Movie Forum: From 'Spy Kids' to 'Sin City'

Director Robert Rodriguez ("Spy Kids," "From Dusk Till Dawn") was so set on making a movie version of Frank Miller's ultraviolent graphic novel "Sin City" that he invited the author to a test shoot in Austin, Texas. Miller caved. When he arrived, he found actor Josh Hartnett and a fully rigged set waiting for him. "This was no damn test," Miller recalls. "This was the first day of principle photography." And so "Sin City"--starring Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Benicio Del Toro, Mickey Rourke and what seems like the past six cover models of Maxim magazine--was made. It's gory stuff, but it's also a visually arresting blitzkrieg with action so bare-knuckled you'll leave the theater spitting out teeth. Rodriguez answered questions submitted by NEWSWEEK.com readers about the making of "Sin City" and his other movies.

Westminster, CO: I love your movies, but I hate comic books. Will I like "Sin City"? Robert Rodriguez: You will be "Sin City"'s biggest fan. I like comics, but am not a big comic book fan. I always found Frank's books to stand apart from other comics. What we ended up with is something that will entice cinema fans. It's very different from anything you've seen before, and will be exciting in a new way. You won't be able to point to it and say, "comic book." It seems to be from another planet entirely.

San Francisco, CA: Robert, I saw that you were active in pushing for low-cost digital shooting and production in your previous features ("Spy Kids," "Once Upon a Time in Mexico"). What unique cost-saving tricks and high-tech filmography have you employed during the making of "Sin City"?

Robert Rodriguez: Just about everything. We shot on green screen like on "Spy Kids 3" in order to create a world that doesn't exist. It also saves a lot of time to shoot digital. Bruce Willis was on [the] set 10 days. We'd get around 60 set ups per day. That is very fast. It's what allows us to make a movie that has as many effects shots as a "Star Wars" movie, but done for a fraction of the cost.

Detroit, MI: I love the central role that family takes in many of your movies. What is your definition of "family values?" Does that come into play with "Sin City?"

Robert Rodriguez: "Sin City" is a series of morality tales and love stories told in the darkest ways. I have a lot of family values in my own material, but since "Sin City" is Frank Miller's creation, his emphasis is more on telling gritty stories about our inner darkness.