Watchmen.

[simonjedi]

In just over a week, the film adaptation of the Watchmen graphic novel is released.

anyone on eurobricks fans of the novel/film and is going to see it?

[Shoc]

The graphic novel of Watchmen is actually my favourite book! I look forward to seeing an interpretation of it on screen.

Unfortunately it will have to be a small screen rather than a big screen, as I'm a little too young to see it at the cinema. It's rated above my age because of the nudity, graphic scenes and adult themes. I'll have to wait for the DVD to come out!

:skull:

[Batbrick]

I look very forward to it. Though it is directed by Zack Snyder, who I' afraid will put a heap of pointless slow mo scenes in. Watchmen is a masterpiece of a graphic novel, surely one of the best stories made, so I don't believe a film can do it justice. But hopefully it still delivers the message faithfully

Batbrick Away!

[Shoc]

Watchmen is a masterpiece of a graphic novel, surely one of the best stories made, so I don't believe a film can do it justice. But hopefully it still delivers the message faithfully

I agree. The great Alan Moore had no extra input in the film, as usual, but I think from the parts I've seen of it that it should bring the story across in the right way.

:skull:

[Peppermint_M]

No squid, no Peppermint's cash. Thank you very much.

I like some of the updated costumes (however much like Owlman Nite Owl looks...) and the trailers did finally get my friend to listen to Muse but it's going to be too violent. Needlessly inserted scenes to up the action, changed ending, and all the things that give it a BBFC 18 rating mean I am probably never going to see it.

I didn't like Dark Knight and Watchmen is being sold to Dark Knight fans, so no thank you.

Super Hero films are supposed to be fun, The Phantom, The Spirit and Steel are examples of super hero films I like, not Watchmen.

Ho hum.

[L-space]

Yes I am planning to see it.

I will have to remind myself to keep an open mind. You simply cannot take the original and copy it one on one into a scenario.

Films and books have different rules.

So with the open mind I say: let's give it a chance and enjoy the moviefor what it is: a couple of moments of entertainment.

[Brickmaster]

From what I see, the film will be very close to the novel (in terms of dialog and such). From the previews it looks greatly done. I am looking very forward to it.

The changed ending (slightly) makes me nervous, though.

[hewkii9]

Though it is dddiiirrreeecccttteeeddd by Zack Snyyydddeeerrr, who I' afraid will put a heap of pointless sloooooooooowww moooo scenes innnnn.

Fixed that for ya

I'm pretty excited for it, certainly.

Hello!

[Batbrick]

Super Hero films are supposed to be fun, The Phantom, The Spirit and Steel are examples of super hero films I like, not Watchmen.

But the Spirit was a pathetically made film that was far too unfaithful to the witty and clever original comics.

Batbrick Away!

[Shoc]

No squid...

No squid?!

Needlessly inserted scenes to up the action, changed ending, and all the things that give it a BBFC 18 rating mean I am probably never going to see it.

The changed ending (slightly) makes me nervous, though.

What's this about a changed ending? This is supposedly a faithful adaptation, why does it have a changed ending?! That makes me angry...

Oh, and by the way, Peppermint, you've read the comics/novel, right? They're meant to be serious and adult-themed, so I don't see why the film shouldn't be. The Dark Knight is to movies what Watchmen is to comics.

:skull:

[simonjedi]

What's this about a changed ending? This is supposedly a faithful adaptation, why does it have a changed ending?! default_sad.gif That makes me angry...

Apparently the giant

Squid

has been changed to

Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias build a machine that mimics Dr. Manhattan’s powers and Ozymandia uses this machine to set off a bunch of atomic bomb explosions in various cities around the world.

apparently.

I'll wait until i see it in the context of the film and it might be released in the watchmen fan ultimate 4 hour long DVD

[Shoc]

Apparently the giant

Squid

has been changed to

Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias build a machine that mimics Dr. Manhattan’s powers and Ozymandia uses this machine to set off a bunch of atomic bomb explosions in various cities around the world.

apparently.

Aww, that's

boring and unoriginal

!

I'll wait until i see it in the context of the film and it might be released in the watchmen fan ultimate 4 hour long DVD

Yeah, same here.

:skull:

[Peppermint_M]

Yeah. Watchmen was what started the whole Darker and Edgier craze of the 80s, aka the Dork Age. (After Golden, Silver and Bronze ages). So, from reading the comics I know I don't want to see the film. It is violent and angsty and adult. I don't own a copy, I borrow it when I wish to read it.

