Sci Fi Movie Podcast Watchmen

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Hosted by Remi Lavictoire, Mr. Blahg, Ian Fults, Jonathan Colbon

Podcast length: 1:10:08

This week on The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast, Rem, Ian, Jonathan dig deeper into "Watchmen" from 2009 and directed by Zack Snyder.

We're very pleased to welcome Mr. Blahg, from The Under The Comic Covers Podcast which you'll find on the Podcastica Network.

The PositiveConsidered at one time to be un-filmable, Watchmen is a dark take on the Superhero genre in an alternate United States where the U.S. won in Vietnam, and Richard Nixon is still President! Ian loved that the movie adaptation took very good care of Alan Moore's original Graphic Novel, and found the casting to be spot on, particularly Rorschach. Jonathan talked about the symbolism in the movie, which was abundant.  This is a film should be watched several times to be fully appreciated.

The NegativeThe only small points we could find were the somewhat cheesy Leonard Cohen music during the 'Love Scene', and some fans will not enjoy this because of the comparison with the Graphic Novel.

The VerdictWe had mixed opinions on which to do first, the movie or the graphic novel, but we all agree that Watchmen is a great story and is well worth exploring.

Get more detail on Watchmen on IMDB

Radio vs. The Martians Podcast

As per Mr. Blahg's suggestion, learn more about David Zapanta

Listener Feedback

Cory Metcalfe

This movie is truly outstanding, that is all

Ian FoggoGrowing up in the 80's, this was a comic I stumbled upon, which was very hard to do when you live in an island. A few years after I read this, I even gave the complete series as a gift to a friend. I was completely stoked to see that this was going to be made into a movie, and as a comic book and Sci-Fi fan, thought that this was and has been one of the best Superhero movies put out.

Athena NeillEnjoyed the movie. Loathed the Silk Spectre's costumes. Impractical and misogynistic in every way. I would like to light them on fire.

David ZapantaThis movie is vastly underrated—and fan backlash to the altered ending overshadowed a pretty impressive page-to-screen adaptation. I do, however, think trying to cram 12 chapters into a single movie was overambitious. The source material would have been better served as an onscreen trilogy—really let the story expand and breathe. At the end of the day, I'm glad this movie exists. Great cast, slick cinematography, and a surprising (but necessary) fidelity to the comics. Snyder's Sucker Punch is loathsome; Watchmen is not.

Mike GorhamThis was the first Blu Ray movie I ever watched. Breathtaking does not begin to describe it

Corey BlantonI really enjoyed this movie. I still enjoy rewatching it. I think this movie was put together really well. The cast is fantastic. Some great use of song choice. I love the opening with "The Times, They Are A Changin'" by Bob Dylan that sort of sets up the world in which the movie takes place. Also "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel was perfect for The Comedian's funeral. And how can you not like Rorschach in this? His dialogue is just plain awesome throughout this movie. I mean come on:

https://youtu.be/B3lsJmwNO40Lisa LyonsThere was a time that this was a comic book that was unfilmable. But then, they also said Lord of the Rings could never be filmed! Watchmen was, without a doubt, one comic book that made me a comic fan. That and the wonderful Camelot 3000. So, going into this film, I knew the source incredibly well. Dr Manhattan was precisely how I imagined him, but stealing every scene, without a doubt was Rorschach. He was perfectly cast, and carried off with such aplomb by Jackie Earle Haley that I couldn't have imagined anyone else in that role... I'm still of two minds if the comic ending or the film ending is best. I mean the ultimate outcome of both is humanity uniting, but is an Alien invasion more or less believable? Finally, on the DVD release there was a short animation that takes the Pirates story that develops in parallel in the comic, and turns it into a stand alone story. Weird, strange, but good... Oddly reminiscent of Heavy Metal type cartoons.

Anthony FarnsworthYay! Love mr blahg!I really enjoyed this movie, the graphic novel even more so. I read the graphic novel prior to watching the movie, in fact Watchmen was the first graphic novel i ever read and owned. I wasn't sure what to expect, just thought "hey a cliche superhero team, they're making a movie about it so it must be good"...cliche superhero team...boy was i wrong. Turning the page and seeing a giant exploded alien carcass is definitely up there with the top 5 times my mind has been blown, although the movie did it different, i rather enjoy both versions and can understand why they chose to go the direction they did in the movie, both work, but i sure would have loved to see cthulhu body parts scattered across a ruined Manhattan. A visual masterpiece, its very fitting with Zack Snyder's resume and i believe he did the graphic novel justice. Its one of those pieces of media that had me talking for quite awhile, unlike avengers which is a cut and dry superhero team movie, Watchmen presents many existential quandaries to think about which i find to be rare with your typical superhero movie. I would recommend both the movie and novel to anyone, the deleted scenes are just as enjoyable. Cant wait to hear the discussion fellas, take care.

Ton de WitteI read the graphic novel first. When I saw the movie I was impressed with how well it followed the novel. Some things were absent and the ending was different but a great translation to film. And there are 3 versions of this movie, theatrical, directors cut and ultimate cut. Didn't see the last one which seems to have the tales of the black freighter in it so review all three if you can. Essential viewing this one as well as reading the graphic novel.Now do we understand who is locked up with whom and where ?

Doug FergusonApparently a lot of people really don't like the movie... but I do! I think Snyder did a great job adapting the graphic novel, which was an ambitious undertaking to say the least. I think the casting was great and the tone was dark and mysterious. There were a few questionable changes, but overall I feel that they stayed true to the source material and I actually thought the ending change worked better for the cinematic medium. I'm sure Alan Moore would have hated it, but that's because he's Alan Moore.

Though, part of me wonders about the project that only exists only in a parallel universe. Apparently Terry Gilliam was approached ages ago to adapt Watchmen and he turned it down saying that it couldn't be done in a single movie, but he would do it if it were a miniseries. I would have LOVED to see that, but it never came to pass...

Ray RMy first viewing was the extended cut DVD - I found it long and tedious, a missed opportunity. I hear fans of the comic loved it but as a casual moviegoer I thought it could have been better.

Nick JensenI really enjoy this movie and the graphic novel. Like a lot of the other posts, I read the graphic novel first and then saw the movie, and think it's a great adaptation. The parts that they changed, like the costumes and the ending, all really worked well; and honestly look better. I think one of the main reasons why a lot of the general public didn't really embrace the movie was because of it's marketing. They marketed this as a typical fast-paced action comic book movie, but this movie and the source material are more of a dramatic, noir detective mystery story. So people went in to the movie with the wrong expectations of what they were going to see. But I love this movie and can't wait to hear your discussion.

Michael SimshauserI'm on the fence with the movie. There are things that just simply that the comic can do that the movie cannot. While I own this movie and the related DVDs (Tales of the Black Freighter & the Motion Comic), any discussion of this movie always makes me want to read the comic, not watch the movie.

Might be a different state of affairs when I get my hands on the Director's Cut. My two cents on whether it's required viewing, perhaps not. But the comic is definitely required reading. For another point of view, Radio vs the Martians (another podcast) had a great recent episode discussing the movie and the comic and the history and the changes made between the comic and its film adaptation.

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Sci Fi Movie Podcast Watchmen