What can we Afford to Lose?

[Project862006]

Black Freighter
Lesbians - can be in it a little bit but not as much as they were in the book
backgrounds on cops and Malcolm - if they do have it make it short and to the point

 

[DDS]

The usual:

• The Black Freighter
• Lesbians (even it looks like their in it)
• The therapist's home life

And instead of the squid, I think Oz should send his pet to blow up NY. It would make much more sense IMO.

 

[Gilpesh]

Um.... everyone in the world knows it is his pet in the comic (he sells them as action figures)... so everyone would know it was Ozy who did it. And then it wouldn't work for even the little time at the end of the comic which it is supposed to...

It makes no sense.

 

[MadAnthonyWayne]

actually i gotta say, the movie could afford to lose the extended prison sequence that Snyder has created, as sure as some other extended fight sequences. The doctor and his wife, and the lesbians make up a very important piece of the story, the fact that all the large notions thrown around by Rorschach, Manhattan, and Ozymandias mean almost nothing. It takes away and criticizes weight and credence to the high ideals of the story and the superhero genre, cements Ozymandias as the villian, and forces the audience to feel the horror of the deaths in New York.

Manhattan's origin I think will play out relatively quickly in the film format, much quicker than in the graphic novel.

I like the idea of cutting out the police scene where the police are tipped off to "raw shark's" location so it's surprise, and the scene where they investigate the double homicide can go as well, along with most of the New Frontiersman pieces.

I think parts of the final battle between Laurie, Dan, Rorschach, and Manhattan vs. Ozymandias can go, and the three servants. I love Ozymandias monologue at the beginning of Chapter 11 but I'm pretty sure that's gonna have to be canned as well. Some or Rorschach origin may have to be left unsaid as well.

 

[Slipeor]

The giant squid at the end is a MacGuffin (google it if you don't know). Whether it is a squid, alien, bomb or whatever doesn't make a difference. It is a plot device and that's all. I imagine they might use an alien UFO/ship rather than a slimy squid, but who knows.

Other things that should get cut? Non-essential plot elements. So the lesbians, the home life of the doctor, Ozy's origin, the Black Frighter etc. It's not that these aren't interesting, just non-essential to movin the story along. I think they can even pair down a lot of the flashback scenes.

 

[Gilpesh]

The giant squid at the end is a MacGuffin (google it if you don't know). Whether it is a squid, alien, bomb or whatever doesn't make a difference. It is a plot device and that's all. I imagine they might use an alien UFO/ship rather than a slimy squid, but who knows.

It's not a MacGuffin. The Hero-killer mystery is a MacGuffin.

The thing at the end is quite important as if it is anything besides an alien it loses all meaning and ruins the story.



Seriously everyone. If it isn't an alien... then World War 3 starts. End of story. Movie ruined.

 

[Angel_Faerie]

I think the squid can be lost as long as something that makes everyone think aliens attacked takes its place.

 

[Sawyer]

Black Freighter
Lesbians - can be in it a little bit but not as much as they were in the book
backgrounds on cops and Malcolm - if they do have it make it short and to the point

I mostly agree with that, except maybe Malcolm Long. He just made such an interesting character.

But, yeah, the chick fight can be cut.

 

[Bubastis]

Here's the defense of the squid.

Spoiler

People always say watchmen is even more relevant now than it was in the 80's particularly because of 9-11. Ground zero was created because thousands of New Yorkers died. But the difference between the would-be utopia Veidt created and the nightmare Osama Bin Laden created is this: When human beings crash planes into a set of buildings, everybody has somebody to blame. When an unstoppable alien destroys New York, it's a force of unearthly terror against humanity. No religion, political ideal, or background can explain the alien. That makes the sides as simple as Angry force vs. humanity. It brings humanity together because humans don't have anybody to blame.
A man-made laser kills everybody? The following week, Bill O'Reilly will be on TV blaming the liberals or the Al-Queada. A big f***ing alien attacks us? We're screwed. Nobody to blame.

 

[SPider-T0rch]

Here's the defense of the squid.

Spoiler

People always say watchmen is even more relevant now than it was in the 80's particularly because of 9-11. Ground zero was created because thousands of New Yorkers died. But the difference between the would-be utopia Veidt created and the nightmare Osama Bin Laden created is this: When human beings crash planes into a set of buildings, everybody has somebody to blame. When an unstoppable alien destroys New York, it's a force of unearthly terror against humanity. No religion, political ideal, or background can explain the alien. That makes the sides as simple as Angry force vs. humanity. It brings humanity together because humans don't have anybody to blame.
A man-made laser kills everybody? The following week, Bill O'Reilly will be on TV blaming the liberals or the Al-Queada. A big f***ing alien attacks us? We're screwed. Nobody to blame.

Exactly. The "squid" sounds silly but not including it in the movie and putting something like a nuclear bomb or something would drastically alter the outcome of the GN. It may look silly and cheesy but the "squid" is the way to go.

