The 7 Least Faithful Comic Book Movies

Chat about stuff other than Transformers.
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

The 7 Least Faithful Comic Book Movies

Post by Halfshell »

http://www.cracked.com/article_15665_7- ... ovies.html

Discuss? Debate? Deconstruct? Something else beginning with D?
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Ooooh, conflict. On the one hand, good article, and six absolute clunkers in there you can't argue with (The Mask escapes simply because I always forget about the existence of the comic until I'm reading an article like that, and it's hard to hate something for being unfaithful top a comic I've never read... pre-pretension Jim Carrey is still good fun in my book, I'm afraid).. But the stuff they mixed - League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, with the vampire Mina, wanky Nemo, Tom Cocking Sawyer and 1930s design work; Captain America, where the wanker falls in a snowdrift on his first lap out of the factory; V for Vendetta, which supplants "Is anarchy preferable to fascmism?" with "DONT TRUST BIG BRO OR BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and the most painfully unfunny moment of Stephen Fry's career; X-Men 1, with its' "There's this guy Wolverine, and he's all important. There are probably a couple of other ones hanging around at the back, though" ethos; Spider-Man 2, for turning a light-hearted knockabout superhero into a moping little emo cock...
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Spidey 3 was worse.

Your point on The Mask is probably why I don't hate the movie version of V or Constantine. I saw the films first. Okay, the comics are distinct and infinitely better, but it doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the films.

Conversely, I saw League of Extraordinary Gentlemen before reading the book and still thought it was one of the worst affronts to cinema I'd ever seen. Ah, the difference between a bad adaptation and a flat-out bad movie.
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Halfshell
V


But you don't deny that the spoof Adam Sandler (or whatever they changed the name to) skit on Fry's chatshow was the most painfully unfunny moment ever committed to film?
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Yes, that was ****e. "Oh, let's do a Benny Hill pastiche and ignore the fact that the three people in the world who ever thought Benny Hill was funny died twenty years ago."
User avatar
angloconvoy
Posts: 2793
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Ichihara, Japan

Post by angloconvoy »

I'm with you guys. Nice article but missing a few. Mind you, he remembered to include howard the duck, which makes me happy. Constantine, fair game, as they absolutely butchered some damned good source material to make a wank hollywood anti-smoking commercial.

The original punisher movie probably deserved a mention, on account of punisher honourably teaming up with the mafia.

I like the mask comic, but like the article says, I think the success of the film is mostly because it was so unfaithful to the source. Both are fun in different ways.

Fun Howard the Duck fact: George Lucas claimed that twenty years down the line, if you asked which movie was a financial flop and which made millions out of Howard the Duck and the original live action TMNT, on viewing alone, people wouldn't be able to tell you.

Fun George Lucas fact: He's somehow 327% chin, despite the fact its a physical impossibility, and lives in a dream world.
Image
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by angloconvoy
The original punisher movie probably deserved a mention, on account of punisher honourably teaming up with the mafia.


Ooooh, forgot about that one.

I'm dying to think of a way that Daredevil was unfaithful (besides a few differences, like in the comic Matt Murdock isn't made out of formica and Elektra doesn't look like Tutankamun [sp?]), but I think it's simply ****ing shocking (and gets points for equating Joe Quesada with bush dodgers).

The Rocketeer's moderately unfaithful (Cliff isn't going out with Betty Page, the whole plot is totally different and everything), but super-enjoyable for it.

Generation X deserves a mention for the frumpy old Emma Frost. Missed the point of Emma Frost, lads...

And did anyone else see the Hitman trailers on the telly and think "What've they done to that now?". Was pleasantly surprised to find it's intentionally something completely different.

On the flip-side, for most faithful, the first Spider-Man's about right. Erm, and that's probably the list...
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Sin City's pretty faithful. Though whether that's a good or not is open to debate. My feelings about that swing back and forth like something that swings back and forth.

Never read Men in Black or Flaming Carrot. Apparently The Crow took massive liberties, but I'll let that slide on the grounds that it's absolutely brilliant.

The Shadow? Akira? Oldboy? A History of Violence? The Phantom? Meh.
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

I have brain problems it would seem. Still not quite got round to watching Hellboy or Sin City, despite having both on DVD. MiB's a lot like the Mask for me - I've never read the comics, and remain only vaguely aware of their existance, but it's a fun enough big silly Hollywood film.

