Aronofsky Takes On The Watchmen
Published July 23, 2004
Alan Moore's The Watchmen, first published by DC Comic in 1986, remains one of the most important and influential American comic book series to date. Moore and artist Dave Gibbons were among the first to reinvigorate the tired superhero genre by examining heroes and villains in a fresh, realistic way.
In development hell for years now, The Watchmen seem to have finally found a home at Paramount Pictures. With quirky Darren Aronofsky directing and veteran superhero scribe David Hayter attached, it appears the studio is poised to do the project right.
Aronofsky's style is singularly bleak, and one can easily imagine the dark, methodical imagery he pioneered in Pi and perfected in Requiem for a Dream translating almost seamlessly to Moore's admittedly challenging story. The director should also be quiet adept at translating Gibbons' stark visuals to the screen.
Screenwriter David Hayter has previously taken on more traditional superhero material, with both of the excellent X-Men films and the forthcoming Iron Man on his resume. But that's no reason to assume he can't stretch a script to encompass the more complex Watchmen story. After extensive experience working within the traditional boundaries of the genre, he should be well-equipped as a writer to break out of those confines and deliver a solid screenplay.
Though the film is a ways off (Aronofsky has the sci-fi thriller The Fountain with Hugh Jackman on his plate first), it's definitely one to look forward to. With the recent and forthcoming flood of comic book movies finally making it to release, The Watchmen should stand out from the crowd.
- Aronofsky Takes On The Watchmen
- Published: July 23, 2004
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- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Film and TV Business, Video: SF
- Writer: Scott Pepper
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Alan Moore might disagree with you about a "big-screen" version of "Watchmen"
Culture today predisposes us to receive our information predigested and prepackaged, and most, as a rule, tend to shy away from anything which hasn't been simplified to the level where anyone could understand it. That is not the job of an artist or a creator, yet all too often in the mainstream you'll find that is what people are doing in order to remain popular. They know their audience, and they know if they push the right buttons in the right order that they can create another bestseller or whatever. I'm very content with this kind of strange, underground ghetto that I've been shunted into. It's a wonderful place and you meet a much nicer class of people.
I thought Moore never sold the rights to that. Am I wrong? I thought he never wanted it made into a movie after what they did to Swamp Thing.
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I'm still not sure of this, though Aronofsky will at least respect his source material appropriately.
Both Pi and Requiem are good movies, but they are also filled with camera and editing tricks, directorial flourishes that draw attention away from the story. Watchmen seems to call for more of a widescreen cinematic treatment. I think it would be better for audiences to be drawn into this not-quite-like-ours world, to sink into it fully, than to be constantly jarred out of the story by all the little bits of business he used in Requiem -- like the heroin injection montage. It unsettles the audience and increases their alienation, which was fine in that movie, but I don't think is quite right for Watchmen. Also, is Aronofsky going to be able to handle the huge moments, like the monster at the end or Dr. Manhattan on Mars? Again, I dunno.
I understand the desire of a lot of folks to see this made into a movie. I used to share it. But the whole movie making process will result in Watchmen becoming something that the book wasn't, and I'm not sure I like that.