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Alan Moore Still Isn’t Watching The Watchmen

Posted on Saturday, July 19th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

Watchmen creator Alan Moore is notorious for not being involved in the big screen adaptations of his comic book properties. Director Zack Snyder told fans at Comic Con last year that the best he can hope for is that Alan Moore will someday watch the DVD and say, “You know, they didn’t fuck it up that bad.”

“We all want to please Alan, and I think that’s a noble thing to want to do. There’s nothing wrong to get the guy who frickin’ created the thing to not hate it, I don’t think that’s an outrageous thing to want,” said Snyder. “I think the approach is to assume that the movie is better, and that’s a mistake. I would never make any assumptions.”

And now that the Watchmen teaser trailer has been unleashed, has Moore changed his mind? Nope. Moore tells Entertainment Weekly that he still has no interest in the movie.

“I would rather not know [about the movie],” said Moore. “[Zack Snyder] may very well be [a very nice guy], but the thing is that he’s also the person who made 300. I’ve not seen any recent comic book films, but I didn’t particularly like the book 300. I had a lot of problems with it, and everything I heard or saw about the film tended to increase [those problems] rather than reduce them: that it was racist, it was homophobic, and above all it was sublimely stupid. I know that that’s not what people going in to see a film like 300 are thinking about but… I wasn’t impressed with that… I talked to Terry Gilliam in the ’80s, and he asked me how I would make Watchmen into a film. I said, ”Well actually, Terry, if anybody asked me, I would have said, ‘I wouldn’t.”’ And I think that Terry [who aborted his attempted adaptation of the book] eventually came to agree with me. There are things that we did with Watchmen that could only work in a comic, and were indeed designed to show off things that other media can’t.”

Moore says that “nothing good can come of almost any adaptation” and that “there’s nothing that could get me interested in Hollywood” of “the American comics industry again”. Don’t worry folks, just because Moore is bitter, doesn’t mean the film won’t kick ass. You can read the whole interview with Moore on EW.com.

Comments

Christopher Edwards

I am with Alan Moore, the trailer did nothing for me.

Nite Owl looks stupid with the eyes.

Let's hope the second trailer is better.

jimbo stewart

I really like Alan Moore.

And 300 was sublimely stupid.

Raerth

To be fair, I can't really blame Moore.

From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V for Vendetta, especially Constantine (Hellblazer) have all been far removed from the original material.

Don't forget this is a guy who writes a one page description for a single panel, he likes having control over his creations.

Prickly. Stubborn. I don't think he'd disagree with these labels. But we all gotta admit he comes up with some of the best works in his genre. Long may he continue.

He has been treated badly under the original contracts signed, but without him sticking up for his rights those that followed could not have demanded better deals with the majors.

My only hope is one day we will see the future adventures of Halo Jones...

september11th

that is awesome.
the watchmen movie is going to suck.

krackajap

In all honesty, I don't like Moore. I love his work and respect him as an artist but as a person, I don't like him at all.

Drewbdoo

You know, i've said the same thing every time they make an alan moore book into a movie. They guy is just afraid that comics are going away, which I don't think is true. But to say that you can do things in a comic that you can't do in a movie, in the day and age, I just don't think is true. He keeps saying that line over and over, everytime this issue comes up, but never really goes into saying WHAT his comics do that can't be done on film. He's too overprotective of it. Alan, buddy, comics aren't going away.

I talked about this issue a few years ago at a con with J. Micheal Strazkinsky (sp?) and he is the complete opposite. He said that he never wrote anything that he wouldn't be ok with it being translated into something else because he, like Neil Gaimen, see each media as a new and seperate and beautiful thing. Alan Moore, while talented, is fucking full of himself and pretentious comic snob. I never got why he can't get over himself and see people wanting to see a movie of his work as an honor. I think, honestly, that to make Watchmen or something into a movie makes it more accessible to more people, people who are deemed by Moore as unworthy unless they read the book.

