Let's talk about Costumes...(please)

[WalterKovacs]

OK, so are we gonna get the costumes from the comic? or watered-down version? If they want it to have real impact, they keep the costumes exactly the way they are, silliness embraced, which will be enhanced by fincher-esque cinematography. the striking imagery of bright costumes and capes in dark creepy harshly realistic filming/lighting will visually be what watchmen i all about: superheroes in the real world. they should do nite owl's costume the way it is, but use the marterial used to make the batman costumes (im thinkin forever and & Robin, sans nipples and codpieces) and keep the colors. the costume has potential to look classic and classy.

We know Rorschach's costume is gonna say the same, and theres not much to change for doc manhattan. unless they give him hair or make him green, but im guessing that wont happen.

Metropollis, Hooded Justice, COmedian, and Nite Owl are all great examples of showy, bright costumes that need to be kept the same for that purpose of the striking imagery of a superhero in a shockingly dark, real world. In superman returns, there is a moment where superman is being kicked repeatedly by a big group of people. when i was in the theater, i saw that exact imagery of a guy with a cape and a bright supehero costume getting kicked in the side in a dark puddle in the dirt. it was funny for a sec, and then jarring. thats kinda what watchmen should be. superheroes killing, being killed, getting cancer, having secks, having ghey secks, being insane, being impotent, etc.

any thoughts/news?

 

[Captain Carnage]

Old news, sure:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9982

Comic artist John Cassaday is doing some costume design on "Watchmen." How closely have you worked with on this?
I've gone out to a few guys in the business to get their takes. I don't know if I'd necessarily call it costume design so much as concepts, just to see what they'd come up with. A lot of what we're doing will look exactly as it does in the book, but there are a couple of things we'll update, like the girls. Not update in the sense that it won't be 1985, it'll still be 1985, but to give them a little sexier look or to update the outfits a bit. There's a sophisticated audience out there. A lot of graphic novels and comic book heroes have been made into films since 1985 and despite how cool "Watchmen" is, it needs an ever so slight tweak for today's audience. If "Watchmen" were the first comic book movie made, I don't think it would be a problem, but at this point you have to be aware of what everyone else has done a little bit.
How dramatically do you think you'll have to change the Gibbons designs for the various heroes? A little bit. I don't think it'll be a ton. I think Rorschach will look exactly as he does. Dr. Manhattan will look probably exactly as he does. Night Owl will be pretty close, but we're trying to make him look a little scarier. I think there's a line in the graphic novel where it says the thugs are afraid of the outfit and I want to make that feel real because when you see him, he's not exactly the scariest guy in the world. Ozy I want to make just a little cooler. He's kind of got a Luxor aesthetic and I want to have more of a realistic look. I always thought that if Ozy had Egyptian artifacts, he'd have the real thing, no repro stuff.

 

[WalterKovacs]

that sounds pretty cool, i just hope they dont change nite-owls costume too much. im also lookin to see what they do with laurie/metropolis/hooded justice. plus, i dont know how much you can change manhattan. hes a naked blue guy. you can only change a black thong so much. or a black bodysuit.

 

[Lobster Charlie]

They'll have to update Silk Specter II's costume just a tad, and also Nite Owl II may need a little love here and there. I don't imagine anything drastic--maybe just enough to keep people from laughing at him.

 

[The Guard]

I'd rather Dan's suit look a bit absurd rather than frightening (But not completely ridiculous). The absurdity is half the point of his character. I do get the impression from scripts and concept discussions, though, that Nite Owl's costume will be techy and armored, with deployable owl wing cape, helmet displays and night vision built into the helmet's lenses, and things of that nature. Which I don't mind a bit. It suits the character.

And I may be in the minority here, but I'd like to see Rorschach's costume updated a bit, too. Purple pants and gloves just aren't gonna cut it in live-action. I wouldn't mind if Rorschach even wore a darker (black?) trenchcoat and hat, as it would serve his "black and white" motif that much more.

 

[JBElliott]

If they change the costumes too much they'll be changing the story. Part of the story was how literal comic book costumes would look and feel in the "real" world.

