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The Lounge => Media and Inspiration => Topic started by: Koltar on April 03, 2009, 01:33:19 AM

Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Koltar on April 03, 2009, 01:33:19 AM
I've seen the movie twice - the first week it was out.

I got TWO questions related to it.


The first Saturday night it was out I went to a late night shoeing - around 9:45/ 10pm stat time. I was in a rotten mood when I got to the theater.

The 1st Question : Why the hell or the how the hell did the movie put me in a good mood by the end of it all?? EDIT: It cheered me up. Thats what is weird.


2nd Question: Anybody else think that Dan Drieberg/Nite Owl II was more likable and sympathetic in the movie version than in the Graphic Novel version?



I got a potential partial answer for number 2 - many times a somewhat decent actor can make a character more likable than he is written to be on the page.  There is somnething about the way Wilson plays him that you wanna root for the guy.


- Ed C.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Aos on April 03, 2009, 11:00:39 AM
1. nudity
2. He's easily the most likable character in both versions.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Koltar on April 03, 2009, 11:46:42 AM
Quote from: Aos;293899
1. nudity
2. He's easily the most likable character in both versions.


Aos,
 You're wrong on the answer to number 1. Read my edit of the original question.
The graphic novel I originally read as the 12 seperate issues over a decade ago - I read them as they were published.  The nuity was not going to surprise me in any way. It always struck me as a somewhat depressing story - not "uipbeat" at all. Yet, afterthe movie version I was cheered up and in a positive mood.


- Ed C.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: jeff37923 on April 03, 2009, 12:08:57 PM
Quote from: Koltar;293868
The 1st Question : Why the hell or the how the hell did the movie put me in a good mood by the end of it all?? EDIT: It cheered me up. Thats what is weird.


The sight of Dr. Manhatten's Cheronkov blue wang has the power to cheer up those prone to funks. This has been scientifically proven.


Quote from: Koltar;293868
2nd Question: Anybody else think that Dan Drieberg/Nite Owl II was more likable and sympathetic in the movie version than in the Graphic Novel version?


No.

The lack of a noticeable potbelly makes him Pure Evil in the movie.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: RPGPundit on April 03, 2009, 07:51:30 PM
I think he's easily the most likable character in the book, except for possibly the first Nite Owl.

I still haven't seen the fucking movie yet. Fucking hell.

RPGPundit
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Spike on April 03, 2009, 11:24:11 PM
I find Nite Owl in lacking any character traits that make him particularly likable as a character. As some dude to hang out with? Maybe... even surely.  He's 'a swell guy', an okay dude. Inoffensive and he probably buys the beer.  

But as a character: all those things that make him a tolerable buddy make him utterly unlikeable.   And the Pundit and I will go five more rounds over this... watch! ;)

As for the first part: The movie, for all its relenting grimdark ends on a remarkably upbeat tone. Its an illusion, a trick. You spend so much time in shadows, in grit and grim, in murder and pain and mystery that when the final scene plays out with the world bright and shining and everyone holding hands... you release all the tension built up over the play of the entire plot... to include the fucking resolution. That ninety seconds of sunshine and happy people tricks you into thinking you've had the movie equivilent of an orgasm.

If you walked out over Rorschach's corpse, you'd have left feeling a bit more morose, still trapped in shadows and grimdark.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Dr Rotwang! on April 13, 2009, 02:54:03 PM
Maybe Ed just had a good time at the movies?
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Idinsinuation on April 13, 2009, 06:12:33 PM
I was really happy after watching Oldboy.  It had nothing to do with the film's content and everything to do with the fact that I'd just finished watching a quality film.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: jeff37923 on April 13, 2009, 11:08:10 PM
All of you have fallen under the spell of Dr. Manhatten's Cheronkov blue wang.


