Rorschach's Voice

[tekken]

rorschach reminds me too much of the question. i dont think i can imagine him with batman's voice.

 

[bdsproductions]

I always envisioned him with actually a very high, creepy sounding voice.

 

[Ryudoz]

I always envisioned him with actually a very high, creepy sounding voice.

There's something that just seems wrong with that. I don't think it would be harder per se to take him serious, but moreso that it just seems very out of character. But it could certainly make for a comical death scene if that were to happen.

 

[Mr. Socko]

A voice kinda like Marv's,

 

[Nepenthes]

I read/hear it as a sociopathic monotony of calmness...whatever that means.

Yep.

Best example I think of is Michael Keaton's Batman. It shouldn't sound forced, keep it calm, subdued to the point where it becomes unnerving. If it's too raspy or gravelly he'll seem contrived and generic.

Hannibal Lector is another good example.

 

[WalterKovacs]

last night i dreamt that i saw a watchmen teaser.

rorschach sounded something like marv.

 

[IKnowSomeJudo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbqra7kRXbk&mode=related&search=

Monotone. Creepy. Perfect.

 

[Caliber]

I read/hear it as a sociopathic monotony of calmness...whatever that means.

I imagined like that as well.

 

[Artos]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbqra7kRXbk&mode=related&search=

Monotone. Creepy. Perfect.

I second that.

 

[Sun_Down]

Yep.

Best example I think of is Michael Keaton's Batman. It shouldn't sound forced, keep it calm, subdued to the point where it becomes unnerving. If it's too raspy or gravelly he'll seem contrived and generic.

Hannibal Lector is another good example.

My thoughts exactly. "Low and gravelly" just sounds way too generic and really doesn't fit Rorshach in my opinion. He's not a big, imposing figure, his voice shouldn't totally belie his appearance.

 

[Spider–Man]

I found the trailer on Youtube. the production looks rather ****-rate, actually.

CLICK HERE FOR UNDERWHELMING TRAILER

I wouldn't mind seeing that!

 

[Steelsheen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbqra7kRXbk&mode=related&search=

Monotone. Creepy. Perfect.

the monotony is perfect, but i think it needs a bit more inflection, it should give you the creeps, not put you to sleep. i think whoever did Question's voice for JLU is on the ball.

 

[waylayer]

I noticed something upon re-reading one of the chapters. At the failed Crimebusters meeting, Rorschach's only line of dialog there ("Yes, Nite Owl is correct...") is bubbled normally, and not with the trademark squibbles.

This raises some questions:

How different do you think Rorschach may have spoken before the incident with the child killer? Do you think it would have been a little more lively and "normal," or perhaps only subtly different with slightly more inflection and emotion, before his voice/personality became even more subdued by the traumatic experience?

Should any such difference be conveyed in the film?

 

[WalterKovacs]

actually i bet his voice is more like hartigan's

 

[Captain Carnage]

How different do you think Rorschach may have spoken before the incident with the child killer? Do you think it would have been a little more lively and "normal," or perhaps only subtly different with slightly more inflection and emotion, before his voice/personality became even more subdued by the traumatic experience?

Should any such difference be conveyed in the film?

Again, it's one of those examples that highlights the awkwardness of translating something like WATCHMEN, specifically designed to be the ultimate in printed sequential art which used (and abused!) every single tool in the comic book box o' tricks, to another medium such as film.

The simple use of differently drawn speech bubbles visually tells the reader straight away that Rorschach is all f ucked up after working the Roche case. If Jackie E uses two as noticably different methods of actual speech in the movie, will the audience necessarily pick up on the change itself and suss out the reason for it? Will it come across as convincing when actually heard in Dolby/THX/whatever as opposed to being created by the reader's own imagination, or just a tad, well... silly?

 

[StorminNorman]

Again, it's one of those examples that highlights the awkwardness of translating something like WATCHMEN, specifically designed to be the ultimate in printed sequential art which used (and abused!) every single tool in the comic book box o' tricks, to another medium such as film.

The simple use of differently drawn speech bubbles visually tells the reader straight away that Rorschach is all f ucked up after working the Roche case. If Jackie E uses two as noticably different methods of actual speech in the movie, will the audience necessarily pick up on the change itself and suss out the reason for it? Will it come across as convincing when actually heard in Dolby/THX/whatever as opposed to being created by the reader's own imagination, or just a tad, well... silly?

If your problem with the film is that it should never be made, then why bother complaining about any part of the film? It can never win. If the Watchmen should never be adapted into film, then don't watch it.

 

[waylayer]

If Jackie E uses two as noticably different methods of actual speech in the movie, will the audience necessarily pick up on the change itself and suss out the reason for it?

That's why I wonder how big of a difference (if any) it will be interpreted as. Reading-wise, I never even noticed the bubble difference until I specifically went back to that scene and looked out of curiosity, although I still understood that Rorschach was somewhat closer to mental normalcy at that point in his life.

