat emphasis of violence, anxiety, death, crime, and the compromised morality. that seems like a plague running through the city."
"the only colors are black and white , there is nothing , if no contrast. the high contrast is achived through chiaroscuro technique."
J.R. Jones said "shot in crisp black and white but with novel use of spot color , neo-noir sadistic violence, with Millers version of a 1940's hell hole!"
Roger Ebert describes " action stars rubbing sholders with snakey villans and sexy wenches'in a city were the streets are always wet, and where everybody smokes."
Roger Ebert.com 3/31/05
J.R Jones review Chicago reader 4/18/07
Heidi Mae Donald Millers double noir
Charley lean communication capstone 12/11/06
rotten tomatoes.com Sin City
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Golden Noir
The storie that I think is the best example of noir in the gold coast series is The Girl Who Kissed Barnaby Jones because the main charecter in the storie Cherie is the apitamiy of the femme fatal. She uses her sexappeal and her femanine wiles to persuaied Tate into helping her get rid of a 350 pound body. But sometimes all things dont go as planned, for instance Tate thinks Cherie is calling him because of a conflict in tomorrow's scheddule. Tate plannned on getting off work and going to Koreatown, not miles out of his way to the Palisades, where he thought he would run into tons of traffic, on the 101 and especialy on the 405. But it was smooth sailing all the way to the palisades. Another one of the reasons I think this storie is an example of noir is, it takes place in a major city. LA as a matter of fact. This storie also takes place at night so you get that kind of dark evil feeling, not just because it takes place at night but because you are heading into the unknown at three in the morning. Usually at three in the morning in the middle of LA there is a bit of mist in the air, that also adds to the dark evil feeling.
When Tate arrrives at the house where Cherie invites him things start to go better than he could ever imagine. Cherie just puts the offer of sex right out there for him. He didn't have to put any work into it at all, When things seem to good to be true they usually are, just like in this sittuation. Now Cherie has Tate right where she wants him, and only then does she reviel the true reason she invited him over. Not for the sex, but to be an accomplise in murder, in the true femme fatal fashion.
When Tate arrrives at the house where Cherie invites him things start to go better than he could ever imagine. Cherie just puts the offer of sex right out there for him. He didn't have to put any work into it at all, When things seem to good to be true they usually are, just like in this sittuation. Now Cherie has Tate right where she wants him, and only then does she reviel the true reason she invited him over. Not for the sex, but to be an accomplise in murder, in the true femme fatal fashion.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
CONTRAST NOIR
Some of the main contrasts between contemporary Neo Noir, and works associated with classic film noir of the 1940s and 1950s is, the most obvious would be all neo noir films are done in color, Most films back in the classical period of film noir were shot in blask and white, and almost always is a low budget B movie.
In the classical era of film noir was very conservative, there were no sex scenes, no foul languge, and no drugs. But classical noir does have its dark side. The French word for "black" is Noir. Most scenes in film noir are shot at night, or in a dark corner of a bar some where in LA, or in a wet dark alley somewhere in the middle of a city.
The films and novels of the Neo Noir era differ fron the classical period of Noir because, the films and novels of the classical period were mostly "WHITE WASHED"! White washed was a term people used to describe an all white cast, or only the white majority is the only race that truly enjoys the works of film noir. That all changed during the Neo Noir movement, The films started casting Hispanics, and African Americans for the first time. In alot of the Neo Noir works there is alot of cuseing, and slang used in the dialouge.
These are just a few of the diffrences between noir and neo noir.
In the classical era of film noir was very conservative, there were no sex scenes, no foul languge, and no drugs. But classical noir does have its dark side. The French word for "black" is Noir. Most scenes in film noir are shot at night, or in a dark corner of a bar some where in LA, or in a wet dark alley somewhere in the middle of a city.
The films and novels of the Neo Noir era differ fron the classical period of Noir because, the films and novels of the classical period were mostly "WHITE WASHED"! White washed was a term people used to describe an all white cast, or only the white majority is the only race that truly enjoys the works of film noir. That all changed during the Neo Noir movement, The films started casting Hispanics, and African Americans for the first time. In alot of the Neo Noir works there is alot of cuseing, and slang used in the dialouge.
These are just a few of the diffrences between noir and neo noir.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
critical noir
I read a couple diffrent reviews, but the one a liked the best was by Roger Ebert. Ebert's review was insightful, and interesting. Ebert's summery of the film was great, detailed and to the point. In the review Ebert whent above and beyond telling his readers details about the film that they would not know by just watching the film or reading the novel. Such as Wilder the director hired Chandler to write the screen play. When Chandler showed up the first day he was wasted on booze, and smoked a smelly pipe, I wonder what was in that pipe. Chandler knew nothing about putting together a screen play, But he sure could put a nasty spin on the dialouge. That is one of the reasons why the film was one of the greatest examples of film noir in the last century. Another fact that Ebert points out to his readers that is very insightful and just darn right intresting is Double Indemnity origanl final scene was Walter was sitting in a gas chamber in a prison somewhere in California, about to be uthanized. But in the theatrical version the gas chamber scene was cut. Which I think Wilder should of left in the film.
This article gave me a better insight into the whole film noir era, and what elements tuley makes a great noir film.
This article gave me a better insight into the whole film noir era, and what elements tuley makes a great noir film.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
detctive noir
Most good Noir tales involve a detective who is able to solve the crime. I will discuss who in the novel assumes the role of the detective figure. what qualities he possess that makes him suitable for the role of the hard-boiled detective.