It makes everyone who sees it all happy inside.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: StormBringer on May 08, 2009, 02:15:14 PM
Quote from: jeff37923;296335
All of you have fallen under the spell of Dr. Manhatten's Cheronkov blue wang.
It makes everyone who sees it all happy inside.
Actually, one of the things I noticed as I was flipping through my TPB the other day is how Moore drew the CBW in such a stylized manner.  In a way, it seemed a further point in how he was even more separated from mundane humanity.  His form was an imitation of humans, but as he grew more distant from the human condition, so too did his form grow more distant from the human structure.

So, it wasn't that I was particularly uncomfortable with the CBW moving semi-realistically (something of an uncanny valley, however), it was the way that his form was still distinctly human.  Freckles, moles, folds and creases on his skin.  I was under the impression that he was a field of energy with a humanoid shape, hence, it wasn't really 'skin' that covered him, any more than he would have had functional, organic internal organs anymore.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Grimjack on June 11, 2009, 10:24:27 AM
Quote from: Koltar;293868
I've seen the movie twice - the first week it was out.

I got TWO questions related to it.


The first Saturday night it was out I went to a late night shoeing - around 9:45/ 10pm stat time. I was in a rotten mood when I got to the theater.

The 1st Question : Why the hell or the how the hell did the movie put me in a good mood by the end of it all?? EDIT: It cheered me up. Thats what is weird.


- Ed C.


I was going to guess that the popcorn with extra butter cheered you up but the consensus seems to be that it was the blue wang.

I haven't seen the movie yet but I have a question.  How did they handle the fact that the plot revolves around the cold war?  Did they stay true to the plot of the book or alter it.  I'm not sure how many of the teens going to the movie would know what the hell the cold war was.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: LordVreeg on June 11, 2009, 11:38:23 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;293998
I think he's easily the most likable character in the book, except for possibly the first Nite Owl.

I still haven't seen the fucking movie yet. Fucking hell.

RPGPundit

Oh, you're the other one.  Good to know.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Ian Absentia on June 12, 2009, 11:44:58 PM
Quote from: StormBringer;300522
Actually, one of the things I noticed as I was flipping through my TPB the other day is how Moore drew the CBW in such a stylized manner.
For the sake of accuracy, that was Dave Gibbons with the curious take on the wang, but I imagine that had a lot to do with what they'd let him get away with in 1985 (or today for that matter).

And Ed, I'm glad the Great Blue Wang made you happy.

!i!
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Koltar on June 13, 2009, 01:23:03 AM
Malin Ackernan was in the movie.

 I didn't notice any wang.

It was originally a serious question guys.


- Ed C.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: StormBringer on June 13, 2009, 01:38:25 AM
Quote from: Ian Absentia;307987
For the sake of accuracy, that was Dave Gibbons with the curious take on the wang, but I imagine that had a lot to do with what they'd let him get away with in 1985 (or today for that matter).

And Ed, I'm glad the Great Blue Wang made you happy.

!i!
Yes, it was Dave Gibbons, that was my mistake.

However, even if it was a limitation by the comics code folks, I maintain they found a creative way around it.  Captain Atom (whom they modeled Dr Manhattan upon) had shorts on or something; they could have done similar and had Osterman in a Cheronkov Blue Speedo instead of wagging the big blue wang all over the panels.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: jeff37923 on June 13, 2009, 04:25:28 AM
Quote from: Koltar;308002
I didn't notice any wang.

It was originally a serious question guys.


- Ed C.


OBEY THE WANG!

Brought to you by the Cheronkov Blue Wang of Dr. Manhatten. All rights and joys of watching reserved.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Hairfoot on June 13, 2009, 06:48:14 AM
Why did Manhattan have his cock out in some scenes, and a posing pouch in others?  Who decides?  And who made the giant briefs he wears when he's killing Viet Cong?
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Ian Absentia on June 13, 2009, 03:35:09 PM
Quote from: Koltar;308002
It was originally a serious question guys.
Yeah, but it was a serious question about a comic book movie.  A comic book movie with a Great Blue Wang.  How long could you have expected that to last?

