Will Eisner's The Spirit

[phantomstranger]

Frank Miller to Helm The Spirit
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
July 18, 2006


Ahead of the public announcement at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Frank Miller will adapt and direct The Spirit, created by Will Eisner and one of the most influential comics of all time.

Odd Lot Entertainment's Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker will co-finance and produce. Also producing is Batfilm Productions' Michael Uslan. Batfilm co-founder Benjamin Melniker will executive produce. Odd Lot's Linda McDonough and Batfilm's FJ DeSanto will co-produce.

Uslan said Miller was the ideal choice for the project. "What makes Frank's involvement with 'The Spirit' particularly poignant was his special relationship with Will Eisner, captured last year in the book 'Eisner-Miller,' " he said. "You have two of the medium's greatest storytellers of sequential art and cinematic comics discussing the compelling and controversial art form."

[Magneto_X]

He's barely a shadow of his former self these days and doesn't have enough experience directing to do the Spirit justice.

Christopher Nolan, Kerry Conran or David Fincher would be better suited to it.

[Typo Lad]

You eman you don't want to see The Spirit's new sidekick, an updated Ebony?

She'd be a hooker, of course.

[meethraa]

David Fincher's second feature film was Se7en, so I'm not worried about Miller's lack of experience.

Besides, directing is not exactly rocket science, and the man knows a thing or two about camera placing.

[StoneGold]

He's barely a shadow of his former self these days and doesn't have enough experience directing to do the Spirit justice.

Or, it could be that since becoming a director, he just hasn't had the same energy for comics he used to. Sin City rocked about as much as ASBARTBW didn't.

[kalorama]

David Fincher's second feature film was Se7en, so I'm not worried about Miller's lack of experience.

Besides, directing is not exactly rocket science, and the man knows a thing or two about camera placing.

Directing a film requires a lot more expertise than just knowing how to compose a picture.

[meethraa]

Directing a film requires a lot more expertise than just knowing how to compose a picture.

I didn't say it doesn't, I just pointed out that he's very good at doing something that takes some people many years and several films to figure out.

But you know, I don't think that the expertise required to direct a film goes that far beyond simply visualizing a sequence and competently transmitting it to others.

And since no one here really knows exactly what expertise Miller possesses at this point, I wouldn't be so quick so dismiss him just because his latest comic wasn't what most people expected.

[kalorama]

I didn't say it doesn't, I just pointed out that he's very good at doing something that takes some people many years and several films to figure out.

But you know, I don't think that the expertise required to direct a film goes that far beyond simply visualizing a sequence and competently transmitting it to others.

And since no one here really knows exactly what expertise Miller possesses at this point, I wouldn't be so quick so dismiss him just because his latest comic wasn't what most people expected.

I never said anything about his latest comic (which I don't even read).

And we do know that the only film experience he possesses was directing some scenes for Sin City under Robert Rodriguez's supervision. We know this because he said so during many of the interviews promoting the film. He also said one of the reasons he hadn't tried directing before (and he said he' had opportunities) was because he (and this is a quote) he "doesn't play well with others." That can be a problem for a film director.

Directing a film requires one to be able to manage and coordinate the work of a large crew, manage time and resources, communicate ideas to people who work in a variety of different disciplines (including many in which the director may not be conversant), etc. It's not the kind of experience one can just improvise on the fly.

Miller is a comics autuer who's used to doing everything his own way and havin near total creative freedom in his medium. Very few film directors get that, and no first-timers. Aside from his technical skill, how will he (a guy who never compromises in his comics work) deal with the many (many) compromises (creative and otherwise) that are required in order to get a movie made?

These aren't insignificant questions.

[StoneGold]

Frank Miller isn't a first time director. Spirit will be the third film he's credited with directing, after the first two Sin City films.

[kalorama]

It will be the first film full length feature film he's directed when he's doing the entire thing himself, not under the watchful eye of an experienced veteran. It'll be the first time he's primarily responsible for the films outcome, where he's responsible for meeting the schedule, staying under budget, and managing the work of the entire crew.

[Magneto_X]

Miller didn't direct Sin City by himself. He had help with it.

And the sequel hasn't even started shooting yet.

