On that which lies between (and The Watchmen)

I have an undeniable tendency to overconsider things. That means that sometimes, some of the things I want to say here end up becoming obsolete before I actually say them.

Like Coraline, for example. I really liked the movie. I wanted to post a blog about why I liked it, and recommend that people check it out. But movies come and go so fast, and I missed my window of opportunity for that one.

Part of the problem with writing these posts is that it’s hard for me to shift gears. It’s hard for me to post up something serious and involved, then two days later say, “Hey, y’all know what movie is really cool?”

Similarly, a day after I post up a humor column, it doesn’t seem really appropriate for me to post up the story of what I thought when I felt the pain in my chest and the tingling down my left arm.

You see, a novel needs continuity, pacing, consistency. I strive for these things, I’m hyper-aware of them. A novel can have funny bits and sweet bits. It can be romantic, dramatic, and horrible. But all those pieces need to come together to form a coherent whole.

It’s my belief that this coherency is one of the most important parts of any story. Comic, movie, or book, the medium doesn’t matter. I think that strange intangible element makes the difference between a story that’s satisfying, and one that isn’t.

In fact, now that I’m thinking of it, I think this strange something might actually be the soul of the story. It’s the difference between something that is a story, and something that just looks like a story.

You can’t just throw together a plot, some characters, some dialogue and some humor onto the page and get a real story. Not a true and vital story. It doesn’t work any more than throwing two arms, two legs, a head and bunch of organs into a sack makes a person.

Sure you need a plot, mostly. And you need characters and all the rest. But the story, I think, is the thing that connects these parts. The story is that which lies between.

Bigger stories need more of it. A novel needs it in spades.

Sometimes I wonder about what I write here. Does this collection of musings and anecdotes that I only reluctantly call a blog need that same coherency? I think not. Maybe. Probably. I think.

Still, old habits die hard, and so a lot of times I think of writing something for the blog, but it doesn’t seem timely. Other times I actually write something with the intention of posting it up, then decide that the time for it has past. Or I don’t post it because it seems odd or incongruent with what I have posting lately.

Hmmmm…

What was I talking about? Oh yes. The Watchmen.

In brief, I liked it. It was fun to watch, largely true to the spirit of the original, and I’d be happy if someone did that good a job bringing something I wrote onto the screen. Not ecstatic, perhaps. But very happy.

Did I have quibbles? Of course I did. The Watchmen was the second comic I read as an adult. I was 22 at the time, and it was a large part of what convinced me that the medium of comics wasn’t just a mess of childish bullshit.

I don’t believe in spoilers, so I won’t give anything away about the plot or the changes they made. Instead, I’ll just make some general comments.

I liked…

…the casting. Whoever was responsible for the casting in the movie deserves a full, passionate kiss on the mouth. The acting was brilliant, and the portrayal of many of the characters was truly exceptional.

… the fact that the movie was subtle and clever. I am a fan of subtle and clever.

… the visuals. Normally I could give a care about things like that. But many of these were truly fantastic. Very true to the comic while at the same time adding to the overall tone of the movie.

… the acting. So good on all fronts. I can’t remember the actor’s name who played the comedian, but he rang my bell. Every role I’ve seen him in he’s been great.

… seeing Dr. Manhattan’s great naked blue dick dangling all over the place. Huzzah.

I disliked…

… the loss of moral ambiguity the original story possessed.

… the portrayal of Ozymandias. Not the acting, mind you. The overall portrayal.

As I’ve said I don’t go in for spoilers. So that’s all I’ll say here. Maybe I’ll chime in with a more specific comment or two below. If you hate spoilers, you’ll probably want to avoid the comments section, as I expect there will be some heated and specific discussion.

Is the movie worth seeing? Absolutely. But you should really read the graphic novel too. It’s brilliant. It’s clever. It’s full of that which lies between.

Later all,

pat

This entry was posted in musings, recommendations, tangentality, the craft of writingBy Pat65 Responses

64 Comments

  1. gapyeargirl123
    Posted March 13, 2009 at 10:41 PM | Permalink

    I’m going to go see this tomorrow with my boyfriend – really looking forward to it.

