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WHV Announce: Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

cafink

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Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong

The impression I got was that it's just gonna be the already released "motion-comic" (in part or in whole) edited into the director's cut. No idea how that's gonna play out.

I decided to just go for the "regular" director's cut upon release myself -- and maybe pick up The Black Freighter motion-comic separately from the used market or bargain bin at some point. I doubt the ultimate edition version improves the film at all, and I don't really want the film to be much longer than it already is (as I have a hard enough time finding time to watch one of many quality long movies and hate the idea of splitting up a viewing).

_Man_
Just so there's no confusion, the "Motion Comic" and Tales of the Black Freighter are two separate things. The Motion Comic was a twelve-episode (one per issue) adaptation of the Watchmen comic, using the original art with voice overs and limited animation. Tales of the Black Freighter is a fully animated adaptation of Watchmen's comic-within-a-comic. Both the Motion Comic and Tales of the Black Freighter were released individually on DVD and Blu-ray around the time the movie was released in theaters. This new "Ultimate Cut" release incorporates Tales of the Black Freighter into the body of the movie itself, and includes the Motion Comic on a separate disc.
 

hampsteadbandit

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I purchased the "Motion Comic" on DVD before Watchmen was released on home format (DVD and Blu) and watched about 1/2 of it before becoming bored, and picked up my vintage 80's copy of the graphic novel, read that during a "duvet day" off work, and thoroughly enjoyed it, alot more than my enjoyment of the Motion Comic

I thought the Motion Comic was clever in terms of the voice overs, and where they used the limited animation technique, but the graphic novel was a much more involving expierience

I would actually rate the Watchmen film itself very close to the Graphic Novel in terms of quality....
 

ManW_TheUncool

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Originally Posted by cafink

Just so there's no confusion, the "Motion Comic" and Tales of the Black Freighter are two separate things. The Motion Comic was a twelve-episode (one per issue) adaptation of the Watchmen comic, using the original art with voice overs and limited animation. Tales of the Black Freighter is a fully animated adaptation of Watchmen's comic-within-a-comic. Both the Motion Comic and Tales of the Black Freighter were released individually on DVD and Blu-ray around the time the movie was released in theaters. This new "Ultimate Cut" release incorporates Tales of the Black Freighter into the body of the movie itself, and includes the Motion Comic on a separate disc.
Aaaah... I stand corrected then. I was under the impression that the Black Freighter was also done in similar style to the Motion Comic rather than be fully animated.

Still, at least for myself, I'd rather just keep them separate since the director's cut is already quite long -- and I hate to have to split up the viewing (of a fully integrated version) just so I can fit it into the usually limited time spans I have to sit down and enjoy a film that can't be shared w/ the kids.

For those who don't feel all that confident about it, I'd think the rent-first approach makes the most sense -- it's not like the Ultimate Cut is selling at some crazy bargain price to justify taking the extra risk afterall.

_Man_
 

Brad M

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Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman

I was waiting for this, but I might just get the regular director's cut. I haven't seen the movie at all yet (I do enjoy the book), and if this new cut is just the Director's Cut with the TotBF stuff added in, well, I'm not sure that the TotBF material has anything to add to the story in its movie incarnation.

What do fans of the book who've seen the movie think (no spoilers, please)? Does the TotBF stuff really run 40 minutes? And is it fully animated, live action, or "motion-comic" style?

(I suppose this really belongs in a disc review thread, but I don't know if there's going to be one.)

Aaron, I had read the comic but did not catch the movie in theaters. I enjoyed the comic. I bought the 1st release blind really hoping the movie would deliver and in my opinion, it does! I really enjoyed it and have watched it several times. I was going to rent this edition but after seeing it on Amazon for just $30, I jumped on it. My copy is scheduled to arrive tomorrow and I can't wait!
 

Aaron Silverman

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Thanks, Brad!

I am actually now leaning toward the version that comes with the PS3 game, since that sounds like the sort of game that I enjoy. :)

I figure that if I ever feel the need to see the Black Freighter material, I can get a used copy for under $10 online. Then again, that new cut has those commentaries. . .
 

Cory S.

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Travis,

Having watched this ultimate cut yesterday, I gotta say, this might be the best version. For me, it becomes the best version by not simply adding the Black Freighter Tale but the newstand transition scenes. Within those scenes, it does something both previous cuts didn't achieve and that was giving the audience a greater sense of the dread of nuclear war upon the rest of the world outside of the main characters.

You feel the weight of the entire situation in this cut which I thought the director's cut did...but having looked back on it, it really doesn't.

I still considering this whole Watchmen project an ambitious mess but this new cut, I feel, is the best version of it.

As an aside, I think it would've been interesting had the Black Freighter Tale been live action. I just have this feeling that had it gone that route, that version would've been the true definitive version of the Watchmen.
 

ManW_TheUncool

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Originally Posted by Cory S. ">[/url]

Having watched this ultimate cut yesterday, I gotta say, this might be the best version. For me, it becomes the best version by not simply adding the Black Freighter Tale but the newstand transition scenes. Within those scenes, it does something both previous cuts didn't achieve and that was giving the audience a greater sense of the dread of nuclear war upon the rest of the world outside of the main characters.

You feel the weight of the entire situation in this cut which I thought the director's cut did...but having looked back on it, it really doesn't.

I still considering this whole Watchmen project an ambitious mess but this new cut, I feel, is the best version of it.

[/QUOTE]
Hmmm... Sounds like I should perhaps give it a rent -- and enjoy it, but hope it won't convince me to re-dip for the UC version.
 

Cory S.

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Nope. Tales of the Black Freighter is integrated within the film. No separate option on any previous cuts either. You get the theatrical cut on a digital copy....

Also, and maybe my eyes deceive me and I know reviews have stated otherwise, but I felt this transfer was ever so slightly sharper in appearance than the director's cut. It probably isn't but at certain points, it just looked sharper than I previously remembered.
 

TravisR

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Originally Posted by Cory S.

Travis,

Having watched this ultimate cut yesterday, I gotta say, this might be the best version. For me, it becomes the best version by not simply adding the Black Freighter Tale but the newstand transition scenes. Within those scenes, it does something both previous cuts didn't achieve and that was giving the audience a greater sense of the dread of nuclear war upon the rest of the world outside of the main characters.
That's good to hear. I got my copy from Amazon a couple days ago and will check it out tonight or tomorrow.
 

Len Berkoski

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Does anyone know why the blu ray ultimate edition went out of print? The DVD version is still available.
 

David Norman

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From what I understand, this was a limited numbered set with a specified run of ??60K (like the WD Treasures). People bought them because first b/c they were fans of the series and then the hoarders/Resellers snatched up a large % once it looked like it was going to be a decent demand creating an artificial shortage -- note the prices on the secondary markets. I watched some guy buy out a fairly large number from a store (even asked if they had any more in the back), overheard him saying to his buddy how he had 'raided' all the local B&M's, and he was expecting to make a large profit on Ebay.
 

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