[StoneGold]

Miller didn't direct Sin City by himself. He had help with it.

And the sequel hasn't even started shooting yet.

Yes, but it will shoot before the Spirit does.

[meethraa]

I never said anything about his latest comic (which I don't even read).

I didn't mean you specifically, but when people refer to him as "barely a shadow of his former self these days" as one of the main reasons for him not being a good choice, I can't help but to think that the latest comic has something to do with it, you know?

And we do know that the only film experience he possesses was directing some scenes for Sin City under Robert Rodriguez's supervision. We know this because he said so during many of the interviews promoting the film. He also said one of the reasons he hadn't tried directing before (and he said he' had opportunities) was because he (and this is a quote) he "doesn't play well with others." That can be a problem for a film director.

We were talking about exactly, not exaclty the same thing as experience, which by the way I think he quite enough by now to properly direct any film, especially since I disagree with you on this:

Directing a film requires one to be able to manage and coordinate the work of a large crew

Unless you have at least a 1st assistant director, who'll be more than happy to earn his salary and do that for you.

manage time and resources

Again, 1st and 2nd assistant directors will do that, not Miller.

communicate ideas to people who work in a variety of different disciplines (including many in which the director may not be conversant)

The man is not exactly autistic. I'm sure he can communicate his ideas just as well as anyone else. Heck, if Woody Allen can do it...

It's not the kind of experience one can just improvise on the fly.

That's what most first time filmmakers do. Some, maybe most of them, produced their best work that way.

Miller is a comics autuer who's used to doing everything his own way and havin near total creative freedom in his medium. Very few film directors get that, and no first-timers.

Not true, but that's beside the point.

Aside from his technical skill, how will he (a guy who never compromises in his comics work) deal with the many (many) compromises (creative and otherwise) that are required in order to get a movie made?

The same way any other third time director would, I assume.
I was going to just post a list of excellent second and third films from all sorts or directors, but that would unnecessary and possibly annoying, you get my point.

These aren't insignificant questions.

Not insignificant, but more academic than anything else. I certainly don't think that any of it is enough to dismiss the guy because:
1) He's very good at his craft, and I do think his craft is directly related to conceptual work on film.
2) He has directed a film which I personally think highly of and which I'd place miles above anything else Rodriguez has made.
3) Again, many directors with only one film under their belt end up producing brilliant work on their second time around, and I have no reason to think Miller would be any different.

In fact, I'm more interested in watching a film by Miller than THE SPIRIT, so I really don't care that much if he directs that or anything else, I just don't think the man deserves to lose a paying job because of the popularity (or lack of it) of his latest Batman. (And no, that's not what you said, but I'm sure that's the main reason why comics fans in general would have a problem with him).

[StoneGold]

As for Miller getting his way, you don't think Uslan of all people knows that already?

[kalorama]

The same way any other third time director would, I assume.
I was going to just post a list of excellent second and third films from all sorts or directors, but that would unnecessary and possibly annoying, you get my point.

Yes and I think it has no bearing. Frank Miller has never directed a large budgeted feature film before. Period. End of story.

As for all the stuff about assistant directors ... there's a reason they're called "assistant" directors; the primary directoir still has to oversee their work and, by extension, the work of the people the assistants oversee. Ultimately, everything that happens is the director's job/responsibility. Miller has never had that responsibility

1) He's very good at his craft, and I do think his craft is directly related to conceptual work on film.

His craft is making comics, not movies. Other than the fact that both have words and pictures, they have almost nothing in common from a procedural/production standpoint. They're two completely different worlds that require different skill sets.

2) He has directed a film which I personally think highly of and which I'd place miles above anything else Rodriguez has made.

He directed a couple of scenes in a film with Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino standing at his elbow. Not the same thing as being the primary driving force behind a large budgeted feature film.

3) Again, many directors with only one film under their belt end up producing brilliant work on their second time around

Except he doesn't have one film under his belt. He has a couple of film scenes under his and Rober Rodriguez's belts. And lots of director crap out turds on their second time around. What other directors (who, for the most part, had significant prior experience/training in film) did has no bearing on Miller. Miller has no real track record as a director.