THE SPIRIT
US, 2008, 108 minutes, Colour.
Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Paulson, Jaime King.
Directed by Frank Miller.
Intriguing.
Poor reviews and weak box-office in the US seemed to indicate that there was something wrong with this version of a comic book hero and villain. Maybe there is. However, this review is very favourable.
Not being a fan of Sin City, written by Frank Miller who co-directed with Robert Rodriguez - it was ugly and brutal in themes and treatment, and thinking that Zac Snyder's version of Miller's 300 was absurdly camp, I expected this to be as bizarre as the other films. Not so. While it has big guns blazing in exaggerated cartoonish style, it has no rough language to speak of (only the 'kick ass' variety). To that extent, it is more general audience friendly.
But, where it may not be general audience friendly is precisely where it is so interesting. If you want to see a cinematic experience of pop art, then The Spirit could be it.
Firstly the style - because that is what makes the immediate impact. It looks like a comic strip come to life (as did Sin City and 300). However, The Spirit has a more consistent and consistently interesting style. It is generally filmed in black and white and red. There are some blues now and again and some tints of green and grey, but the black and red is visually striking. The cityscapes and locations are stylised. So are the characters and their costumes with inventive lighting. They look and sound as if they are in a comic strip. You can imagine the bubble in the frame with the dialogue. Stunt work and effects are designed to create an urban unreality into which we are invited. Art students will be fascinated by The Spirit.
Secondly, the content.
One of the difficulties for those not in the know or fans of Will Eisner's creation is that we are plunged right into the action as this strange masked man, The Spirit, goes into action to protect the city (often rhapsodising about the city as his mother and his love and life commitment) which, in its turn, provides opportunities (manhole lids to deflect bullets) to protect him. The commissioner calls on him to help (he is a bit like Spiderman at times in helping people) but is always exasperated with him. He has a way with women which frustrates the commissioner's doctor daughter who is in love with him. His nemesis is an arch criminal called The Octopus. Neither seems to be affected by weapons and fighting which makes the proceedings more mysterious.
It is at about an hour into the film that we get a complete explanation of who The Spirit is, how he died and was resuscitated and how he has committed himself to serve the city. We also get an explanation of the megalomania of The Octopus and his plan to blend his DNA with that of Heracles(!) so that he can become both human and divine. Well! But intriguingly interesting.
Gabriel Macht is The Spirit, an ambiguous blend of the good, the heroic and the womanising charm. Samuel L. Jackson lets himself go as The Octopus while a rather straight-laced and bespectacled Scarlet Johansson is his assistant. Eva Mendes is on the side of good, generally. Sarah Paulson is the doctor. Paz Vega comes in to do an exotic Latin dance. Jaime King hovers as the spirit of death.
No, not essential viewing – unless you want to see a state of the art pop art movie.
1.The impact of the film? Expectations, the work of Will Eisner? The comic books, the style of drawing, the type of hero, action, powers? The tones? The fans?
2.The work of Frank Miller, dark, the stories, drawing, tone? His film interpretation of Eisner?
3.The popularity of comic heroes: society, the clash between good and evil, the city, crime, megalomaniacs, the nature of madness and violence? The melodrama, the rhetoric? Heroes and powers, causes? Relationships and lack of relationships? The language, the conflict? The commitment?
4.The importance of the visuals for this film: the blend of realism and stylisation? Black and white, red, fewer colours? The design, the frames, the action and stunt work, effects, for powers? The musical score?
5.The structure: the Spirit and death, death as close, the Spirit as dying? The mystery of his death? The call to the commissioner, going into action, saving the woman with the lost purse? The information about the Octopus? The plan, confrontation and fights? The explanations coming much later in the film? The police? The Spirit’s death? The operation? The role of Sand Saref? Ellen and her work as a doctor? The discovery of the Spirit’s powers, the Octopus and the confrontation? The effect?
6.The Spirit and his love for the city, the number of speeches about the city, love, the city protecting him, his serving the city? The city as his mother, the commitment at the end? His name in his past life, but now the Spirit of the City?
7.Octopus and his powers, madness, fighting? Samuel L. Jackson in manic mode, the nature of the autopsies, the drugs, the experimentation? His wealth? The role of the police in confronting him? The importance of DNA, searching for the DNA of Heracles to become a hero? The box, Sand and her possessions? His megalomania? Fighting, wounding the Spirit? The Spirit reviving? His enjoying the battles? The bizarre aspect of the Hitler performance? Swastikas? The confrontation with Sand, the box, destroyed? The Octopus in the cloud?
8.The commissioner and his character, the role of the police, the combating of crime, the deaths of the police? Ellen and her concern?
9.Ellen, as a doctor, her love for Dan, helping him, waiting for him? Interactions with the Spirit? Her knowing that he was flirtatious, with Sand? His return at the end?
10.The manner of the Spirit, his appearance, ordinary, yet his powers, his charm with women?
11.Sand, the shooting, her mission, the DNA, the relationship with the Spirit, her leaving?
12.The capture of the Spirit, Silken Floss and her charm, the performance, with the Octopus and the Hitler routine, the role of the Spanish dancing girl, charm, helping the Spirit escape?
13.Silken Floss, bespectacled, assistant to the Octopus, her scientific knowledge?
14.The character of Death, her words, the Lorelei?
15.The mission, the Spirit’s final commitment to the city, living alone? The type of comic book hero?
