‘300′: Graphic Novel to Motion Picture

Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 7, 2007

I remember being a young adolescent and having a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Batman. Specifically, I had an obsession with Frank Miller’s Dark Knight series. If anyone was capable of making Batman seem any cooler, it was Frank Miller. His art and gritty style has yet again taken the public by force and become mainstream entertainment. When Sin City hit the big screen it was as if the images were sucked off the pages and strewn across a billboard of moving pictures. The time has come again for Frank Miller’s imagination to find a bigger canvas, and excite the senses.

When I found out that 300 would be adapted into a film, I was almost as giddy as I was for Sin City. I expected no less perfection than I saw from Sin City. The resemblance between the graphic novel and the film was absolutely uncanny. Robert Rodriguez showed so much respect for the man and his images that instead of attempting to adapt the graphic novel to the screen, he attempted to adapt the screen to Miller’s work. The torch has been passed again and Zach Snyder has been asked to undertake a task of the same magnitude.

The trailer for 300 shows much promise, and was even proclaimed by myself as “the best trailer ever.” The visuals of the film exude an intensity beyond description. The true sight to see, is the original graphic novel that inspired these visuals. Miller’s work has constantly been setting the bar higher and higher for what is expected out of comics or graphic novels. This film is a testament to how far Miller and his work has come. Miller’s work is a benchmark, and now film’s only aspire to match the intensity, attitude and style of his work.

Below are production stills compared with images from the graphic novel. The attention to accuracy and detail is magnificent.

Excited about 300? Check out these other 300 related posts:

• 300 to Hit Imax by Neil Miller
• Killer 300 One-Sheet and TV Spot! by Neil Miller
• 2007 Preview - Warner Brothers by Brian Gibson
• The 2nd 300 Trailer by Neil Miller
• 300: The Most Amazing Trailer… Ever! by Brian Gibson

Read more articles by Brian C. Gibson