Watchmen Trailer Hits

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:34 pm

OK people this is it... The moment some people have been waiting for... The first sure fire look at whether Zack Snyders (thats his name right?) adaptation of Watchmen might be any good.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/watchmen/

I just watched the trailer and all I'm gonna say is "wow" IMHO it looks absolutely astounding and I officially cannot wait... shame its almost a year away.

Only negative is that I got reminded of Batman and Robin as the Smashing Pumpkins song was playing.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:09 am

The costumes, sets and design work really well.

HOWEVER

Is that the cocking Smashing Pumpkins? I hope the insane proliferation of bullet-time is a stylistic thing only present in the trailer to con the shitmunchers into thinking this is like any other comic Holywood chews up and shits out. Bullet time's played the **** out. That looks like MTV. I kept expecting ****ing Nickelback to be standing in front of the action, emoting like a pissed-up dad.

Is that Rorschach speaking? **** that.

Dan's ****ing Neo-meets-Batman now? Missed the point much? He's a fat old impotent man.

Still, films modelled closely on specific comic books are just for the illiterate anyway, so it don't bother me none.

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:36 am

CounterPunch wrote:Only negative is that I got reminded of Batman and Robin as the Smashing Pumpkins song was playing.

I agree on that one, but not because of the music. No. I'm reminded of Batman and Robin because of the ****ing Nipples on the suits.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:59 pm

Cliffjumper wrote: Dan's ****ing Neo-meets-Batman now? Missed the point much? He's a fat old impotent man.

Is that not supposed to be the younger flashback Nightowl? then again, I didn't really get much sense of seeing characters accross twenty years from the trailer.

Is it still supposed to be a period piece? I was under the impression it was (and that Regan posters had been seen on set) but in that case Smashing Pumpkins felt a odd choice for an 80's set film trailer. Are they trying to hide all the unique selling points?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:21 pm

Doing the flip in the street - yes, that would be the younger Dan (though it should be remembered that he probably wasn't Jakita Wagner then), not when he's ninja-ing that inmate. It really doesn't seem very Dan in either case, as he was largely gadget-reliant, and not flashy enough for mid-street posing.

I have high hopes that this trailer is dumbed down to get the retards to buy tickets, even if I think it's impossible for Watchmen to work especially well on film when it's built explicictly for comic books (think the 'back-up' material that helps it work, or Tales of the Black Freighter - I get the impression most of the 'news-stand' characters are probably going to barely be in it).

To be fair, you can recognise exactly which scenes are which. And it looks like Jon is going to be naked, but just strategically shot - which again is a plus, I was expecting them to flake on that.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:31 pm

Looks awesome. To be fair Zack Snyder has done an excellent job on the two movies he has directed so far. Real true to the source adaptations and so far it looks stunning visually. I love the designs

From the Wiki Cliffy Patrick Wilson did put on weight to play Nite Owl so it's staying true to the character even if I doubt his girth will be quite as massive.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:04 pm

Erm, que? He put on a little bit of weight, and that's staying true to the character? That's like saying Portman whipping out the Gillette for V for Vendetta is staying true to the character... an aesthetic concession means little. I'm more worried about the running kick on the inmate/dramatic drop into the street than the character being slightly porky.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:03 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:Is that Rorschach speaking? **** that.

Yep, it's from one of the opening journal entries. If we're in for heavy narration in that voice, or him talking in that voice for prolonged periods in any context, I may end up setting fire to somebody.

As I've said elsewhere, the general look of it (costumes, sets, aesthetics in general) have nailed it, but I'm holding out on actually getting excited until I've seen proper acting footage, instead of a strategically-assembled action montage.

dalek wrote:Is it still supposed to be a period piece? I was under the impression it was (and that Regan posters had been seen on set) but in that case Smashing Pumpkins felt a odd choice for an 80's set film trailer. Are they trying to hide all the unique selling points?

Yeah, it'll still be set in 85 apparantly. It's one of those things that you can't change without completely destroying the entire timeline.

Quite intrigued on how they'll integrate the Black Freighter animation in the amalgamated DVD release.

