*Renown director/storyteller Ryan Coogler’s (“Black Panther,” “Fruitvale Station,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Creed”) latest film, “Sinners,” is a smorgasbord of scares.
Twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) leave corrupt Chicago and return to their hometown.
After arriving, they discover an even greater evil.
The town Pastor’s words, “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home” sentiment echoes throughout.
In a zoom interview, Coogler gave insight into what was the thought processes behind “Sinners.”
Scroll to continue reading
Coogler was first asked what was the spark that fired his interest in creating “Sinners?”
“My grandfather is from Mississippi,” he explained. “My uncle James, who passed away while I was finishing up, is from Mississippi. I was fortunate to have a really, really close relationship with my uncle James. So, the seed of the movie started with my relationship with my uncle. He would listen to Blues all the time and would only talk about Mississippi when he was listening to it. That had a profound effect on my life, and I got to dig into my ancestral past with the film. It has been rewarding, and so much fun.”
Blues is an important part of American music. When it comes to Blues and the supernatural, Robert Johnson is one of the most well-known.
Movies, documentaries, and TV shows have dealt with his life. La Monde Byrd plays Johnson in the TV series, “Supernatural,” Episode “Crossroad Blues.”
In that, Johnson makes a deal with the Crossroads demon. Tommy Johnson (Chris Thomas King) sold his soul to the devil at the Crossroads in George Clooney’s “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
“The movie deals with music and that Robert Johnson dual concept,” Coogler admits. “They are all there. When you think about the vampire it’s the supernatural creature that’s most associated with seduction. Blues music was also called the Devil’s Music. So, the movie is a conversation with all those things.”
With so many conversations going on, how you describe “Sinners?”
“It’s unique. It’s genre fluid. Yes, there are vampires, but it’s really about a lot more I think we’re going to surprise people with.”
Veteran, syndicated journalist Marie Moore reports on entertainment, mainstream media, and the Black diaspora.
Follow her on Instagram: @thefilmstriptm Facebook.com/TheFilmStrip X: @thefilmstrip
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: The Blues Never Dies and Neither Do Vampires: Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Sinners’ Drops Friday | EURexclusiveWATCH
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