Certainly the older heroes (first Nite Owl etc.) should have costumes with the look and feel of the Superman costume from the 1950's television show.

On the other hand, I can see the second Nite Owl costume being more like the bat costume in TDK with all of it's crappy padding and gadets since that's pretty much what it was in the comics.

If they stay true and close to the source material, they'll do very well.

 

[sad lieutenant]

I'd rather Dan's suit look a bit absurd rather than frightening (But not completely ridiculous). The absurdity is half the point of his character. I do get the impression from scripts and concept discussions, though, that Nite Owl's costume will be techy and armored, with deployable owl wing cape, helmet displays and night vision built into the helmet's lenses, and things of that nature. Which I don't mind a bit. It suits the character.

And I may be in the minority here, but I'd like to see Rorschach's costume updated a bit, too. Purple pants and gloves just aren't gonna cut it in live-action. I wouldn't mind if Rorschach even wore a darker (black?) trenchcoat and hat, as it would serve his "black and white" motif that much more.

Change Rorscach's costume? Are you daft? And how is the idea of "updating" valid when the story is set in 1985 in some bizarro-universe?

Snyder might as well attend the next Comic-Con with a T-shirt that reads "Lynch me, comic fans, because I'm kind of a cock-bag".

 

[Jack Rabbit]

I wonder if they'll update the original Nite Owl costume.

 

[Sandman138]

They'll have to update Silk Specter II's costume just a tad, and also Nite Owl II may need a little love here and there. I don't imagine anything drastic--maybe just enough to keep people from laughing at him.

Why would they have to update Silk Specter's costume? It's perfect for the period.

 

[Captain Carnage]

"...to give them a little sexier look", obviously.

She just looks sooooo daggy in the comic is all...

 

[The Guard]

If they change the costumes too much they'll be changing the story. Part of the story was how literal comic book costumes would look and feel in the "real" world.

A costume is a costume. What's absurd is the aspect of grown men and women dressing up as heroes, not neccessarily the costumes themselves (of which there was a wide range, and not all of them were bright and colorful, or intended to be). There's no need for it to look utterly ridiculous.

Change Rorscach's costume? Are you daft? And how is the idea of "updating" valid when the story is set in 1985 in some bizarro-universe?

Because purple pants would look ridiculous. What works on the page may not work on film. Do you or do you not want Rorschach to be taken seriously as a character?

 

[Sasso]

A costume is a costume. What's absurd is the aspect of grown men and women dressing up as heroes, not neccessarily the costumes themselves (of which there was a wide range, and not all of them were bright and colorful, or intended to be). There's no need for it to look utterly ridiculous.



Because purple pants would look ridiculous. What works on the page may not work on film. Do you or do you not want Rorschach to be taken seriously as a character?

Since when does purple look ridiculous? Look at the Joker in TDK. His purple suit looks fine.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

But aren't the ridiculous costumes in the story important? I mean that was Alan Moore's point for giving them such silly costumes. It was referential. He was writing a story about real people and a real crisis and placing it in a comic-book world. That's why Watchmen changed the industry. It changes the way we look at these silly grown-ups running around in dumb-looking Halloween costumes.

 

[Captain Carnage]

But dude, armored Owl nipples are, like, cool and awesome...

 

[The Guard]

Since when does purple look ridiculous? Look at the Joker in TDK. His purple suit looks fine.

Not purple by itself, but that color purple with tan or dark brown? It would look absolutely ridiculous (I believe the colors were chosen to compliment the color palette of the comic, but would not translate real well to live-action).

Someone who takes himself as seriously as Rorschach does in WATCHMEN, who bothered to come up with the mask, etc, would not go around wearing an outfit that would make him an instant laughingstock. He'd shoot for something that made him look more formidable. Because that's what he is.

And frankly, The Joker looks ridiculous in pretty much incarnation he's in. It's just that this is a big part of his character. Purple suits? Giant squirting flowers? Who does that? Granted, the sheer absurdity of the all-purple leisure suit look is key to The Joker's character and his presentation. This is, however, not true for Rorschach, and is never shown to be in the book. The book almost makes it look like Rorschach simply doesn't give a damn what his costume consists of, except that he must, because he keeps wearing it.

