Watchmen review and its impact
Devoted fans of the Watchmen graphic novel may be grinding their teeth now that the movie has come out. "UNWATCHABLE" read the headline over the review in today's Baltimore Sun. And several other reviewers have been had similar reactions.
I'll withhold judgment until I see the movie, but I know how a Hollywood adaptation can fall short. Frank Herbert's Dune is one of my favorite books, but the movie was truly unwatchable. In a twisted sort of way, the movie's utter failure does make the book hold up even better as a work of art, because it shows how hard it is to capture someone's imagination and mood -- even when someone has written the story for you.
But with all the millions at Hollywood's disposal, it's frustrating to see a great book come apart on the screen. Just look at what "Slumdog Millionaire" was able to do on a tight budget (notwithstanding Salman Rusdie's ill-tempered criticism). The movie adaptation captured the essence of Mumbai's slums and the people struggling to get ahead, as well as a book ever could.
Comments
Will you be posting your take on the movie vs. book once you see it, Dave? I'm interested in hearing what you have to say about it. I caught a midnight screening of it last night, so I'm not going to ruin it for you or give my take yet. But I will say that, as a HUGE fan of the comics, I walked away satisfied enough. Although there were definitely some pretty glaring flaws and omissions, there was enough to gratify me as someone who genuinely loves the book.
A friend of mine and I will likely be podcasting about the book vs. the movie later on, too, if you are interested in hearing our take. Once you've seen it, of course :)
Posted by: Meredith | March 6, 2009 1:37 PM
Meredith, I will post about it, but it may take a week or so to get to the movie. Thanks for being discreet. As you may know, I hate spoilers. I'm the guy who sits through movie previews with eyes closed, humming loudly so I won't see or hear too much. (Drives my wife nuts, but it's effective.) It seems as though previews have gotten longer and longer, and show more and more about the plot.
Posted by: Dave | March 6, 2009 1:44 PM
I have always loved comics. I know Hollywood's adaptation is hit or miss, but I will also reserve judgment until I see the movie.
I think the more exposure the better, Dave. Hollywood making a film whether good or bad is always FANTASTIC for the comic/graphic novel... more people rush to see how it all began.
Posted by: Diane | March 6, 2009 7:18 PM
Rorschach was an especially well developed as a character; i hope the actor that played his role is nominated for some kind of an award (when that season comes around again)
Posted by: coffee | March 15, 2009 2:14 PM
This was a faithful adaptation of the original book and the characters were all portrayed as what we have read in the books. This is one more proof that books really can make huge success in Hollywood. More details on impact of books at
http://rare-book.net/impact-of-books-on-hollywood/
I found this article very informative.
Posted by: prima | October 19, 2009 10:29 PM