!i!
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: SunBoy on June 14, 2009, 04:45:10 AM
For the sake of seriousness (because everybody knows I'm the straight man (not a pun about the mighty wang, I swear)):

1- Dude, how often do you get so good an adaptation of a great comic book? That's enough to cheer you up.

2- Definitely. In the flick, the guy comes across a little less pathetic than in the book, so he's easier to like. That said, I agree that he's the most likeable guy in the story, never mind the medium (what did you expect, he's the hero).


And three...

wang wang wang wang wang MIGHTY BLUE WANG!!!


...because I just couldn't resist doing it.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Werekoala on June 14, 2009, 11:20:00 AM
Quote from: Koltar;308002

 I didn't notice any wang.


Oh REALLY.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: Koltar on June 14, 2009, 12:13:36 PM
Quote from: Werekoala;308207
Oh REALLY.


After all she did dump that for the guy that has brown hair, wears glasses, and is a bit overweight.

Basically Dan is easy for me to identify with - he's me cleanshaven . So yeah Dan gets the sexy intelligent Woman.

 Hell Yes that movie had a good ending.
 (so did the graphic novel)


- Ed C.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: beejazz on June 14, 2009, 12:53:52 PM
Quote from: Grimjack
I haven't seen the movie yet but I have a question.  How did they handle the fact that the plot revolves around the cold war?  Did they stay true to the plot of the book or alter it.
The kept the cold war.
Quote
 I'm not sure how many of the teens going to the movie would know what the hell the cold war was.
All of them.

As to why it would put one in a good mood... It's watchmen. I got the same thing out of the comic, and kind of wish I could have gotten the same thing out of the movie. It was fun to poke fun at though.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: SunBoy on June 15, 2009, 01:59:40 PM
Quote from: beejazz;308231
I got the same thing out of the comic, and kind of wish I could have gotten the same thing out of the movie. It was fun to poke fun at though.


Really? I found it quite a nice adaptation, actually. Yeah, I'm well aware of the changes, but none of them was quite as drastic as in, say, V for Vendetta. It is the same story, after all, with no over apologetics for any of the characters nor major motivational changes... or you meant poking fun at the wang?
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: StormBringer on June 15, 2009, 02:57:00 PM
Quote from: SunBoy;308535
Really? I found it quite a nice adaptation, actually. Yeah, I'm well aware of the changes, but none of them was quite as drastic as in, say, V for Vendetta. It is the same story, after all, with no over apologetics for any of the characters nor major motivational changes... or you meant poking fun at the wang?
Don't poke the wang.

I found the changes to the ending to be rather unsatisfying, really.  The comic was better; it showcased Viedt's intelligence, and presented a more convincing 'uncertainty' to maintain the illusion.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: SunBoy on June 15, 2009, 03:41:01 PM
Quote from: StormBringer;308554
Don't poke the wang.

I found the changes to the ending to be rather unsatisfying, really.  The comic was better; it showcased Viedt's intelligence, and presented a more convincing 'uncertainty' to maintain the illusion.


On his part, you mean? Yeah, probably right, but still, I liked the thing.

And far it be from me to poke (or otherwise touch or play with, as a matter of fact) the WANG.
Title: "Watchmen" - a question or two ....
Post by: beejazz on June 15, 2009, 11:15:36 PM
Quote from: SunBoy;308535
Really? I found it quite a nice adaptation, actually. Yeah, I'm well aware of the changes, but none of them was quite as drastic as in, say, V for Vendetta. It is the same story, after all, with no over apologetics for any of the characters nor major motivational changes... or you meant poking fun at the wang?


Don't get me wrong, the movie was a fun night, and I'm enough of a fan of watchmen that I'm getting a copy of the DVD anyway... it just didn't give me the warm fuzzies like the book did.

The plot changes didn't bug me as much as the general look and feel of it.

Eh, but I bitch about things I love. I can't help but obsess over how I'd do it differently.