Who'll Be Watching The Watchmen?

As a fan of the comic for most of my life, I generally feel that, while certainly not perfect, it was about as good an adaptation as it could be.

On the good side, Rorschach looked and acted like Rorschach, in and out of the mask. Dan was pleasantly flabbier than the previews had led me to believe he'd be. The fight scenes were good and brutal, if a bit too long and martial artsy. (I'm a martial artist myself, but not everyone who puts on a costume uses that style of combat. It felt most out of place for Rorschach, who always just strikes me as being strong and fast, rather than displaying much technique. The Comedian, at least, was the brawler he always gave the impression of being from the book. The style did work well for Veidt, though i'd have preferred him a bit...gentler in the climactic fight.)

I was considerably less bothered by the change to the ending than I was by the change to the story that Rorschach tells his psychiatrist, which shifted a cold and deliberate choice into being just an inability to keep his temper. One of the things I think makes the character work so well is how detached he always seems, rather than actively angry.

About my biggest complaint was with Matthew Goode, who didn't seem to endow Veidt with the sense of charisma that he projects in the comic, instead giving him a projected disdain for everyone that, in the comic, one gets the impression Veidt actually conceals very well. It also stood out like a sore thumb during the assassination attempt scene, which probably would have worked much better if it had been left with the simpler version from the original.

You could definitely feel the "chapter breaks" from the comic, especially in the beginning.

There was a nice sense of Dan and Laurie being the moral centers of the film, Dan in particular, Laurie moreso than in the comic.

All in all, not the equal of the comic, but a darned good try at capturing as much of the feel of it as possible. I agree with some of the above posts that it's going to be lodged firmly in the "cult classic category." This was fairly evidenced by the multiple contradictory responses I heard from others leaving the theatre.

*Prior to viewing, I had lamented that I didn't think the film would be able to capture a lot of the visual nuance of the comic, simply because each panel is so packed with relevent imagery. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they'd kept one of the things I'd assumed would fall by the wayside...there's something owned directly or indirectly by Veidt in practically every scene.

'Tales of the Black Freighter' has made it on to the Interwebs, for those inclined to download it.

Zoltar wrote:'Tales of the Black Freighter' has made it on to the Interwebs, for those inclined to download it.

And "Under the Hood" as well...

It really does get better with each viewing. It's now my third time of watching it and Lee's second, although it's the first time I've paid to see it.
We went to see it in a restored Art Deco cinema, which is an incredibly nice cinema. Before the film starts there is an introduction to the film normally by the cinema's owner, this time after the cinema's owner said a little bit he introduced Dave Gibbons who spoke a little about the origins of the Watchmen and that most of it was locally produced in Hertfordshire with only the writing coming from the North.
Anyhoo back to the film; the wigs aren't annoying me as much this time, but Sally Jupiter's lipstick is strange. These however are very small flaws in which is otherwise a good film.

Have you read the comic, Mrs Lee?

I've read the first three chapters, and of what I read the film tries to stay very close to the GN with small alterations. Although I do happen to like the sign from Mason's repair garage matching the GN version.

Yeah, I noticed that. Shame a lot of Mason's story is missed out.

I acquired Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood. One's shockingly great and one's shockingly dull!

Rich Flair wrote:Yeah, I noticed that. Shame a lot of Mason's story is missed out.

I agree to an extent, although people are moaning about his story being in the film to begin with. They don't understand the point of him even appearing.

Did you re-read the GN before or after seeing the film?

I had a look at my giant Absolute Watchmen when I got back from the film, and ended up reading it until 3 am. It were that good!

Rich Flair wrote:I had a look at my giant Absolute Watchmen when I got back from the film, and ended up reading it until 3 am. It were that good!

I'm incredibly jealous. Can I touch the precious? At the moment I'm trying to focus on revising so I started to read the Watchmen and thought better of it, I've got a long haul plane journey soon so I'll get back to you afterwards.

I finished reading the Watchmen today. It was very good, although I think that the movie ending worked in the context of the movie.

Mrs Lee wrote:I finished reading the Watchmen today. It was very good, although I think that the movie ending worked in the context of the movie.

Just watched the film this morning for the first time. We loved it.

And yes, as I was explaining to Kate - who hasn't read the GN - the movie ending works much better than its GN counterpart.

A pity that the UK doesn't get the Director's Cut which is due imminently from your local US DVD emporium. I suggest you import the US version and put two fingers up to the UK distributor!
A particularly bad board room decision there in the UK.

Plumping for the Blu Ray edition myself. I am a full HD convert now! Saw Blade Runner in HD t'other night and it looked astonishing!

Frank wrote:A pity that the UK doesn't get the Director's Cut which is due imminently from your local US DVD emporium. I suggest you import the US version and put two fingers up to the UK distributor!
A particularly bad board room decision there in the UK.

It's a ridiculous decision.

I saw an 'extended version' which ran for well over three hours - but didn't include the 'Black Freighter' segment. Which wasn't a problem as I already have that anyway.

Frank wrote:Plumping for the Blu Ray edition myself. I am a full HD convert now! Saw Blade Runner in HD t'other night and it looked astonishing!

I bet it did. I'm moving over to Blu Ray as soon as the opportunity arises.

Nah, new ending didn't work for moi - but I look forward to the Director's Cut. I can't imagine that it would work that well if they added the Black Freighter, of which the cartoon was excellent.

Frank wrote:A pity that the UK doesn't get the Director's Cut which is due imminently from your local US DVD emporium. I suggest you import the US version and put two fingers up to the UK distributor!
A particularly bad board room decision there in the UK.

No UK release for the Director's Cut? Well, that's just ridiculous.

Blu-Ray rocks which Lee should agree with. Even though his TV sucks and doesn't have a proper HD input, through the normal connections it out does DVDs easily.

Ah, the humiliation of having my television make me feel inadequate.

But Blu-Ray is fab, though, and according to all the information I can find, Warner Bros release their Blu-Ray discs region free, so I'm sending off for the all singing, all dancing US Directors cut!

I'm buying a new TV! First pay check? What one would you like Lee?

ooh, Samsung please!

Ahhh nothing like a kept man!!

I really enjoyed Watchmen, having known nothing about it from the outset - Alan Moore should be pretty chuffed - went and had a look at the GN this afternoon and the opening sequence is practically shot for shot from the art work. It is very shiny.

Count me amongst the fans of the movie (and the comic).

I'm really really really really looking forward to watching the DVD version. ^^

Lee Carey wrote:Ah, the humiliation of having my television make me feel inadequate.

But Blu-Ray is fab, though, and according to all the information I can find, Warner Bros release their Blu-Ray discs region free, so I'm sending off for the all singing, all dancing US Directors cut!

You're not inadequat alone, old fellow. I haven't gotten around to upgrading the old tellybox myself yet. But my brother has HD and Blu Ray - and it's SuperFantasticalWonderful. Of course, having said that upscaled SD still manages to look pretty good on my old book when I tested it.

It's not ideal - but it'll have to do for now.

Lee Carey wrote:ooh, Samsung please!

Yep. Can't go wrong with a Sammy.

Sid Seadevil wrote:Yep. Can't go wrong with a Sammy.

or perhaps:



how about?