Five Favorite Films With Dave Gibbons

GST on 07-27-2009 11:37 PM

Great list Mr. Gibbons, great list. I must say I am rather surprised at the last 3, though, not that that's a bad thing. But its obvious Apocalypse Now and especially Dr. Strangelove had some fair influence on the graphic novel, and on the film.

nathanpoitras on 07-27-2009 11:41 PM

Just watched The Watchmen on Blu-Ray and must say it looks gorgeous, the director's cut footage definitely makes the movie better as well.

Patt B. on 07-28-2009 12:01 AM

T2!!!!

jake l. on 07-28-2009 12:05 AM

The Reader? ARE YOU JOKE?

GST on 07-28-2009 12:08 AM

Yeah, HE JOKE.

GST on 07-28-2009 12:10 AM

I meant to say earlier; that I think -in a way- Watchmen is the Blade Runner of my generation.

will s. on 07-28-2009 12:28 AM

yeah, except it was more ridiculous and boring. and it's no surprise that one of the minds behind the pretentious "Watchmen" would like "the Reader"

GST on 07-28-2009 01:11 AM

More ridiculous and boring? You think Blade Runner was ridiculous and boring? *cough* imbecilic dunce *cough*

Moonpig123 on 07-28-2009 05:31 AM

I found Blade Runner boring, and the Watchmen film was a mess. The graphic novel's amazing, though.

manwhatisthatthing on 07-28-2009 10:56 AM

Watchmen is not pretentious in any way. And you would know that if you've read it, but you only pretend like you read it so you can make hateful comments like this.

Luke M. on 08-3-2009 02:58 PM

Did you read the novel?

RE4P3R on 07-28-2009 12:45 AM

Dr. Strangelove!

My personal favorite.

laidtowaste on 07-28-2009 12:50 AM

That's an absurd statement. If you've ever read (or even looked at the artwork for) Watchmen, you'd have, at least, some idea of the contribution that he and Alan Moore made to humanity with A GRAPHIC NOVEL, no less. Whether or not the movie made money or scored well with critics is beside the point - they've given us some of the most mind-bending and groundbreaking literature of this century. I don't think any of us are worthy of faulting him for liking some movie or not liking another.

account on 07-28-2009 02:54 AM

LMAO! I saw it on the plane here xD Funny ****.

Luke Goodsell on 07-28-2009 04:11 AM

In all fairness to Dave, he'd just come off a LONG flight and The Reader was the movie fresh in his mind at that moment. Who knows? Given time, his choices may have been entirely different.

martinscorsese25 on 07-28-2009 04:30 AM

not evenT TDK? i thought the comic book universe embraced that film. oh well, maybe he isnt a fan of Nolan's take on the batman universe

martinscorsese25 on 07-28-2009 04:32 AM

well. Dr. Strangelove is probably my favorite comedy because it ahs the balls to say what it want. and the fact that Kubrick thoguht of it back in 1960s was amazing. the great visionary...

still 2001 was something special... these two are my favorite Kubrick film

martinscorsese25 on 07-28-2009 04:33 AM

TDK is the Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Empire Strikes Back, and T2 of our generation

Kevin B. on 07-28-2009 06:05 AM

Scorsese25, I hope you weren't going for great sequels with your post because Raiders is the first in the Indy franchise.

Kevin B. on 07-28-2009 06:09 AM

I wish I hadn't read the Novel before I saw the movie because I went with a bunch of friends to see it and they all were blown away by the movie. I was a little dissappointed. Just one question, is this a five favorite column or five best ever column? Just curious because so many people make negative comments when someone doesn't list the five they want to hear.

King Kubrick on 07-28-2009 12:58 PM

That's one of the problems I found with the comments on these five favorite films articles. Gibbons isn't necessarily presenting us with the five film's he thinks possess the most artistic merit, which is what some posters call into question, but the five films he most likes. My five favorite films would have a couple movies I couldn't defend on an artistic level but I compulsively rewatch them. I don't think if you asked Gibbons he'd tell you Grosse Point Blank is one of the greatest films ever made but he enjoys it the most. Such things aren't really open to debate as they are a matter of taste, it's just interesting to infer the subjects sensibilities from the 5 fav list. Also, I found I enjoyed the watchmen more on second viewing, and the director cut is an improvement. Who knows how much my enjoyment may increase with subsequent viewings.

Premo Beat on 07-28-2009 07:42 AM

TDK does not hold a candle to any of those films. Great movie though. And as to Watchmen/Blade Runner comparison, maybe the graphic novel could be comparable but the movie itself...nope

GST on 07-28-2009 09:38 AM

Yeah, actually, the Blade Runner and Watchmen comparisons are pretty true. Obviously they aren't completely like each other, but:

They are both science fiction films that were released to mixed critical reception.

They are both movies adapted from a highly regarded, though "cult" work of literature.

They are both films that were greatly misunderstood by the public on release.

They both deal with strong moral themes, but delivered in a rather unconventional manner.

They both have numerous cuts because of the Directors not getting final cut privilege.

They both (besides Harrison Ford, and possibly an actor in here that we have yet to see become big) do not carry big "A-List" actors, which arguably hurt their gross.

They both have scores consisting of heavy synthesizers mixed with classical instruments.

They both have a very different visual style, one that is not seen as often as it should be.

They both have complex and heavily disjointed narratives.

While some of these are superficial similarities, some of them are not, that's why you need to look past the surface. In 20 years, people are going to be talking about how amazing and influential Watchmen is/was, just like they are with Blade Runner now. And in a way, Blade Runner was the 2001: ASO of its time, even if there are significant differences between the two.

And nobody is saying TDK is as good as The Godfather, it obviously isn't, though I would argue it does hold a candle to ESB and T2 (not ROTLA, though). Its all in context my friend, all in context.

manwhatisthatthing on 07-28-2009 10:59 AM

When Blade Runner came out, reviews were polarized. Give Watchmen time to age, maybe it can compete.

Terrible_Majesty on 07-28-2009 06:14 AM

TDK is "The Godfather" of comic book films.

Terrible_Majesty on 07-28-2009 06:15 AM

Watchmen is the "Casino" of comic book films.

Jason A. on 07-30-2009 06:11 PM

Terrible_Majesty is the "idiot" of Rotten Tomatoes.

Just kidding. But, in all seriousness, have you actually read Watchmen?

Martyn E. on 07-31-2009 05:00 PM

Both the Watchmen and TDK were disappointments.

Derek on 07-28-2009 06:23 AM

Grosse Pointe Blank.

Didn't see that one coming... and, that's pretty much awesome.

Martin Blank is far and away my favorite John Cusack character. Some of the scenes and interactions between Blank and his psychiatrist are hilarious.

Helge B. on 07-28-2009 10:14 AM

i personally never questioned naming TDK in a breath with The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner or any other film of comparable deepness and cinematic perfection for a second. it had such a strong impact on me on every level that i just can't rate it high enough, and i believe the hype about it is very relevant. i'd take a bullet for this film, seriously.