Brian

@ Krackajap

agreed

O

@Krackajap

because you know him so well.

Captain Awesome

Moore is getting older and more bitter. And he's turning into those guys who can't adapt to new methods or ways because he's too stubborn now to do so...

I love what Moore's done for comics. And the grooves he created for others to follow. But his crybaby shit can stop now. I don't care what he has to say at this point in regards to comic films. Because he's made this apparent years ago. If he wants nothing to do with the film adaptations? Then stop fucking whining about it already. At the end of the day, these are DC properties. If he cares so much about "his" work. He should try to work on publishing with a house that gives him enough freedom to do what he wants with them. Allowing him to decline films being made from his writing if he so choose (See: Mignola)

He's been invited before to consult, but declined. Atleast Gibbons is on board the Watchmen film and he has as much to say about the "look" of the film as Moore does. So he didn't like 300? Big fucking whoop. Miller was asked to be a co-director with Rodriguez and Tarantino. And he took it up after seeing what they did and look how well that turned out?

From Hell and V For Vendetta were very well done. The other adaptations were bad. I'm looking forward to the Watchmen film. Because the trailer was great and Snyder does "care" about the material. The trailer literally had scenes panels lifted from the pages.

Drop the, "Look everyone, I'm still here!" shit Moore. We heard it year after year. Shit or get off the pot.

Liz

I think we have to respect the man's own feelings about his creation. Personally, I don't like it when authors fawn over subpar adaptations, which is what most of them do because they want a cut of the merch or whatever. Moore is honest, and that's refreshing.

Oh, and V for Vendetta may have been an ok movie, but it utterly missed the point of the novel.

Kurts

He's a closeminded!

Ok! he painted a Monalisa of graphic novels, but what is wrong with an sculptor trying to "adapt it" into a sculpture?? No one is ruining the fucking comic! or trying to improve it or make something "better" than the comic... no.
Snyder is creating a whole NEW thing! why don't give him a chance?? see it, and then say how much it sucks or how much it rules in it's own way as a MOVIE.

Moore fails to see that a movie is a complety different thing from a graphic novel, they don't work and can't be seen in the same way.. what a prejudging genious jerk!

SUe

Alan Moore is dead on about everything including 300. It was very racist and very homophobic and in the film version especially very, very neo-conservative. was it a coincidence Snyder added the scene with Queen Gorgo begging for more troops and support of the war? I think not. Anyway, Gilliam was right not to touch the thing. It only works in one medium especially since its referecing the history of that particular medium. It should have been left untouched, and Snyder's vision seems especially unimpressive.

Raerth

@ C.A.

The guy has made some fresh pieces of work, that turned stale after Hollywood got their hands on them. I don't think you can disagree there.

V & From Hell were good standalone films, but missed much of the subtext. For Moore the subtext is everything, else he would not be doing such a applauded job.

As for "He should try to work on publishing with a house that gives him enough freedom to do what he wants with them." - He has done exactly that, occasionally being bought back into a major publisher by acquisition and not by choice.

I do not doubt he has very strong views, is genre-elitist, and dislikes the mainstream. I would argue this is what makes his work as good as it is.

Branden

this Moore fucker is awesome. Zack Snyder is the biggest hack director. Dawn of the Dead was god awful, and 300 was even worse. wow, a bunch of slow-mo, wannabe epic voice-overs, and more CGI blood than a computer can handle. great. and The Watchmen looks lame as balls.

I dont give a fuck about The Watchmen graphic novel or the movie. but Alan Moore seems to be quite awesome.

Captain Awesome

"and Snyderâ€™s vision seems especially unimpressive."

How much was that time machine?

Captain Awesome

Raerth,

Yeah it's too bad that no one wants to adapt the other works. It's great that's he now drudging up this elitest stuff. But did he seriously think his other popular properties weren't going to be touched in some way? He acts like this suddenly "happened" and doesn't have any control over his DC properties.

