How does Sin City use genre conventions?

Sin City has a mix of two genres that link and fit together perfectly. It is a noir film, which is a film made in black and white that includes dark subjects and events. Also Sin City was originally a story within a comic book, and elements throughout show connotations of this such as use of colour, and
animation. Its dark and strange story line captures the idea of a Noir film genre with conventions such as the use of the weather. Throughout the film, dark and cold use of weather is frequent such as heavy rain and snow. This creates an eery and dark atmosphere relating to conventions relative to those of a horror genre. The film is based Noir films during the Cold War; which supports the common themes throughout of panic, paranoia and who you think you can trust. This time for Americans was a very dark and sickening time, which could lead to insanity; another element shown within the film.

The variety of genres used within the film all link together successfully to create a comic book coming alive. This is specifically shown when the hero of part 1 of the film Marve, uses the black leather long coat when undergoing his missions. The coat signifies his 'heroic' acts and relates to the comic book stereotype of a superhero like Superman. Every time he chooses a new victim to get information out of before he murders them he will take off their coat and wear it himself. This is like his trademark act for all his criminal acts. However his acts also relate to the Noir genre of film as he has a mental illness and that he isn't quite certain whether what he is doing is real of is infact in his head. This relating to how paranoia can turn oneself to insanity when surrounded by the thought of death.

The use of flashing neon lights is a convention of the Noir film genre, contrasting from the black and white colour throughout. Flashing lights are specifically used for police cars chasing characters, this immediately makes the audience associate the colours blue and red to a police warning lights. Also it relates to a comic book 'pop art' style of drawing using mainly primary colours such as blue, red, yellow, black and white.

Furthermore, shadow is used to represent a characters innocence or insanity. The low key lighting throughout creates shadows over characters faces and body. Nancy is constantly exposed without a shadow covering her face, her blonde hair and white skin glows and shimmers in the light. She is shown to be innocent and the 'princess' within the film. However, Kevin who is the villain, is constantly in shadow, this shows his character is evil and that his true identity can not be fully exposed to the audience.