What's key to Rorschach is his eerie nature, and his explosive, almost deceptive, violence. Not purple pants and gloves.

But aren't the ridiculous costumes in the story important?

No. What's important is the absurdity of men and women putting on costumes and becoming vigilantes to begin with, not the degree of absurdity in their outfits. These are people who want to be taken seriously, and try their damdnest, and that's what's ridiculous. Not just their costumes.

If you really think about it, you'll notice how "toned down" most of the costumes are in WATCHMEN (At least Second Generation), and how muted the concepts are, compared to other superhero stories of the time.

I mean that was Alan Moore's point for giving them such silly costumes. It was referential. He was writing a story about real people and a real crisis and placing it in a comic-book world. That's why Watchmen changed the industry. It changes the way we look at these silly grown-ups running around in dumb-looking Halloween costumes.

But none of that has anything to do with the costumes, really. It has to do with the people IN the costumes. Much, if not most, of the great drama of WATCHMEN comes when the characters aren't even in costume or on a case. WATCHMEN redefined comic books because it dealt with deeper psychological issues, not because it made some amazing statement about "Why do grown men and women run around in absurd costumes"? This had been explored before, many times.

Find me some lines where people mock the people in WATCHMEN for their outfits. I don't think you'll find many.

Regardless, if general audiences are going to take WATCHMEN seriously, as it is intended to be, some changes will need to be made to the costumes. For believeability if nothing else.

 

[Captain Carnage]

I always interpreted Rorschach's wacky work duds as being part of the whole second-hand cast off charity store chic thing he's got going on, much like his glorious green street vagrant threads.

My guess is they'll take his overall screen look from the last quarter of the TPB, where he's runnin' 'round in his regulation Sing Sing grays presumably minus natty poiple jacket under the backup coat.

 

[The Guard]

I never had a problem with that aspect, but...purple pants?

 

[Captain Carnage]

Seriously, have you been in a charity store lately?

That folks give away some of the crimes against fashion you find hangin' on the rails in those places is entirely understandable; that someone actually made and bought 'em in the first place is f ucked up!

 

[The Guard]

I know enough about them to know there's a lot more than JUST purple pants in those stores. . But that seems to be what Rorschach picked.

 

[Captain Carnage]

On a related matter - shoes.

Will the movie costumers be producing a supply of custom made boots with those natty elasticated ankles that everyone seems to wear in WATCHMEN, I wonder? (and will Jackie E's actually come with elevator pads? )

I remember first seeing one o' them kicking in Blake's door in Chap I and thinking it was a big old clue... until I soon realised that this style was universally worn by pretty much all of the male characters to appear!

 

[Rust]

On a related matter - shoes.

Will the movie costumers be producing a supply of custom made boots with those natty elasticated ankles that everyone seems to wear in WATCHMEN, I wonder? (and will Jackie E's actually come with elevator pads? )

Yeah, about Rorschachs elevated or lifted shoes. I don't remember him wearing that in the book where it's obvious, but he still looks considerably taller than 5'6", at least 5'9" if Niteowl is 6'1".

But Haley has to wear really elevated shoes. The dude is really short (at 5'5" 1/2) and I don't wanna see a dwarfed Rorschach.

 

[Captain Carnage]

"Scene 23, places people... Wooden crate on set for Mr. Haley, thank you!"

 

[Nepenthes]

Niteowl really needs to look alot scarier, more techy and practical than he does in the book. I agree with The Guard, a costume of any sorts is gonna look ridiculous no matter what.


and I want to see those stupid helmets everyone wears. with the ear covers

 

[Wolfman]

Found this, posted on the manips thread too. The costumes look good in this, even though it's just a painting:

 

[The Guard]

Niteowl really needs to look alot scarier, more techy and practical than he does in the book. I agree with The Guard, a costume of any sorts is gonna look ridiculous no matter what.

I don't mind if he looks scary. I just want him to look like he takes himself seriously.