FRANK MILLER ON DIRECTING THE SPIRIT

[MattBrady]

by Tom McLean

Frank Miller is the obvious choice to directing the film adaptation of The Spirit, based not just on his long friendship with the character’s late creator, Will Eisner, but the connection he felt with the character from the first moment he read it.

“I was just probably about 13 years old, and came across Will Eisner’s The Spirit as published by Jim Warren, and was blown away,” Miller said Tuesday from the set of the film, shooting at the brand-new Albuquerque Studios in New Mexico. I thought it was somebody new to comics because it was so far ahead of anything else coming out. I followed it religiously. There was one night when I picked up the latest issue of The Spirit and I was so excited I had to stop by a lamppost in Vermont, where I lived, and read it on the spot. It was the Sand Saref story, which is the basis of this movie.”

Visiting the set of the movie is an exercise in imagination. There’s little to look at save small chunks of sets and greenscreen curtains that stretch 40 feet from floor to ceiling. On day 27 of the shoot, the second unit plans a stunt shot of the Spirit swinging up from the bottom of a fire escape. Miller asks the film’s star, Gabriel Macht, to snarl as he swings, though the actor at first mishears Miller and smiles instead. The crew and Miller laugh as he corrects the actor.

“That was The Spirit hunting down The Octopus and going through some of his snappers on the way,” Miller said after approving the shot.

This is Miller’s first time directing a film solo, after co-helming the adaptation of his own comic book, Sin City, with Robert Rodriguez. Miller says he’s having a ball bringing The Spirit to life. “I knew from working with Robert Rodriguez that virtually anything was possible, and certainly with (senior visual effects supervisor) Stu Maschwitz, I’ve learned some brand new things.”

Miller later directs a scene from near the film’s finale in which the Spirit delivers a powerful right cross to the chin of The Octopus, played by Samuel L. Jackson. “From the start, I wanted Sam Jackson to play The Octopus because I’ve always wanted to work with Sam Jackson,” Miller says. “It seems to me he’s always had a part like this inside waiting to get out.”

The villain, who famously never showed his face in Eisner’s comics, will be slightly less mysterious in the film. “I knew I couldn’t get away with two hours of a guy whose face you never see,” Miller said.

While the film will use much of the same technology Miller and Rodriguez employed on Sin City, the finished film will look different. “It’s going to be quite faithful I think to Will’s vision as an artist. I’ve often laid out storyboards my way and then Eisner’s way, and in each case I’ve gone Eisner’s way.”

[Punchy]

I didn't realise this was so far in.

I'm very excited, but it seems to me the actor got it right by smiling, Denny's not a snarler

[CodeGuy]

“It’s going to be quite faithful I think to Will’s vision as an artist. I’ve often laid out storyboards my way and then Eisner’s way, and in each case I’ve gone Eisner’s way.”

That's a really interesting statement. I'd love to see a few of those storyboards and hear Miller's thoughts on the differences.

[MurrayC]

the finished film will look different. “It’s going to be quite faithful I think to Will’s vision as an artist

The best thing I can imagine as a reference would be that Dick Tracy movie starring Warren Beatty.

[Snikkas]

Originally Posted by Punchy

I didn't realise this was so far in.

I'm very excited, but it seems to me the actor got it right by smiling, Denny's not a snarler

Looking at tht Green Screen tells me the majority of the time producing this will be in the CGI/Post-Production phase.

As a big fan of the "Sin City" movie, as well as things Miller and Spirit-related, this is tres exciting.

However, I would have preferred seeing a picture of the actual Spirit rather than Frank Miller. Although I understand it's all antici----------------pation.

[rwe1138]

Frank Miller's Will Eisner's The Spirit?

[SouthtownKid]

It's funny the Spirit movie will be based on the Sand Saref story, since that is the story Miller also based the first Daredevil/Elektra story that he made his career on.

I'm looking forward to this movie, although still a bit disappointed Ebony won't be a part of it. Maybe in a sequel.

