Who Watches The Watchmen Again?
The screenwriter for VISIONARY director Zak Snyder's Watchmen adaptation, David Hayter, has written an open letter to the internet. Here's part of it:
If the film made you think. Or argue with your friends. If it inspired a debate about the nature of man, or vigilante justice, or the horror of Nixon abolishing term limits. If you laughed at Bowie hanging with Adrian at Studio 54, or the Silhouette kissing that nurse. Please go see the movie again next weekend. You have to understand, everyone is watching to see how the film will do in its second week. If you care about movies that have a brain, or balls, (and this film's got both, literally), or true adaptations -- And if you're thinking of seeing it again anyway, please go back this weekend, Friday or Saturday night. Demonstrate the power of the fans, because it'll help let the people who pay for these movies know what we'd like to see. Because if it drops off the radar after the first weekend, they will never allow a film like this to be made again.
Oh man. Whether or not you liked this movie, I'm pretty sure we can all agree, that is the worst business model. Any project whose success depends on the slavish obsession of a dedicated group of superfans willing to spend six hours and 25 dollars in a one week period at the on-line insistence of the screenwriter is probably not ready for the open market. No matter how many brains or balls that movie may or may not have, depending on your opinion of that movie, and what you consider metaphorical brains and balls to actually be. If I owned stock in this movie I would downgrade it from a Do Not Buy to a Sell.
You can read the rest of the letter, in which he compares Watchmen to Apocalypse Now and the work of Stanley Kubrick (which I guess is where all those balls come in) here. Thanks for the tip, Alex.
Posted by Gabe at 12:15 PM in An Open Letter
Tags: Alan Moore | David Hayter | Watchmen | Zak Snyder
Everything that is wrong with the movie is right there in that letter.
Score = 7
Well I was going to see it Sat night, but now I feel like I shouldn't.
Eww letter
Score = 4
Extra points for the AD reference.
Score = 3
The only debate this movie inspired for me was whether Zach Snyder was worse with actors than George Lucas.
Also:
"Because if it drops off the radar after the first weekend, they will never allow a film like this to be made again."
You promise?
Score = 12
I'm all for them never allowing a film like this to be made again.
Score = 5
Dude, if Solid Snake tells you to go see the movie again, I think you should listen.
Score = 5
I would totally pay another twelve dollars to see it. Do you know how hard it is for me to take a nap?
Score = 5
They ruined Watchmen, and turned it into a joke. No wonder Alan Moore always distances himself from the movie adaptations of his work. Hollywood is useless. Let it die.
Score = -5
...and David Hayter will shout up to me: "save us!" and I will say "no"...
Score = 8
Please? Can I watch an expertly-made and resonant graphic novel be turned into junk with boobies and pee-pees again? Oh, please say yes!
Score = -1
I'm going again Friday.
Because I have free tickets. As much as I enjoyed it, I'm not paying 10.25 to see it again. Free is my target price.
Score = 2
Artistic Integrity FAIL.
Score = 5
Hi, my name is TS and I liked the Watchmen movie. *hides sheepishly*
Actually, his sentiment is in the right place -- support something unique, original, not by-the-numbers, something that takes chances, etc. -- but shouldn't it be about a movie that is _actually_ original and not an overly-literal adaptation of something else? Just sayin'.
Score = 10
Question to the negators above, Did anyone who didnt like the movie ALSO NOT read the book? I found that I can't get a good review on the movie if the viewer has read the book.
I liked the movie, I liked seeing those guys from that comic that I loved on a screen doing stuff. But I can't tell if I enjoyed it because I kinda felt as if I wasn't really there watching it. Also as a gay comic obsessed dude, seeing superhero peen is so wonderfully amazing it can not be diluted into words.
So I will totally see this film again because I need to know how I would have liked it if I was completely unfamiliar, I get the impression that I would have FLIPPED MY FUCKING SHIT OVER IT, so that's a plus. Maybe if I take some acid I can separate myself from myself.
Score = 4
The biggest problem with this film is that they THINK they are being profound when they aren't.
"If the film made you think. Or argue with your friends. If it inspired a debate about the nature of man, or vigilante justice, or the horror of Nixon abolishing term limits"
The only thing this film made me think, was how stupid I was to waste three hours on it.
Score = 3
It's an okay movie, but don't ever compare it to Stanley Kubrick. Never. Kubrick is Kubrick and knew what to do, and knew what was supposed to be serious and what was supposed to be funny. Snyder made watchmen too campy! too gruesome! and KC and the Sunshine Band?! as a song choice? Whoever was the music supervisor in that movie needs to get fired fast.
Score = 0
That movie was terrible. But all of that aside: "...horror of Nixon abolishing term limits"
What!? That wasn't even a part of the movie. It was like, a sight gag. "Nixon is president for a third term, ha ha." It's not like it was a moral debate within the movie! Shut up, Watchmen.
I'm going to debate with my friends about the morality of mutating purple bob cats, and the profound utilitarianism displayed in knocking over the water tour to put out the fire, and the stark contrast between capitalism and socialism in that one scene where they said the word "socialism," remember?
This movie is for nerds who think they're smart but aren't actually smart. This movie is for Milhouse Van Houten.
Score = 9
Yeah, actually, you're wrong. The obsessive and slavish devotion of a core fanbase is actually an excellent business model--it's what's kept, among other things, comic books and model train makers in business, and it's what's propelled the video game industry to the top of the entertainment sector (it also means that your business is basically at the mercy of the whims of those same obsessive nerds, but most people with this problem seem to be laughing all the way to the bank).
Look at Titannic. That movie had a good, but not exceptional, opening weekend, and yet it went on to become the highest-grossing film ever because of DiCaprio-crazed teenage girls going to see it over and over and over again.
In sum: dont' knock it till you've tried it.
Score = -2
This movie pussed out and was made just to be a commercial product. And if it wasn't, you wouldn't be trying so hard to suck my cock for another $10.
Score = 0
Hi my name is TS i like S-ing D i mean the watchmen movie "hides like a sheep"....wtf
Score = -2
"Also as a gay comic obsessed dude, seeing superhero peen is so wonderfully amazing it can not be diluted into words."
If that's the only redeeming quality this movie has going for it, then it's even worse than everyone says it is.
Score = 0