  2. TheTheory
    Posted March 13, 2009 at 10:50 PM | Permalink

    Coraline was awesome… especially in 3D. Totally saw it three times. I’d like to write a paper on it for my Literary Criticism class. We’ll see.

  3. tanabrus
    Posted March 13, 2009 at 10:51 PM | Permalink

    I also disliked the fightings. They seemed to have some incredible strenght :(But I loved that film, it was really the Watchmen :)THAT is a comics->film translation!Not like the badbadbadbadbadbad V for Vendetta…

  4. bananajoos
    Posted March 13, 2009 at 11:30 PM | Permalink

    Well, sometimes stories that work on print don’t work on the screen. This may have happened with V for Vendetta. I have never read the comic but absolutely love the movie. So, obviously the movie crew did something right.

  5. -Matt
    Posted March 13, 2009 at 11:44 PM | Permalink

    Dear Pat,I loved reading this because it portrayed my feelings on the film also. After walking out I remember thinking, “Holy shit, the casting was amazing.” And Rorschach?! Who played him?! It was brilliant!? My only real complaint was obviously the ending. I mean, it wasn’t so bad that I wanted to go find Zach Synder and murder his sweet mother, but on the same token, it wasn’t a good ending…It bothered me. Also, Okay–I’m 19 years old, so I suppose I should have the maturity level to no longer laugh at dicks, but every time Dr. Manhattan came on the scene and his dick was showing I laughed. I snickered like I was 7 and someone muttered “vagina” at the lunch table. Anyways, good review, Pat. Much enjoyed. I love your book. I’m reading in through my second time. Please put out your next book or might start lynching little kittens. P.S.- Did you think the scene towards the end looked something like Groung Zero? My english professor pointed it out. Just wondering.

  6. KMack
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 12:15 AM | Permalink

    Pat, If you want to post about Coraline you still could – its not out in the UK yet so I imagine many of your UK readers would be thrilled to have your opinion of it. According to IMDB, it doesn’t come out here until May so you have plenty of time to fit it in, should you so desire. Mind, I’m not asking/begging/pleading you to do an entry on Coraline. Just letting you know that if you wanted to do so there’s still a good reason :) A fan, K

  7. David
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 12:55 AM | Permalink

    This movie really achieved what it set out to, except for the ending. I feel that changing the alien-attack plot a bit was not the problem, but the problem was that we do not see Ozymandias feeling triumphant, but rather sobered, and Nite Owl and his lover didn’t come off as poorly he did in the novel.Only Rorschach seemed to remain intact.

  8. Keitorin
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 1:04 AM | Permalink

    The Comedian was played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan (which you may have already figured out for yourself by now), and I agree in that his acting has always struck a chord with me.

  9. rebeccafrog
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 1:06 AM | Permalink

    I would love to hear what you thought about Coraline. I haven’t gotten a chance to see it yet, but I love the book.

  10. Todd Moses
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 1:07 AM | Permalink

    I never read the comic, but loved the movie. Going to see it again this weekend.Was TOTALLY distracted in that childish way by Dr. Manhattan’s nudity.

  11. Matthew
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 2:26 AM | Permalink

    “It doesn’t work any more than throwing two arms, two legs, a head and bunch of organs into a sack makes a person.”It doesn’t make a person Pat, but it does make a person a felon.

  12. Llyralei
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 3:09 AM | Permalink

    I watched the movie and then read the comic. I felt like such a poser, lol. But I have to say, though the movie did lack the moral ambiguity the comic had, at the end of the movie, I was still angsting over whether I was morally satisfied. I definitely experienced a decent amount of moral ambiguity, lol.Also, I am amused by the fact that my male friends all noticed glowing blue dick before any of my female friends or I did.Anyway, it was an amazingly spectacular film. I saw it twice.

  13. Snall Trippin
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 3:46 AM | Permalink

    Watched it a couple days ago. Quite liked it, wish it was 3.5 instead of 2.5 hours. Any movie where I don’t know the ending in advance is a good thing.nomfectr- The information surrounding the history of a name.

