“Certainly, from what I’ve seen of the movie, it looks like it’ll be a good movie and very faithful to the comic book. If it isn’t, it won’t be for want of trying.”
That’s Dave Gibbons talking to DenofGeek.com about Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Watchmen. His words echo what I’ve been telling you guys since I got back from visiting the set: however this movie turns out, it is the product of a huge amount of love and hard work.
Gibbons had visited the set and blogged about it; his words to DenofGeek have more caution to them than perhaps his blog did, but I think that’s wise – it’s easy to get caught up in the moment when you’re watching a movie being shot and when everyone is very excited about the work (as everybody on Watchmen legitimately is). The truth, though, is that what happens after shooting – all the editing – shapes the movie just as much as what happens in front of the cameras. There’s no telling how a movie will turn out just by watching it get shot. But you can tell when the shooting is an endeavor being undertaken with seriousness and care. When everybody’s doing their best.
Gibbons talks some more about the film, and especially about Alan Moore’s decision to remove his name from all adaptations: “I’m sorry that he can’t see his way to having his name on it, but it’s his decision and I respect it. My real feeling is that something which started off so creatively rewarding has actually come to a point where it can’t be by ‘Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ …in an ideal world, that’s what I would like.” You can check out the whole interview by clicking here.
In the meantime, I want to address something that I have seen again and again on our message boards: a lack of faith in Zack Snyder. First of all, it’s too late to get worked up about him, as the guy has wrapped shooting on the film. Second, it’s hard for me to understand where anyone is coming from on this. Snyder is two for two at this point; even if Dawn of the Dead and 300 are not your favorite movies or even your cup of tea, there’s no denying that they are well-made films. And most importantly, they are very different sorts of films. I think Watchmen may make clear the fact that there is not yet a ‘Zack Snyder’ stereotypical film. Unless maybe you’re thinking of him serving the material in the best way possible is his stereotypical move.
Look, Watchmen is not a movie I would ever make. Ever. If I did have to make it, I think I would have gone the Paul Greengrass route, with an updated setting, which would have pissed off half the purists anyway. But if you’re going to do this movie in a way that’s very faithful to the book – and everything I have seen and read and been told is that it is – Snyder is a terrific choice. I think he’s going to let the material speak for itself, that he’s going to try to get as much of Alan Moore’s voice across as possible while making an exciting, interesting and visually dynamic film.
I honestly couldn’t have more faith in this film, and the people who I have talked to who have seen footage from this movie report back ecstatically. Could the movie end up being a huge turd? Anything is possible. But I think this is one time where it’s okay to get excited and have faith and hope for the best. I’m damned excited for this film, and I’m chomping at the bit to see the first moments of footage that are going to be in front of The Dark Knight.
Thanks to Cinematical’s costumed hottie Elisabeth Rappe for pointing this story out.