I’ve never read Watchmen. It’s been on my To-Read List for ages, but then again, that list has only grown since I started making it. As the release of the film approaches rapidly, I’m faced with the dilemma that many others are facing, some of whom have already written about it: do I read Watchmen before seeing the film, or do I see the film first, and read the graphic novel later?I'm the kind of guy that likes to do things in order. I start watching TV shows from the pilot episode -- no skipping. I listen to a band’s albums in chronological order. I even listen to informative podcasts from the very beginning. So a part of me wants to read Watchmen before I ever see the film. I want to see what Alan Moore originally intended to say before Zach Snyder puts his own spin on things. The satire and irony targeting the Cold War and other topics of the day should be appreciated the way they were originally meant to be (or as much as possible; someone growing up with what Moore grew up with will appreciate it differently than I would). What could I be missing out on? If I watch Watchmen before I read it, am I going about things the less-than-ideal way?
Then again, it could be pointed out that Moore isn’t making the film. It’s not his vision or his idea, this movie. He’s actually distancing himself from it lately. There is no specific order to absorb the two pieces because in a way, they’re separate. They’re not part of the same whole, it could be argued.
How much preparation should one go through before watching a film? Should an audience be expected to do their homework before entering the theater? Is that fair of the filmmaker to ask? The latter Harry Potter films contained many important (though not critical) elements that could only be understood of you had read the books (or if someone who had read them explained it to you). At first glance, that looks like sloppy and irresponsible filmmaking to me.
But even if a director like Zack Snyder makes sure that his film is watchable and understandable by both those who know the previous material and those who don’t, do you, as someone interested in the experience of the film, owe it to the story to familiarize yourself with the original iterations? Yes, owe it to the story -- not the author, not the filmmaker, but the story. This is not to say that anyone who doesn’t read Watchmen before seeing the film is committing an injustice. But sometimes I feel that, as a person who could see himself becoming very interested in this story, I might want to put some effort into understanding what this story is, where it’s coming from, and why it’s so darn important and influential. What better way to start that process than to read the material itself?
But then comes the film fan in me, saying, “That material will still be there after March 6th. Go into the film with a fresh, open mind and appreciate the movie for what it is or isn’t.” And that makes sense to me. I’d hate to be the one in the theater frowning at every detail or development that “wasn’t the way it happened in the comic....” I want to be the person who, with an unprejudiced mind, can honestly begin his criticism with, “As a film....”
But like a ping pong ball, my mind goes back to the other side. I’m interested in the characters and story of this film -- two of the most vital ingredients. Those two ingredients actually begin with that graphic novel, don’t they? I argued earlier that the film and comic could be considered separate, but they could just as easily be considered inseparable. The film released in 2009 is a part of a bigger whole, a whole that goes beyond being about the creators. It’s about the creation. Reading the comic before seeing the film needn’t ruin the experience. It could very much enhance it, because they are a part of that whole....
...And round and round I go. The two devils on my shoulders could go at it for hours longer. Watchmen opens in a week, so if I do want to read the graphic novel prior to viewing the film, I better get moving on that. I just need to decide if that’s what I want to do. I’m curious, do you ever “prepare” before watching a film? Did you read the Lord of the Rings books or the Narnia series before heading out to the cinema? Even as a casual fan, have you ever felt the need to familiarize yourself with a story before embarking on its new adventure? Or does the film buff in you -- the film purist -- insist that you watch a movie untainted and unbiased?
3 comments:
Not to sound jaded, but I think the film is likely to be terrible. I would say you should ignore it completely, and just read the book. Failing that, I would tell you not to do a rush read on Watchmen. The book's plot, and flow is not conducive to quick reading, and you will likely spoil the experience for yourself. So, you could just read the book at a normal pace, and catch the movie at a later day, or even on DVD.
I have found from seeing past book adaptations that the worst thing you can do is see a movie, then read the book. I find that the movie sticks in your mind while you are reading it, and tends to mar you experience.
Ed
I've not read it either, but I decided to pick up the book this week. As someone obsessed with female action heroes, I'm really intrigued by the Silk Spectre and want to get to know her from the source material first.
Ed, thanks for the thoughts. I do worry about rushing through a work like that. It would destroy the purpose of reading it in the first place. Though you mention that seeing adaptations first can mar the experience of reading the book after, but it works both ways. I'm a film guy first, a comic guy second. So while I want to enjoy the story the best way possible, I usually prioritize the film experience higher than others.
Audrey, the key phrase to me is "get to know her from the source material first." In all likelihood, the source material's development of characters will be much richer than the film's. As mentioned, the took its time, issue by issue during its initial run, whereas Snyder has to cram all that development into a certain window -- or otherwise throw it out.
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