 

[Gilpesh]

Here's the defense of the squid.

Spoiler

People always say watchmen is even more relevant now than it was in the 80's particularly because of 9-11. Ground zero was created because thousands of New Yorkers died. But the difference between the would-be utopia Veidt created and the nightmare Osama Bin Laden created is this: When human beings crash planes into a set of buildings, everybody has somebody to blame. When an unstoppable alien destroys New York, it's a force of unearthly terror against humanity. No religion, political ideal, or background can explain the alien. That makes the sides as simple as Angry force vs. humanity. It brings humanity together because humans don't have anybody to blame.
A man-made laser kills everybody? The following week, Bill O'Reilly will be on TV blaming the liberals or the Al-Queada. A big f***ing alien attacks us? We're screwed. Nobody to blame.

Hey look, someone actually understands the importance of the squid.

HOORAH!

 

[Bubastis]

Hey look, someone actually understands the importance of the squid.

HOORAH!

Somebody gives me credit for Intelligence!!!! YES!!!
TAKE THAT, MOM!!

 

[joke]

You were just lucky.

 

[Hurm...]

Things to get rid of?

-The squid

- Some of Ozy's incredibly long explanation at the end of the book.

-Less incite on the comic the kid was reading, and less of the newstand.

- None of the therapist's home life

-No lesbian stories

 

[Hurm...]

Definitely the lesbians.

Obviously the Black Freighter, along with all the text pieces.

Dr. Long's home life.

The Detectives in their office getting a call re: the whereabouts of "Raw Shark". Might be better if its just a surprise to find Moloch dead and the police outside.

Max Shea on the island/freighter.

Probably most of Ozymandias's monologue on his origins. Some of that is important, but it's likely to stop the film dead in its tracks as it heads towards its climax if it's too extensive.

Probably most of the scenes at the crank newspaper, other than the finale.

Everything this guy said

 

[SamuraiSon6]

i just got done reading the novel for the first time, coming in here i have been really suprised to see how many people want to lose the Black Freighter storyline, i really loved it and was hoping to see it integrated into the film (apparently that is what is gonna happen with the DVD though?) do we have any solid info if this is for sure cut from the movie? thanks.

 

[Project862006]

it is entirely cut from the film and turned into an animated dvd with watchmen dvd set

i am glad its gone if its not in film it does not affect story what so ever and would make film like 6 hrs lol

 

[Hurm...]

Another thing that should be cut was Dan banging Spectre at the end after MILLIONS just died. I think we could also afford to lose Owl and Spectre saving those people from the burning building. I would want their first outing in the old duds to be when they break Kovacs out of jail.

 

[Hurm...]

it is entirely cut from the film and turned into an animated dvd with watchmen dvd set

i am glad its gone if its not in film it does not affect story what so ever and would make film like 6 hrs lol

Excellent.

 

[SPider-T0rch]

Another thing that should be cut was Dan banging Spectre at the end after MILLIONS just died. I think we could also afford to lose Owl and Spectre saving those people from the burning building. I would want their first outing in the old duds to be when they break Kovacs out of jail.

I'm pretty sure that's in the movie. In fact, I think we saw the ship leaving a burning building in the trailer as well as Laurie crashing into a burning building from the ceiling. I do agree on the whole "sex after millions just died" thing. That made absolutely no sense to me when i first read it. i was like "Really? Was it that necessary to have them do that?"

 

[Silk Spectre]

I'm pretty sure that's in the movie. In fact, I think we saw the ship leaving a burning building in the trailer as well as Laurie crashing into a burning building from the ceiling. I do agree on the whole "sex after millions just died" thing. That made absolutely no sense to me when i first read it. i was like "Really? Was it that necessary to have them do that?"

People always have sex after tragedies, thats why the baby boom happened.

 

[The Guard]

People always have sex after tragedies, thats why the baby boom happened.

That's not...quite why it happened.

 

[Hurm...]

I'm pretty sure that's in the movie. In fact, I think we saw the ship leaving a burning building in the trailer as well as Laurie crashing into a burning building from the ceiling. I do agree on the whole "sex after millions just died" thing. That made absolutely no sense to me when i first read it. i was like "Really? Was it that necessary to have them do that?"

Well, it's still okay if they have the burning building thing. It worked pretty well in the book.

 

[TheGreenMeanie]

I agree the lesbians thing is going to just be an Easter egg. I want to see the squid in it. I think that just screams 80's, and the people in the movie would buy that as an alien.

I also thing you need to keep the therapist in the movie. That is important in showing the darkness that really goes on in the world.

So I guess just lose the lesbians.

 

[SPider-T0rch]

People always have sex after tragedies, thats why the baby boom happened.

So you're telling me people had sex after the release of both High School Musicals? Goddamn, i guess i can't wait for HSM3...