To ill's
By Thomas LeClair
Film Critic
till 91 @psu.edu
Sui C/4
Dimension Films and
Troublemaker Pictures presents
a film written and directed by
Paul Rodriguez and Frank Miller.
With special guest director
Quentin Tarantino Starring
Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis.
Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke,
Benicio Del Toro. Rutger Hauer,
Josh Hartnett. Jessica Alba.
Elijah Wood. Michael Madsen.
Nick Stahl, Brittany Murphy, and
Michael Clarke Duncan. Running
time: 124 minutes. Rated R
(for sustained. strong. stylized
violence, nudity and sexual
content including dialogue).
Frank Miller's vision of Sin City
is one so complex and detailed,
suspension of disbelief does
not play a factor during the film
because every character. setting.
and emotion is lived. breathed.
and felt. This film goes beyond
the standard entertainment. It is
divided into individual stories that
not only introduce the characters,
but the city itself. The city is not
bad per se; its population just
American Hi-Fi
By John Fox
Staff Reporter
jtfls3v)psu.edu
American Hi-Fi (AHF) is back
and ready for a brand new start
with a new album on a new label.
is is about to release their first album with Maverick
Records, "Ilearts on Parade." tour Hill aCCOIIIILiIIy the album.
Tomfoolery of Cinema
lives their lives the way they
believe they should be. Though
the graphic novels on which the
film is based delves deeper into
the psyche of the characters, this
is the first time a graphic novel
has been turnea into a good
The film is presented in the
same stylistic manner as the
novels, shot in black and white,
with specific characters or objects
colorized to enhance the visual
sensation. It is, one could say,
film noir style. because the main
character of each story provides
the corresponding narration that
reveals how the character is
feeling or acting in the scenarios.
However, it goes further than
lust film noir. Robert Rodriguez
creates a reality to the story so
perfect that for two hours and
four minutes there is nothing to
experience except Sin City.
This reviewer is not going to
give plot synopses or spoilers to
detract a potential viewer from
seeing this film. However, I will
say that this film is unlike anything
anyone has ever seen. Rodriguez
used digital cameras and total
green screen for his sets, except
for the vehicles, which were real.
It is the same cinematography
used for the new Star Warstrilogy
Released on Maverick Records,
Hearts on Parade showcases a
band that is finally comfortable
in their own skin. Lead singer,
guitarist. and songwriter, Stacy
Jones, spoke with The Capital
Times before going out on tour in
Photo cool tesy of www.americanhi-fi.com
and the dreadful Sky Captain
and the World of Tomorrow.
The difference between Sin
City and the other films is that
Sin Citj)s visuals are not added
to take away from the story, to
only provide eye candy during a
completely banal film. Rodriguez
adds the sets, the backgrounds
and the appropriate colorization
to TELL the story. This film also
was shot mostly in the basement
studio at Rodriguez' ranch in
California. That's right, you heard
me. No production studio or
location shoot, it was done in a
basement.
A couple more points about
Rodriguez, beginning with the fact
that he is a multi-level director.
Not only does he have final say
on how it is shot and with what
dialogue, he composed the score,
edited the film, and designed the
production. Not many directors
these days take the time to edit
their own work. Another point
is that Rodriguez was forced to
resign from the Director's Guild
of America, because he did not
want to do this film without letting
Frank Miller share the director
spotlight. He also used digital
cameras, shooting his film on
MiniDV, instead of shooting on
gets ready for new aibum, tour
support of Hearts on Parade.
Jones is very excited about the
release of the new album and
going back on tour. He has high
hopes for this album because
of significant personal meaning
behind it.
"You always hope that your
record will do as well as possible,"
said Jones "I think this record, in
particular, means a lot because
we made it after Island Records
had let us go. So we made it on
our own. It was really a defining
statement for us as a band."
Jones said that the band was not
going to let a little thing like not
having a record label get in the
way of making music. Maverick is
getting behind the new album with
their promotions and is happy to
be doing what they love.
"We felt like we were really hitting
our stride when Island decided
to let us go," said Jones. "So, I
think we're really excited for this
record to come out because we
made this record for ourselves.
Ultimately, we just hope it does
well enough that we get to make
another one. That's the real
goal."
AHF was signed to Maverick by
label president, Freddy DeMann,
and so far the band's experience
with the label has been great.
Recalling the day the band was
signed, Jones said, "It's always
good when the president of the
label is the one that signs you,"
Entertainment
Jessica Alba, who plays Nand, and Nick St ;s o piu; u rd. s;iir in .sin Cio. This scene was shot
in front of a green screen and the background ss -ii •c!
35mm film. So Rodriguez now wanteil t( , I,_
joins fellow "outcasts" as Quentin nia.,tPl \v,
Tarantino and George Lucas. I tlr .1(
Okay my fellow readers I F-,)nert
said Jones. [DeMann] heard thfl
record, called me, and I was in
his office an hour later. Another
hour after that we shook hands
and had a record deal. It was
cool. He was really old schoni
about it. I really appreciate that "
According to Jones, the new
album has more of a pop element
in it than the previous releases
Having two solid albums behih ,
him, Jones went into this one with
the confidence of a seasoned
songwriter. The songs on the
debut album were the first he had
ever written entirely on his own
while the material on the second
album was written exclusively on
the road.
"I wrote it in hotel rooms tour
buses, and backstage at clubs."
said Jones of the material on the
second album, The Art of Losing.
"It was a little more aggressive, a
little more pissed off. This record
was written after I moved out to
LA and got situated in my new
crib."
Jones said the new album it;
definitely a new direction for the
band, but it still sounds like AHF.
"I think you can put on any of
our records and know that it's
us," said Jones.
Hearts on Parade is eclectic in
its sound with hints of influence,s
from many genres throughout the
album.
"'Something Real' (on the new
album) is very Oasis-like to me.-
rl - 1 , ) Capital Times, April 18, 2005
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Ht,‘, 111 ,, te perfect world, a world of
11 , I violence, sex. and of course, sin.
Flavor of the Weak,' but
ion't know American Hi-Fi.
kiild of our job now, to let
~ ,,o Hn know we are more than
song. We play 'Flavor
Weak . second in our set
we play live. We do that
imrpose because we want
if to know that there's more
lust that song."
AHF is a relatively
.K - Itanci, Jones is no stranger
!ho n,Lisk; business. He began
;1 , 1;li: career in the 90's,
w, played in the hugely
;I)ulat alternative bands Letters
lo Cleo and Veruca Salt. Being
-,,)inewhat of a music scene vet,
„Vines dispensed a few words of
„,,,H,lom he picked up along the
1 Mink the greatest lesson is
Jut to let the industry influence
.yhdt you do, - said Jones. "The
minute that you try to appease
nr; industry trend, you really do
iGurselt a disservice. Just make
tiie music you want to make and
iT:I the industry figure you out.
i)o , i I try to curtail to them."
11•111111
1, 11
The new album, released last
Ti!isday, April 12, is in stores
now. AHF is touring the east
c.:o, , :t:Tt now with Bowling For Soup
ha:: already hit the late night
show circuit in support of
i 0(1 Parade. You can check
out on the web at www.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
,Inlll-11 coin