Alan Moore "Spitting Venom" on 'Watchmen'

If you're new to the whole Watchmen thing, I was in a Borders yesterday and saw dozens of the classic, award-winning graphic novel on the shelves for $20. It's worth picking up, it's a great read even if you're not a comic book fan, and it'll prepare you for one of the must-see movies of 2009. Another thing you might need to know is that unlike Stan Lee, the gregarious Marvel Comics writer who has popped up in cameos in nearly all if not all of the recent slate of Marvel movies, Watchmen writer Alan Moore hates the idea of turning his story into a movie. And that's not a new sentiment, either. Of course, he just hates the movie industry in general, it seems. "I find film in its modern form to be quite bullying," Moore told Los Angeles Times reporter Geoff Boucher. "It spoon-feeds us, which has the effect of watering down our collective cultural imagination. It is as if we are freshly hatched birds looking up with our mouths open waiting for Hollywood to feed us more regurgitated worms." Continuing the analogy, Moore said, "The Watchmen film sounds like more regurgitated worms. I for one am sick of worms. Can't we get something else? Perhaps some takeout? Even Chinese worms would be a nice change." Of course, since Moore also wrote the comic on which the terrible film League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is based, it's easy to see why he might be skeptical of Hollywood, particularly when it comes to this crowning glory. Conversely, the movie based on From Hell is pretty good until the end, Constantine is underrated, and tons of people love V for Vendetta. Moore hasn't seen any of them and has no plans to start now, even though Zack Snyder's Watchmen will probably be the most literal translation yet. "Will the film even be coming out? There are these legal problems now, which I find wonderfully ironic. Perhaps it's been cursed from afar, from England. And I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come." The Times interview digs a lot deeper into Moore's works and inspirations, so check it out if you want to find out more about a true visionary and a tough horse to tame. Watchmen, judgment pending, will be released on March 6th.

Comments

[John M.]

Constantine wasn't really an Alan Moore story. John Constantine was created by Moore for the Swamp Thing comics. The movie was based off the Hellblazer comics though and those were written by Jamie Delano and drawn by John Ridgway. As for Moore, I think he is just an angry person in general. From the look of him, I wouldn't want to run into him in a dark movie theatre. Movies aren't meant for the elitists, they're meant for the masses. Maybe we enjoy being spoon fed stale worms.

[CD]

Shakespeare wrote for money.

[starlowski]

I think the story concept is interesting, although I have yet to read it. I'm definitely curious to see the movie.

[Jey]

"Maybe we enjoy being spoon fed stale worms."

Or maybe Moore is right.

[stalker101]

I do think Moore goes a bit overboard with his hatred of his books being made into film,but then again with them all being twisted from the original source i can see as an artist why you would get upset.That being said i think he is spot on with his assessment of hollywood,both Movie and T.V. Alike it is nothing but rehashed or remade programming..half of T.V. is either reality fluff or remakes of british programming.Movies is nothing more then comic book films or remakes of better classic films that should have been left alone.