WWTBAM Bored

In anticipation of the movie coming out in a couple of weeks, I am reading Watchmen, the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It has been forever since I read anything in graphic novel/comic book format, but Watchmen is pretty good so far (I've only read the first two chapters).

danielh41 wrote:In anticipation of the movie coming out in a couple of weeks, I am reading Watchmen, the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It has been forever since I read anything in graphic novel/comic book format, but Watchmen is pretty good so far (I've only read the first two chapters).

I did that a couple of months ago. Far and away the best graphic novel I've ever read. It will be interesting to see how much of it managed to stay in the screenplay. The trailers I've seen on television emphasize scenes which mimic some of the panels closely.

I re-read it a few weeks ago (I read it the first time a couple of years ago). From what I hear, Zack Snyder (the director) used panels from the novel as his storyboard, taking shots directly from the book -- a good sign for fans.

I'm both excited and worried about it, though. It's very, very, very dark subject wouldn't seem to lend itself well to big-screen treatment (no spoilers, but.....trust me, it's darker than midnight in a coal mine). And the casting seems....unorthodox. Not Jackie Lee Haley (who was so good in "Little Children") as Rorschach (an inspired choice, IMO), but Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan and Carla Gugino (!) as Sally Jupiter just don't sound right to me. With luck, I'll be wrong about that.

I'm also curious as to how (or if) they'll handle the Black Freighter sections. Rumor has it they're animating the comic-within-the-comic as a separate stand-alone movie for DVD release separate from WATCHMEN.....

I can't stomach Alan Moore. I am bad about not being able to separate the author from his work. Don't get me started on Amiri Baraka and "Dutchman." Wait, I don't like that anyway.

This particular "old-timer" remembers eagerly waiting one month between each issue to find out what would happen next. The thing kept me on edge for a whole freakin' year, but it was well worth it.
Those of you reading the entire work at your leisure should thank your lucky stars.

If anyone is interested in another good Alan Moore twist on the superhero genre, I strongly recommend reading "Miracleman".

KillerTomato wrote:... and Carla Gugino (!) as Sally Jupiter just don't sound right to me. With luck, I'll be wrong about that.

I don't know anything about Watchmen, but I'd watch Carla Gugino in anything!

Estonut wrote:

KillerTomato wrote:... and Carla Gugino (!) as Sally Jupiter just don't sound right to me. With luck, I'll be wrong about that.

I don't know anything about Watchmen, but I'd watch Carla Gugino in anything!

Or in nothing!

earendel wrote:

Estonut wrote:

KillerTomato wrote:... and Carla Gugino (!) as Sally Jupiter just don't sound right to me. With luck, I'll be wrong about that.

I don't know anything about Watchmen, but I'd watch Carla Gugino in anything!

Or in nothing!

I went into Sin City without knowing much about the cast or the story, never having read the Frank Miller graphic novels. But I like Robert Rodriguez, and the visuals in the trailers for Sin City looked stunning. So the revealing scenes with Carla Gugino in Sin City were a very pleasant surprise...

Estonut wrote:

KillerTomato wrote:... and Carla Gugino (!) as Sally Jupiter just don't sound right to me. With luck, I'll be wrong about that.

I don't know anything about Watchmen, but I'd watch Carla Gugino in anything!

Huh. I didn't realize she was in this. I just saw her (and Brian Dennehy and the guy who played Nick Sobotka in Season 2 of The Wire) in Desire Under the Elms here in Chicago. I'd recommend it if you're in town.

gsabc wrote:

danielh41 wrote:In anticipation of the movie coming out in a couple of weeks, I am reading Watchmen, the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It has been forever since I read anything in graphic novel/comic book format, but Watchmen is pretty good so far (I've only read the first two chapters).

I did that a couple of months ago. Far and away the best graphic novel I've ever read. It will be interesting to see how much of it managed to stay in the screenplay. The trailers I've seen on television emphasize scenes which mimic some of the panels closely.

I hear that the climax is being changed, but have no details as to how.