  14. Jennifer
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 4:12 AM | Permalink

    I liked that you said “Huzzah”! It reminds me of Tobias Funke…

  15. DT
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 5:05 AM | Permalink

    Llyralei, I’ve got some important information. The girls all noticed the blue dick, too, they just didn’t talk about it. Seriously.DT

  16. Anonymous
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 8:22 AM | Permalink

    I’ve had the good fortune to be one of those people who read the book before I even knew there was a movie being made. I really did enjoy it, blue wang and everything. I’ve heard that the newspaper stall comic/sailor story they cut out will be available on the DVD version.

  17. Chris
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 8:27 AM | Permalink

    I liked Rorschach too. The only thing that didn’t really ring true for me was his voice. I always imagined him to have this flat, monotone sounding voice – like an old school robot. Otherwise, the Rorschach in my head and the one onscreen were exactly alike.The two major qualms I had was with Ozymandias and the ending. I think more time could have went into exploring Ozymandias’ character. He seemed like too much of a villain to me. Way more than he should have, in my opinion. I first read <>Watchmen<> just last year, and ever since I’ve been condemning Oz and condoning Oz depending on my mood and what day of the week it is. I don’t think it should ever be that easy to pick out the good people from the bad in <>Watchmen<>.As to the ending… Okay, we really didn’t need the giant squid. But with Snyder’s way of doing things, it just doesn’t have the same impact. I think there are lots of reasons for this, but the two main ones for me:a) It severely lessens Ozymanias’ integrity (what integrity he had) and goes against his character. It’s one thing to make a big fake squid monster the enemy, and entirely another to steal from and then blame a friend for the mass murders that he committed. He’s got his pride, after all.b) The ending cheapens Jon and the reasons that he REALLY had to leave for. That just irks me to no end.

  18. Anonymous
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 1:17 PM | Permalink

    Did Pat have a heart attack and I just never heard about it?

  19. Laini Taylor
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 2:09 PM | Permalink

    Hi Pat! We just saw Watchmen — Jim had been dying to but had a deadline so had to wait — and he <>loved<> it, and I really liked it a lot. I read the book so long ago, and never quite *got* what everyone raved about so much (thinking now I need to reread), so I didn’t go in with high fanboy fears or expectations, or even a great memory of what happens . . . which was good. I thought it was so well done. The only thing, in retrospect, is I agree with someone’s comment above that Ozymandias wasn’t explored sufficiently that you felt like you understood his motives by the end. I thought the rest of the character development was great, but with him, it was tricky. I get that they really <>couldn’t<> explore his character in the same way without a big blinking light that reveals his greater role in events. It’s a storytelling dilemma I have faced myself: when keeping a crucial secret from the reader, there are things you can’t do, development you can’t accomplish, without revealing too much.Also, someone above also mentioned that guys are the ones calling out the blue penis. So true! Someone on a fanboy podcast or review had said that the “blue penis might as well be a character in the movie” so we were expecting blue shlong galore, and then found it very much less present than we expected. Ha ha. And a guy behind us in the theater was heard to remark uncomfortably, on seeing the Night Owl’s pale ass, “There’s a lot of male nudity in this movie.” Jim and I think the people calling so much attention to the blue penis as over-the-top must be the same people who thought 300 was so “homoerotic.” Whatever!:-)(Oh, and I loved Coraline too!)

  20. thornofcamorr
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 3:46 PM | Permalink

    I loved Watchmen, comic and movie, but the movie certainly was missing some things, such as more backstory for Ozy and Hollis’s ‘resolution.’ If I have a qualm it would be the amped up violence. It just felt a little out there, kind of took me out of the movie. Seems they could have cut to Rorschach’s haggard face for a second instead of close-ing up on the big dude getting his arms sawed off. Also, Dan and Laurie were a little hard on that gang of top-knots in that alley..

  21. Anonymous
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 4:03 PM | Permalink

    I saw Watchmen last weekend and loved it. I’ll admit that I’ve never read the comic, but from everything I’ve heard it’s pretty faithful to the original material. A lot of people are bitching about the end and some about the violence. Personally I didn’t mind the end (again haven’t read the book). As for the violence; I think it’s good that Zach Snyder didn’t wuss out on it. This isn’t a story for children.

  22. Christine
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 4:08 PM | Permalink

    I agree with everything about the Watchmen there. I liked the movie a lot, but it lacked the spirit of the graphic novel. I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t seen Coraline yet. Shhh… don’t tell Neil!

