Watchmen

[Augie March]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/

It seems this is going ahead then. Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) is directing and there's a largely unknown cast attached (thank god the rumours of Keanu and Jude being in it weren't true).

Anyone think it's going to work? I really want it to, but have a nagging feeling it's going to wind up being another League of Extraordinary Gentleman. *shudder*

 

[Reno]

Anyone think it's going to work?

Not with Zach Snyder at the helm. Awful director.

 

[May Kasahara]

It won't work. The best we can hope for is that it doesn't totally suck.

 

[brixtonvilla]

I was just tossing up starting a Watchmen movie thread only yesterday. I still think it could work. It'll never be the book, but there are a lot of things in its favour that make me think a reasonable re-telling could be done.

Firstly, Zack Snyder has a genuine love of the material. He knows he's got the holy grail of comic book adaptations on his hands, and knows what made the book great - the characters, the period detail, the multi-layered symbolism. He's kept the script true to its 1985/Cold War setting, and as with 300, has gone for talent over big names in his casting. As he's already said, it's going to be much closer to Taxi Driver than Superman. Whatever happens, I don't think we're going to have another travesty like TLOEG on our hands.

As well as this, it is possible to tell the basic "Mask Killer/whodunit" story without having everything in the book. Snyder has already talked about doing the "Black Freighter" storyline as a DVD-only/"Director's Cut" extra, for example.

A parallel could be drawn with LA Confidential - a vastly complex novel, pared down to the core story, and well cast/acted/directed. I honestly think this could be the film to break the curse of Alan Moore film adaptations. And even if it doesn't, it won't detract from the book, which is a stone-cold classic in itself.

 

[PursuedByBears]

And even if it doesn't, it won't detract from the book, which is a stone-cold classic in itself.

Absolutely agree with you but I really want the film to be good as well! Watchmen is brilliant but needs to be handled sympathetically if it isn't to sink amidst 4th rate superhero films like Ghostrider. The general (non-comic reading) public is used to comic-book films now and I think the fact that non of the main characters other than Dr Manhattan actually have superpowers is a big problem in terms of the narrative - "So, these guys all dress up in costumes but they don't have superpowers, WTF?"

<worried>

 

[brixtonvilla]

That's a question of marketing & managing audience expectations. I don't think Watchmen is going to be pitched in anything like the same way as pap like Ghost Rider. As someone on here once observed, Watchmen is really an anti-superhero story - every "hero" in it is either dead, lonely, screwed-up over one thing or another, a psychopath or a megalomaniac!

It should be pitched as what it is - a character-driven mystery story. With a big, glowing, naked blue god in it.

 

[wishface]

It won't work. The best we can hope for is that it doesn't totally suck.

Yep.

I bet the cut out the entire mars scene which is my favourite part of the story.

there's no way this can be told as well as the book.

 

[Augie March]

It could go either way IMO.

Judging from Snyder's previous films, he doesn't seem too fussed about going OTT, which probably helps with certain aspects of the story. However, if it's decided the film needs to be a more reality driven film, it'll ahve to focus more on the charcter driven interaction. I doubt he'll be as up to task on this more subtler side of the plot.

It's a very fine line with Watchmen, which is probably why it's been so hard to adapt. I do think it's probably the best time, if there ever was one, to make an attempt though. There's been a fairly good run of comic books transferring to film without losing some of their complexities. Plus, we also the success of Heroes has probably created a larger audience who may be ready to accept a storyline like Watchmen's one.

 

[May Kasahara]

That is true re. Heroes, although a lot of the viewing public will probably think "Hey, this Alan Moore guy totally ripped off Heroes!"

I just don't think that Watchmen needs a cinematic adaptation. With other comic books like Spiderman, Batman, even Daredevil, the adaptation is of the character, who can then be put into any number of plots old and new - the film makers can choose from back issues of comics for their stories, or make up new ones. Watchmen is a standalone book, one plot, one set of characters, and it is a book which already has excellent visuals as well as words. How can a film bring anything more to it?

 

[wishface]

It could go either way IMO.

Judging from Snyder's previous films, he doesn't seem too fussed about going OTT, which probably helps with certain aspects of the story. However, if it's decided the film needs to be a more reality driven film, it'll ahve to focus more on the charcter driven interaction. I doubt he'll be as up to task on this more subtler side of the plot.

It's a very fine line with Watchmen, which is probably why it's been so hard to adapt. I do think it's probably the best time, if there ever was one, to make an attempt though. There's been a fairly good run of comic books transferring to film without losing some of their complexities. Plus, we also the success of Heroes has probably created a larger audience who may be ready to accept a storyline like Watchmen's one.

HEROES SPOILER!!!!






the plot of season 1 was the plot of Watchment. Linderman = Adrian Veidt.

 

[Orang Utan]

I just couldn't get into the Watchmen - I found it really boring and didn't like the drawings.
I've read LoEG and though it was entertaining, it didn't leave much of an impression on me.
My flatmate has now impressed upon me From Hell, but the thickness of it and the poor drawings have put me off it to be honest.
Maybe I'm destined never to get on with graphic novels

 

[The Groke]

I just couldn't get into the Watchmen - I found it really boring and didn't like the drawings.
I've read LoEG and though it was entertaining, it didn't leave much of an impression on me.
My flatmate has now impressed upon me From Hell, but the thickness of it and the poor drawings have put me off it to be honest.
Maybe I'm destined never to get on with graphic novels

If you want brighter, better, more colourful, more detailed and more stylish artwork combined with a profane, violent, silly, challenging, funny and intelligent story, try reading the Transmetropolitan series.

Takes place in a fairly far off future and features a drug addled journalist (inspired in part by Hunter S Thompson....just more so) his two Filthy Assistants, a two-faced nicotine-addicted cat and the never-ending quest for "The Truth".

