Tyler Bates Talks Watchmen

[Johnichi Chiba]

http://www.superherohype.com/news/watchmennews.php?id=6212

EXCL: Tyler Bates Talks Watchmen
Source: Edward Douglas, ShockTillYouDrop.com
August 17, 2007


Superhero Hype! sister site ShockTillYouDrop.com had a chance to talk to composer Tyler Bates (300, Slither) about his body of work including preliminary thoughts on his third movie with Zack Snyder based on Alan Moore and David Gibbons' Watchmen. Here's an excerpt where Bates talks about his reaction on first reading the graphic novel and script for Snyder's adaptation:

Well, I'm not a comic guy, but of course I read it when I knew he was making it, but not until "300" was done and not until he asked me to do it. I thought it was really great. I love the characters and I love Rorschach, and they just sent me the script a couple weeks ago and I read it and thought, "Wow, this is a fantastic adaptation of this book." I didn't know how they could possibly condense that book, but you know what, people thought that about "300" as well. There were people trying to make "300" and there were several versions floating around town and they couldn't make it."

Hope he's right about the script. The way he mentioned the various 300 drafts makes me wonder if maybe he's aware of multiple versions of the Watchmen script floating around...at least I hope so.

 

[Captain Carnage]

Did folks really wonder how anyone was gonna condense 300 for the screen?

Quite the opposite, I'd have thought - more a case of How they gonna drag this out to feature length?

Why, endless slo mo and a tacked-on Queen Gorgo story arc, obviously.


On the subject of Master Bates (oo-er) and his body of work, quite interesting to see that the official 300 site now carries a disclaimer from WB to acknowledge the uncanny similarities betwixt Tyler's efforts on that movie and those of Elliot Goldenthal on Titus:
http://www.300ondvd.com/


Whadda we think he'll rip for Watchmen?

 

[Rust]

Whadda we think he'll rip for Watchmen?

Se7en? Taxi Driver? X-Men or Mystery Men?

 

[C.F. Kane]

^ Vangelis' score for Blade Runner, perhaps?

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I hope most characters will get a distinctive theme for theirselves.

 

[Lobster Charlie]

Did folks really wonder how anyone was gonna condense 300 for the screen?

Quite the opposite, I'd have thought - more a case of How they gonna drag this out to feature length?

Why, endless slo mo and a tacked-on Queen Gorgo story arc, obviously.

Well said! I felt the exact same way when I saw 300. And I bought 300 way-back-when, every single issue, and the "widescreen" hardback. When they announced that film I was a little confused--I didn't see enough story to even be adapted.

While it was definitely entertaining in spots, I think it'd have made a far stronger short film. Like maybe 40 minutes or so?

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I have yet to see the 300 film, but I thought the Graphic Novel was amazing.

 

[Iglius]

^ I'm the other way around.

 

[Jack Rabbit]

Did folks really wonder how anyone was gonna condense 300 for the screen?

Quite the opposite, I'd have thought - more a case of How they gonna drag this out to feature length?

I thought the same thing.

 

[WalterKovacs]

ROrschach and Manhattan should sound like Kamen's score for the first X-Men. As for the score a s a whole, all i can think of is an orchestral version of the main a clockwork orange theme.

 

[sad lieutenant]

Se7en? Taxi Driver? X-Men or Mystery Men?

Please don't mention "Mystery Men" in connection with the Watchmen film ever again. Do we need to further distill our irrational hopes and fears?

Plus, it makes my testes shrivel up like old pomegranates.

 

[Rust]

Please don't mention "Mystery Men" in connection with the Watchmen film ever again. Do we need to further distill our irrational hopes and fears?

Plus, it makes my testes shrivel up like old pomegranates.

Irony, my friend...

 

[sad lieutenant]

Irony, my friend...

Please... You intentions were obvious (and funny).

Irony or now, the visceral (read: testicular) impact was just the same.