*** Official WATCHMEN Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Andy Sheets]

While I think the new ending is well-intentioned, my main problem with it is that I didn't really believe that an attack so wide in scale and of that particular nature wouldn't have been confused as a nuclear strike by one or both superpowers and prevented the real missiles from launching. The film's explanation of how the scientists pretty much instantly knew it was Dr. Manhattan's energy signature seemed too pat. Say what you will about a giant alien squid-thing, it's sufficiently weird that I don't think anyone would confuse it for a Soviet attack

On a more minor, purely visual level, I missed the piles of thousands bodies at the Pale Horse concert and the rivers of blood running through the city.

 

[Sam Favate]

It was pointed out to me that the bombs used in the movie were titled S.Q.U.I.D. - I forget what the letters stand for, but obviously a nod to the readers of the book.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Personally, even though many of the songs were very (very, very) familiar, their use in the context of this film felt fresh to me. I've never seen a man thrown through a plate glass window to 'Unforgettable' before. I've never heard 'All Along The Watchtower' played over the Owlship flying over an arctic tundra before. I've never heard 'Ride of the Valkyries' over images of a 200-foot tall blue man killing Viet Cong soldiers before. I think the use of familiar music over fantastical imagery both rooted the story in our reality and created some interesting contrasts.

Overall, I loved the movie. About an hour in I did briefly fear that the film was going to become, as one critic put it, more a "heroic act of compression" than a living, breathing narrative (every line was a piece of exposition for a while there) but fortunately it loosened up a bit once it refocused on Rorschach.

I was never the biggest fan of the comic (I read it for the first time just a few years ago, when I was already in my 30s), but I think seeing and enjoying the film has given me more of an appreciation for it. Leafing through the book again after the movie, I was surprised by how much stuff I loved from the movie was straight out of the text, but I just didn't remember it--somehow I didn't even remember Rorschach's final exit, so that was quite a surprise and really gave the ending some punch for me.

One nice detail I noticed was that Veidt Industries apparently was handling the reconstruction of NYC--a bit of extra financial motivation for Ozymandias' scheme there.

Obviously a lot of old school fans of the comic didn't so much watch this film as compare and contrast it with the film version they've been directing in their heads for the past 20 years. I was glad I didn't have that degree of baggage going in. But I do plan to re-read the book before I go back and see the film again, and I'm hoping that will give me a deeper appreciation for both sources.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[TravisR]

I can't remember a movie that featured Hallejuah. Not to say that it's never been done but I can't think of another use. I've heard it on a couple TV shows (I can't remember the specific ones) but I don't remember it in a movie so it's not exactly a trend.

 

[todd s]

It was used in one of the Shrek movies.

 

[rich_d]

Here are some films containing Hallelujah, I killed the TV listing ... there were a lot. IMDB is your friend.



- "Hallelujah"
34. 24 Hour Party People (2002)

- "Hallelujah"
35. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

- "HALLELUJAH"
36. Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders, The (1965)

- "Hallelujah"
37. Basquiat (1996)

- "Hallelujah"
38. Bound (1996)

- "Hallelujah I Love Her So"
39. Catch a Fire (2006)

- "Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus"
41. Deliver Us from Evil (2006)

- "Hallelujah"
42. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

- "Hallelujah"
44. Dumb & Dumber (1994)

- "The Hallelujah Chorus - Since By Man Came Death"
47. Feast of Love (2007)

- "Hallelujah"
48. Fetten Jahre sind vorbei, Die (2004)

- "Hallelujah"
49. Fuck (2005)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
50. Gangs of New York (2002)

- "Hallelujah/Amazing Grace"
51. Hallelujah I'm a Bum (1933)

- "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum"
- "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum"
52. Heaven Help Us (1985)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
54. Hit the Deck (1930)

- "Hallelujah"
55. Hit the Deck (1955)

- "Hallelujah"
- "Hallelujah"
56. Hooray for Hollywood (1975)

- "Hallelujah"
58. I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

- "Hallelujah" (uncredited)
65. Ladies Man, The (2000)

- "Hallelujah"
67. Little Black Book (2004)


by The Hallelujah Crowd
69. Lord of War (2005)

- "Hallelujah" (1984)
70. Man on the Moon (1999)

- "Hallelujah Chorus" (1741)
71. Mediterranean Ports of Call (1941)

- "Hallelujah Chorus" from "Messiah" (1741) (uncredited)
72. Modern Times (1936)

- "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum" (uncredited)
73. Music for Millions (1944)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
74. Once Upon a Wedding (2005)

- "Hallelujah"
75. Only You (1994)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
76. Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003)

- "Hallelujah"
77. Perfect Candidate, A (1996)

- "Hallelujah"
78. Purpose (2002)

- "Hallelujah"
79. På danske læber live (2004) (V)