Dark Knight isn't anything like the Batman comics (Joker is WRONG!!! Not good )

Ok, so maybe the Spirit was very different from it's source, but it was certainly fun.

I go and see films for enjoyment. That is why the last film I watched was Bolt in 3D. I liked the Speed Racer film, The Spirit was very good and certainly comic.

for the record, I read two comic books, Justice Society of America and Tiny Titans. So as you can see nothing like Watchmen.

Now if they made Kingdom Come into a film....

But yeah, not going to see Watchmen.

[Darth Legolas]

I can't walk a mile without something watchmen related popping up in my face. I never read the comic/novel thing, but I will see the move just to understand what every one's so hyped about.

Hail to the blue guy who needs some pants!

[simonjedi]

Found on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thenewfrontiersman/

There’s a bunch of fake magazine ads, Document and pictures from the watchmen verse.

my favorites are

[Batbrick]

Yeah. Watchmen was what started the whole Darker and Edgier craze of the 80s, aka the Dork Age. (After Golden, Silver and Bronze ages). So, from reading the comics I know I don't want to see the film. It is violent and angsty and adult. I don't own a copy, I borrow it when I wish to read it.

Dark Knight isn't anything like the Batman comics (Joker is WRONG!!! Not good )

Ok, so maybe the Spirit was very different from it's source, but it was certainly fun.

I go and see films for enjoyment. That is why the last film I watched was Bolt in 3D. I liked the Speed Racer film, The Spirit was very good and certainly comic.

I'm sorry, but it's comments like these I really react to. Watchmen is not only considered a masterpiece of fiction, it IS a masterpiece of fiction. And it was not merely Watchmen that started the dark and edgy craze in the 80's, DKR and Killing Joke also had a large in that. While I agree that everything being dark and edgy is repulsive, and trust me I'm in a stage so very over with the "Dark" craze right now, but I find your view on superhero stories having to be fun frankly a bit silly.

Superheroic stories are an avenue of storytelling in their own and in no way should ever be pushed into a stereotype. The Dark Knight is a very good if rather overrated film, it being dark has absolutely nothing to do with how good it is. I love darker stories as much as lighter ones because both serve a purpose. Not to mention Dark Knight IS a lot like many Batman comics.

Fun does NOT equal good. Of the films you listed, one is unfaithful with two dimensional characterisation, one is a standard entertaining animal animation flick, and Speed Racer I have not seen. Now that is fine, I hear Bolt is rather good. But fun is not the end all of good films, every type of storytelling has the potential for all different types of themes and context.

Batbrick Away!

[Shoc]

Hear hear, Batbrick!

You've just summed up everything about what a good superhero story should be.

:skull:

[Peppermint_M]

I'm sorry, but it's comments like these I really react to. Watchmen is not only considered a masterpiece of fiction, it IS a masterpiece of fiction. And it was not merely Watchmen that started the dark and edgy craze in the 80's, DKR and Killing Joke also had a large in that. While I agree that everything being dark and edgy is repulsive, and trust me I'm in a stage so very over with the "Dark" craze right now, but I find your view on superhero stories having to be fun frankly a bit silly.

Superheroic stories are an avenue of storytelling in their own and in no way should ever be pushed into a stereotype. The Dark Knight is a very good if rather overrated film, it being dark has absolutely nothing to do with how good it is. I love darker stories as much as lighter ones because both serve a purpose. Not to mention Dark Knight IS a lot like many Batman comics.

Fun does NOT equal good. Of the films you listed, one is unfaithful with two dimensional characterisation, one is a standard entertaining animal animation flick, and Speed Racer I have not seen. Now that is fine, I hear Bolt is rather good. But fun is not the end all of good films, every type of storytelling has the potential for all different types of themes and context.

Batbrick Away!

Oh, here we go again...

I have had to explain my view on entertainment so many times that I have got it down to an art...

I don't like dark as in violent; I like dark as in Sandman and Death and in manga xxxHolic. I liked Watchmen, it was an interesting and twisty story full of little details and tiny interwoven threads that make fantastic stories seminal works but I am more than likely never going to buy it, Alan Moore has written three of my favourites of all time (Top 10, Smax and his Time Twisters for 2000AD are pure genius) so it's not the writer I dislike. It's the tone, the miason-scene of the book.

