Watchmen movie watching...

Hawkeye · Post by **Hawkeye** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:20 pm

found this article on superherohype:

http://www.superherohype.com/news/300news.php?id=4610

while i dread this movie ever being made as it seems impossible to do justice to this latest in the long line of directors seems to be a fan.

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:33 pm

I hope it gets made, and if it does I think Snyder can do it well, his Dawn of the Dead was v v entertaining, it didnt include the underlying social commentaries the original but theyre different films for different generations.

300, I've heard so much about how good it is going to be, I honestly cant wait and if he manages to bring this to life in a faithful adaptation and do it well then there may yet be hope for Watchmen

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:32 pm

If we do get a film I can't see them keeping the original ending post 9/11. Still, V For Vendetta seems to be a well liked film despite changes from the original material so that might not be a bad thing...

Post by **Denyer** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:35 pm

Originally posted by inflatable dalek
V For Vendetta seems to be a well liked film despite changes

Plus they did get to blow things up, so I think Watchmen may survive with its single central main primary chief principal plot point somewhat intact.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:40 pm

Originally posted by Denyer
Plus they did get to blow things up, so I think Watchmen may survive with its single central main primary chief principal plot point somewhat intact.

But those were things in London, a place many American couldn't find on a map of London

Broard generalisations aside, massive death and destruction in New York caused is probably still very close to home for it to been seen on cinima screens soon.

Though I've now got a nagging feeling that at least one film has destroyed New York in the interim, but can't place a finger on it. So I may well be talking bollocks as usual.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:12 pm

Might be me, but I interpreted Denyer's post as saying it was well-liked by some audiences because it was basically turned into an action film, and you could probably do the same to Watchmen if you wanted to. I haven't heard anyone familiar with the comic give the thing any serious plaudits.

I'm curious to see V, just so I can slag it with some sort of authority. That the Wackowskis used bullet time seemed to be totally misunderstanding at least one of the things that made the comic so different, so who knows what they cocked up along the way. Well, people who've seen the film and read the comic, obviously, but I was just saying.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:16 pm

I haven't seen it myself yet, but everyone I know who has thought it was rather fab. I don't think any of them had read the original though...

I can't see it being worse than LoEG though...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:23 pm

It can, because V s a much, much better story. League at least didn't mess with the basic nature of the comic - which is basically a Victorian adventurer team-up, just done a huge amount better.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:26 pm

V not having Sir Sean McWifebeater allready makes it a better film in my mind.

yay for illinformed biased opinions!

Hawkeye · Post by **Hawkeye** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:04 pm

well im just impressed by the the latest director realising that it isnt an action story or a "super hero" story. seems like he really gets what its about. I just dont think that the 2 hour movie is the proper format for this kind of thing a HBO 12 part mini series would be a better format but i guess thats not where the money is ( though id pay astronomical amounts for a dvd set of that).

Post by **Denyer** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:54 pm

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
I haven't heard anyone familiar with the comic give the thing any serious plaudits.

I enjoyed it more than the comic, which I read a couple of times through before seeing the film. No burning desire to rewatch the film, but honestly my favourite scene in the comic is the girl realising the government cameras are off -- it seemed to sum up relief, risk, and a bunch of other things. As a whole it's rather aimless, which is one of its points (intervention as anarchy) but doesn't hold the attention.

The parts with Evey in a world-within-a-world... it works, but there's only so many times different authors can use it as a plot device before it loses some sharpness.

The film made some good choices on visuals and voices, IMO... many people couldn't have pulled off the dialogue. The only crap bit was the time-blur effect at the end of the film, which was unnecessary and hand-holding.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:43 pm

I've brought and started reading V For Vendetta, and whilst it's not watchmen[/i] it's still a good read. The only real problem is that V doesn't seem to have any really worthy foes, he's so good at what he does there's no real doubt in my mind he won't win, thus making it all a bit predictable. Though if anything major happens to change that in the last fifty pages I'll eat my words.

I'm very interested in seeing the film now, as I spent every other page going "I bet they cut that out" and I want to know how right I am.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:16 pm

New Watchmen-related interview with Zack Snyder.

Nice to see he's planning to keep the 1980s setting. V's one of those things where you can transplant the basic concept to today... Watchmen, you probably could but you lose the point of at least two central characters...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 6:13 pm

And there's the cold war scenario as well. I mean, sure, you could go James Bond and make the Chinese TEH EVIL (you know, their flag's, like, basically the same and there are lots of them), but there'd be no point (another parallel with the past few Bonds) when there was a perfectly good cold war a couple of decades ago.

