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While the collected population of the internet seems to be wetting itself in excitement about the trailer for Zach Snyder's version of Watchmen, one man is more than cynical about the whole exercise. In fact, he thinks that any comic book adaptation is suspect, and he should know, having survived the experience three times already. The man in question? Watchmen writer, Alan Moore.
Watchmen Creator Ignores Movie
Seeded on Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:43 PM EDT
Article Source: io9- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (17)
Looks like Moore may go four for four in disowning his works as films.
While I can see it for League–which was a pretty bad movie–it seems a bit overboard to me for V. What does he expect Hollywood to do? Movies are not films.
I know I'm anxious about Watchmen. Will it be another LXG, or will it be another V?
- 1 vote
#1 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:47 PM EDTMovies are not films.
D'Oh! Should be, "Movies are not books."
- 1 vote
In a way, this isn't new for him. He was terribly disappointed in previous adaptations. I would be more surprised if he actually let his name be on a movie.
- 1 vote
#2 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:49 PM EDTTrue, and given that, it was interesting, but not surprising, to read this:
I increasingly fear that nothing good can come of almost any adaptation, and obviously that's sweeping. There are a couple of adaptations that are perhaps as good or better than the original work. But the vast majority of them are pointless.
He's clearly a man with attitude. :-)
Speaking of adaptations, did you ever see the movie, Adaptation? Same writer, Charlie Kaufman that did Being John Malkovich.
Both films are appropriate here, because–like Watchmen–they're in one way or other and to coin a phrase, meta-stories. Being John Malkovich is about a puppeteer pulling a real person's strings, and one of the best parts of that film is when Malkovich gets inside his own head. Adaptation is a movie by Charlie Kaufman writing about Charlie Kaufman writing Adaptation. And Watchmen, of course, is a comic containing superheroes that's about superhero comics.
- 1 vote
Sadly, I can't recall either of them. WHich probably means in the balance of things I didn't watch them.
Though, I've heard good things about Malkovich. But I'll add them to my netflix list.
Regardless, I'm looking forward to Watchmen. It was a powerful story before, and I believe that given the current crop of movies coming out, movie directors have decided to listen to us when we say we want good comic book movies.
Is it just me, or doesn't the Dark Knight look like they took some of their inspiration from Moore's works as well?
- 1 vote
Definitely add Being John Malkovich. Adaptation is interesting, but isn't quite on the same level.
The trailer has me wanting more.
I'm excited for sure!
I hope the script/acting is good.
- 1 vote
#3 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:18 PM EDTHere's a bunch of links to various Watchmen seeds and articles on Newsvine:
- Watchmen the movie starts filming – pick your dream cast now, Jun 30, Article by Captain Nemo
- CBC Briefing: Watchmen, Aug 7, Article by Steve Watts
- Comic Book Club: Watchmen, Aug 31, Article by Steve Watts
- Who Watches the "Watchmen"?, Oct 6, Article by Jimmy Blevins
- Alan Moore: the wonderful wizard of... Northampton, Oct 9, Seeded by Jimmy Blevins
- Who Watches the Script Writers? CC2k Reviews Two Attempts at Adapting Watchmen, Nov 26, Seeded by swain14
- Yahoo Movie page for Watchmen (2009), Mar 7, Seeded by Emily
- First Look at Watchmen Characters!, Mar 10, Seeded by Shalla
- Are you sick of superhero movies?, Jun 3, Seeded by zambony
- Watchmen: Watchmen Shouldn't Be A Movie, Jun 28, Seeded by TomPitysFools
- The superhero success formula: keep it 'adult', Jul 10, Seeded by Emily
- New Screen Shots from Watchmen movie, Jul 17, Seeded by Kick11
- Who watches the Watchmen? Check out the trailer for the film adaptation of Alan Moore's critically-acclaimed graphic novel, Jul 18, Seeded by M. Remmers
- Is Anyone as excited as I am about the "Watchmen" film?, Aug 5, Article by meta-jerk
- Who Watches The Watchmen (part 1), Aug 10, Article by Chris from MN
- Who Watches The Watchmen (part 2), Aug 11, Article by Chris from MN
- 1 vote
#4 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:49 PM EDTI'm going to put up the graphic novel before I watch the movie.
And I laughed at
I wonder what he thinks of The Dark Knight?
- 2 votes
#5 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:01 PM EDTMoore strikes me as a bit overzealous on these matters.
- 3 votes
#6 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:13 PM EDTThere are things that we did with Watchmen that could only work in a comic, and were indeed designed to show off things that other media can't.
That pretty much sums it up right there. He recognizes that different mediums tell stories differently and what works in one medium doesn't in another. That is why many fanboys are often disappointed in adaptations because they are not willing to accept those changes.
- 2 votes
While I can see it for League–which was a pretty bad movie–it seems a bit overboard to me for V. What does he expect Hollywood to do? Movies are not films.
V, the comic book, was about Anarchism as a political system. It was about the inherent unjustness of all governments and the moral ambiguity of terrorism (among other things, it's been awhile since I read it.) The movie did not talk about anarchism or politics at all. They took the skeleton of the story and turned it into an excuse to blow up buildings. A complex treatise on the nature of freedom, government and terrorism was turned into blowing up cartoon Nazi's. Moore was quite justified in dis-owning it.
As for Watchmen, I remain extremely skeptical of a successful adaptation, especially from a filmmaker with such shallow talents as Snyder (I have yet to see a good, nuanced performance in any of his work.) Watchmen has an incredible amount of characterization and thematic depth, and these things, which make it the amazing work it is, are going to be first things to be dropped and/or mismanaged. I liked the trailer, I admit it. But I don't think it can be done, especially by someone of Snyder's talents.
- 2 votes
#7 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:31 PM EDTI understand that, but it still seems a bit overboard. Main stream film just isn't up to it.
The question is whether he would see any of his work in film, and this article seems to answer that question, so I do give him full credit for being consistant!
- 1 vote
"In fact, he thinks that any comic book adaptation is suspect"
What an ignorant thing to say, especially since he knows The Dark Knight will end up being the second highest grossing (USA) movie ever.
- 2 votes
#8 - Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:00 PM EDTI think Moore is concerned with the quality of such adaptations and not how much money they make.
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Not to mention - to my knowledge - The Dark Knight is not an adaptation of a specific Batman story rather just a story about Batman in movie form. At best it is a movie inspired by the Batman comics but it is its own story.
On the other hand Watchmen is trying to adapt a specific story to a different medium which doesn't always work so well (as Mr. Moore is well aware).
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Nothing is wrong with the quality of The Dark Knight so it is still the perfect example. It is even the third highest ranked movie ever (although I'm sure it will drop a bit over the next year or two) on the Top 250 at IMDB.
- 2 votes
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