Compiled into reasonable slim volumes, the whole series takes in 10 volumes overall (plus 1 extra bit)

Try the first couple (the main story arc doesn't really get going until book 3) and if you don't get on with that, then yeah - I would give up on the comics.

 

[May Kasahara]

To be honest OU I think you probably are destined never to get on with comics. Which is fine. If the drawings in From Hell only seem to you to be poor quality, and convey no power, emotion or movement, then you probably should just not bother.

I don't mean this in a snarky way btw, not at all. When I first opened FH I found the artwork similarly a bit 'ummm....wtf is this?', especially after taking in so much detailed and colourful artwork in other Alan Moore comics. But it only took a couple of pages for it to really come alive in conjunction with the writing. So if that doesn't happen for you, I'd say you might as well not bother as you will only get annoyed

 

[Buddy Bradley]

I bet the cut out the entire mars scene which is my favourite part of the story.

Snyder in this month's Empire made a reference to using some greenscreen to do "a palace rising out of the surface of Mars", so I think at least some of it is in there.

This also gives me an excuse to re-post my favouritest thing on the internet:

 

[loud 1]

i was in the booza with alan moore the other nite,he was para.

 

[gsv]

It may not be too hard to make something worthwhile if you concentrate on the Rorschach storyline and his history, and his relationship with Dreiberg, in a milieu with all the other 'heroes' swirling around.

At least it won't be:

Statue of Liberty gets blown up and starts falling into the Hudson

A giant Dr Manhattan rises out of the river and catches it

RANDOM PASSERBY
It's the Watchmen!

​

Lumme lawks and gawd have mercy, this really was the start of a script doing the rounds 15 years ago

Compiled into reasonable slim volumes, the whole series takes in 10 volumes overall (plus 1 extra bit)

1 extra bit? My God, what have I missed?
More Transmet! Yaaaayyyyyy!!!!!


GS(v)

 

[brixtonvilla]

I read that scipt treatment too - shocking, innit?

Oh, and if you want a "successful film rips off Watchmen", look no further:

 

[ICB]

It may not be too hard to make something worthwhile if you concentrate on the Rorschach storyline and his history, and his relationship with Dreiberg, in a milieu with all the other 'heroes' swirling around.



GS(v)

I'd have Nite Owl/Silk Spectre past and present at the centre with Rorschach as the main side plot, marginally less depressing and more accessible for non-aficionados.

 

[al]

If you want brighter, better, more colourful, more detailed and more stylish artwork combined with a profane, violent, silly, challenging, funny and intelligent story, try reading the Transmetropolitan series.

Takes place in a fairly far off future and features a drug addled journalist (inspired in part by Hunter S Thompson....just more so) his two Filthy Assistants, a two-faced nicotine-addicted cat and the never-ending quest for "The Truth".

Compiled into reasonable slim volumes, the whole series takes in 10 volumes overall (plus 1 extra bit)

Try the first couple (the main story arc doesn't really get going until book 3) and if you don't get on with that, then yeah - I would give up on the comics.

if that's anything like you describe it then it sounds boody ace - must find it!

 

[The Groke]

1 extra bit? My God, what have I missed?
More Transmet! Yaaaayyyyyy!!!!!


GS(v)

You may already have it - it is "Volume 0" (which I don't have) which I believe contains extracts from Spider's book "I Hate It Here" along with other snippets and bits of back story.

if that's anything like you describe it then it sounds boody ace - must find it!

It really is very good and highly recommended. Like I said, it really finds its voice and gets into the guts of the story arc (and the characters) by volume 3 but that's not to say the first two aren't ace as well.

 

[gsv]

(I think)
Could be a lot worse...


GS(v)

 

[Augie March]

Bump.

Not long now til we found out if Snyder has ballsed it up or created a film worthy of the book.

Meanwhile, while we wait...

Teehee.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I used to love Transmet! Fucking wicked read back in the day...

 

[brixtonvilla]

Trailer anyone?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E4blSrZvPhU

Judging by this still, the costume may have been cut:

 

[golightly]

(I think)
Could be a lot worse...


GS(v)

Admittedly I only watched the beginning of the interview but Snyder could barely string a sentence together even when the questions were pretty straightfoward.

The trailer looks good, but the scenes are almost exact cinematic representations of panels from the book, so it's aim appears to be convince the fans of the book that the film is a faithful representation. The thing is that Snyder has admitted that the film condenses Watchmen so the film cannot be as faithful a representation of Watchmen as the trailer implies.

I'll probably still go and see it, mind you, even though I find films of comicbook superheroes supremely unengaging.

 

[cozmikbrew]

Oh dear,ill probably go see it but.....i find myself thinking itll be a massive let down,i mean Watchmen!!! could be sacraligous

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I really want it to be good but not convinced it will be. I still don't see why they didn't just do a 12 part mini series based on the comics rather than condense it all into a two hour movie. I mean with Heroes and Lost around you can see how it could be done and how successful it could be.

 

[golightly]

I reckon that the film will attempt to be true to the book but with so much story removed it will be hard to make sense of what is going on unless you've read the book in the first place.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I reckon that the film will attempt to be true to the book but with so much story removed it will be hard to make sense of what is going on unless you've read the book in the first place.

How can it be true to the book if so much story is removed it won't make sense unless you've read the comics?

 

[golightly]

Oh do come on. You quoted what I said and then asked a question that clearly demonstrates that you didn't understand what I said. I shall repaeat it for you with the emphasis to help you:

I reckon that the film will attempt to be true to the book but with so much story removed it will be hard to make sense of what is going on unless you've read the book in the first place.