For those who don't know, the current plan is that "Tales of..." is getting a DVD release a few days after the film hits cinemas. I think with a docu version of "Under the Hood" included as well. Which is at least one way of getting all the supplemental material out there.

Though there'll also probably be a later DVD release that folds Tales into the main feature. Aside from the release of the theatrical cut, of course. This whole thing could be a nightmare.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:21 pm

alotron · Post by **alotron** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:18 am

looks good just hope they dont cock it up not too sure bout cgi on jon but it has a while yet to get preened.also found high quality trailer for max payne film it look like another sin city attempt like the other frank miller adap coming out as if that not bad enough its got mark wahlberg in it hope both make me eat my words though.ps still think mel gibson would have made a good comedian

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:54 am

Jetfire wrote:

I remember when that photo was released a few months back, and on some movie website this guy was absolutely slating it, saying about how

"those costumes look like complete s*** it looks like I could go out and make something better!"

I dont think he was aware that is exactly what the costumes are supposed to look like, as if some guys in late 30s early 40s stitched up some costumes out of any material they could find.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:39 am

Isn't that all-time greatest DC character Jean de Baton in the front row?

That is a good looking picture. It just depends if the Minutemen scenes are going to revolve entirely on them drop-kicking each other through windows in bullet-time while some shit-eating emo whines over the top.

Good news about the Black Freighter/Under the Hood stuff... Comic books are still the ultimate (and only?) medium Watchmen would ever properly work in (just because it uses the format so much better than, well, just about any other series), but if they must force it into something else to make money, at least they're having a decent stab.

But the overall direction of that trailer is a big worry. As I say, I hope it's just edited to appeal top the sort of twats who go to see Matrix films. I have a little faith in Snyder, even if 300 was a totally different kettle of fish (the comic is an arty fight scene, totally enjoyable but hardly complicated, and Miller's writing is cinematically influenced anyway, unlike the majority of Moore's). But based on that trailer (which isn't going to be a particularly strong indicator, hence "based on that trailer") it's going to make V for Vendetta look like a masterpiece. The plus side is, unlike the directors of V or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Snyder appears to respect, or at least have read, the source material, meaning we'll have less of Hollywood "improving" the original material with ideas like "Hmmm, maybe instead of a prostitute, Evey should be a well-paid TV PA with no obvious problems", "Hey, let's add in Tom Sawyer and make him the star!", "What if V is just an idiot who fences a suit of armour?" or "Wouldn't it be more exciting if Mina was a vampire slut?".

But then, Alan Moore seems to be a complete ****-magnet when it comes to this sort of thing.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:27 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:Good news about the Black Freighter/Under the Hood stuff... Comic books are still the ultimate (and only?) medium Watchmen would ever properly work in

Mhm. I was rereading the whole Osterman Watchmaker bit the other day, and I think there's just no way you can do a direct recreate on that in a film without either being spectacularly annoying or losing half the audience.

But the overall direction of that trailer is a big worry. As I say, I hope it's just edited to appeal top the sort of twats who go to see Matrix films.

Fun fact: I know loads of people who were completely befuddled on V, because the trailers focussed on that whole bullet time sai thing and the fire bit. So, coupled with the Wachowski credit, they thought they were going to see a shiny glossy MTV action movie. Sucks to be them. Marketing it as a "political thriller from the people who brought you The Matrix" probably wouldn't have got as many bums on seats.

Last Moore-based adaptation to actually be both a decent movie and faithful to the source? LoEG? Constantine? From Hell? V? Is it any wonder he wants nothing to do with any of it?

I see there's movie tie-in action figures. Wasn't there some licensing cluster**** where Moore banned all merchandise completely because they skanked the badge set as promotional?

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:43 pm

Im hoping the trailer has just been edited like that, jus for it to go "bam heres the film" because obviously while the end product may actually be true to the source material the trailers have gotta get as many non comic punters interested as possible.

