Watchmen - Tales Of The Black Freighter Trailer

ztoical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_s5K55bAz0

Interested to hear peoples comments on their choice to make it [a] animated and not part of the movie.

Also on a side note I'm I the only one getting really annoyed with Zack Snyder being listed as "the visionary director" the guy has 2 films under his belt, 3 if I'm nice and count Watchmen. Dawn of the dead was fun but nothing really revolutionary and 300 was the biggest pile of yawn and took most of its scenes right from the comic so not alot of vision needed.

BlitzKrieg

ztoical wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_s5K55bAz0

Interested to hear peoples comments on their choice to make it [a] animated and not part of the movie.

On it being animated, makes sense to differentiate it from The motion picture, establish that it is a fictional story within the fictional story by how it is presented. the world of Watchmen is the film, the world of the comic is the animation

Of course thats pointless if its not in the film at all. Having it as a piece on its own it feels like an almost pure commercial process, also how does it work on its own? If I remember correctly its a rather short narrative that gains its strength from running in a broken parallel to the events in the world around it.

I cant see the movie clocking in any longer then 30 minutes?

I never bought the book, I've read it numerous times over the years, during school, college and again recently. But always had it on loan from an older student at school or a housemate. I should probably buy the book before all the copies are replaced with the *now a motion picture* versions that usually happens.

Also on a side note I'm I the only one getting really annoyed with Zack Snyder being listed as "the visionary director" the guy has 2 films under his belt, 3 if I'm nice and count Watchmen. Dawn of the dead was fun but nothing really revolutionary and 300 was the biggest pile of yawn and took most of its scenes right from the comic so not alot of vision needed.

I've said the same criticisms a few times, I think though his technical ability during 300 to use modern technology to essentially match the comic gives him alot of leverage among some groups to be some sort of visionary. Because he *gets* comics (they're pretty ) I wont comment on his inability to structure narrative (but everyone knows narrative is not important in Watchmen *whistle*)

fugazied

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

Because he *gets* comics (they're pretty ) I wont comment on his inability to structure narrative (but everyone knows narrative is not important in Watchmen *whistle*)

Absolutely, the clips I have seen are very very pretty. He might not have a long track record but he does have a relationship with the material (he obviously LOVES comics) and the technical skills to pull it off. I can't wait for watchmen.

ztoical

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

On it being animated, makes sense to differentiate it from The motion picture, establish that it is a fictional story within the fictional story by how it is presented. the world of Watchmen is the film, the world of the comic is the animation

Of course thats pointless if its not in the film at all. Having it as a piece on its own it feels like an almost pure commercial process, also how does it work on its own? If I remember correctly its a rather short narrative that gains its strength from running in a broken parallel to the events in the world around it.

I cant see the movie clocking in any longer then 30 minutes?

the studio claim they will bring out a special edition dvd with this merged into the film - how well that will work we won't know till we see it.

BlitzKrieg

so the standalone dvd is a purely commercial venture much in the spirit of the dvd collecting spree of buy normal, buy collecters, buy directos cut, buy 10 year anniversy, buy directors cut 10 year anniversy with enhanced visuals. Eh?

johnny_ultimate

ztoical wrote: »

the studio claim they will bring out a special edition dvd with this merged into the film - how well that will work we won't know till we see it.

I can see where they are coming from. A 160 minute long R-rated superhero movie is already a big gamble, and since cinema is such a different form than comics it really would be a big gamble - certainly on a commercial standpoint, as I can imagine viewers not familiar with the novel might think it a step to far - and while as fans we can bemoan the lack of it within the film, it is understandable. I'm glad it'll come out as a directors cut or whatever, as it will please the fans, but I think it is an understandable decision to keep it separate for now.

But totally agree on the visionary director thing. It annoys me everytime I see the trailer, mainly because of my disdain for all things 300 :pac: Dawn of the Dead was enjoyable zombie action for sure, but hardly visionary. Think Watchmen will be the true test tbh.

