markbernstein's Journal

Here's the thing, Harry . . .
So over at Ain't It Cool News, Harry Knowles has posted the teaser trailer for Frank Miller's upcoming movie version of Will Eisner's "The Spirit". In doing so, he also declares himself "completely flummoxed" that some regard this as a less than ideal pairing of writer/director and property.

Well, I've watched that trailer, and it only deepened my unease. So, Harry, let me lay it out for you. Frank Miller does what he does very, very well. And the Eisner influence on his work, his visuals in particular, is unmistakable. But there are three ways in which Eisner and Miller are drastically different.

1) Will Eisner was a grand master of characterization. His people have depth, subtlety, and pathos. You root for them because you care about them. Frank Miller writes button-pushing, testosterone-driven (yes, the women too - see below) caricatures. They strut, and posture, and suffer dramatically, and elicit cheers by being more badass than anyone else. The two approaches are incompatible, period.

2) Silk Satin. Sand Saref. P'Gell-oh-my-dear-god-P'Gell. Eisner's women have wit, and class, and genuine passion. Miller's women, the ones who aren't victims, are sex-and-death machines, built of steel and cardboard. Eisner's women are sensual. Miller's are porn.

3) Will Eisner had a great sense of humor, and knew how and when to be funny. Even better, he knew how to be witty, and how to base humor in character, a rare skill. Frank Miller has absolutely no sense of humor that I've ever been able to discern. (I admit, I don't read the train wreck that is "All Star Batman and Robin", which one can hope was meant to be funny.)

I'm eagerly anticipating "Iron Man". I have genuine hopes for both "The Incredible Hulk" and "The Dark Knight". "Hellboy II" looks like fun. I'm even, based on the trailers, looking forward to "Speed Racer", and I never even read the manga or watched the cartoon. But I'm dreading "The Spirit".

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