Rodriguez writing to Frank Miller

Dunno if it’s true, it was posted here: http://drownyourself.com/?p=253





Hey Frank, Bob here, but I guess you kinda gathered that from the return address… he he he, I wonder why people even bother to introduce themselves in letters. You know. It’s like, the address is right there. DOY. But maybe it’s just one of those things… right… right, right… well Frank, obviously I did not write to you to discuss the details of epistolary manners. I actually want to talk to you about something, and, seeing as you know how shy I get in real life, I thought it would be best if I wrote down all of my thoughts on a piece of paper. So here it is… Frank… if you will continue to do this, the people will catch on.



Alright? I know we had a deal, and I am happy my gold fish survived unharmed, and I know you even fed them while they stayed with you, and I am not here to complain about that, god no! You got your shared directing credit for Sin City and I will never take it from you, nor do I want to… a gentleman’s agreement is a gentleman’s agreement and you delivered on your part, so once again, this is not about that. But, and please correct me if I misunderstood it somehow… I was under the impression that we will keep this little “exchangeâ€

FAKE.



Who says “Doy”?!

Robert is not referred to as BOB!

I’m not sure if this letter is even pretending to be true. It’s obviously just a joke written by your blogger.

Obviously fake but the idea is kind of funny to me. A director telling somebody to not direct because they suck at it might be mean but the honest truth is he probably shouldn’t be directing anything.

I stopped reading half way through. So obviously fake. >:(

I stopped reading at Bob. If Frank Miller ever directs something again it should be his own work. But I think his only original material is Sin City so… yeah I guess he should just stick to shadowing Rodriguez or um… writing comic books. Maybe he’s learned his lesson and can get back to delivering us the Propaganda masterpiece that will be Batman vs Al Qaeda.

[quote=“Dex”]
I stopped reading at Bob. If Frank Miller ever directs something again it should be his own work. But I think his only original material is Sin City so… yeah I guess he should just stick to shadowing Rodriguez or um… writing comic books. Maybe he’s learned his lesson and can get back to delivering us the Propaganda masterpiece that will be Batman vs Al Qaeda.
[/quote]

God forbid he had done Sin City without Robert Rodriguez! Fake or not that “letter” up there really is right about him having a talent for one thing and not for another. Directing.

Oh cmon The Spirit wasn’t that bad… It’s not a classic movie but I enjoyed it. You can’t say he suck at directing after only one movie. There is worst out there… I watched some pretty lame movies this year, and Frank is better than some. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting anything from The Spirit so I was not disapointed. Maybe you guys are fan of the comic?



It seems to me that drawing comic and directing movies can come to be pretty close. It’s just like a storyboard. No?

Yeah but the structural components may be faulty. A great example would be the novelist Raymond Chandler who co -wrote Double Indemnity with Billy Wilder, both of them hated each other, but they needed one another. Billy Wilder was the filmmaker, so he knew how to structure a great cinematic story, while Raymond Chandler knew nothing of that sort and helped mostly with the dialogue. My point is, each artist has their own artistic calling in whatever line of work they do. Frank Miller may be a good graphic novel writer and illustrator, but he may very well lack the ability to adapt that novel into film, which is a completely different medium. Robert Rodriguez is a natural born filmmaker, that is why Sin City was such a success - and keep in mind there were various novel volumes that were squeezed into one film. The structure alone of Sin City proves the difference between a graphic novel creator and a good filmmaker that knows his shit.

[quote=“Glaurung”]
Oh cmon The Spirit wasn’t that bad… It’s not a classic movie but I enjoyed it. You can’t say he suck at directing after only one movie. There is worst out there… I watched some pretty lame movies this year, and Frank is better than some. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting anything from The Spirit so I was not disapointed. Maybe you guys are fan of the comic?

It seems to me that drawing comic and directing movies can come to be pretty close. It’s just like a storyboard. No?
[/quote]

I just didn’t feel it had alot of the things that are the basic framework that make a movie work. Just my opinion, Frank Miller isn’t much of a filmmaker.

[quote=“Lt. BioBasterd”]
Yeah but the structural components may be faulty. A great example would be the novelist Raymond Chandler who co -wrote Double Indemnity with Billy Wilder, both of them hated each other, but they needed one another. Billy Wilder was the filmmaker, so he knew how to structure a great cinematic story, while Raymond Chandler knew nothing of that sort and helped mostly with the dialogue. My point is, each artist has their own artistic calling in whatever line of work they do. Frank Miller may be a good graphic novel writer and illustrator, but he may very well lack the ability to adapt that novel into film, which is a completely different medium. Robert Rodriguez is a natural born filmmaker, that is why Sin City was such a success - and keep in mind there were various novel volumes that were squeezed into one film. The structure alone of Sin City proves the difference between a graphic novel creator and a good filmmaker that knows his shit.
[/quote]

Double Indemnity really is your go to movie now. That’s awesome, I loved the flick and even saw it again this morning when I couldn’t go back to sleep. Once again, thanks.

I still have to buy it! I rented the film from Hollywood video, I was getting into my noir infatuation after watching The Maltese Falcon, and I saw Barbara Stanwyck starred in it as well, I’ve seen some other Fred McMurray flicks, but they’re all family pictures - so none of them really interested me. I ordered more Bette Davis films, cuz there are just so many great films she made, and I have to see them all! I haven’t been disappointed by any of her films as of late. The next films on my list are Now, Voyager, and The Star. After Davis, I’m going to look up more films on William Wyler and Barbara Stanwyck. From there, who knows what I’ll like next, but that’s my list. Maybe I’ll see some Cary Grant flicks, he was so great in North By NorthWest. Oh, I just ordered Grand Hotel too. Joan Crawford is in it - so I’m all for it!