- "Halleluja (Hallelujah)"
80. Ray (2004/I)

- "Hallelujah I Love Her So"
81. Right Stuff, The (1983)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
82. River Street (1996)

- "Hallelujah"
83. Runaway Bride (1999)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
84. Saint Ralph (2004)

- "Hallelujah"
85. Santa's Slay (2005)

- "Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus"
86. Shrek (2001)

- "Hallelujah" (1985)
87. Siam Sunset (1999)

- "Hallelujah"
88. Someone Like You... (2001)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
89. Sounds of a Miracle (2007)

- "Hallelujah, Christ Arose"
90. Spice World (1997)

- "Hallelujah"
91. That's Entertainment! (1974)

- "Hallelujah"
92. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)

- "Hallelujah Chorus"
93. Two of a Kind (1983)

- "Hallelujah"
94. Vinterkyss (2005)

- "Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah"
96. Waitress (2007)

- "GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH"
97. War, Inc. (2008)

(Glory, Glory Hallelujah)
98. Watchmen (2009)

- "Hallelujah"
99. When Do We Eat? (2005)

Performed by the When Do We Eat? Hallelujah Chorus
100. When Night Is Falling (1995)

 

[Don Solosan]

A lot of those music choices appear in the comic as lyric quotes. Snyder was just being faithful, and it's a case of "damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

Personally, I don't have a lot of emotional baggage with any of those songs, and so I was able to enjoy them in this context.

 

[Chris Will]

That is not all the same song in that list. Hallelujah Chorus, and Hallelujah are completely different songs, as is "Hallelujah, I lover Her So," "Hallelujah I'm a Bum" and "Glory Glory Hallelujah." "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen (the one in Watchmen) was written in 1984 so, anything before that year would definitely be a different song.

Plus, "Hallelujah Chorus" was not used in Shrek but, "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen was.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

As covered by Rufus Wainwright (who was really covering Jeff Buckley's cover)

 

[Henry Gale]

Thanks,
I did a little editing.
Some of those movies were just too early for it to have been Leonard's tune.

Of course, the song is used in about every 3rd TV show. Really.

 

[TravisR]

For what it's worth, I was referring to the Leonard Cohen version (which due to his distinctive voice is pretty different from all the others) but if everyone else was referring to other versions, I stand corrected.

 

[EricW]

i like the Buckley version.

anyways, for anyone interested, there is a 100min. interview with the writers of Watchmen on the Creative Screenwriting podcast.

 

[dschill]

whats your fav scene from the movie?

 

[todd s]

All the scenes of Rorshach in the prison. Here is this little meeky guy who even under the worst situations doesn't back down and is still in control.

 

[Shawn_KE]

Loved his scenes. The man has a obvious death wish.

 

[Raasean Asaad]

Good podcast with the guys from Slashfilm and Kevin Smith:

The /Filmcast Blog Archive /Filmcast Ep. 41 - Kevin Smith and the /Filmcast Review Watchmen

It's about 90 minutes long or so.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

The credit montage was great, as was the killing of the Comedian. Ditto for Rorschach in prison. And although usually sex scenes in movies don't do much for me, that scene in Archie was an exception--I loved the fiery climax, and laughed out loud.

Thanks to EricW for the tip on the podcast with the screenwriters.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Jeff Cooper]

I liked the movie, although I think it's going to have a tough battle ahead of it. It seems like in order to appreciate it you have to be familiar with the novel, but if you read the novel, then you pick it apart because it isn't the novel. I have read the graphic novel, and watching the movie I felt that there was so much left out of the movie that I felt it would be very confusing for people who haven't read the novel.

Ozy's character suffered the most in this regard. If I hadn't have read the novel first, I'd have had no clue who he really was, and what his empire was. All the history and backstory of the the Minutemen and how the second generation of the Watchmen came around really suffered too.

I also felt the climax of the movie with the bombs going off everywhere lacked any kind of emotional payoff. Instead of "Holy Crap, he really did it, Oh my god, so many people killed", you feel nothing and just go "wow, cool special effect". Then it's just kind of forgotten for the rest of the movie.

It may sound like I'm trashing the movie, but I really did love it. I also didn't mind most of the music choices, except "99 Luftbaloons". That one seemed really odd. And it just stopped right as it was getting going. Very odd.

Also as an aside, did anyone sit through the credits? I have to say are those the shortest credits in recent history or what? I was shocked when the WB logo popped up so quickly!

 

[Sam Favate]

See, I thought that fiery blast was another example of juvenile filmmaking, along with the excessive violence and the slow-motion shots. I liked the movie very much but if you're going to make an R-rated superhero flick, leave the schoolyard theatrics at home.

 

[TonyD]

jeff you didn't mention if you saw an imax screen or regular.
i saw egular and the credits were long enough, it has already been
mentioned why the imax credits were so short.