I believe that Keyes, assumes the role of the detective in this novel because. He is the head of the claim department, he is like the detective of the insurance company. It is his job to question anything that looks out of the ordinary, or smells a little fishy! But Keyes is over weight, very loud and obnoxious, and always has a beef with other departments within the company. Just like the typical detective in a classic noir film. But Huff says it all on page 8 " but Keyes is a wolf when it comes to a phony claim!"
Keyes is the character in the novel that suggests that it is not a suicide but in fact a murder. Both Huff and Norton ask Keyes what basis do you have for this accusation. keyes answers nothing. But like a detective he automatically thinks who has the most to gain from Mr. Nidlingers death, which would be his heartless, double crossing, cold, vindictive wife. Who is Keyes number one suspect. Keyes is the one calling all the shots in this case, even though Mr. Norton has the position of power. That is why I think Keyes plays the role of the detective in the novel Double Indemnity.
I believe that Keyes, assumes the role of the detective in this novel because. He is the head of the claim department, he is like the detective of the insurance company. It is his job to question anything that looks out of the ordinary, or smells a little fishy! But Keyes is over weight, very loud and obnoxious, and always has a beef with other departments within the company. Just like the typical detective in a classic noir film. But Huff says it all on page 8 " but Keyes is a wolf when it comes to a phony claim!"
Keyes is the character in the novel that suggests that it is not a suicide but in fact a murder. Both Huff and Norton ask Keyes what basis do you have for this accusation. keyes answers nothing. But like a detective he automatically thinks who has the most to gain from Mr. Nidlingers death, which would be his heartless, double crossing, cold, vindictive wife. Who is Keyes number one suspect. Keyes is the one calling all the shots in this case, even though Mr. Norton has the position of power. That is why I think Keyes plays the role of the detective in the novel Double Indemnity.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
double crossed
The specific aspects of the novel that would cause us to classify as a work associated with film noir is. The novel Double Indemnity is definitely a perfect example of classical film noir because of the setting in which it takes place, a city LA, mostly at night, and in the after math of rain. So the reader gets this sort of dark feeling inside, with kind of a shiver. We also have the introduction of the femme fetal,a pretty, sexy young women who is up to no good. A women who will lie, cheat, and manipulate, and destroy another Pearson's life to facilitate her own dark and evil agenda.
Double Indemnity, author James Cain. "I ought to quit, while the quiting was good, I knew that. But that thing was in me, pushing me closer to the edge. And then I could feel it again, that she wasn't saying what she meant."
Now you have the protagonist of the story having an inner conflict with himself, he wants to get away from the femme fatal, and deep inside he knows he should run for the hills. but she has her claws deep inside him already! Now the line between good and evil is becoming a bit blurry! Along with his morals and values.
Double Indemnity, author James Cain. "I ought to quit, while the quiting was good, I knew that. But that thing was in me, pushing me closer to the edge. And then I could feel it again, that she wasn't saying what she meant."
Now you have the protagonist of the story having an inner conflict with himself, he wants to get away from the femme fatal, and deep inside he knows he should run for the hills. but she has her claws deep inside him already! Now the line between good and evil is becoming a bit blurry! Along with his morals and values.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
shadynoir
Based on the aricle, I will provide a description of the content and visual elements of film noir during the classicle period.
I'm a fan of the noir style films, that were imported from europe after the war. Some of the most popular film makers and directors, from presant day got ther start in noir. Today the noir films take a backseat to the, big budget blockbuster hit movies we are use to today! The noir films of today are mostly independent low budget B rated movies, that only the film industry, and critics,and the ocasional film buff enjoys. they say that the films are mostly white, meaning made by white people for white people. But I dont think this statement is very acurate, noir can be enjoyed by people everywhere, no matter the color of your skin, no matter what religon they are But noir, as a life style is makeing a huge comeback,
what appeals to me about film noir is it was a little diffrent way thinking. Instead of the bright conservative way of life in the early fiftey's. film noir was dark and cold and eary at the same time. Where sometimes the hero of the story losses sight of the line between good and evil! The allure of danger, or a beautiful women with a sexy figure, dressed in a skimpy black dress, with some high heels. sitting at the bar with a cigerette in one hand, and a half empty martinie in the other. At first glance you knew she was nothing but trouble, but that did not matter because she was so hot!
I'm a fan of the noir style films, that were imported from europe after the war. Some of the most popular film makers and directors, from presant day got ther start in noir. Today the noir films take a backseat to the, big budget blockbuster hit movies we are use to today! The noir films of today are mostly independent low budget B rated movies, that only the film industry, and critics,and the ocasional film buff enjoys. they say that the films are mostly white, meaning made by white people for white people. But I dont think this statement is very acurate, noir can be enjoyed by people everywhere, no matter the color of your skin, no matter what religon they are But noir, as a life style is makeing a huge comeback,
what appeals to me about film noir is it was a little diffrent way thinking. Instead of the bright conservative way of life in the early fiftey's. film noir was dark and cold and eary at the same time. Where sometimes the hero of the story losses sight of the line between good and evil! The allure of danger, or a beautiful women with a sexy figure, dressed in a skimpy black dress, with some high heels. sitting at the bar with a cigerette in one hand, and a half empty martinie in the other. At first glance you knew she was nothing but trouble, but that did not matter because she was so hot!
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