Chapter 215: Recorded in the Annals of Film History

In the place where Murphy once lived, there's a saying, "Where there are people, there's a society," and this is no exception in the world of professional film critics. Roger Ebert, with his Pulitzer Prize title, indeed had an unparalleled influence among film critics. However, this didn't mean that other critics would act according to his preferences. Just as Roger Ebert disdained certain movies, Kenneth Turan also disdained Roger Ebert.

The argument between the two seemed to stem from a difference in philosophy, a type of disagreement that is particularly difficult to resolve. Many in the lobby watched them with interest. Murphy, following Bill Roscius's advice, kept his distance.

He had no need to agree or disagree with either party, nor did he need to get involved.

"They're both so old," said Gal Gadot, who returned to Murphy's side, "and yet so fiery in temper!"

"Two people with different philosophies, both adamant about their views," Murphy glanced at her, "there's always a need to establish superiority."

Gal Gadot's eyes shifted. "Whose view do you agree with?"

"I agree with neither!" Murphy replied without hesitation.

"No position?" Gal Gadot blurted out.

"It's not about having no position," Murphy crossed his arms and watched Kenneth Turan and Roger Ebert still engaged in heated debate. "My views and stances are different from both of theirs."

Gal Gadot immediately asked with curiosity, "Your views?"

"I'll tell you about them later," Murphy said, glancing at his watch and taking Gal Gadot's hand. "Let's head into the theater."

"Hey, what are you doing?"

As they talked, Gal Gadot freed her hand and, seeing people looking over, she took Murphy's arm. Murphy shook his head imperceptibly and led her into the theater.

Due to their focus on the argument between Roger Ebert and Kenneth Turan, Murphy and Gal Gadot were among the last of the crew to enter. By the time they reached their front row seats, other main crew members like Robert Downey Jr., James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jessica Simpson, and Jessica Alba had all arrived.

Next to James Franco were two empty seats, which Murphy guided Gal Gadot to.

"This…" Gal Gadot looked around, surrounded by crew members, "I don't think I should sit here."

Murphy pointed to the seat. "It's specially reserved for you. Others have brought companions too."

Gal Gadot looked around, indeed as Murphy had said, and saw companions sitting beside Jessica Simpson and Robert Downey Jr.

"Thank you," Gal Gadot smiled at Murphy and sat down with him.

Just as Murphy sat down, James Franco leaned over, whispering, "You move fast, did you succeed?"

Pretending not to hear James Franco, Murphy pointed to the big screen. "Don't talk, the screening is about to start."

Sitting among so many people, especially under the curious gazes from time to time, Gal Gadot felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Murphy gently tapped her arm. Gal Gadot turned and smiled. For some reason, seeing the look of concern on Murphy's face, she felt suddenly at ease.

Outside the theater, after Harvey Weinstein's timely intervention, the argument between Roger Ebert and Kenneth Turan ended, and they too entered the screening room.

Worried that they might start arguing again, Harvey Weinstein had them seated far apart. Roger Ebert ended up sitting next to Jennifer Monáe.

"Hello, Mr. Ebert," Jennifer Monáe immediately recognized him. Roger Ebert, puzzled, asked, "And you are?"

"Jennifer Monáe, a dedicated journalist from Vanity Fair."

As they spoke, the theater suddenly darkened and the big screen lit up. The screening officially began, silencing all conversations, and everyone's attention turned to the screen.

The film opened distinctively, with a different use of color and contrast than contemporary movies.

In the rich darkness of the night, a convertible sped down the road, its occupant bearing a striking white cross scar on his forehead…

At first glance, it resembled an old black and white movie. But on closer inspection, it was different; the black was deeper, the white more glaring.

Roger Ebert forgot about the journalist next to him as he got engrossed in the movie. The strong personal style was palpable, more refreshing than enjoying an ice cream under the Los Angeles sun.

He had read the comics; they had this style, but how could comics compare with cinema? Under the film's stark contrast, the comics seemed insignificant...

Indeed, Frank Miller gave "Sin City" its soul, but Roger Ebert knew that comics and movies are different beasts. To turn a great comic into a film required a director with profound skills, especially for one like this.

Murphy Stanton not only replicated the comic's style but intensified its uniqueness and fervor. If the original comic was like a comforting winter sun in New York, the film was like the inescapable June sun in Los Angeles.

The film began with Robert Downey Jr.'s character, Hardy, going to rescue Nancy. Since Sienna Miller and James Franco played important roles, the experimental short shot by Murphy wasn't included in the final cut.

Quentin Tarantino, sitting with Harvey Weinstein, admired this film with a style as unique as his own. The appearance of Nancy, the stripper, made him inwardly praise.

"Murphy is so playful. The film has the style of the comic, but the director's distinct philosophy shines through."

He continued watching and noticed how Murphy, using the comic as a blueprint and base, followed its style but brought it to life in a more direct and thrilling manner through cinematic techniques.

The film's palette mainly revolved around black, white, and gray.

To enhance visual impact, Murphy significantly reduced the gray from the comics, substituting it with black. Quentin noticed that gray and white appeared only to make the stark black more prominent, shaping the dark and foreboding Sin City.

The only color appeared in the story's climax, "The Assassination," where the girls of Old Town stood atop buildings, raining bullets on the invaders below.

At that moment, the screen remained dominated by black, white, and gray, but the sky behind the girls was dyed blood red by flashing lightning.

This dark red sky aptly mirrored the blood-soaked streets below, symbolizing the intense and tragic massacre.

"The extreme conceptual use of color in the story's setting not only hints at sharp social conflicts and fragile social order but also unveils the crude rules of survival in Sin City, perfectly matching the film's violent theme," Todd McCarthy wrote in his notebook.

He was reminded of the aesthetics of violence.

The mainstream values of positivity and goodness light the way for the thriving development of human society, granting the invaluable treasure of freedom under moral restraints. The audience's psychological threshold determines the degree of realism in violent scenes and the form of aesthetic expression in cinema. These two factors are intertwined, sketching the red lines for the visual taboos of violent aesthetic films.

Appreciating the beauty of cinematic violence and experiencing aesthetic stimulation reflects the desire for spiritual freedom. However, Todd McCarthy knew it should never override mainstream values or cross into the visual taboo of violent aesthetics.

Realistic, violent scenes, despite their intense visual impact, can evoke disgust and guilt.

Such films, which flaunt extreme violence, show disregard for life and freedom, lacking any aesthetic value and alienating the audience, eventually becoming visual pollution.

"Sin City" definitely didn't fall into this category. Murphy Stanton handled the violent scenes masterfully, merging violence and aesthetics almost perfectly.

As the screening neared its end, Todd McCarthy was convinced that Murphy Stanton had not only recreated Frank Miller's classic comic on the big screen but had also pushed the blend of strong personal style and the fusion of violence and aesthetics further.

On the other hand, Kenneth Turan smiled, realizing that Murphy Stanton was not the kind of director Roger Ebert described, strictly adhering to his style. Like his previous works, the film indeed had a strong personal style, but many scenes conveyed ideas suggesting the independent director was subtly moving towards mainstream cinema.

The skillful use of slow-motion, carefully crafted action scenes, and glamorous female characters...

There were too many elements essential to successful Hollywood movies, which were absent in the original comics.

If such a director were solely committed to independent films and personal style, Kenneth Turan would sooner believe in the Second Coming.

Meanwhile, Roger Ebert had a different take. The film's color, performances, monologues, and even its non-original circular structure set it apart from any previous comic book movie. Just the use of color alone was enough to etch Murphy Stanton into the annals of film history.

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