Now for some explanation on why I prefer to watch/read things that are fun. I was in a very dark place when I first started reading comic books for escapism; I watched cartoons and films that sucked me out of the miserable hole my peers constantly pushed me into. The long lasting psychological effects of my early teens have meant that I can't cope with certain things that are overly violent, stressful or "thrilling” no horror no "psychological" anything. Batman Begins made me stressed out and I couldn't cope with it at all, it is testament to my "recovery" that I coped ok with Dark Knight in the cinema. I have on good authority that Watchmen has scenes I skimmed in the comic (Rorshach and the Dogs, The Comedian at the end of the war and when he's in the Trophy room...) in the film.

So for me, when I want a comic book film, especially using a superhero I like I don't want groundbreaking cinema I want an enjoyable film I can escape in, that, in the case of characters I am familiar with, stick to their source or re-invent it in a good way . I don't want all films to be like this, I don't want all films to be like this, I don't think all films should be like this but I have to say that the films I will watch are escapism, fun and enjoyable to me. (Time Bandits, The Adventures of Baron Von Munchhausen. Hellboy I and II, lots of Mecha anime and children's films) so I can safely say that watching Watchmen will make me physically and mentally sick, something I don't want.

The next film I will go and watch is Monsters Vs Aliens. 9 and Coraline are films I am looking forward to and Terry Gilliam's next film is eagerly awaited.

I will continue to read JSA, a comic series I have adored since the day I joined a cartoon and comic book drawing class in the local Library one summer (a lifesaver in more ways than one) and has continually been fun (in my sense of the word) with great story telling and characterisation.

So please, enjoy Watchmen when you go to see it, critique it, fanboy flame it, do whatever you want and disregard my opinion please, but I am not going to see it.

My opinion has nothing to do with anyone and should not affect their outlook or actions in life.

Facts are facts and are constant, opinions are opinions and are fluid and above all personal. Everything I have said about films, comics and books are my personal opinions and may be stupid in your opinion but make sense to me.

Now I don't want to argue, so please if you have any issue PM me and I can elucidate further.

Edited March 1, 2009 by Peppermint_M

[M'Kyuun]

I'm not very familiar with the graphic novel (perhaps I should spend some quality time at Barnes & Noble before seeing this), but the movie looks very interesting from the trailers. I prefer dark and edgy.. so I was greatly disappointed with The Spirit, expecting it to be like Sin City, which I loved. Spirit had some quirks that I enjoyed, and I like the stylish look of the film, but I didn't like Sam Jackson's character, or at least, his portrayal of the character, and some of the movie was too cheesy. I'm not a big fan of schtick, camp, or cheesy dialog.

I'm an odd fellow, as I like comic book characters, but I 'm not a fan of reading their adventures. I like to see and hear the action, drama, and dialog play out. I wish that the maturity could be put into the animation, but it'll never happen in conservative America, which is why I prefer anime. I've thumbed through Watchmen, but I never really sat down with it to understand the characters. It didn't take long to understand that it was not for kids. For fans' sakes, I hope they stay true to the source.

I saw Bolt, too. Cute movie. I'd love a spin-off tv show based on his in-movie tv show where he uses his "powers" to battle the Green-eyed Man. The other best part was the "Stupid cat!" scene. Awesome.

Peppermint, sorry to hear that you had a negative point in your life. However, I'm glad to see that you've found excellent therapy in LEGO and mecha anime, both of which I ,too , have found to be irreplaceable elixirs for all that is wrong in the world. Liked your "Waiting" MOC, btw.

Edited March 1, 2009 by M'Kyuun

[Peppermint_M]

Thanks.

Well, while surfing the 'net I found this 9 Questions You May Have About Watchmen One section has spoilers and the page also has an intresting link to a post about 9-11's affect on the ending.

Thought I'd post for anyone intrested.

[M'Kyuun]

Thanks for the link, Peppermint M. Good stuff for the uninitiated, such as myself.

Just saw the movie. I liked it. Whatever its flaws or deviations, I enjoyed the movie. It's certainly more mature than most superhero type films. While there were various scenes of violence, only one or two stand out as "graphic", but the guys had it coming. Rohrschach was amazing...he could have a stand alone comic. Overall, this was a good ensemble movie, showcasing the variety of personalities and their differing degrees of humanity. Although the ending differs from the graphic novel, it made sense, prob more sense than the original, IMO.

I leafed through a copy of the comic aftewards; much of what transpires on the page happens in the movie, including dialog. For all intents and purposes, it seems quite faithful to the source, ending notwithstanding. Most Hollywood productions based on another medium seem to pick and choose the elements they like best and discard the majority of the source in favor of "interpretation", much to the chagrin of its fans. There's a lot of material to cover from a work like The watchmen , so I tip my hat to the producers, writers, and director for tackling such a project. Perhaps I'm easy to please;On second thought, ask me about Bay's take on Transformers.