  23. Spryng
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 4:24 PM | Permalink

    Did you get the heart thing checked out? I mean, unless you have a history of panic attacks. Please don’t die.As for Watchmen – yes. Entirely. It was delicious. I was mostly struck by the number of scenes they set up to look exactly like the corresponding scene from the comic. I would love for someone to do a side-by-side analysis, because I haven’t even read the comic in more than two years and could still pick them out.

  24. Wintermusic
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 4:32 PM | Permalink

    From reading The Name of the Wind I can tell that you’re a musician…or at least, someone who truly understands music, so I have to ask. What did you think of the score? I thought it was horrible and took some scenes that could have been A+ and made them something less.Otherwise, I completely agree with you…I thought it was a great film and personally I like some of the changes they made…even the ending…

  25. RedCochina
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 5:38 PM | Permalink

    I’ve seen it twice now and I loved it but was disappointed. (Huh?) I think it *technically* followed the comic but the spirit of it was lost somehow. I totally agree with the last post – horrible music choices. Sounds of Silence? Ride of the Valkyries? They took what should have been poignant and epic scenes and pooped all over them, imo. Though I LOVED the opening credits and the music was perfect there.I read the comic last summer and was blown away. It was so good, it stayed with me for days and I couldn’t stop thinking about how disturbing and awesome it was. But by the end of the movie I was merely ambivalent about the characters. They just didn’t resonate the way their 2-D counterparts did (though you are correct, the casting was right on.) I think Rorschach KICKED ASS! I saw him in Little Children just a few weeks ago on Netflix and knew he must be a good actor because he played a creepy pervert that I still had sympathy for. Haley is a phenomenal actor but by the end of Watchmen I just couldn’t muster up tears for him (and I did tear up for the comic.) Like I said, no fault of the actors but something was lost in translation.As for the blue penis? I have no idea why folks are making that such a big deal. I’m glad they put it in because 1) It was in the comic and if they kept “hiding” it in the movie, it would have been silly and even more distracting. 2) It was part of his character, he felt no shame! (Unlike, apparently, the “grown up” men who went to this movie.) 3) There is no shortage of female nudity in movies but men are never required to drop trau. Finally, a little something for the ladies!! (Or should I say a “big something”.) ;)

  26. Alice O
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 7:30 PM | Permalink

    I’m very curious to know what you think of Dollhouse…:)A

  27. Nagrul
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 9:24 PM | Permalink

    Thank you. Thank you for saying little things that need to be said and understanding things that others can only hope to hang their stars near.

  28. celtrock
    Posted March 14, 2009 at 9:35 PM | Permalink

    I liked the movie well enough from a purely visceral sense. It was satisfying to see the hot chick in the skimpy spandex kicking the shit out of a bunch of gangbangers and convicts. I also loved the little guy from Seinfeld. Badass midgets (dwarves?) always crack me up. The guy who played Rohrschack was a child actor who played the character of Kelly Leeks in the original Bad News Bears. He was also one of the main characters in Breaking Away. 2 or 3 years ago he was nominated for an Oscar for his role in a movie (name not recalled) where he played a pedophile who cut his own dick off (don’t think it was blue though). Anyway, the movie was, like most comic-come-silver screen efforts, long on action and short on plot.

  29. Anastasia L
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 4:06 AM | Permalink

    Liked that they didn’t spend the whole movie hiding the blue wang.Hated that the entire audience burst out into titters every time it was on screen.Sigh.

  30. Wob
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 5:29 AM | Permalink

    My friend delights in referring to it, wherever she encounters it, as the “giant cerulean wang”.I really enjoyed Rorschach’s character, myself, although not having read the novel I can’t make any comparisons.

  31. pws
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 5:52 AM | Permalink

    Have seen it twice, on Imax, and I thought it was amazing.Unlike some here I thought the music was spot on in most places, brilliant in others. When Dr. Manhattan went to Mars I wanted to stand up and cheer for the music that was chosen. Obvious to some, but perfect.Haley was phenomenal as Rorschack. It was better the second time, and I’d see it again.

