Who'll Be Watching The Watchmen?

Doc Filth wrote:

Sid Seadevil wrote:And if what I'm hearing is correct, the film has received an classification by the BBFC. So the studio can wave a tearful bye, bye to massive kiddie generated revenue.

Which can only be a good thing for us.

I think reception of the nerd dollar will quite comfortably balance any loss of merchandising revenue from the kiddie end of the market.

Agreed. And it's rating's certainly not stopping them putting merchandise out. Every time I stop by my online comic seller of choice, I see figures and statues and such aplenty.

Frank wrote:Heads up!

This month's Sci-Fi Now comes with a promotional Watchmen DVD. It has all the trailers on it, a brief Zack Snyder interview, all of the first ten video journals from the official website and a gallery.

Mmm, real good treat!

Thank for the heads up, me old duck. That does sound like a freebie that I'd be genuinely interested in snapping up - for once.

Zoltar wrote:Agreed. And it's rating's certainly not stopping them putting merchandise out. Every time I stop by my online comic seller of choice, I see figures and statues and such aplenty.

Which is probably the right way to target the merchandising marketing for this at the end of the day. I have no idea how the kid targeted marketing for recent releases like Dark Knight, Hulk and Iron Man did over in the states, but here all of them pretty much bombed in the children's toy department.

You can pick up plenty of their left untouched merchandise for a song in many if not all shops.

So is this definitely going to be an 18 certificate, or are the studio now panicking and editing it for a 15?

The Co=Ordinator wrote:So is this definitely going to be an 18 certificate, or are the studio now panicking and editing it for a 15?

So far it appears that it's going to remain an 18. I actually think it's too late in the day for the studio to begin even last minute panic induced tampering.

For those of you interested in the marketing campaign, there's some interesting little titbits from the New Frontiersman at their YouTube account and Flickr stream.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

The Co=Ordinator wrote:So is this definitely going to be an 18 certificate, or are the studio now panicking and editing it for a 15?

So far it appears that it's going to remain an 18. I actually think it's too late in the day for the studio to begin even last minute panic induced tampering.

Definitely an 18. The BBFC Watch site just confirmed that Paramount said it will remain as an uncut 18 certificate.

Frank wrote:

Sid Seadevil wrote:

The Co=Ordinator wrote:So is this definitely going to be an 18 certificate, or are the studio now panicking and editing it for a 15?

So far it appears that it's going to remain an 18. I actually think it's too late in the day for the studio to begin even last minute panic induced tampering.

Definitely an 18. The BBFC Watch site just confirmed that Paramount said it will remain as an uncut 18 certificate.

I'm sure they don't mind. They'll spin it as evidence it's a "serious" comic book movie and not kiddie fare.

Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) has seen a complete preview and his blog, to paraphrase, says "Don't worry, fellow geeks, it's awesome".

So. Settled.

Dave Webb wrote:Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) has seen a complete preview and his blog, to paraphrase, says "Don't worry, fellow geeks, it's awesome".

So. Settled.

Well if Wesley Crusher says so, that's good enough for me.

Interesting article about the Watchmen in today's Telegraph Magazine.

There's also quite a good little piece in today's Grauniad about the use of the smiley symbol in pop culture.

It's good to see the film - and, by association, the comic - getting so heavily promoted by the "serious" papers - I hope it gets the crossover accliam the material deserves, rather than just being written off as "just another superhero movie".

I'm sure it will be judged according to its merits.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

Dave Webb wrote:Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) has seen a complete preview and his blog, to paraphrase, says "Don't worry, fellow geeks, it's awesome".

So. Settled.

Well if Wesley Crusher says so, that's good enough for me.

Quite so.

Lucy McGough wrote:Interesting article about the Watchmen in today's Telegraph Magazine.

Nice Rorschach cover (actually, I think it's one of many covers but Rorschach's the one I received) and article in the Entertainment Weekly as well.

I think the trailer I saw on TV has swung it for me.

Too dark - should be 4 colours and brighter. Will give it a miss.

Well, the first reviews are in.

Jonathan Ross - "unimpressed" apparently according to his Twitter feed.

Empire and IGN - the most positive reviews with 4 stars and 5 stars respectively. And I think The Times quite liked it.

News Of The World - slagged it off.

Who cares what the News of the World thinks?

...or Jonathan Ross, come to that? I'll trust to Empire's opnion.

The News Of The World is a real hatchet job. He was obviously hoping for The Dark Knight.

Total Film really liked it too.

Wil Wheaton's review was very positive - very much a geek reassuring the geek community that 'it's all OK!'

Various blogs are mixed at the moment.

The impression I'm getting is that this will be a cult movie. It will not make money and the general audience may well not 'get it'. I think we have possibly another 'Blade Runner' or 'Fight Club' on our hands.

Correction - Jonathan Ross actually loved it and feels it is one of the best comic book adaptations he's seen...but still remains slightly unimpressed.

And Wossy is an uber-geek like most of us so I do tend to give him room when he's talking about Sf, fantasy, comic book stuff. He knows his onions. Whatever that means. The rest of what he does I couldn't give two hoots about.

*coughs*

May I just point out that I'm neither a comics nor graphic novel person. I have absolutely no love for modern Batman. I have never seen all of V for Vendetta. However I really liked what I have seen. I am very much looking forward to this movie. The last time I went to the cinema was to see the wonderful Cloverfield. I am intending to go to the cinema to watch the Watchmen. I am not expecting to be disappointed. Mock me with derision of you so desire. Herendeth this post consisting purely of short, sharp sentences.

The reviews I'm waiting for, frankly, are from the folks on this forum who manage to get to the movie before I do. If you lot like it, that's good enough for me.

Frank wrote:Jonathan Ross - "unimpressed" apparently according to his Twitter feed.

That'll do for me!

Doc Filth wrote:...or Jonathan Ross, come to that? I'll trust to Empire's opnion.

You don't think Jonathan Ross's opinion means much when it comes to comics or films? Or even films of comics?