ComicVine News

Sin City has been out on DVD for a while now.  Heck, I even own the UMD version for my PSP.  On Tuesday, April 21, 2009, the movie finally comes out in high definition on Blu-ray.  Sin City was a great movie and deserves to be in your home library.  The question, is this two-disc Blu-ray collection worth getting when you probably already own the DVD or two-disc unrated edtion?

Disc One has the restored Theatrical Version.  It has the same commentary tracks as before, Robert Rodrigueq and Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino and the 5.1 audio recording of the Austin audience reaction.  What is new is the addition of "Cine-Explore" which lets you have  picture-in-picture footage to see green screen or original artwork going along with the finished movie.

Disc Two is where the fun is.  The "Recut, Extended, Unrated Version" isn't new here but is pretty cool.  I have to admit that I do prefer watching each story ("That Yellow Bastard," "The Customer Is Always Right," "The Hard Goodbye" and "The Big Fat Kill") unfold on its own.  The bad thing is each story is only one chapter.  That means no skipping to Jessical Alba's dancing scene (as Nancy Callahan) without fast forwarding. 

What is new is the "Interactive Comic Book" special feature.  You get to see a bunch of comic panels accompanined by dialogue from the movie.  It's a scene from "The Hard Goodbye."  The interactive part begins with the car chase scene with Marv running from the cops.  You control his car and try to bump the puruing cops before they can knock you off the road.  Another part has you throwing money at Nancy Callihan while she dances.  They were fun, simple mini-games. The only problem I had is on some you need a numeric pad from a remote control which doesn't work too great with a PS3 controller (but it can be done). I actually went back and played through them again.  That's the most "playing" I've done on my PS3 in a long time.

The other features include:

• How It Went Down: Convincing Frank Miller To Make The Film (5:41)
• Special Guest Director: Quentin Tarantino (7:13)
• A Hard Top With A Decent Engine: The Cars Of Sin City (7:34)
• Booze, Broads And Guns: The Props Of Sin City (10:57)
• Making The Monsters: Special Effects Make-Up (9;04)
• Trench Coats & Fishnets: The Costumes Of Sin City (7:34)
• Teaser & Theatrical Trailer
• Rodriguez Special Features (15-minute Flic School, All Green Screen Version, The Long Take, Sin City: Live In Concert, 10-minute Cooking School

I give the movie itself a 5 out of 5.  Robert Rodriguez made a brilliant decision in getting Frank Miller to be so active in the making of this movie.  It's seen in the special features where Frank just knows these characters inside and out.  They managed to literally bring the comic to life.

Should you buy the Blu-ray?  If you own the original DVD (and UMD like myself) I still say you should definitely get this.  If you bought the two-disc unrated set in 2005, it's a close call.  Personally, I love the HD quality that the Blu-ray has to offer.  If you enjoyed the movie, there's no question as to whether or not you should pick this up.  The movie was also a very visual movie.  It's one that you want to see in HD.  I'd have to give the Blu-ray a 4.5 out of 5 only because there isn't really a whole lot of new material.  Still, this is a movie you'd want to have on Blu-ray.