Its a trailer for people who love the watchmen and nothing more. Every flash in the trailer is a frame from the comic. For me this trailer makes me drool with anticipation.
To be fair, the book is really hard to summarize. Even if they had attempted to tell you what the movie was about, it wouldn't have really told you what it's about. It's one of those things where there's just too much stuff going on, and it's only loosely connected most of the time. The main characters don't even interact with each other for most of the book. You'd have to make six or seven separate trailers, each focusing on one of the characters, in order to make any kind of sense of what the basic plot idea is.
I'm a little worried about the slow-motion, but you can tell that some of the shots in the trailer were slowed down in post, and I doubt they'll be like that in the film. I hope he doesn't over do it as well. 300 looked good, but watching it gave me the impression that someone was constantly hitting the "slow" and "FF" buttons all the time.
To be fair, the book is really hard to summarize. Even if they had attempted to tell you what the movie was about, it wouldn't have really told you what it's about. It's one of those things where there's just too much stuff going on, and it's only loosely connected most of the time. The main characters don't even interact with each other for most of the book. You'd have to make six or seven separate trailers, each focusing on one of the characters, in order to make any kind of sense of what the basic plot idea is.
I see. I may just pick up a copy of the graphic novel to see what all the fuss is about.
from wikipedia
"To date, Watchmen remains the only graphic novel to win a Hugo Award, and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time Magazine's 2005 list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present."
I'm curious what the average movie goer thinks after seeing the trailer. For all of us that know and love the graphic novel, there's millions that have no earthly idea what it is. I can see this movie looking ridiculous to them. I'm glad the trailer is dark enough and moody enough to give off the right impression though.
seems easy enough to port to a good movie, especially given the director's penchant for lifting panels directly from the book.
i've got to say, though, i don't really see what all the fuss is about. it's a good book, a great one even, but nothing earth-shattering. i guess people forgot comics can be literature as well?
i've got to say, though, i don't really see what all the fuss is about. it's a good book, a great one even, but nothing earth-shattering. i guess people forgot comics can be literature as well?
In 1985, I'd say that most people really didn't think comics could be good literature.
Mad Artist: That sums it up for me pretty much. I definitely need to read the book first, cuz as someone who enjoys comic>movie adaptations without necessarily having to be an avid comic book fan it just looks silly. I seem to be missing out on all the background elements that are making people drool for this movie. As someone looking in from the outside, I don't get it. So I'll be sure and check out the graphic novel first before I pass any judgement. Just an initial, uneducated first impression from a watchment noob.
Its perfectly acceptable not to understand the trailer if you haven't read the book or are not familiar with the book. There is a fair amount of layering and complexity in the book, which I personally think will be difficult to translate perfectly into film.
I showed a few dudes the trailer here at work who have never read the book, and all were confused about what the movie was about.
I do highly recommend reading the book for those of you who haven't.
Jox: er... StarDust? Beautiful, wonderful story... god awful trailer, but a brilliant movie with
a refreshing take on the 'classic fantasy story' filled with odd humour.
I think in one stroke, Gaiman has had far better luck with his work being adapted to the big screen than poor old Moore who's simply seen his work castrated so far.
I'm optimistic about the Watchmen, I think its a good time for it as we're in the autumn of the comic movie season; thats no accident.
The trailer doesn't tell us much, but it does show us inbetween the ass kicking there's
going to be some chilling and mind bending stuff happening that could be as, or more
important.
I think those unfamiliar with the story are going to be curious about the detached
expression of 'the blue dude killing people with a smile'. It's not difficult to see that
there's been focus on pushing that to the forefront along with the more straight 'cool'
action montage stuff, to demonstrate theres more than action ahead.
So, I'm optimistic. I never expected to be, but here I am, hoping
Oh god. Stardust was one of my favorite books ever, and I thought the movie was a horrendous garbage adaption.
I've been finding, the closer books/comics are to the source material, the better the movie is (yet every director seems to want to incorperate healthy doses of CAMP for NO REASON).
I'm dreading the rumour that Joel Schumacher wants to direct 'The Sandman'
I really dont get the appeal to this, i guess everyone who's saying this looks awesome is just a huge geek for the comic? I've never read it myself but that trailer looks like utter shit, oh well atleast it didnt look as awful as that spirit movie or whatever the fuck was before it in the previews for batman. Anyway this just looks like an over produced CG punch in the dick. GRAAAAA EFFFFXXXXXXXXX
Yeah, I think as someone else pointed out already, this trailer will be far more appealing to people who have read the comics.
I guess if you don't know how good the comics were, it's hard to see how this can be good based on the trailer, since it doesn't really make any sense.
