Why Sin City was such a landmark movie, a neo-noir hit that still resonates 20 years on
Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s film still looks incredible, with a stellar cast including Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis and Clive Owen
This is the latest instalment in our From the Vault feature series, in which we reflect on culturally significant movies celebrating notable anniversaries.
At the turn of the millennium, the rise of digital technology allowed filmmakers to do almost anything they wanted. The limits were their imaginations – and the audience’s patience.
The 2005 film Sin City, which turns 20 this month, was adapted from Frank Miller’s neo-noir comic book series and directed by Robert Rodriguez (Desperado) and Miller himself. Along with the 2004 films Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, which starred Jude Law, and the Japanese superhero flick Casshern, it was one of a clutch of movies shot completely on a “digital backlot”.
This means that everything except the actors, props and basic sets was created digitally, allowing the filmmakers to closely copy the highly stylised source material. Indeed, Rodriguez called it “less of an adaptation than a translation”.
Intrigued by the technology, Quentin Tarantino directed one sequence for the nominal fee of one US dollar. In fact, he was returning a favour, as Rodriguez had scored Kill Bill: Volume 2 for the same amount.