Maybe for the film experience, it could be very subtle, where it doesn't really stand out on the first listen, unless you really were listening for it, and then put the pieces together. There will probably be dozens of details like this that the general audience won't pick up on for their first viewing. This could maybe be just one more to add to the list.

 

[Captain Carnage]

...and if your problem SN is with me exercising my perfectly permissible right to express my opinion here at what is an open public access discussion forum after all to which I'm as entitled to appear as the next person and of which you, I believe, are not the moderator, owner or guy who pays the cyber rent, then why do you persist in complaining about any part of my posts? We'll clearly have to agree to differ on this one therefore, in your own words, neither of us can ever win in the opinion stakes. If it's such an affront to you that I think that Watchmen should certainly never be adapted to film like this, then ignore my posts. Killfile me or something. No hard feelings, really.

Stop taking it all so personally. If and when I choose to pack my bags and go, it won't be to please you, trust me. Ciao.

 

[Balthus Dire]

I've always imagined that Rorschach sounded like The Blank from Dick Tracy, except with a deeper voice.

Yep.

 

[Spidey-Sean]

Gravelly, monotone, clipped sentences. I say gravelly because of the indicative wiggly speech bubbles.

 

[Acid Snowman]

I never imagine a character with just one voice. I hear HAL-900 when he delivers lines like ..."existence has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it for too long", but I hear a gruff, tough voice like Marv's when he beats people up.

 

[david icke]

In an interview where this subject was brought up, Snyder referred a documentary called something like "The Mindscape of Alan Moore" in which Moore reads from Watchmen. Apparently, Moore used a specific voice when reading Rorscach's dialogue and journals -- and Snyder suggested that Jackie Earle Haley might use that as a model.

Has anyone seen this? I haven't (Better yet: Can someone post it on Youtube?!?!)

The 3rd part of a UK documentary series called Comics Britannica was on BBC4 last night, they had Moore read out a couple of Rorschach passages, the Pagalicci joke and visiting the Comedians grave are 2 I recall, Moore spoke in a very slow laboured way with a bit of gravel to the voice. Dont know how Moore did it on that other doc but it seemed far too slow to be getting through a movie with if Snyder and Haley are gonna consider riffing off AM's way, the labourious way of speaking was the defining mark of Moore's impression imo not the gravelly aspect, but maybe that was just cause AM doesnt have the voice/smoke enough cigars to be doing Rorchach the way he'd really want to. I'll have a look to see if anyone's put that doc up on youtube yet.

edit2add: Nope, the 1st two parts of the series werent there either, maybe it'll show up one day, had good stuff with Moore being interviewed about VforV, WM and Lost girls.

 

[sad lieutenant]

The 3rd part of a UK documentary series called Comics Britannica was on BBC4 last night, they had Moore read out a couple of Rorschach passages, the Pagalicci joke and visiting the Comedians grave are 2 I recall, Moore spoke in a very slow laboured way with a bit of gravel to the voice. Dont know how Moore did it on that other doc but it seemed far too slow to be getting through a movie with if Snyder and Haley are gonna consider riffing off AM's way, the labourious way of speaking was the defining mark of Moore's impression imo not the gravelly aspect, but maybe that was just cause AM doesnt have the voice/smoke enough cigars to be doing Rorchach the way he'd really want to. I'll have a look to see if anyone's put that doc up on youtube yet.

edit2add: Nope, the 1st two parts of the series werent there either, maybe it'll show up one day, had good stuff with Moore being interviewed about VforV, WM and Lost girls.

Thanks... I like the idea of a deliberate, slow cadence to his speech, in addition to the gravelly aspect. And it totally makes sense, given Rorschach's derision of "smooth talking liberals".

Maybe Snyder & Co's first teaser should be audio, a la TDK. Just a reading of Rorschach's journal!

 

[david icke]

Thanks... I like the idea of a deliberate, slow cadence to his speech, in addition to the gravelly aspect. And it totally makes sense, given Rorschach's derision of "smooth talking liberals".

Maybe Snyder & Co's first teaser should be audio, a la TDK. Just a reading of Rorschach's journal!

No probs...here's a link to some parts of Moore's interviews from the doc, don't know if any of the Rorschach readings are in there tho as I didnt have the required plug ins to view them:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/comicsbritannia/comics-britannia.shtml

edit2add: Y'know if they did use a Rorschach journal entry over a trailer I'd imagine it to be the ' There is good and there is evil and evil must be punished, even in the face of armageddon I shall not compromise in this.' section, that would send chills thru me, would be so great.

 

[Captain Carnage]

Not the best of quality but until summat better comes along, here's a snippet of that very BBC comics doc featuring His Beardiness himself giving his own interpretation of arguably his most renound character's dulcet tones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FS60iN0g2I