As was mentioned though, it'd be pretty damn hard to make a trailer for this that the "mass market" will understand and enjoy, since the plot is so far-reaching and the characters so spread out.
Loved the graphic novel, I agree Perna, to the untrained eye the trailers don't make any sense, they don't try to summarize the movie at all and it just looks like a bunch of fancy CG effects, I didn't know what to think of the first trailer until I ordered the graphic novel and read it, then I got really excited watching the trailer. Does that mean the people editing the trailers are just making editing them for the fans? Are they going to make new trailers that try to let people in on why they should be excited even if they haven't read the graphic novel?
All I'm really gonna say is if they do the graphic novel justice, it'll easily be the best movie based on a comic ever. I'm excited to see if that works out.
I'm sick of green-screen movies that look like computer games. Fuck this.
I enjoyed the comics. That doesn't make me think the characters in this movie look any less like poor cosplayers. The movie should be enjoyed on its own merits.
If this wasn't called watchmen you'd be slagging it off.
Judging movies by their trailers works about as often as judging books by their covers. One of the best trailers I've ever seen was the first one for Star Wars; Episode 1. That didn't turn out so well. Same year, the original theatrical trailer for The Matrix looked lame, generic crap like Thirteenth Floor, and I ended up seeing the film to kill time. That one was a great surprise. No real way to tell what you're going to get just from a handful of clips with unfinished audio or effects shots.
After seeing that extra vid, I really cannot wait for the film to be released.
It may just be fanboy goggles or something, but it seems like most people who are unfamiliar with the source material are really not into the trailer.
Replies
I'm a little worried about the slow-motion, but you can tell that some of the shots in the trailer were slowed down in post, and I doubt they'll be like that in the film. I hope he doesn't over do it as well. 300 looked good, but watching it gave me the impression that someone was constantly hitting the "slow" and "FF" buttons all the time.
I see. I may just pick up a copy of the graphic novel to see what all the fuss is about.
"To date, Watchmen remains the only graphic novel to win a Hugo Award, and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time Magazine's 2005 list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present."
seems easy enough to port to a good movie, especially given the director's penchant for lifting panels directly from the book.
i've got to say, though, i don't really see what all the fuss is about. it's a good book, a great one even, but nothing earth-shattering. i guess people forgot comics can be literature as well?
In 1985, I'd say that most people really didn't think comics could be good literature.
I showed a few dudes the trailer here at work who have never read the book, and all were confused about what the movie was about.
I do highly recommend reading the book for those of you who haven't.
-caseyjones
Allan Moore kick's ass. V for Vendetta was a pretty good adaption.
If only they could start giving Neil Gaiman some faithful adaptions.
a refreshing take on the 'classic fantasy story' filled with odd humour.
I think in one stroke, Gaiman has had far better luck with his work being adapted to the big screen than poor old Moore who's simply seen his work castrated so far.
I'm optimistic about the Watchmen, I think its a good time for it as we're in the autumn of the comic movie season; thats no accident.
The trailer doesn't tell us much, but it does show us inbetween the ass kicking there's
going to be some chilling and mind bending stuff happening that could be as, or more
important.
I think those unfamiliar with the story are going to be curious about the detached
expression of 'the blue dude killing people with a smile'. It's not difficult to see that
there's been focus on pushing that to the forefront along with the more straight 'cool'
action montage stuff, to demonstrate theres more than action ahead.
So, I'm optimistic. I never expected to be, but here I am, hoping
I've been finding, the closer books/comics are to the source material, the better the movie is (yet every director seems to want to incorperate healthy doses of CAMP for NO REASON).
I'm dreading the rumour that Joel Schumacher wants to direct 'The Sandman'
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1648240/joel_schumacher_wants_to_direct_neil_gaimans_andquotsandmanandquot
Watchmen does look pretty sweet.
I guess if you don't know how good the comics were, it's hard to see how this can be good based on the trailer, since it doesn't really make any sense.
As was mentioned though, it'd be pretty damn hard to make a trailer for this that the "mass market" will understand and enjoy, since the plot is so far-reaching and the characters so spread out.
[ame]
All I'm really gonna say is if they do the graphic novel justice, it'll easily be the best movie based on a comic ever. I'm excited to see if that works out.
Judging movies by their trailers works about as often as judging books by their covers. One of the best trailers I've ever seen was the first one for Star Wars; Episode 1. That didn't turn out so well. Same year, the original theatrical trailer for The Matrix looked lame, generic crap like Thirteenth Floor, and I ended up seeing the film to kill time. That one was a great surprise. No real way to tell what you're going to get just from a handful of clips with unfinished audio or effects shots.
It may just be fanboy goggles or something, but it seems like most people who are unfamiliar with the source material are really not into the trailer.
-caseyjones
New trailer.