Frank Miller to adapt Will Eisner's The Spirit?

Cafe Society
#1

It may be too early to say, but overall this does not bode well for The Spirit.

Based on Miller’s previous work in Hollywood, I think any Miller adaptation will have little to none of the humor and charm of Eisner’s character, none of the playfulness of the Ellen Dolan/Denny Colt relationship, none of the ambiguity surrounding Ebony White, have none of the whimsy of Jack Cole, Jules Pfieffer or Wally Wood, none of the classic pulp menace of the Octopus, who is apt to be morphed into something postmodern and unrecognizable…

It will revel in the femme fatales, though.

None will make up for any lines that amount to, “Are you retarded, Ebony? I’m the goddamn Spirit!”

#2

Kill me now.

#3

I can’t tell if this is Frank Miller adapting Spirit as a movie or as a comic. If it’s a movie, well, most movies are forgettable anyway. Movies out of graphic novels pretty much always suck; IMHO the only live-action adaptation that was worth seeing was Hellboy.

If you’re talking about re-starting the comic…Whoo boy. If Miller tries to do that, I will personally hunt him down and kill him with a letter opener.

#4

He’s evidentally tapped to direct a Spirit film, based a script he’s already written.

#5

The ideal director for a Spirit film would be somewhere between Tim Burton and the Coen brothers. In other words, he does not exist.

#6

M. Night Shyamalan?

d&r…

#7

Miller has his strengths, but I’m afraid his version of the Spirit would be Sin City dark. Eisner was dramatic, but in the clean, 1940s way.

And it would be impossible to portray Ebony in a film these days and still remain faithful to Eisner. In addition, the Spirit was designed for very short stories – the comic never ran more than eight pages – so it’d be hard to stretch it out to a film.

#8

If the Wayans can do Little Man, somebody else can do Ebony White and show the character’s basic humanity under the racist caracicuture imagery.

It just can’t be done in a Hollywood production.

#9

Sam Raimi could do justice to the Spirit, i believe.

Frank Miller… no.

#10

Aarrgh!!

Okay. As we all know, every president gets three secret murders per term. Assuming Mr. Bush has not used all his up – and given that Michael Moore is still alive, I think that’s a safe assumption – we all owe it to ourselves, as well as to the memory of Eisner, to petition the president to use one of those on Miller. NOW.

Who wants to start the online petiton?

#11

Don’t you mean “kill FRANK now”?

#12

Maybe. Certainly Eisner was no racist. But the character was pretty broad, even for today. It might work if he was older, acted like the Spirit’s driver, and they kept the comedy away from the stereotype.

OTOH, many Spirit adventures didn’t feature Ebony at all, so he could just be left off.

#13

I have to disagree, If Michael Moore is still alive, he has already used up all 3.

#14

I’ve seen that they have the Spirit archives on Amazon. Which volumes are worth getting? I’ve heard that the first volumes aren’t too great.

#15

They supposedly got a lot better in the late 1940s, after Eisner returned from World War II. However, the Archives are expensive books, especially for buying sight-unseen. May I recommend the following softcover trade paperback, Best of the Spirit? It’s a collection of the “best” Eisner Spirit stories from all eras, printed chronologically, perfect for a new fan to get a taste of everything.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401207553/sr=8-1/qid=1153366991/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2349306-9924135?ie=UTF8

#16

Thanks for the recommendation. Sorry about interrupting the thread to ask it, but I figured this was as good a place as any.

I’ve never read any Will Eisner, but just from the little I know it doesn’t seem that he and Frank Miller would go together well. But maybe it won’t be so bad. Wishfully thinking, maybe he’s taking a cue from Robert Rodriguez and trying to perfectly recreate some of the stories.
Miller doesn’t seem the type to shy away from racial stereotypes.

#17

Miller and Eisner were good friends, so this isn’t totally out of left field. Hopefully, Frank respects the man enough to know that his usual voice isn’t appropriate

#18

I hope so – I’d hate to have to go to jail for killing him.

#19

That’s your job as Sheriff. Frank Miller and his gang are coming on the noon train. Deputize anyone you need.

#20

I’ve got the first 18 Volumes.
Og willing, I shall own the set.