If I was on his side of the fence and had that attitude. You either say "fuck it all" and move on. or partake in the project to have it come out as close as possible to the material.

It's as easy as that. Look, I love what Moore as has done. But I also know he wants to live like Che Guevara while writing comic books. But comics as a "whole" are a mainstream media. You can only control so much of it. Unless you really own anything having to do with it.

[A]

Read the article. It's a nice read. Moore is the man. Trust him!

Elliott

To be honest, it's not fair to say something like "Alan Moore should stop whining."

I mean, it's not like he's getting on the pulpit here, people just keep ASKING him what they think about his movie adaptations because they full well know that he hates all the movie adaptations and they'll get a good sound bite. Big surprise, they always get just what they want.

Captain Awesome

At the very end of the day. Comics and films can be easily separated into two categories. No one will "ever" be happy with it. The hardcore comicbook fanbase will always have a problem with the film versions and the non-comicbook crowd will love or hate it depending on how the film is executed.

Look at how rabid the LOTR fanbase was when Jackson said he was planning to cut out one fucking hobbit and made a female elf take the lead in place of a male one. And yet the films turned out amazing.

We can only hope for a happy medium between the two works and hope they do touch upon some of the original design in a respectful way.

Kip

I think the conversation ends at it's his work. He's not exactly been treated well in the past as far as film goes. I think the fact that he doesn't come out and sling mud and sue people and try and block these projects is a credit to him. It's him saying hey I don't like this one bit, but I wont stop another person from being creative and trying something. Just leave his name off the projects and do your best to stay true to the source materials.

Now that I have seen the trailer three times in the theatre I have learned two things. Normal people have no idea what "Watchmen" even is. At one point someone whispered oh there making the flash or hey thats wonder woman. Secondly, this film feels like it's going to be either a home run or a strike out. I don't think there will be a gray area (i.e. Daredevil / Spider Man 3.) People will either latch onto it and love it for it's visual challenges and amazing story. Or people will hate it for being too CGI/Colorful and out landish story.

Raerth

@ C.A.

I think you're approaching this arse-backwards. From all accounts I can find Moore was a willing participant with the first couple of films, until he saw what had happened to them.

Frank Miller is notable for having his work adapted faithfully. You cannot say this is or was the norm else people would not comment on it.

Moore is a perfectionist, for better or worse. He also has experience prior to the film adaptations of a company screwing him over for a quick buck. To call his stand whiny I think belittles his principle, and I prefer artists to stand up for their principles.

"To bad noone wants to adapt his other stuff".. I think most of his new creations have now been adapted, bar Halo Jones. Are you now blaming him for not being more productive?

Raerth

I think I should also point out that I hold high hopes for Watchmen.

The trailer does not hold true to the flavor of the graphic novel, but I think it's intended instead to show fans some well known scenes & catch the interest of the general public.

Think Kip has it dead right, this will either be a flop or a major hit. I fear that too much will be lost in transition to celluloid, but my fingers will remain crossed.

Captain Awesome

I'm not blaming him for anything. The way I see it, if he has such a problem with it. He's got two easy ways he can handle this. And he's done one already for years, by not accepting royalties based on his properties.

He's wrritten great comicbooks. But I tire of him trying to act like he's Abbie Hoffman. I'm not shooting him down for standing up for his work. I want artists to fight for their creations. But a lot of his creations are also made for corporations in the business of selling comics. It's whiney to me when he does this every year. He's been prattling on about this crap for a while now.

No one's putting a gun to his head.

Wall-E Plays Pong

I can't tell if Kurts was making a snarky, sarcastic comment or if he was just a moron, but either way it was funny!

Raerth

Not a gun to his head, but a mic to his mouth.

Journalists like a controversial headline, and know he will supply one. He's not knocking down our doors to tell us what he thinks, but I don't blame him for giving his opinion when asked.

