Perhaps, the most interesting thing about the upcoming film ‘Watchmen’, (based on the graphic novel of the same name), are the ancillary promotional activities for it.
Fanboys throughout the Tubes have been slavishly following every release of teaser trailers/teaser posters/actual posters/action figures/behind the scenes puff pieces/fanboy art/production design leaks/supplemental features, etc.
This drip, drip, drip, release of material is, of course, designed to put the fanboy into such a state of excitement about the film that all critical faculties are bypassed – the fanboy invests himself psychology so fully and totally in the product, (by having his imagination fill in this gaps, i.e. dreaming, as one has not seen the actual film), that the actual quality of the film is moot.
With this in mind I ask is it necessary to release the film?
And, in fact, why actually make the picture at all? Far cheaper to release behind the scenes material, early drafts of a script and teaser trailers then produce a real movie. The money spent on this faux material would easily be recouped many times over by licensing deals: Happy Meals, video games etc.
As for the Watchmen picture itself – I suggest that the distribution company, Warner Brothers, use it as a testbed for the ‘non-release’ concept:
Warner, don’t release the film, and in fact, destroy the ‘negative’, (in all forms that it exists: film, digital files etc.).
You’ll still make money on the project; the film can never be poorly reviewed, or disappoint fans and the psychic absence of the film in the mind of the fanboy will keep the film more alive to them, and keep the cash rolling in longer than the actual movie would. This successful test will give you the template you need for future non-releases.
Just an idea.
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UPDATE: Our 40 minute podcast analysis on the failure of ‘Watchmen’ is now online.
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(Photos, from top to bottom, adapted from: ‘The Watchmen’ by locusolus, ‘Watchmen movie poster’ by comiquero, ‘Watchmen billboard’ by robjtak, ‘Watchmen in Chalk – Saturday Morning’ by edwick, ‘Watchmen in PlayStation Home’ by marceatsworld,and ‘watchmen again’ by jaygooby)
Now this is a strange one – am I a fanboy? I don't think so. Have only read half the novel – and I like it a lot. I'm very much looking forward to the film as I expect it will be visually astonishing. But I'm not going to buy any toys.
I couldn't make it through Zack Synder's 300 and his remake of Dawn of the Dead stripped out any political content = so what's the point?
Speaking of Dawn = it had a great title sequence, (made by someone else), and people have raved about the opening of Watchmen – but some are saying the rest of the pic is a hollow, turgid mess – which makes one wonder if the opening montage was outsourced?
http://tinyurl.com/dne6lv
I'm afraid I don't hold out much hope either. That's to say, I do hope it's good, but I don't have much hope it will be. If that makes sense.
I loved 300 -the comic. I *hated* 300, the movie. Maybe it was because there was 10+ years between reading and viewing, but I couldn't help seeing the film as none-too-subtle rabble-rousing pro-Bush call-to-arms propaganda at its finest.
Also, digital backdrops are no replacement for actual sets either.
I can't think of one “digi-set” movie that actually works on any half-decent level… 300, Star Wars, Sky Captain, er, errm..
(OK, I realise many people love 300 -and Sin City too, but I didn't, so there.)
Finish the book before the movie comes out Professor!
hmm…not sure what the Prof. is doing – maybe wants to be surprised by the ending in the cinema?, (of course much gnashing of teeth re: the sea creature not being in the movie etc. = we shall see)
+ you know if Gareth says its good I'll go see it, but I literally couldn't make it more than a few minutes through 300 – it was worse than a Victor Mature sword and sandals pic from the 50's.
Look, just try 300 with the volume down! its by far more palatable then!…oh wait…i still don't think you'd get the same value from it that i do ;)
erm…i see. it all becomes clear now.
Have no fear, dear listeners, I fully intend to finish the book first…
As I understand it almost didn't get released because of a lawsuit –? Or at least delayed. Maybe that would have been the best thing, as you suggest.