[Shoc]

Rohrschach was amazing...he could have a stand alone comic.

He does - it's called Watchmen.

I leafed through a copy of the comic aftewards; much of what transpires on the page happens in the movie, including dialog. For all intents and purposes, it seems quite faithful to the source, ending notwithstanding.

Cool, that's good.

:skull:

[Peppermint_M]

My friend watched it and proclaimed it "awesome" but he want's the Master Cut and the Directors Cut in July due to missing scenes that WB cut out. He also said I certainly would not like to see it as it is very faithful to the book (we had an argument over how faithful when he said Nite Owl went to see Adrian not Rorshach.... but there we go) and thus the violence is certainly not my cup of tea. He was so pleased with the film that "Anyone can do anything to any comic book while making a film and I won't care, because Watchmen was so good."

[5150 Lego]

So for me, when I want a comic book film, especially using a superhero I like I don't want groundbreaking cinema I want an enjoyable film I can escape in, that, in the case of characters I am familiar with, stick to their source or re-invent it in a good way . I don't want all films to be like this, I don't want all films to be like this, I don't think all films should be like this but I have to say that the films I will watch are escapism, fun and enjoyable to me. .

Right on Peppermint_M! When it comes to movies, entertainment has always been what i preffer. Movies have, and always should be a way to "get away from it all". Especaily a movie that is based on fiction to begin with.

That said, i do believe that a movie can be "dark", but still be enjoyable and an escape from reality. By no means does that make you opinion wrong. Cause it isn't. And don't let anyone tell you other wise.

Everyone has there opinions on what they think or feel makes an enjoyable movie, or "film" as some like to call them.

I'm an odd fellow, as I like comic book characters, but I 'm not a fan of reading their adventures. I like to see and hear the action, drama, and dialog play out.

I'm the same. I tried to get into the comics of some of my favorite childhood characters like Transformers, Batman, GI Joe etc. Recently i even picked up an original vol.1, NO 10, November 1985 issue of "Dawn of the Devastator" transformers Comic book. I got about half way through and put it down. And i kinda had to force myself to go that far. Not that i didn't find it interesting, but i'm just not a fan of reading about their adventures. Since then i have finished it, but i couldn't see myself picking up anymore.

[M'Kyuun]

Right on Peppermint_M! When it comes to movies, entertainment has always been what i preffer. Movies have, and always should be a way to "get away from it all". Especaily a movie that is based on fiction to begin with.

That said, i do believe that a movie can be "dark", but still be enjoyable and an escape from reality. By no means does that make you opinion wrong. Cause it isn't. And don't let anyone tell you other wise.

Everyone has there opinions on what they think or feel makes an enjoyable movie, or "film" as some like to call them.

I'm the same. I tried to get into the comics of some of my favorite childhood characters like Transformers, Batman, GI Joe etc. Recently i even picked up an original vol.1, NO 10, November 1985 issue of "Dawn of the Devastator" transformers Comic book. I got about half way through and put it down. And i kinda had to force myself to go that far. Not that i didn't find it interesting, but i'm just not a fan of reading about their adventures. Since then i have finished it, but i couldn't see myself picking up anymore.

Well, movies, by definition, are entertainment. I think our culture, with much more disposable income than our parents or theirs before, has raised their importance somewhat, along with other means of entertainment. Entertainment means different things to different people, and I certainly won't judge anyone b/c they like or dislike one medium or a specific genre over another. I watch what I like, and I'd expect no different from anyone else. And if someone disagrees, well, that's their prerogative as a human, but don't let it sway you from liking what you like, or sharing it here.

Touching again on the comic conversation, I credit the voice actors for giving the animated characters their personalities and a voice I can associate with the character, and why reading the words on a page seems lifeless (and I have a decent imagination). In part, I think that's why G1 stands out to many older Transformer fans... the VAs created indelible personalities in their fans' minds and hearts. Scatman Crothers will always be Jazz, Peter Cullen will always be Optimus, Frank Welker will always be Megatron. Mel Blanc created a world of characters for Loony Tunes. The same can be said about anything really. Old tv shows that are remade into modern versions, although prettier, generally lack what made the original so good. Back on topic, I do enjoy the more modern comics for the artwork...there's some gorgeous art in many of today's comics, but the story doesn't grab me like an animated show.