Akira's an odd one... both the comic and film work really well, despite the film adaptation leaving a lot of stuff out. The comic's got a better plot and a lot more developed characters, but the film keeps things lean and tight. Wasn't it written by the comic writer?

The Phantom I've seen and didn't mind the thing. But I've never really read the comic - I think it had a few pages in my 1980s bible, Cartoon Aid. Anyone else have that thing?

Oh, and live-action Asterix films deserve points for being faithful, but unremittingly awful. I'm not looking forward to whatever Spielberg and Jackson do to my beloved Tintin either. Though if they adapt Tintin versus Communism or Tintin Patronises The Blacks And Shoots A Boatload Of Endangered Species I'll be intrigued...
User avatar
CounterPunch
Protoform
Posts: 3394
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2002 5:00 am
Location: What?
Contact:

Post by CounterPunch »

I'd have to go with Guyver/Mutronics as a god awful adaptation of an amazing source material.
User avatar
Chip1123
Protoform
Posts: 1267
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Birmingham, AL

Post by Chip1123 »

they had a generation x movie? what is this? emma frost was in it? i am so lost on this one!
No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets!!!
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

User avatar
Chip1123
Protoform
Posts: 1267
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Birmingham, AL

Post by Chip1123 »

wow- never knew that. i'm guessing it wasn't any good?
No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets!!!
User avatar
Jaynz
Posts: 3643
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2005 7:18 pm
Custom Title: RIP - see pixelsagas.com
Contact:

Post by Jaynz »

Oddly enough, I have to disagree with the list because there are some much, much worse films out there that the article-writer missed.

Seems odd that Elektra, Punisher (Dolph), or Daredevil didn't make the list. Oh, God, what about the old Captain America movie? Or the 'we buried this deep' Fantastic Four movie of the 1980s? And where was Superman IV? Or did they forget it existed?
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Superman IV was a good adaptation of the Superman comics.

I mean for a start it's rubbish.

Fnarr fnarr. Snnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnyarf. I'm hilarious.

Did the original FF movie even get anything even resembling what you could classify as a release?

Is Daredevil particularly unfaithful to the source?
User avatar
DrSpengler
Protoform
Posts: 4891
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:04 pm

Post by DrSpengler »

.
User avatar
Jaynz
Posts: 3643
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2005 7:18 pm
Custom Title: RIP - see pixelsagas.com
Contact:

Post by Jaynz »

Originally posted by Halfshell
Superman IV was a good adaptation of the Superman comics.

I mean for a start it's rubbish.
Atomic Man... heh. There's nothing in that movie that remotely resembled the comics at that point. It was one 'issues message' after another.
Did the original FF movie even get anything even resembling what you could classify as a release?
I seem to remember that it was in NY and LA for a week. I honestly don't know what happened other than that.
Is Daredevil particularly unfaithful to the source?


Daredevil is pretty anal about legality and morality (moreso than most superheroes), but he's a outright murderer in the movie. Just way too many things in there that Daredevil simply would not do.

And, of course, Catwoman.
User avatar
Chip1123
Protoform
Posts: 1267
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Birmingham, AL

Post by Chip1123 »

i didnt think daredevil was bad, nor Constantine.

Steel should definitely have been mentioned in that list though.
No Reserves, No Retreats, and No Regrets!!!
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Originally posted by TFVanguard
Atomic Man... heh. There's nothing in that movie that remotely resembled the comics at that point. It was one 'issues message' after another.


They probably felt they could justify leaving it out as they'd included the completely ****ing off-in-tone third installment. At least IV had Luthor in it.
User avatar
inflatable dalek
Posts: 24000
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:15 pm
Location: Kidderminster UK

Post by inflatable dalek »

But Vaughn made a better Luthor than Hackman did (hell, he's effectively a dry run for the more interesting "respectable front" Luthor. The regression to comedy baddy for Superman Returns was a disapointment to me as John Shea and BlokefromSmallville were both the best things in their respective Super shows).

The only way to getn any enjoyment from IV though is to have been to Milton Keynes. It's just not worth it. III at least has the fantastic double Superman fight, only two scenes with Margot "Where's my teeth and my am I in my pants?" Kidder in and Shame Rimmer.

As bad as it is though, Judge Dredd is a hugely faithful version of the comic, it just doesn't do it very well. And I never get the mania about the helmet, it's a gag that works in the comic because there's no way knowing what's under the helmet. With a film- unless you cast a complete unkown and then kill him afterwards- you're not going to have that.
Post Reply