  32. Matt
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 1:40 PM | Permalink

    Add me to the list of those that really disliked the soundtrack. It wasn’t that the songs were bad, it was the intrusive way they were forced upon the audience, as though to say, “Listen to our clever music choices! We think they fit cleverly with their scenes! AREN’T WE CLEVER?!?!”I really could have settled for a nice orchestral score.And, oh yes, the crap makeup. Nixon’s nose looked like it was in danger of just slipping off his face the entire time. And the old-age makeup on Carla Gugino. Granted, I defy you to find a way to make her look less than hot, but still…Three cheers for Dr. Manhattan’s swingin’ blue Otter Pop. I love how his nudity was portrayed as perfectly normal, even inconsequential.

  33. Margaret
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 3:56 PM | Permalink

    Not to quibble, but there is no “The” in Watchmen. /quibble

  34. Liz
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 5:05 PM | Permalink

    I was a little disappointed how everyone had a bit of superstrength – the point of the Watchmen was that they were ordinary people, dressing up in semi-ridiculous homemade costumes. Ozymandius should have been the only exception – in fact, I wish they had played up his almost superhuman intellect and strength, the product of years of intense training. As an aside – you going to the PenguiCon this year?

  35. Furious George
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 8:00 PM | Permalink

    On the note of the cohesive whole thing. Watchmen lacked some explanation. The super heroes, apart from Dr Manhattan, gave the feel of true batman-esque vigilante-ism but lacked any indication of how they acquired this super human speed. Also, did anyone feel weird about the music? Strange selection for certain parts of the movie and the cuts were so long! I’m not saying I didn’t like it, but it certainly was different and hard to wrap my mind around.

  36. Chad
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 8:58 PM | Permalink

    I thought the book dictated the soundtrack. Some of the choices seemed on the nose, but they’re just faithful to the book.

  37. Marjorie
    Posted March 15, 2009 at 9:31 PM | Permalink

    You could still write the Coaraline review – I hear it is back in (some) theatres, and for those of us who don’t live in the US it hasn’t come out yet!I’m currently reading Watchmen, before I go to see it.

  38. Becca
    Posted March 16, 2009 at 2:06 AM | Permalink

    Jeffrey Dean Morgan was so fantastic as the Comedian! I fangirl him an awful lot, and he WAS the Comedian in terms of “well he’s obviously a horrible person but I like him anyway!” Rorschach, too. I like the Comedian, but I adore Rorschach (I choose to ignore what this may say about me). Jackie Earle Haley upstaged everyone and man, did he deserve it. The casting could not have been better.

  39. Crystal
    Posted March 16, 2009 at 7:21 PM | Permalink

    Pat,The thing with life is that it doesn’t have a plot. We try to plot it out for ourselves, but it rarely works out the way we plan. So, if you post a comic yesterday and today something sad or dramatic happens it’s ok to make a post/comment on your blog. That’s what blogging is all about. A true day to day or week to week “diary” about your life. No ones going to read you post and say “What an inconstant hodge-podge of a blog!!” We aren’t reading to get a seamless and well planed stroy about your life. We’re reading because, well we just can’t get enough.:-D

  40. LiquidWeird
    Posted March 16, 2009 at 7:40 PM | Permalink

    My take on it: I thought the ending was great, and it made more sense than the squiddy monster. They pussed out Rorschach. In the book, he chained up the child murderer and set him on fire and watched him burn alive. In the movie, he gave him a quick death with a cleaver. Lame and weak. Though, other than that, it was spot on. The voice did throw me for a bit. I liked the voice from the motion comic preview best, I think. And they should have slipped the ‘Fight evil. Even in the face of Armageddon I will not compromise on this’ early on so that it had more punch at the end. (Director’s cut anyone?)Ozymandias should have been set up as a man in peak physical shape along with the mental prowess, and honestly maybe a somewhat less skinny actor to portray him might have been better. All these are minor nitpicks though.I noticed the electric blue wang, but largely ignored it.WV: excner – when you try to say ‘executioner’ but sneeze just as you start to speak.

  41. LiquidWeird
    Posted March 16, 2009 at 7:42 PM | Permalink

    Oh, and here’s Watchmen done as though it were a Saturday Morning Cartoon. This is especially good if you’ve read the graphic novel.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDHHrt6l4w

  42. Anonymous
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 3:31 AM | Permalink

    i just read ‘the longest blog ever’. i couldn’t find a space to leave a comment so being a complete technical fuck up i will leave my comment here.bro. your first book is divine. you are not responsible for other people’s reactions or attitudes. the next one will be worth the wait – let the consequence of good, solid writing speak for itself. Peace.

