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[Truant]

I really have to say that the added footage really blends well with the overall film. In fact, I'm not sure I even noticed some of it as I only managed to get to the theaters once to see it then. Of course the Hollis death scene was outstanding, and the short additional bits with Dr. Manhattan were great. Also, I'm pretty sure there was more voice over from Rorschach - which were also welcome additions.

Overall, despite the 3 hours length - I really feel this should have been the cut put out into theaters, things just gelled better, and nothing really felt like it was unnecessary.

Unfortunately didn't have time to fool around with the Ultimate Movie Mode thingy, but since I won't be running around all day (dinner with the gf, 10 hour work shift) and actually have the day off - I'm planning on plopping my ass down on the couch to check it out for sure.

Oh and Ultimate Edition better have a fucking awesome commentary track, and amazing documentaries or else I'll be just fine with the DC version. After actually watching Black Freighter I wasn't impressed with the animation style, which is a shame as the story is still really nice and I thought Gerard Butler did a good job voice over wise.

Obviously. The DC was the version Snyder first submitted to the studio, before they asked him to cut it. After that, they asked him to cut even more to make it suitable for IMAX.

 

[tabsina]

I really have to say that the added footage really blends well with the overall film. In fact, I'm not sure I even noticed some of it as I only managed to get to the theaters once to see it then. Of course the Hollis death scene was outstanding, and the short additional bits with Dr. Manhattan were great. Also, I'm pretty sure there was more voice over from Rorschach - which were also welcome additions.

Overall, despite the 3 hours length - I really feel this should have been the cut put out into theaters, things just gelled better, and nothing really felt like it was unnecessary.

After recently watching the Director's Cut, I definitely agree with all of this

 

[Pezking]

Overall, despite the 3 hours length - I really feel this should have been the cut put out into theaters, things just gelled better, and nothing really felt like it was unnecessary.

Yes, agreed.

Only the scene in that room with the ping-pong-table added nothing important to the movie.

Overall Snyder did an outstanding job. I never thought "Watchmen" could be adapted so well into a movie.

 

[Monkeylord]

So, I got a choice:

• Wait till the Theatrical release comes out officially here (UK, and it's the only version being made available to us - cunts!)
• Import the Directors Cut, and have it arrive possibly in time for the weekend
• Wait to import the Ultimate Edition

I really REALLY want the ultimate edition, but don't think I can stand waiting that long with my GF whinging (she really REALLY loves Watchmen).


Wotcha reckon, GAF?

 

[boredJonathan]

Only the scene in that room with the ping-pong-table added nothing important to the movie.

Overall Snyder did an outstanding job. I never thought "Watchmen" could be adapted so well into a movie.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that scene. I remember being confused by the whole 'outdoors indoor' motiff going on there, and then further confused when Gaeta from BSG showed up. I did like the trigger for the flashback being the cigarette lighter though.

Still, I could agree with that. It didn't detract from the film for sure, but you are right that it didn't add anything. If it had played out like it did in the theatrical cut I wouldn't be upset.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

i personally did not feel that way. i thought the music went really well with the movie.

I should clarify-- it makes the music heavhanded to some people. I didn't have a problem with it either, but a lot of people seem to, and I think that's why.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I really wish Watchmen lovers would stop trying to justify their love for the movie by calling it the next Blade Runner. In 20 years, the masses arent going to do a 180 on the film; they will have long forgotten it (as they should).

More likely it will be recalled as Dune is, though perhaps not quite as favorably-- an interesting movie but a bit of a mess.

 

[BobTheFork]

WOOT!
The Blu-ray.com reviewer updated his review with the new info I gave him. I feel special! :lol
I'm just glad they didn't leave those cool extras out of the game-pack. But, as mentioned, the games are pretty shallow. They look decent for a cheap 3D beat em' up, but it's allot of the same thing. I'm kind of a sucker for packages like that, but this doesn't even come close to getting HD Hard Boiled on Stranglehold PS3

 

[polyh3dron]

While I'm not personally comparing it to Blade Runner, I'm pretty sure even that film had people like yourself shooting down those who claimed it was ahead of its time.

People still shoot it down to this day even here on GAF. Just look at the HD movie thread.

 

[polyh3dron]

I really wish Watchmen lovers would stop trying to justify their love for the movie by calling it the next Blade Runner. In 20 years, the masses arent going to do a 180 on the film; they will have long forgotten it (as they should).

This is coming from someone who thinks TDK is a shitty movie.

 

[Solo]

More likely it will be recalled as Dune is, though perhaps not quite as favorably-- an interesting movie but a bit of a mess.

I'd agree with this assessment. Dune, yes, Blade Runner, no.