I'll go see it however — I admit to being entertained by “300″, despite the ridiculous dialogue — am sure I'll be entertained by this movie as well.
sorry my comic book geek sense is tingling (see what i did there? ;) ): i belive it was fox, then universal then paramount that actually bought the rights in the eighties, then waited until warner bros actually made and completed the film, then sued warner bros and now owns 25% of the rights…
geekier side note: watchmen writer alan moore (very very well known in comic book land :P ;) ) has never EVER backed a film that was based on his graphic novels…with very very good reason: From Hell, The League of extraordinary gentelmen, V for Vendetta annnd…ug..i can't remember, i think watchmen is the last one – i could be wrong tho!
I'm still waiting for a movie version of 'Tom Strong'…who could they cast I wonder? Doesn't matter, they'd still screw it up
+ I wonder what Terry Gilliam's 'Watchmen' would have been like – knowing what he can do with a small budget, (Brazil!!), imagine his big-budget Watchmen!
I think that using the tag 'From the visionary director of 300' on the posters is a bit rich really, only Gilliam could have had the word 'visionary' justifiably used. He would have done a fantastic job.
However, after just having finished the book myself I am looking forward to the film. I just hope they stay true to the book's dark, adult tone – from what I've heard/seen that may be the case. What bothers me is that despite this they still try and use it to market action figures and lunch boxes!
I think there are a lot of folk out there who think that if a film is about super heros or is animated then it's automatically suitable for kids, and the movie companies don't go out of their way to disagree. The Dark Knight was a prime example. I teach 10 year old kids and am fully aware of some of the (what I think) is inappropriate stuff they get to see. A few years back they were all into South Park. (Well, it's a cartoon, so it must be ok right? But I wonder why they show it after 10pm?)
End of rant.
I enjoyed the From Hell film more than the book!
Ok, it doesn't have the depth of the book and it has Heather Whereisshenow looking ridiculous in the role, but it's a very well filmed movie with excellent tension.
Also, the book wears it's research on the snot-end of its sleeve, giving faar too much unnecessary boring info where a snappy plot progression with keynotes to a bibliography would've been much better.
I think the Hughes brothers and <goes&checks> Hayes and Yglesias did an excellent job at condensing the story and atmosphere to film-length. Certainly is my favourite Jack The Ripper film ever. Time After Time with Malcolm McDowell coming next (although it's not really a JTR movie).
meh, they'd end up taking it too serious, and not have enough camp/30s-serial-ish-ness! (“Terror on Terra Obscura! – dun da dunnnnn!!”)
yeah, that would've been amazing – and i think alan moore even hand-picked gilliam at one point…but knowing those two perfectionst, it would probably be a posthumous release
I loved Time after Time when I saw it as a kid – just watched it the other day on Netflix and it holds up – nice pulpy, fun bits of business from Nicolas Meyer
+ I'll choose to look at From Hell the book as a sep. entity from From Hell the movie = I think the book is fantastic – but Ioved it first and foremost as someone living in London – it captured the dread of certain parts of East London perfectly – the movie was Dick Van Dkye territory in compairison
Read 'The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made' by David Hughes for the full low down on Watchmen's low journey to the screen.
An interesting read on other sci-fi/super hero films too.
yeah i have a copy – i agree with tom = it's recommended for some light reading fun
Especially the new edition, since so many of the films covered have now finally been made. Sad though, all of the still unmade films mentioned tend to sound like the most interesting!
[...] A Modest Proposal: Watchmen Should Never Be Released / Destroy the Negative [...]
Just like in the case of Iron Man: I'm assuming you've already seen this on the Onion?
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/wildly_popular_i...
Yeah Ellie – that's a great piece by the Onion :)
+ I must have been unconsciously influenced by it! ;)
Just like in the case of Iron Man: I'm assuming you've already seen this on the Onion?
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/wildly_popular_i...
Yeah Ellie – that's a great piece by the Onion :)
+ I must have been unconsciously influenced by it! ;)