Hopefully in the next trailer we'll have a bit of the other stuff, just to balance out.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:15 pm

Speaking of true to source... odds on the inclusion of a shot of a dog's head, split open with a meat cleaver?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:03 pm

Halfshell wrote:Fun fact: I know loads of people who were completely befuddled on V, because the trailers focussed on that whole bullet time sai thing and the fire bit. So, coupled with the Wachowski credit, they thought they were going to see a shiny glossy MTV action movie. Sucks to be them. Marketing it as a "political thriller from the people who brought you The Matrix" probably wouldn't have got as many bums on seats.

Yeh, the trailer made V look a bit like a highly capable, threatening individual, rather than a camp twat into swordplay films.

My biggest problem with V for Vendetta is why was it V for Vendetta? If the Wackowskis wanted to do a Bush satire with a comedy lead, why didn't they make up their own... The sad thing is a faithful screen adaptation of V would be possible - it'd even have some nifty action sequences for the trailers (I felt showing these in slow-motion as opposed to the 'V moves, people lie dead' presentation of the comic was a major stylistic mistake).

Last Moore-based adaptation to actually be both a decent movie and faithful to the source? LoEG? Constantine? From Hell? V? Is it any wonder he wants nothing to do with any of it?

Yeh, he really does have a case. I mean, with the Moore stuff it's not "OMFG, they gave Rogue a first name!" or "Daredevil looks like The Gimp", it's "Right, so they changed The Point"... He may be an incredibly disagreeable person, but in this case you can see his point.

I see there's movie tie-in action figures.

That's pretty ironic, really... Guess that bit of supplemental text won't be making the cut.

And yeh, the whole Mars scene will be interesting - the palace-type thing Jon builds was always going to make it... I'd be interested to see how they handle the flashbacks full-stop.

And as I said, I'll be surprised if most of the Times Square (was it Times Square?) cast make it - the Bernies, Joey, Aline, the cops, etc. The only one who's a given is the Doctor, and maybe Bernie Newstand in a cameo (selling Kovacs his New Statesman). At best as a gimmick for illustrating the political situation...

Nixon'll be alright - Oliver Stone did a film on him only about 15 years ago (Hannibal Lecter played him). Nah, I suspect Generic President With Hint Of Texas Accent, even if they keep the 1980s setting (if for no other reason than explanantion of Nixon becoming popular enough for the law to change is probably lined up for the scissors).

With the ever-increasing amount of material being purposefully held back for DVD release, I suspect we're in for a 2-hour moron-friendly 'cinema cut' and a 4-hour SPECIAL DVD EDITION ULTRA DIRECTOR'S CUT (there really should be restrictions on the use of the phrase 'Director's Cut' on DVD...).

Prowl1984 · Post by **Prowl1984** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:15 pm

i've just read it for the first time and then re-watched the trailer. seeing the trailer the first time round motivated me to finally pick up the book in the first place and see what all the fuss was about, i wasn't disappointed. i'm still really looking forward to the film and i'm holding back from judging it before its release on the grounds that there hasn't been a single comic based film that's equal to its source material. watchmen is a difficult film to bring to silver-screen because there's just so much going on but i think in the right hands it could be done. i've heard that the end of the film originally involved an atom bomb rather than psychic squid thing but after test screenings, and the fact that it defies the point of veidts plan, they changed it back.

i don't see what all the fuss about rorschachs voice is, that's how i imagined it, well pretty much

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:21 pm

Prowl1984 wrote:i've heard that the end of the film originally involved an atom bomb rather than psychic squid thing but after test screenings, and the fact that it defies the point of veidts plan, they changed it back.

I caught that bit of news. Removing the alien would simplify a lot of the backstory (the team of writers, etc) so I'd be in favour from that perspective... but it would obviously defeat the entire object of what he's trying to achieve, so it's probably not the most sensible adjustment.

Though it would be in keeping with the whole "missed the ****ing point" syndrome that's blighted the other Moore adaptations...

Post by **Denyer** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:16 pm

Character posters

http://community.livejournal.com/scans_ ... tml#cutid1

http://www.watchmencomicmovie.com/watch ... osters.php

Prowl1984 · Post by **Prowl1984** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:11 pm

those really do look fantastic! i may have to purchase one... bubastis looks pretty cool, i was wondering how that would turn out