That said, I'm not sure how to feel about this... the only way I'd be happy was if it was 100% like the comic (the rules are different for something like Watchmen or V, as opposed to X-Men or Batman or \/\/otEVAr), so what's the point, when I have the comic? Casting's going to be a minefield, too - especially Jon and Rorschach. If they'd done the movie a decade or so ago, they probably could have got John Hurt for the latter, but he's too old now. I've heard Simon Pegg as a rumour - I mean, sure, if Rorschach is dramatically rewritten to be Tim Bisley, I can see that working. Otherwise, NO! NAUGHTY BAD EVIL IDEA NAUGHTY BOY TO YOUR ROOM! And I'd be very interested how much of the "fat ugly man in costume" stuff carries over for Dan.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:10 pm

The major problem with casting Rorschach is that anybody going in who knows "X is playing Rorschach" is probably going to have TEH BIG REVEAL ruined within the space of the first scene...

The Cold War bit was kinda what I meant about the characters being rendered pointless. I mean you can switch Vietnam for the Gulf and sorta keep the Comedian true (though you lose the whole point of their depicted involvement and the effect on his character)... but what the hell do you do with Doc Manhattan once you've removed the Cold War from the equation?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:37 pm

Originally posted by Brendocon
The major problem with casting Rorschach is that anybody going in who knows "X is playing Rorschach" is probably going to have TEH BIG REVEAL ruined within the space of the first scene...

Yeh, that would be a big problem. All I can think of would be unrecognisable makeup for the End is Nigh bloke - it might keep people who haven't read the comic in the dark, but it'd have to be really well done. That way you could announce Actor as Rorschach, but not have anyone recognise him when he appears as End is Nigh man. But it'd be difficult to make Actor look unrecognisable without making him ludicrously grotesque (or obviously like someone in heavy make-up).

I could possibly see Sean Penn as Rorschach, actually. He can act, and he can look very different (Carlito's Way just flashed into my head typing the above). He's also not a bad shape. Although I can see him as a convincing Dreiberg too.

Also, that Quaker Oats commercial (and Armstrong and Miller's "Nude Doctors" skits) have made me ponder about Doctor Manhattan... you reckon they'll make him keep the pants on? Or just always have someone doing something in the foreground, blocking his crotch?

Adrian would be relatively easy to cast - one of the more talented pretty-boys could play him, and Blake just needs to be a big thug. A talented actress for Laurie would be more difficult...

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 10:03 am

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
And there's the cold war scenario as well. I mean, sure, you could go James Bond and make the Chinese TEH EVIL (you know, their flag's, like, basically the same and there are lots of them), but there'd be no point (another parallel with the past few Bonds) when there was a perfectly good cold war a couple of decades ago.

The only Bond film where he goes directly against a Communist power is the latter half of Die Another Day after Toby Stephens has taken over North Korea. The closest we came during the actual Cold War was For Your Eyes Only- and even then they were working through a third party in Jullian Glover. Other than that either East and West had to team up against a bigger foe (The Spy Who Loved Me) or were played against each other by the real villain of the film (From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice)- That also applies to Tomorow Never Dies, the only one of the recent films to actually focus on the Chinese. In the bulk of the films there's not even very much Communist involvement as they prefered to focus on private nutters (and as the real SMERSH hasn't been around for half a century now Casino Royale will have to do something similar. I'm beting Le Chiffe will be working for SPECTRE this time around...). So in short- The Bond films, unlike the books and indeed unlike Watchmen, have never been dependent on a Cold War seting.

As for casting- It's probably lazy bald actor thinking on my part but Patrick Stewart should be a shoe in for the Doctor. As long as Sir Ben isn't involved...

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:36 pm

Originally posted by Hawkeye

while i dread this movie ever being made as it seems impossible to do justice to this latest in the long line of directors seems to be a fan.

Most of the time when a director is a big fan they make the worst veriosn of the movie. Dardevil and Elektra's directors where big fans of the comics and they were terrible movies.

Lord of the Ring's worked because while Jackson loved the source material and respected it, he wans't a geek on the subject allowing him to change things for the better. Where as King Kong which he was a life long fan wasn't anywhere near as good as the Ring's films. Most of it suffered from Jackson himself being too in love with Kong.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:06 pm

Well, I have seen the V film and have to say... What the hell is Alan Moore smoking? It's a fab little film, and whilst bits and pieces are chopped and changed it keeps to the spirit of the original allmost perfectly (bar the more closed ending instead of the-to coin a phrase- "It never ends!" one of the comic).

I seem to recall reading a quote from Moore saying that he only read the script as far as the "Eggy in basket" Americanism and threw it away in disgust before demanding his name be taken off it. Which suggests he rather missed the point at it's supposed to be an odd thing for a Englishman to be making for Breakfast. Evey would have hardly been puzzled if both V and Stephen Fry had sepperately offered her bacon and eggs would she?

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:00 pm

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/06/18/p ... -watchmen/

Keanu Reeves not Doctor Manhattan. I missed that rumour... thank the God I Don't Believe In.

Tom Jane as The Comedian... I can buy that.

Empire also reporting that Jackie Hay Whatsit might be Rorschach.
http://www.empireonline.com/news/feed.asp?NID=20798

Another AWESOME POST full of credible hard facts.

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Nite Owl possible maybe might have been cast