More WATCHMEN stuff

http://www.joblo.com/video/player.php?video=Watchmen_480

Watch closely, you'll see a lot of stuff straight out of the comic...Comedian's funeral for one thing.

The more I see and here, the more I realize two things:

1) This movie is absolutely in the hands of the right people to make it happen and I'm almost to the point where I'd bet money that the film is going to turn out better than we ever expected a WATCHMEN movie would
2) The scope of it is actually kind of bigger than the comic itself- the costumer designer discussing the different period costumes made me realize that this is going to be a movie about the 20th century as much as anything else. That's definitely in the comic, but I think that seeing it come to life is going to give that theme a much larger resonance.

I have high hopes and low expectations for this movie. But the advance stuff looks good. The costumes and casting seem good, the decision to include the pirate story is great, and the recognition that this story is firmly rooted in the late cold war era is exactly right.

Losing the historical and political contexts was always for me one of the biggest potential deadman's switches that would have completely destroyed the movie...those ancient drafts that did away with the Cold War material, all that talk about setting in a modern world...that was scary stuff. Now it's on for 1938-1985 as God Intended. I think 300 bought Our Boy Zack a _lot_ of leeway and trust with the studio...let's hope it doesn't wind up being like Jackson's oh-so-promising but oh-so-awful KING KONG.

Side note...I just read Alfred Bester's THE STARS MY DESTINATION and I'm pretty much 90% certain that Dr. Manhattan's story is partially based off a particularly radioactive character in that novel.

THE STARS MY DESTINATION is one of my favorite books ever. I love the main character. Never made the connection to WATCHMEN, which gives me a great excuse to re-read it...

Every script I have read had an utterly suckass ending.
I'm hoping Zak sticks to an ending as close as possible to the comic.

Tangentially related... It will be very interesting to see how the Wanted movie turns out... Are you guys familiar with the comic source material?

I know the premise of Wanted, but haven't read the comics. The movie version will reportedly strip out the whole supervillain premise and make them ordinary human assassins. Bleah.

Shellhead wrote:

I have high hopes and low expectations for this movie.

Same.

I haven't been keeping up on any of the news about the film (partially by intention)...any word on if the pirate side-story will be incorporated or not?

-MMM

Thanks for providing info (now and previously) as I'm not searching it out. It certainly looks very promising.

Watchmen, smatchmen.

I'm waiting for the live-action movie treatment of the Wonder Twins. I can't wait to hear the trailer beginning with:

"Wonder Twin Powers: Activate!"

"Form of...."

Now there's some real superheroes....

(Now, will they include Gleek or not?!?!?)

EDIT:

This may be the closest we can get to that dream, however....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ptAvSuL294

The Wonder Twins movie should definitely have Aquaman in it. Or it could be an Aquaman movie with the Wonder Twins in it. What I'm getting at is that they are the three worst superheroes ever. The entire production team from "Batman and Robin" should make this "Wonder Twins/Aquaman" feature film, methinks... And Ahmed Best should voice the monkey.

I have seen interviews with Alan Moore stating that if he had his choice the film would not be made, he will no longer let his name be put on movies of his comics and his royalties go to the artists. As much as I want to believe it will be faithful to the comic I just can't see a big budget action film honestly using characters like Rorschach and there is no way in hell they are going to properly include the Comedian in the current political climate. I'd love to believe it will be a faithful adaptation but I know it won't be. Everything that makes the Watchmen a great story is the antithesis of the Hollywood action blockbuster. Yes, they would make one of the greatest action movies ever if they stayed true to the plot but you know at some point a money guy is going to come in and emasculate the story to ensure a quicker return of his investment. It will end up just like every other Alan Moore adaptation: a terrible missed oppurtunity. Don't be fooled by some screen shots showing some classic moment from the comic.

Citadel wrote:

I have seen interviews with Alan Moore stating that if he had his choice the film would not be made, he will no longer let his name be put on movies of his comics and his royalties go to the artists. As much as I want to believe it will be faithful to the comic I just can't see a big budget action film honestly using characters like Rorschach and there is no way in hell they are going to properly include the Comedian in the current political climate. I'd love to believe it will be a faithful adaptation but I know it won't be. Everything that makes the Watchmen a great story is the antithesis of the Hollywood action blockbuster. Yes, they would make one of the greatest action movies ever if they stayed true to the plot but you know at some point a money guy is going to come in and emasculate the story to ensure a quicker return of his investment. It will end up just like every other Alan Moore adaptation: a terrible missed oppurtunity. Don't be fooled by some screen shots showing some classic moment from the comic.

Some comics have the potential to translate successfully to the big screen, like Hellboy. The best that we can probably hope for with Alan Moore's work is that a director will at least get the look and tone of it right. But I just don't see how the more intellectual aspects of the comics will be able to translate into a blockbuster movie. We will probably get another League of Extraordinary Gentleman, a movie which looked right but missed the depth at which Moore was writing.

Are you guys even paying attention?
Every leaked/released shot of this looks like its come straight out of the comic.
Black Frieghter is being animated for a companion direct to DVD release. Underthehood is also supposedly being filmed for a companion direct to DVD release.

How faithfull do you want?

Both the comedian and Rorschach are in. We know the scene where Rors sets the cop on fire is in. ALL of the minute men at the very least make an apperence in the photo (no confirmation yet on if there will be flashbacks) - so far there is nothing to complain about.

I can't explain what has made me so massively cynical but it sounds too good to be true. Maybe there are some great screenshots that are true to the comic but why do I feel like there is a high likelihood that in film they will be altered to remove the critical nature of Moore as a writer. There were likely true to the comic shots in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell. Why do I think Rorschach will be Batman and the Comedian will be Captain America? I hope I am wrong.