[Spookyjesus]

So the guy who first made comics cinematic is going to continue his steps to make icnema more comic-tastic.

I can see why both the most intelligent film theorists and stupid fat fanboy's can get behind something like that. Wish I could. Can't. Balls.

It says more about the power of the comics than about my current distaste for Milly. I don't really like the Spirit DC put out recently more because it's a proper comic and not a piece of newspaper pulp than because of the creators.

the medium is different so the magic is lost. It'll be the same with this movie (I imagine) - hate that image Milly drew (for the script cover isn't it?).

I'd love to see Scorsese do the contract with God or New York stuff though.

I don't know what I'm typing..........

Milly - WTF is that?

[Skyhawk]

Will we hear the classic line "I'm the goddam Spirit"?

[Demonight]

Originally Posted by Skyhawk

Will we hear the classic line "I'm the goddam Spirit"?

haha...was about to say that too

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Frank Miller is the obvious choice to directing the film adaptation of The Spirit, based not just on his long friendship with the character’s late creator, Will Eisner, but the connection he felt with the character from the first moment he read it.


”

hey don't get me wrong I am a long long time Miller fan. But is he really the oobvious choise. Yeah yeah yeah I know he's writtem movie scripts and was on the set of Sin City. Fine fine. But is really the obvious choice? come on......gimme a break.

[Comic-Reader]

I hope Miller is as good as his word and we get "Will Eisner's The Spirit" and not "Frank Miller's The Spirit."

However that promo art piece by Miller doesn't leave me feeling confident. It obviously looks like a Sin City leftover.

Does it ever NOT rain in a Frank Miller story?

[GenerallZodd]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

hey don't get me wrong I am a long long time Miller fan. But is he really the oobvious choise. Yeah yeah yeah I know he's writtem movie scripts and was on the set of Sin City. Fine fine. But is really the obvious choice? come on......gimme a break.

Yes I think he is.

He's proven over two decades that he's graphically. He's proven his ability to tell a visual narrative. He's proven he can write scripts for major motion pictures and he's also had experience directing. He knows the material maybe better than anyone else and he not only knew, but was a close friend of the creator.

I think he's more qualified.

[Groovie Mann]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

hey don't get me wrong I am a long long time Miller fan. But is he really the oobvious choise. Yeah yeah yeah I know he's writtem movie scripts and was on the set of Sin City. Fine fine. But is really the obvious choice? come on......gimme a break.

i think for a number of people whose read the miller/eisner interview book, miller does come off as the only choice. when he was first announced i was even like "what?" but thenr emembered that book and knew miller had such love and understanding for the material and so much respect for its creators.

though he could still ____ up this movie.

[puckett]

Originally Posted by CodeGuy

That's a really interesting statement. I'd love to see a few of those storyboards and hear Miller's thoughts on the differences.

dont you just wanna think this will be a hell of an extra for the dvd release

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by GenerallZodd

Yes I think he is.

He's proven over two decades that he's graphically and visually unparalleled. He's proven his ability to tell a visual narrative. He's proven he can write scripts for major motion pictures and e's also had experience directing. He knows the material maybe better than anyone else and he not only knew, but was a close friend of the creator.

I think he's more qualified.

Sure he can tell a story. Sheesh, I was picking up Ronin when it was coming out. I had the Wolverine issues he did and not in a reprint. I am a long time Miller fan. I know he can write a script. I have read the stories how they butchered his RoboCop 2 script.

He's had expireince directing one movie. And not even the whole thing, if he was even directing. I have the deluxe 2 disc edition of Sin City, I have seen the bonus stuff. It seems that he was more on the set as a consultant than anything else.

Fine he knows the material. Fine he knows the characters. Heck, the guy that was the historical consultant on Gladiator knew his stuff. Doesn't mean he could direct. As far as knowing Eisner being a reason to direct- So what? That does not make him qaulified to direct a movie. My mother met Hank Aaron is she trying out for the Braves?