  43. marky
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 3:46 PM | Permalink

    I’ve never read the graphic novels. But I will now, because that was one quality movie. The artwork and effects were stunning, and as you’ve already mentioned, the acting was brilliant. It was a long movie too, which was a pleasant surprise. All I was expecting was your average run of the mill good vs bad movie, and what I got was a full on adult themed, kick ass movie with depth. It’s the best movie I’ve seen since Death note.

  44. TC BigPants
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 4:44 PM | Permalink

    St. Patty’s Day. Come on, Pat. There has to be a <>College Survival Guide<> you could dig up concerning St. Patty’s and drunk college kids, no?

  45. Elveny
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 6:10 PM | Permalink

    <>… the loss of moral ambiguity the original story possessed.<>Oh, I don’t know about that. To be honest, I haven’t read the comics but for me the movie was actually all about moral ambiguity. Those self-named ‘superheroes’ supposedly fighting for the good and then so casually killing people…There was no “good” and no “evil”. What can be more ambigous than that – at least in a superhero movie? ;)

  46. tinkandalissa
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 7:23 PM | Permalink

    I read your longest blog ever and have been peeking back here every few days or so…I have since purchased your book. It is next in my TBR pile. As an aspiring writer taking a LONG time working on and perfecting my first novel, I totally appreciate being able to read your blog and seeing some of the feelings and frustrations I am experiencing voiced here. You CRACK me up! The only other thing I really want to add to this is: Dude, you are my fucking hero!!

  47. MissMatthews
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 8:09 PM | Permalink

    I didnt like watchmen that much, sorry.I found the film very slow paced and even boring in places.but i did like the actors and dr manhattons swinging dingle dangle!! xxx

  48. Anonymous
    Posted March 17, 2009 at 10:34 PM | Permalink

    So, this isn’t about the movie, but rather your longest blog post ever. I’m an itinerant fantasy reader, but I do follow George R.R. Martin’s “Not a Blog.” Facing the same tongue-lashings over a “late” novel as yourself, he recently linked to your page as a kindred soul. I followed the link and thus discovered you and your work. I have not read the Name of the Wind yet, but I picked it up today, and it is on my horizon. So, (feel free to get giddy here) your delay is actually gaining you readers! Had you not been behind schedule, Martin would have never linked to you, and vagabonds such as myself might have completely passed you by. Hell, you should just put the book on the back burner indefinitely, continue to post about it, and then see how many rubber-neckers your policy of literary obstinacy garners! Hope this brightens your day :)

  49. Anonymous
    Posted March 18, 2009 at 12:02 AM | Permalink

    <>Ace<> blog. Visited your website with the intention of finding the release date of your second book(Haven’t found it, but no matter. Google will save the day.), but looks like I found something a whole lot better. Will be checking back regularly.

  50. Anonymous
    Posted March 18, 2009 at 12:19 AM | Permalink

    Okay, I’m Anonymous who posted at 6.02 pm on March 17, 2009. I so insensitively talked about Book Two, when you just wrote a cracking longest post ever a couple of entries back. <>I apologise<>. See, I was so impressed by this first post I saw I just had to comment. Anyway, to echo everyone else, take all the time you need. I’m sure I’m speaking for (almost) everyone when I say that I’d choose a well-written, thoughtful book than a mass-produced thing that <>I<> (probably not, but you get my drift!) can write. Any-fucking-day.

  51. Anonymous
    Posted March 18, 2009 at 4:44 PM | Permalink

    I liked it a lot. I thought it captured the spirit of the book and had the balls to stay true to it, for the most part. Sure there were a few misfires, but what it got right more than made up for it.I have to say it’s awesome to see Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach) working again — he absolutely nailed the character for me — so much so that I would say that he is the first comic book character to be portrayed EXACTLY as I saw it. For those of you who don’t know who Haley is, you may have seen him years ago as a child actor: probably his most famous role is ‘Moocher’ in “Breaking Away” (memorable scene: punching out the time clock). I believe he was also in “Bad News bears” and was stomped on by Donald Sutherland in “The Day of the Locust.”But, he’ll always be ‘Billy’ to me in the awfully great z-movie “Damnation Alley.”Hmmm. Think I may have dated myself in this post….