Probably the same way I don't mind you whining about your disapproval of his stance ;)

krackajap

When someone refused to take part of the election and doesn't cast his vote, you tell them that they forfeited their right to bitch about the outcome since they didn't participate in the process.

Moore refusing to take part in the adaption of any of his works so he forfeits the right bitch about the outcomes. I understand why. If I recall correctly he once tried to give input but was ignored. But, unless he decides help fix the process and become part of the solution, i really don't want to hear him complain about it anymore.

SUe

I think that adaptations of graphic novels should only be made if they bring something new to the material. The Dark Knight expanded the batman mythology by introducing concepts and ideas absent or underplayed in the comics and brought a fresh look at the material. As for Watchmen, the only thing Zack Snyder looks like he contributed was motion and sound. I highly doubt his version will uncover any nuances or add any depth that can't be uncovered by reading the novel.

Feuer

I agree with Drewbdoo, he has put out some great stuff but he's also overrated, needs to get over himself.

Feuer

P.S. Agreed krackajap.

Captain Awesome

"I highly doubt his version will uncover any nuances or add any depth that canâ€™t be uncovered by reading the novel."

Why would you? The graphic novel is perfect. Snyder only means to translate it as much as possible onto a movie screen. And he's stated this many times. He values the written material so much. That he's using the artwork as actual storyboards for the film itself.

@ krackajap

I agree with your analogy.

Rockme

such a bitter man

SUe

@ Captain Awesome
But thats exactly my point. his adaptation is pointless because its just going to be a castrated version of the book. When Greengrass was on the project it seemed promising since we were told it would be an update and retelling set in modern times. That would've added something or at least given us something that the novel didn't do. Otherwise its just like a bad tracing of the original work.

Danny

At least he loves The Wire. He gets points for that...

igroveman

>sarcasm< because any character that expresses the fact that machismo and being macho is actually distinct from homosexuality is a "homophobe." I adore 300 for proclaiming unabashed manhood. Our society is a feminized and an emasculated one, and the more people insist that every red-blooded man fully embrace the idea that boys having sex with other boys is normal and manly, the more we will see material like this that rebels from blaise acceptance. Let homos be homos if you must, but do not insist that no one can loudly state their own hetero-machismo without a culture-bashing from the thought-gestapos.

Captain Awesome

"When Greengrass was on the project it seemed promising since we were told it would be an update and retelling set in modern times."

Sue, are you serious. The same douche who creates any scene involving any actual movement of story-telling through the use of jarring shakey-cam?

Wait, so let me get this straight. You're okay with Greengrass "re-imaging" The Watchmen. But fault Snyder for trying to follow it so closely?

...What the fuck are you smoking?

krackajap

I hope for the sake of SUe's argument that none of his favorite movies were books first.

ANGRY BROOMSTICK!!!

you gotta admire Moore for sticking to his principles.

bryan

Am I missing something about Alan Moore? I mean, he did sell the rights to adapt his graphic novels, did he not? I'm sure it's crushing to see someone you created destroyed by other people interpreting it, but if that's such a inconvenience for him why does he keep agreeing to let people try? One of the things I respect about James Ellroy is that while he enthusiastically promotes the good adaptations of his novels (which, really, just means LA Confidential) he makes a point of keeping his mouth shut when he doesn't approve the finished product. His feeling is that he gave up the right to bitch about it when he cashed the check. Maybe it's a different situation for Alan Moore, maybe he doesn't control the rights to his comics, but until I understand the difference I think he sounds like a petulant jackass. I agree with him abut 300 though; that shit was terrible.

Goobity

Moore is a genius, period. Cranky and bitter, but one hell of writer all the same. Sure his books 'can't be done' in film. That's why they're books.
At best,, film adaptations are two-hour trailers for massive works like Watchmen and From Hell, and others. If you want panel by panel...read the book.

Just don't bitch when the adaptation was other than what YOU envisioned. It never will be!