This is coming from someone who thinks TDK is a shitty movie.

You have me mixed up with someone else. If TDK was so shitty, I wouldnt have seen it 4+ times in theatres.

It IS overrated as fuck here though.

 

[fistfulofmetal]

solo doesn't really know what he's talking about. he's a wannabe movie snob

 

[Blader]

Blade Runner isn't even that good anyway.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Solo's criticism of the movie are pretty valid, I just think he misses the good stuff in the process.

Watchmen is a movie of ideas, not one of performances and cinematography. I happen to think those ideas carry it, but I can see how some would not.

 

[Solo]

solo doesn't really know what he's talking about. he's a wannabe movie snob

:lol

Have you even seen Dune and Blade Runner? Im assuming no, else you'd see why the Dune comparison seems apt while the Blade Runner one does not.

In reality, we have to wait 20 years to see which is closer to reality.

 

[fistfulofmetal]

i wasn't even replying to any one of your posts. just making a general remark.

and blade runner is my 3rd, 2nd, or favorite movie ever. depending on the day and how my menstrual cycle is doing.

 

[BobTheFork]

Watching the Watchmen again has made me notice all of the minor differences. With so many scenes and designs done to be dead-on with the book, it really makes me wonder why some things were slightly altered.
Example: the way Rorschach

Spoiler

killed the child murderer. I was just assuming that someone thought it played to close to Saw (or MadMax but no one remembers that) and changed it because honestly the butcher knife to the head plays as WAY more brutal to me.

The way Lawrence died (Big Figure's henchman)

Spoiler

stabbed in the neck and left hanging there (book) vs. getting arms visibly sawed off. I thought the arms was much more shocking and I'm surprised they changed it TO that.

The biggest one I said 'why?' about was just after Rorshach goes to see Dan. The nest scene is Dan talking to Adrian. In the book Rorschach talks to Adrian instead and the scene plays far differently. Maybe they just want to overload people on Rorschach too early?

 

[Solo]

Watchmen is a movie of ideas, not one of performances and cinematography.

The thing is, Blade Runner is also very much an ideas movie. Scott just presents things with subtlety, a word Snyder doesnt know of.

Then on top of that, you've got the cinematography and performances (well, Hauer anyways) to bolster the whole thing.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

The thing is, Blade Runner is also very much an ideas movie. Scott just presents things with subtlety, a word Snyder doesnt know of.

Then on top of that, you've got the cinematography and performances (well, Hauer anyways) to bolster the whole thing.

There's a lot of subtlety in Watchmen, it's just that there are so many things that are overdone that the subtle things get overlooked.


Blade Runner also benefits form a tight core of ideas, while Watchmen is a smorgasboard and all over the map. Someday, I suspect it'll be redone as a miniseries.

 

[Solo]

Id argue that it might have been better to do it as a miniseries from the get-go.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Me too.

I like the movie, but it has plenty of issues, and it also leaves a lot on the table from the source. At least some of these things would be fixed with a series. I do respect how much they managed to cram in there, and I'll probably still like the movie in 20 years, but I'll always think about the missed opportunities.

Just for starters, the suspense of the mask-killer plot has no time to build like it did in the book.

 

[How About No]

Oh my, the movie was much better thanI ecpected. Very great adaption of the comic. Will get the BluRay eventually.

Spoiler

I also think I liked Adrian's plan slightly better, maybe.

 

[TheyCallMeMoney]

Has anyone watched the special features yet? They have some decent stuff about vigilantes in the 80's called Guardian Angels and how they relate to the Watchmen. I :lol when they had interviews with a couple of kids dressed up as super heroes. It reminded me of Shadow Hare in Cincinnati going out and protecting people and giving out sandwiches to the homeless.

The special features also included a talk with a physics teacher from Minnesota and he explores the possibles that an actual Dr. Manhattan could really exist. I believe he even spoke about an actual class where students take stories from comic books and relates them to science.

I was hoping to see more stuff on the production of the movie and some concept art, ideas, etc. Guess I'll have to wait until December.../sigh

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I hope my copy gets here soon-- I am dying to see the expansion.

Are any scenes lengthened, or is it just new ones? Because I really want the scene of Laurie on Mars to be longer and have more emotional payoff.

Spoiler

In the book, she comes to the realization about her father on her own, and it underscores how much she'd been in denial of the fact, and it's quite a powerful moment. It's rushed in the movie.

 

[BobTheFork]

I hope my copy gets here soon-- I am dying to see the expansion.

Are any scenes lengthened, or is it just new ones? Because I really want the scene of Laurie on Mars to be longer and have more emotional payoff.