I didn’t really like The Maltese Falcon, it wasn’t until I went on to things like The Big Sleep that I really started liking the noir films, even going so far as to buy a few of the “classics” including Double Indemnity which I didn’t even bother opening until you mentioned it.



I actually just started into Bette Davis career with Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte. I’ve been on a blaxploitation binge for a while (Bucktown, Friday Foster, Black Caesar, Hammer, jesus there a lot of them, I’m just happy almost all of them were really good) and decided to check out a few of her flicks while I take some time off before going back to my niggs.

Haha. I’ve seen the old version of The Big Sleep. I loved Lauren Bacall in the film and she can sing too! I always admire that from an actress if they can sing and act they are great - no questions asked! I think William Faulkner wrote the script with Hawks right? I mean William Faulkner himself writing a screenplay - those really were the golden ages.

[quote=“LT. Ordell Rodriguez”]
I didn’t really like The Maltese Falcon, it wasn’t until I went on to things like The Big Sleep that I really started liking the noir films, even going so far as to buy a few of the “classics” including Double Indemnity which I didn’t even bother opening until you mentioned it.



I actually just started into Bette Davis career with Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte. I’ve been on a blaxploitation binge for a while (Bucktown, Friday Foster, Black Caesar, Hammer, jesus there a lot of them, I’m just happy almost all of them were really good) and decided to check out a few of her flicks while I take some time off before going back to my niggs.
[/quote]

The first Bette Davis film I saw was “All About Eve” on TCM - I think it was Rose McGowan who introduced it - wasn’t it?! I remember Robert Osbourne talking about the film with her and then they played the Lana Turner movie with Garfield The Postman Always Rings Twice. That was when I first saw it, I immidiately ordered the film and loved it. Until now I’m really going back to it and the rest of her films, I think today’s cinema is utter crap - with a few exceptions of course. These films were so true to their characters and they were intelligent films made with real craftsmanship. But you have to see All About Eve, if you love the film there is no doubt you will like most of her films.

[quote=“Lt. BioBasterd”]
Haha. I’ve seen the old version of The Big Sleep. I loved Lauren Bacall in the film and she can sing too! I always admire that from an actress if they can sing and act they are great - no questions asked! I think William Faulkner wrote the script with Hawks right? I mean William Faulkner himself writing a screenplay - those really were the golden ages.
[/quote]

There were a few writers on the movie but he was one of them. Those were the gold ages man, now your making me all melancholy and shit (would that apply?). Like in Barton Fink, they tried to “class the place up” with novelists and playwrights, to various effects.

[quote=“Lt. BioBasterd”]
The first Bette Davis film I saw was “All About Eve” on TCM - I think it was Rose McGowan who introduced it - wasn’t it?! I remember Robert Osbourne talking about the film with her and then they played the Lana Turner movie with Garfield The Postman Always Rings Twice. That was when I first saw it, I immidiately ordered the film and loved it. Until now I’m really going back to it and the rest of her films, I think today’s cinema is utter crap - with a few exceptions of course. These films were so true to their characters and they were intelligent films made with real craftsmanship. But you have to see All About Eve, if you love the film there is no doubt you will like most of her films.
[/quote]

If it’s good I’ll probably like it. Although it bothers the hell outta me that Rose McGowan is the one introducing all these fantastic movies. But whatever, at least Robert Osbourne is still there!



You know what?, I have the postman always rings twice lying around unopened. Surprise surprise. I know what I’m doing tonight…



I’m pretty sure the golden age is one of my favorite movie periods of all time. A few more flicks and I’ll be sure but there are so many that I’ve loved from then it’s hard to love the period they were made in as well. They all looked so, gorgeous, even at their worst.

Well there still are a few modern filmmakers with that same integrity - I mean they are the few, but still - every two years or so we get a classic from them. Guys like The Coens, PT, Quentin, etc. I don’t know much about blaxploitation though, I haven’t fully indulged in exploitation cinema - I mean I’ve seen my share of horror films, especially zombie films, but no exploitation films.



The Big Sleep was a very important film for Lauren Bacall, I think her career was in danger and they actually reshot some scenes, I haven’t seen the late version of the film but I liked the original. I like how Marlowe always takes all the guns, you can see where Robert Towne got his ideas to craft Chinatown.

Have you seen the remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice? It was an 80’s flick with Jack Nicholson. Sounds like the Breathless remake.

[quote=“LT. Ordell Rodriguez”]
If it’s good I’ll probably like it. Although it bothers the hell outta me that Rose McGowan is the one introducing all these fantastic movies. But whatever, at least Robert Osbourne is still there!



You know what?, I have the postman always rings twice lying around unopened. Surprise surprise. I know what I’m doing tonight…



I’m pretty sure the golden age is one of my favorite movie periods of all time. A few more flicks and I’ll be sure but there are so many that I’ve loved from then it’s hard to love the period they were made in as well. They all looked so, gorgeous, even at their worst.
[/quote]

Rose McGowan did the show for a week! It was like four to five months ago. Damn you have all these unopened classics!



Another obscure flick that you should check out is “Rain” - a Joan Crawford film she did for the Warner Brothers. Now it starts off a little boring but after Joan makes her first appearence you’ll be glued to your seat. Walter Huston’s performance was a little too rigid - I guess that’s the only thing I hated about the film. But other than that you’ll go insane after it ends. Seriously, you’re going to rewind the film and see that scene again.