The Black Freighter

[Carmine Falcone]

I thought that this deserved it's own thread. So the big question is; keep it or drop it?

First time I read Watchmen I was annoyed by the Black Freighter stuff. Mainly because I wanted to know what the truth was as quick as possible. (Reading Watchmen in 3 days isn't smart. When I read it now, it takes me like, three weeks)
Now I think it's an excellent story and really ties into the main storyline. Tying a pirate comic into such an alreay interwoven tale is really Alan Moore at his most Alan Moore-ish.
But for the movie...I think moviegoers will feel the same about TBF as I did first reading watchmen. In a way it's expendable.

BTW: does anybody have a link where you can read The Black Freighter in one piece. I wonder what that would be like.

 

[Motown Marvel]

i think the black freighter adds greatly to the intricacy of the story....but theres so much competent story as it is, the black freighter is clearly the most easily and approrpiately expendable. i think the story can work just as well without it, and i dont think it'd work well for a general audience.

my personal opinion....film it and save it for an extended cut DVD.

 

[ThatDamnNinja]

You have to get rid of it... if they have the budget for it, they should definately film it for the extended cut, but it's the easiest part to lop off while still leaving the story intact.

By the way, does anyone know how one could go about estimating how much of the original material could reasonably be included in a three hour movie? Or about what the running time would be if EVERYTHING was filmed?

 

[Motown Marvel]

By the way, does anyone know how one could go about estimating how much of the original material could reasonably be included in a three hour movie? Or about what the running time would be if EVERYTHING was filmed?

hard to say. generally, 1 page of script is usually equal to about 1 minute of film. but, how many pages of script does it take to adapt the novel?

 

[Roughneck]

Cut the Black Freighter.......

 

[The Guard]

Cut it. It's cool, but its simply not neccessary to the overall narrative. It's a "teaser" to what's really going on, and it paralells the story. But that's hardly neccessary in a movie. The kid reading the comic, and something about pirates will suffice. The fact is...a lot of people simply wont "get" the significance.

 

[bapi]

I thought that this deserved it's own thread. So the big question is; keep it or drop it?

First time I read Watchmen I was annoyed by the Black Freighter stuff. Mainly because I wanted to know what the truth was as quick as possible. (Reading Watchmen in 3 days isn't smart. When I read it now, it takes me like, three weeks)
Now I think it's an excellent story and really ties into the main storyline. Tying a pirate comic into such an alreay interwoven tale is really Alan Moore at his most Alan Moore-ish.
But for the movie...I think moviegoers will feel the same about TBF as I did first reading watchmen. In a way it's expendable.

BTW: does anybody have a link where you can read The Black Freighter in one piece. I wonder what that would be like.

For the 1st time I read it in 1 week and it was ingenious but 'The Black Freighter' story was little boring but after some time I must say that's an important thing of this story and it's really in 'Alan-Moore-style'. But the movie adaptation will be long around 150-200 min so I think it'll not be in the movie and it's good because if they want it Watchmen movie must has runtime around 4 hours and it's too much long for 'normal-viewers'. And in addition I mean Snyder's Watchmen will be a light version of Moore's masterpiece...

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Yeah, it would be the easiest thing to cut, and with a huge story like Watchmen, we need as much space as possible to tell it.

 

[Darkly Dexter]

yeah, they should not include this. I mean, it's great but if they remove the Black Freighter stuff, it won't afect the story.

 

[StorminNorman]

Include it - but as a comic giving out with admission.

No need to film it - a major waste of millions.

 

[Cinemaman]

I wouldn't mind to see it. But it's unnecessary to put in the whole movie, unless they're going with some hint of his story.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Include it - but as a comic giving out with admission.

No need to film it - a major waste of millions.

Actually, that would be a cool extra, if not for the theatrical release, then maybe something included with the DVD.

 

[ConcreteBlock15]

Boy, I'm turnin' out to be a regular Santy Claus 'round here, ain't I?

As requested, Tales of the Black Freighter... in one piece (and unfortunately no, I can't claim credit for it. Artist Dave Gibbons sent the actual guy behind it a personal message of support for his efforts, which was nice):

http://www.crinklink.com/blackfreighter/index.html

 

[rnewbz]

I actually think it would be cool as a seperate film

 

[Harlekin]

Keep it out. I appreciate it for its value, but doesn't work in a move, even though the visual would be spectacular.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

^ Haha, you've been watching the A-team reruns here....Man I hate Stockwell.

 

[miltonh]

Cut the Black Freighter...

 

[Steelsheen]

i'd like them to keep it, but they're gonna have to be creative on how to show it. its important because its kinda like a reflection on what's happening to the characters.

 

[War Party]

I read that Snyder wanted to include it, but that was very early on in his involvement. So things may have changed.

 

[StorminNorman]

i'd like them to keep it, but they're gonna have to be creative on how to show it. its important because its kinda like a reflection on what's happening to the characters.

do we need a reflection of whats happening to the characters? I would rather that time be spent on adding details important to the story, not another story reflecting the main story.

Give it out as a comic book

 

[ThatDamnNinja]

Okay, how bout this:

Don't include it, not exactly, unless they have the budget to film it and include it in the DVD.

However, they should acknowledge its existence; make note of the fact that in a world where superheroes exist, superhero comics don't have the same appeal, so the industry is dominated by pirate comics, like Tales of the Black Freighter.

 

[Compi716]

Drop The Black Freighter from the theatrical release. Then, release a super-amazing extended DVD, with The Black Freighter in the movie.

How awesome would that be?

 

[Shifty]

Drop The Black Freighter from the theatrical release. Then, release a super-amazing extended DVD, with The Black Freighter in the movie.

How awesome would that be?

Even an animated adaptation for the DVD would be fine.
Or live action on the DVD.

 

[SilentType]

I think it would work best as an animated short on the dvd, either cut into the movie or as a separate piece.

 

[blind_fury]

where's the poll?

and yeah cut it. Even if it's well done most of the audience won't understand what it means. Hell, most Alan Moore fans don't understand how it fits in with the story.