There are ton of other directors that come to mind to direct a film like this.

But more to the point- That was such a horrible way to start the article.


Let me add this...this does not mean that I don't think Miller can do it. I am sure he can or a studio would not have given him millions of dollars to do it. I am not like all the yahoos that say Wanted is going to blow because of a trailer. I will hold off all opinons of the film itself until it comes out.

[TheCatalyst]

I do worry though that the sense of whimsy that Eisner brought to The Spirit and his other works will be lost here. Yes, The Spirit usually took place in a dark, urban setting where he fought dark, vile criminals, but there was always a sense of innocense to it all. My fear is that Miller will focus more on the darker elements, as much of his own work does, than on the ligher facets that Eisner brought to it. We'll see, though. Miller was close with Eisner, and knew his sensibilities better than most. I'm still quite optimistic about this.

[victor lanza]

Originally Posted by Skyhawk

Will we hear the classic line "I'm the goddam Spirit"?

Every retard already knows he is the GD Spirit!!

[EmeraldGuy32]

This is gonna be so damn awesome. Frank looks better than he did at the scream awards a year ago. Glad to see this moving along.

[Supreme Convoy]

If he did the storyboards, I'd love to see them in book form.

[Dalarsco2]

Originally Posted by TheCatalyst

I do worry though that the sense of whimsy that Eisner brought to The Spirit and his other works will be lost here. Yes, The Spirit usually took place in a dark, urban setting where he fought dark, vile criminals, but there was always a sense of innocense to it all. My fear is that Miller will focus more on the darker elements, as much of his own work does, than on the ligher facets that Eisner brought to it. We'll see, though. Miller was close with Eisner, and knew his sensibilities better than most. I'm still quite optimistic about this.

That's the only thing I'm worried about. The Spirit is definitely a big inspiration for him, but his own personal style is so different from The Spirit. I wish that Darwyn Cooke had done the script.

[ColonelLee]

Is it just me, or does Frank Miller look like Lamont Cranston on the set?

[SINOUS5478]

Originally Posted by TheCatalyst

I do worry though that the sense of whimsy that Eisner brought to The Spirit and his other works will be lost here. Yes, The Spirit usually took place in a dark, urban setting where he fought dark, vile criminals, but there was always a sense of innocense to it all. My fear is that Miller will focus more on the darker elements, as much of his own work does, than on the ligher facets that Eisner brought to it. We'll see, though. Miller was close with Eisner, and knew his sensibilities better than most. I'm still quite optimistic about this.

Will Eisner's ambitions for the series was much more than having a guy running around fighting crime. He viewed the Spirit character as a means to an end, just like C.C. Beck thought of Captain Marvel. The use of him in the strip was a necessary evil to help attract reader interest and to keep the newspaper editors at bay. That way, he could get away with telling as close as possible the story he wanted to tell.
Eisner was looking to explore both the world at large and the narrative possibilities of the medium. There was a curiosity and openness to the outside world in it that Miller has never shown in his own work.

While you could never accuse Miller of not expanding the comic book language, he has never really left the 'cheap thrills' behind. Miller believes in Marv, after all.

In this way, Eisner and Miller can be considered as having opposing sensibilities.

Due to this, it's really difficult to imagine Miller doing anything different in spirit(no pun intended) from his Sin City works. It's hard to see the movie being any other than "Frank Miller's Spirit," rather than Eisner's. After all, big budget Hollywood movies fit snugly with his sensibilities.

[raw_bean]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

...Heck, the guy that was the historical consultant on Gladiator knew his stuff...

Actually, not so much!

[fast eddie]

Originally Posted by ColonelLee

Is it just me, or does Frank Miller look like Lamont Cranston on the set?

LOL! Yeah, I never saw that! Just picture him with a couple guns blazing and red scarf over his face and..... bam!, the shadow strikes!