Spoiler

In the book, she comes to the realization about her father on her own, and it underscores how much she'd been in denial of the fact, and it's quite a powerful moment. It's rushed in the movie.

I didn't think it was more emotional but it is extended. There are a few news scenes and expanded ones.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I didn't think it was more emotional but it is extended. There are a few news scenes and expanded ones.

That's good at least-- it was the one thing that really seemed rushed in the movie.

 

[EYEL1NER]

but this doesn't even come close to getting HD Hard Boiled on Stranglehold PS3

Wasn't the version of Hardboiled on the BluRay standard def? I own it, bought it for that purpose because I had never seen it and wanted the game, but it seems like I remember reading about it and the resulting outcry that it wasn't HD Hardboiled...

Anyway...
I am glad I bought the DC last night. I don't know whether I prefered seeing it in the theater or not though. The guy I watched it with has a really good home theater setup with nice audio, and there was still that impact of every punch in the opening scene of the movie, but I remember feeling it in my chest in the theater, every blow. That scene was great back in the theater. Overall I am pleased with this purchase, though I would prefer the DC didn't have the ugly lenticular thing on the cardboard packaging.

And the Hollis Mason fight scene was great. I loved the way they did it, I just didn't like the way it turned out...

 

[BobTheFork]

Wasn't the version of Hardboiled on the BluRay standard def? I own it, bought it for that purpose because I had never seen it and wanted the game, but it seems like I remember reading about it and the resulting outcry that it wasn't HD Hardboiled...

Anyway...
I am glad I bought the DC last night. I don't know whether I prefered seeing it in the theater or not though. The guy I watched it with has a really good home theater setup with nice audio, and there was still that impact of every punch in the opening scene of the movie, but I remember feeling it in my chest in the theater, every blow. That scene was great back in the theater. Overall I am pleased with this purchase, though I would prefer the DC didn't have the ugly lenticular thing on the cardboard packaging.

And the Hollis Mason fight scene was great. I loved the way they did it, I just didn't like the way it turned out...

I was told it was in HD. It looked really nice, but I had never seen the movie before so it's harder for me to compare. I

 

[jett]

So I finally watched...uh Watchmen. The director's cut. I liked it more than I thought I would, considering I despise Snyder's abuse of slow-mo, but it was used mostly well here. However in the end I think Alan Moore was right, Watchmen simply doesn't work outisde of the realm of comic books. If I hadn't read the book, the movie wouldn't have made much sense. The setting, the characters, even the ideas in the story don't really work at all on film. It's pretty much nonsense outside of the graphic novel. But it was still great to see some of the scenes in motion, everything regarding Dr. Manhattan was just really really great.

A pretty cool movie for what it is, and about as good as a straight-up adaptation of the book could be, I guess. I was pleasantly surprised.

...btw comparisons to Blade Runner are ludicrous.

 

[EYEL1NER]

I was told it was in HD. It looked really nice, but I had never seen the movie before so it's harder for me to compare. I

I think I am going to look at the case when I get home on lunch, but the movie looks worse than a VHS copy. It's gotta be standard def.

EDIT: Well, I don't know now. Wikipedia says it's remastered in HD, but we all know site can have unreliable info (not like everything's false or anything though). I just remember it looking horrible and before the release, EGM or Game Informer reporting on how it was standard def. People on gamefaqs were pissed about it. Maybe it is HD though...

 

[Keylime]

Watching the movie again yesterday reminded me of how perfect of a choice Malin Ackerman was for Laurie. Not only do they look identical, but Malin's mediocre acting skills actually made the character more true to the comic for me than if someone actually tried making that character more interesting.

To me, Laurie was always annoying and bland, and Malin hits those notes perfectly.

Say what you will about Malin Ackermann as an actress, but she was 100% the correct choice to play Silk Spectre II.

Spoiler

...and I liked watching her bewbage flail to the thrustification of the Owl'd one

 

[BobTheFork]

I think I am going to look at the case when I get home on lunch, but the movie looks worse than a VHS copy. It's gotta be standard def.

ok, SD maybe, but don't tell me it's worse than a VHS copy.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Watching the movie again yesterday reminded me of how perfect of a choice Malin Ackerman was for Julie. Not only do they look identical, but Malin's mediocre acting skills actually made the character more true to the comic for me than if someone actually tried making that character more interesting.

To me, Julie was always annoying and bland, and Malin hits those notes perfectly.

Say what you will about Malin Ackermann as an actress, but she was 100% the correct choice to play Silk Spectre II.

Spoiler

...and I liked watching her bewbage flail to the thrustification of the Owl'd one

You must not have cared for her, since you get her name wrong.

 

[Particle Physicist]

In reality, we have to wait 20 years to see which is closer to reality.

ban bet?