Ricky

I respect Moore's work but what Zack Snyder's done with cinema is amazing. Snyder cares about the material and I'm looking forward to Watchmen. And I loved V for Vendetta, though that wasn't Snyders.

As for comics to film adaptations: Has Mr. Moore ever seen The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Spider Man 2, X2, Hellboy among others? These films are perfect examples of great cinema.

Mr. B

Moore's position is one that he is welcome to have. I'm willing to give Snyder another chance, it's not his fault Frank Miller is a bigot.

My only hope is that Moore is gratefull for the film on some level when the Watchmen graphic novel sales increase, and he gets whatever minor bump in royalties from it.

krackajap

@ bryan

As I understand it DC controls the rights to all of his works while they are in print. Since they haven't actually gone out of print, Moore has no control over what happens to his work.

Goobity

@ bryan : Alan Moore owns (at least the publishing rights) to League and From Hell. He refused, as far as I know, involvement on both projects. The others are not his to gripe about, since he doesn't own the properties. D.C. does.
I'm a fan of his work, but he doesn't really have a leg to stand on in this case.

TheDaftPunk

Firstly - POLITICS!!!!

Secondly - Frankly, I find it rude that he' not paying attention and chooses to remain ignorant about this project. Especially towards someone who gives a damn about his story - and likes it enough to put so much effort into it. It seems Zack Snyder is doing the best job that he can on this adaptation. A similar situation comes to mind with Studio Ghibli's "Tales From Earthsea". The books were written by Ursula Le Guin, and while the Ghibli film didn't follow the books exactly, Le Guin still appreciated the work and enjoyed the movie for what it was.

SUe

I don't really get people who are saying he's "become bitter" because this has always been his stance on Hollywood as far back as I remember. And Greengrass and Gilliam are both much more compentant filmmakers than Snyder and probably would have spat out a better version. Snyder is just the genre boy toy of the moment. By the way, the Smashing Pumpkins song from the trailer is off the Batman & Robin soundtrack. So that and also Ozymandias' nipples would make two Schumacher references. I hope the Comedian has great Arnold-esque one liners like "Here's the PUNCH line" SMACK!

Nate

Hating on "300"? Wonderful!

Showing love to "The Wire"? Marvelous!

I always thought this man was one of the greatest minds on this planet and now I have further proof.

People call him bitter? Bitter people are superficial. Moore isn't that type. A guy who hands over his rightful share of the profits of this upcoming movie to his collaborator Dave Gibbons is a man who truly stands by his beliefs and lives by his own code. Hey, I loved the trailer for "Watchmen" and now have more (no pun intended) hope for the film, but I think its cool that Moore himself refuses to have anything to do with it. Guys like Snyder should just get on with it and stop seeking the man's approval. It ain't happening.

Nate

Captain Awesome, Moore has moved on from DC and is working with anothe rpublishing company that gives him more freedom. He's been doing that for years now actually. Also you can't accuse him of constatntly crying/whining because the man rarely does interviews in the first place.

Raerth

@ TheDaftPunk

What about Ursula saying this about the Sci-Fi channel series:

" I can only admire Mr Halmi's imagination, but I wish he'd left mine alone... I wonder if the people who made the film of The Lord of the Rings had ended it with Frodo putting on the Ring and ruling happily ever after, and then claimed that that was what Tolkien "intended..." Would people think they'd been "very, very honest to the books?" "

Potato

Leave Moore's work alone. It's his creation, he made Watchmen who's got any right messing around with the man's work? I'm all for you Alan, I belive that what you're are doing is the right thing and I don't see you as a cynical old man, it's hard standing up to what you are believing in espacially in the arena of art. You've reminded me of the integrity that we must hold on as artists.

TheMarquis

As the real Maria von Trapp said of The Sound of Music: "It's a nice story. But it's not MY story."

That saga was even closer to her heart because it actually happened, yet she was still grateful enough for the "homage" and lauded and accepted it for what it was, all the while noting and keeping the differences dear.

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