(Edit: unsure about how the thumbs up appeared at the top of the post!)

ztoical

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I can see where they are coming from. A 160 minute long R-rated superhero movie is already a big gamble, and since cinema is such a different form than comics it really would be a big gamble - certainly on a commercial standpoint, as I can imagine viewers not familiar with the novel might think it a step to far - and while as fans we can bemoan the lack of it within the film, it is understandable. I'm glad it'll come out as a directors cut or whatever, as it will please the fans, but I think it is an understandable decision to keep it separate for now.

I totally see why it was cut, I don't agree it should have been as its part of the story but it's a big graphic novel and even without adding it in its 3hours. It was the studio who pushed for it to be cut due to the director wanting to make it in the same style as 300 [ugh, what an awful thought] and adding too much to the budget.

BlitzKrieg

Dawn of the Dead was enjoyable zombie action for sure, but hardly visionary

Dawn of the dead remake was refreshing in how un visionary it was, that it didnt try and be anything more then shotguns and zombies. I mean at the time of its release zombie movie revival was in full swing and the earlier 28 days later was a much more visionary change in the genre then DOTD. Which makes the description even more bizarre.

DOTD remake was shotguns and zombies and that is awesome to anyone, but hardly visionary, its practically expected if you face zombies to want to use a shotgun on them.

johnny_ultimate

ztoical wrote: »

I totally see why it was cut, I don't agree it should have been as its part of the story but it's a big graphic novel and even without adding it in its 3hours. It was the studio who pushed for it to be cut due to the director wanting to make it in the same style as 300 [ugh, what an awful thought] and adding too much to the budget.

Yeah again would have loved to see it in there, but the shame is artistic integrity isn't the main motivation in Hollywood . I'd say Snyder had to make some hard choices, but luckily the nuts and bolts of the story APPEAR to remain relatively intact from promotional material (except for

giant squids

, but that's another argument which will surely be had once we get to see the damn thing).

But it definitely is unfortunate that some stuff released so far suggests the 300 style, which I personally don't think suits the more traditional artstyle that was used in Watchmen in the first place. One of my major worries is that the film will be over-stylised. But all these questions are just that at the moment, and I await with cautious enthusiasm release date and my hopes/fears will either be crushed/fulfilled (in no particular order).

robby^5

I would say Watchmen will be the judge if he really is a good director or not, it's his first film that should really have a lot of substance to it unlike 300 and Dawn of the Dead which were both great but very blunt in terms of what they were trying to do.

Dawn of the Dead = zombies being killed by guns in various very satisfying ways, 300 = Persians being killed by Spartans in various very satisfying ways, not really a whole lot else going on in those films apart from some great one liners.

doonothing

To be honest, I think Watchmen is too good a starting text to **** up royally, even if he only gleans 20% of the brilliance and fills the rest with how undoubtedly cool it looks, it'll still be a cracking film.

It's gas that the trailer says visionary though. What the hell!

godspal

One thing Zack Synder is not is visionary... He is actually so focused on bringing the comics and remakes so close to the original that it can be almost painful. E.G. The slow-motion filled 300.

And I agree with the splitting of the film from the comic. Makes sense.

But how in gods name are they going to explain the Giant Tentacle Monster in the film!!! The comic book its like: Rorschach out of prison, Night Owl + Rorschach talk out the conspiracy behind The Comedian's death... GIANT TENTACLE MONSTER... Explanation.

speedboatchase

What's wrong with Snyder staying close to the source material, that's what the fans want. If you've seen any of the garbage in the last script (which I believe had a crime-fighting statue of libery set piece and the line "It's the goddamned watchmen!), lets be thankful they went that way. The ONLY major deviation from the comic is actually what you mentioned, the ending has been altered slightly (or at least the McGuffin) to a more logical and plausible, hush my mouth for saying so, conclusion