 

[How About No]

To my realization when watching the movie, I don't know what looks sillier: the "1st Crimebusters Meeting" or that Alltel commercial with the superheroes:lol

 

[Keylime]

You must not have cared for her, since you get her name wrong.

Got me...Laurie vs. Julie.

But you are correct, I very much disliked that character. I appreciated what she did for the story, but the character itself to me was just so poorly implemented.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I like her a lot, but my wife has the same reaction.

 

[Particle Physicist]

If I hadn't read the book, the movie wouldn't have made much sense.

the only people i see making this comment are people that have read the comic before hand. it's simply not true. if my father, whose first language is not even english, was able to follow the movie easily.. i doubt others had any issues.

 

[BobTheFork]

I like her a lot, but my wife has the same reaction.

She was the most neglected character so she gets a good amount of the added time. Theres an extra scene in the middle she thinks about her mother and father fighting more before it comes up on mars.

 

[Solo]

ban bet?

Its on!

 

[Blader]

the only people i see making this coming are people that have read the comic before hand. it's simply not true. if my father, whose first language is not even english, was able to follow the movie easily.. i doubt others had any issues.

Yeah, there were a lot of people in just this thread alone who said (back when the movie first came out) that they hadn't read the book but were able to follow the movie just fine.

 

[Gary Whitta]

Black Freighter and motion comics are $5 each at Target.

 

[diunxx]

Are you guys really comparing this POS to Blade Runner and calling it ahead of its time? nobody gives a shit about this movie now and nobody will give a shit about it in 20 years, the damn motion comic had better acting than this boring mess.

 

[polyh3dron]

Watching the movie again yesterday reminded me of how perfect of a choice Malin Ackerman was for Laurie. Not only do they look identical, but Malin's mediocre acting skills actually made the character more true to the comic for me than if someone actually tried making that character more interesting.

To me, Laurie was always annoying and bland, and Malin hits those notes perfectly.

Say what you will about Malin Ackermann as an actress, but she was 100% the correct choice to play Silk Spectre II.

Spoiler

...and I liked watching her bewbage flail to the thrustification of the Owl'd one

Amen. The only miscast role was Veidt.

Are you guys really comparing this POS to Blade Runner and calling it ahead of its time? nobody gives a shit about this movie now and nobody will give a shit about it in 20 years, the damn motion comic had better acting than this boring mess.

You only have to go to the HD movie thread of this very site to see GAFers call Blade Runner a boring mess and shit on it just as vehemently as people in this thread are doing.

 

[yacobod]

i think the comparison's with dune are pretty off base

as far as adaptations go, watchmen is much closer to the source material when compared to dune

w/out reading dune, the movie wouldnt have made much sense to anybody, and as a huge fan of the dune novel, i can barely stomach watching it, its that fucking bad, sure some of the set designs are cool, and w/the cast it should have been good, but the plot, dialog, and fx are so bad, and wtf at the weirding modules

some parts of the watchmen movie are pretty fantastic imo, comedian's funeral with the flashbacks from each prominent figure in the movie is wonderfully done, i like the opening montage, and the dr. manhattan introduction and shit on mars is also very well done

my biggest gripe with the movie is some unnecessary use of slow motion and some dumb choices with the music

dr. manhattan, the comedian, and rors were great as well

 

[polyh3dron]

^^^ Thank you, I typed up pretty much the same post earlier but left for lunch and didn't finish it and then someone closed my window.

Comparing Watchmen with that disaster of a film is ridiculous, even David Lynch thinks it was a disaster.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

My comparison with Dune wasn't with regard to specifics, but rather

- it's an adaptation that splits people's opinions whether they read the book or not
- it's ambitious in scope
- the source work was considered unfilmable
- some parts are standout excellent while other parts are painful
-- the kicker,I'm guessing Watchmen will keep enough people interested to be widely remembered, but considered flawed.

I happen to like the movie Dune quite a bit, even though Lynch called it his first "abortion." The expanded cut is terrible, but theatrial version's pretty good outside the lead, and losing a lot of faithfulness to the book.

 

[yacobod]

but theatrial version's pretty good outside the lead, and losing a lot of faithfulness to the book.

supposedly another dune movie is in the works set to be directed by Peter Berg coming from Paramount, hopefully its going to be better than lynch's piece of shit

 

[Truant]

the only people i see making this coming are people that have read the comic before hand. it's simply not true. if my father, whose first language is not even english, was able to follow the movie easily.. i doubt others had any issues.

Yeah, most of my friends never read the thing, and they got everything on their first go. Sub plots, character connections, you name it.

 

[Particle Physicist]

Its on!

saving this thread.. will see you in 20 years!!