Ryan Coogler Wanted 'Sinners' to Feel Like a Classic Blues Song You Replay

Director Ryan Coogler aimed to make his new film 'Sinners' a complete, stand-alone piece that audiences would want to revisit, much like replaying a classic blues song. He was inspired by blues music throughout the writing and production, seeking to create a rich film that would feel new as viewers age. Coogler takes pride in reports of people seeing the movie multiple times in theaters, seeing that as the ultimate goal. After years in franchise filmmaking, he feels good about delivering a self-contained cinematic experience.

Key Points: Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' Vision: A Replayable Blues Song

  • Stand-alone film vision
  • Inspired by blues music
  • Designed for repeat viewing
  • Rejecting franchise pressure
2 min read

Ryan Coogler shares his sonic vision for 'Sinners'

Director Ryan Coogler reveals he crafted 'Sinners' to be a timeless, stand-alone film that audiences revisit, like a perfect blues track.

"For me, the perfect achievement for this movie was if it felt like an old blues song. - Ryan Coogler"

Los Angeles, Dec 31

Director Ryan Coogler has shared that he wanted 'Sinners' to feel like "an old blues song". The 39-year-old filmmaker is excited to go back and watch the film in the years to come and see how it has changed for him.

He wanted it to feel like a complete piece, rather than to have people clamouring for a sequel, reports 'Female First UK'.

He told 'Empire' magazine, "I did feel myself as an audience-member, forgetting what it was like to watch a complete thing. I wanted to make something that's rich enough, and that could mature properly, so that when I go back to the movie as an older person, whether it's two weeks or two years or 20 years from now, I've changed enough and it's a new movie. That, for me, is the pinnacle, bro. I was listening to blues music constantly while I was writing the script and making this movie".

He further mentioned, "You get a phenomenal blues song, and you just play that s*** again. You run it back. It's not like, 'Ah, when are you gonna make a sequel to this song?' You want it again, you go back to it. And as you get older, maybe it reminds you of the first time you heard it, or the summer that it came out. For me, the perfect achievement for this movie was if it felt like an old blues song".

As per 'Female First UK', Ryan is proud that people have reported seeing Sinners multiple times in the cinema.

He said, "When I hear people say, 'I've seen the movie three, four, or five times', I'm like, 'Yo, that's literally what it was for'. I was trying to make something that would make people break their VCR tapes from watching it so much. If I was after, 'Oh, this is gonna launch a franchise or whatever the f***, I don't think it would have had that quality".

The 'Black Panther' filmmaker "feels good" about having made a stand-alone film after years of working on franchises.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Interesting analogy. Reminds me of our old Hindi film songs that you can listen to a hundred times and still find something new in the emotion. A film that aims for that kind of timeless, repeatable quality is ambitious. Hope it delivers! The trailer looked intense.
R
Rohit P
Respect to him for pushing back against the franchise machine. But let's be honest, it's easier to take this stand *after* the massive success of Black Panther. Would he have gotten this budget for a standalone "blues song" film if he wasn't already a proven hitmaker? Just saying.
S
Sarah B
The "break their VCR tapes" line made me laugh! That's such a specific, nostalgic goal. It speaks to wanting to create something with enduring, rewatchable value rather than just a one-time spectacle. Can't wait to see what mood he's created.
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Karthik V
As a musician, I love this approach. Blues is all about raw emotion and storytelling in a compact form. Translating that to cinema is a fantastic challenge. Hope the soundtrack reflects this vision too. Will definitely watch it in theatres for the full experience.

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