  52. Sedulo
    Posted March 21, 2009 at 5:54 PM | Permalink

    When the wang is glowing blue,What to do? What to do?When the size is much too wide,Run outside, go and hide!When the fellow multiplies,And with a touch electrifies.What’s the plan? What’s the plan?Manhattan, Manhattan!

  53. Pat
    Posted March 21, 2009 at 9:32 PM | Permalink

    Oh my lord Sedulo, I wish I had some sort of official scoring system for fan awesome so I could award you points or something for that….

  54. Trey
    Posted March 23, 2009 at 6:21 PM | Permalink

    Mr. Rothfuss, I do wish you didn’t live so far away. I fear you will never make it around to touring the southeast US. It’s warm, blue, and Mastersly where I am.I’m reading your book for the first time (and am at the part when we first see Kvothe going to Imre, searching for seedy money-lenders… hopefully he doesn’t run into any Maltese Jews). Sometimes your descriptions of a moment remind me greatly of James Joyce. In my mind, so far, you have surpassed Goodkind, and are currently breathing down the necks of James Clavell and G.R.R. Martin. Thank you for the wonderfultastic read.

  55. Justin B.
    Posted March 23, 2009 at 7:39 PM | Permalink

    Speaking of your novel, never have I been so engaged with a fantasy novel ever since completing Mercede’s Lackey’s Last Herald Mage series. You are a prime example of how fantasy novels should be and not how many novels result in contrived stories which are void of any real emotional substance. Various hours could be dedicated to discussing the merits of your novel and your fantastic utilization of the English language. Thank you for giving me hope within the modern novel and broadening my tastes beyond the writing of Bram Stoker, the Bronte sisters, JRR Tolkien, Charles Dickens, and Neil Gaiman. As an ardent fan of the original comic book of “Watchmen” which my roomate forced me to read; I was overall pleased with the film’s visuals and faithful adherence to the comic book. Overall, the beginning was stronger than the weaker ending which began to deviate a bit from the ending of the original comic book. The acting was top notch and the actor who played Rorschach deserves special noting due to the way he perfectly nailed his voice which sounded similar to Solid Snake’s yet that’s how I envisioned his voice, gruff. Anyways, when the sequel to The Naming of the Wind is finally released, I’ll be sure to finally liberate myself from my introverted lodgings and purchase a copy. Also, please visit Philadelphia,PA within the next two years because there’s plenty of savvy fans, stoked about the possibility of meeting you. Again. thanks for revitalizing my faith within a presently derivative, cliche-ridden fantasy market!!Best of luck,Justin B.

  56. Andrew Donaldson
    Posted March 24, 2009 at 11:23 AM | Permalink

    I’m just a little concerned that you’re so confident that you can’t just throw a bunch of body parts into a sack and make a person. I mean, I expect you’re right, only…HOW DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE???

  57. Scribblar
    Posted March 25, 2009 at 2:00 PM | Permalink

    I just saw Watchman and thought it had some really great parts, and some utter crap.I thought there was a bit much gore, but maybe because I’m not used to superhero movies being gory.

  58. Gabriel
    Posted March 30, 2009 at 6:07 AM | Permalink

    I’m one of the filmgoers who had read Watchmen beforehand. As such, I was particularly and ever so pleasantly surprised by the casting in a way I wouldn’t have expected: In reading the original I had always imagined the hulking, omnipotent, Dr. Manhattan as having an equally large, “Coming soon to a theatre near you” booming voice- but lo and behold, Billy Crudup is a tenor! And for me, that changes everything. ‘Imagine a world where’ the biggest strongest penis-in-view male characters have the high voices.Just my thoughts. Did anyone else notice this?

  59. Anonymous
    Posted March 31, 2009 at 7:04 PM | Permalink

    Best quote that I’ve heard so far about the movie:“We all live in the shadow of Dr. Manhattan’s junk.”

  60. K. L. Parish
    Posted April 8, 2009 at 1:51 PM | Permalink

    “We all live in the shadow of Dr. Manhattan’s junk.”Dude, you can’t post stuff like this online. I almost snorted strawberry banana smoothie all over a manuscript!As someone who had never even heard of The Watchmen before the movie came out, I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely the first time I saw it, and then when I went back by myself to watch it again, I was bored and ended up leaving halfway through. I think I just went back to see it too soon after the first time. It’s hellaciously long. But definitely cool nevertheless. I love the moral ambiguity, which I think it had plenty enough for my tastes. Hated Ozymandias with a passion though. And the sex scene.Giant blue glowing donkus never got old though, not for three hours. WIN.

  61. Will
    Posted April 10, 2009 at 5:48 AM | Permalink

    Pat – Off topic, but was just looking through your blog and noticed you didn’t mention Cyanide and Happiness. Obviously you can’t link everything out there but wanted to recommend it if you haven’t stumbled across it yet. Brilliant comic – here’s a taste:http://www.explosm.net/comics/1596/This one’s pretty harmless but many of em are not for the easily offended.

  62. Anonymous
    Posted April 12, 2009 at 8:16 AM | Permalink

    Read Watchmen when it first came out. Enjoyed Watchmen the movie. But I agree with Pat on the Ozymandias thing. The guy should have been 6 foot 3 and built like a quarterback. Not like my Algebra teacher. Decent acting though. Also agree with earlier posts on Manhatten’s voice. I was expecting some sort of booming god like sound. The rest of the cast couldn’t have been better though. The music bugged me on the second screening.

  63. Anonymous
    Posted April 29, 2009 at 10:46 AM | Permalink

    This was my first adult comic. It made a huge impact on me, and the movie was great. Altough there are differences, like the end, I think the movie was BRILIANT (is this how you speel it?)
    Obviously there are differences, but they add to the whole more than sutract, this goes for the fight scenes for not mentioning the parallel stories (the gruesome comic) which made for a lot of the books atomsphere, for the ending and for Ozzy.
    Also I enjoyed the music (not enough to get in a debate, but i did, the valkyries thing took me back to apocalypse now, which wasw clever, and the hippie music seemed very much in order).
    Another thing i remarked was the way Dr. Manhatan moved,like he had to conscienciously move every part of the body EXCEPT for the wang which dangled of it’s own.
    I reccall when the advertising for the comic came out, Roscharch was portrayed as “Batman would be in the real world”, on this i think they lost a bit, altough the acting was supperb, the camera should have given angles similar to the comic.
    Ok, serious parts discussed I REALLY LOVED THE SPANDEX AND HIGH HEEL KNEE HIGH BOOT OUTFIT!!!!!!!!
    (I have to agree that if you’re gonna have any kind of nudity it should be female one an of good taste at that!)
    (“good taste” as in “hot”)

  64. Anonymous
    Posted April 29, 2009 at 10:52 AM | Permalink

    This was my first adult comic. It made a huge impact on me, and the movie was great. Altough there are obviously differences , I think the movie was BRILIANT (is this how you spell it?).
    The differences add to the whole more than subtract. This goes for the fight scenes for not mentioning the parallel stories (the gruesome sailor comic) which made for a lot of the books atmosphere, for the ending and for Ozzy.
    Also I enjoyed the music (not enough to get in a debate, but i did, the Valkyries thing took me back to Apocalypse now, which was clever, and the hippie music seemed very much in order).
    Another thing I remarked was the way Dr. Manhatan moved, like he had to conscientiously move every part of the body EXCEPT for the wang which dangled of it’s own (and here we could get in a whole philosophical debate).
    I recall when the advertising for the comic came out, Roscharch was portrayed as “Batman would be in the real world”, and on this I think they lost a bit, although the acting was superb, the camera should have given angles similar to the comic. Rosrcharch is arguably one of the best comic characters EVER, and the movie lost a bit.
    Ok, serious parts discussed I REALLY LOVED THE SPANDEX-AND-HIGH-HEEL-KNEE-HIGH-BOOT-OUTFIT!!!!!!!!
    (I have to agree that if you’re gonna have any kind of nudity it should be female one an of good taste at that!)
    (“good taste” as in “hot”)

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