Say it Ain't So! (V for Vendetta movie news)

[Wraith Form]

I also hope they don't show who V really is behind the mask. That would really ruin it.

Then expect it.

Sorry, was that pessamistic?

 

[Villano]

3. I can only guess, but I'm thinking they steered clear of the fascist Britain for politcal reasons, which shows a certain lack of integrity (in my opinion) and impacts hugely on many of the main characters.

Well, before we judge this part too harshly, we have to remember that the reasons England turned fascist in the comic was that there was a nuclear war. Moore himself has said that that sounds kind of silly in retrospect since we now know about concepts like "nuclear winter" and such.

I don't think the audience would have accepted the world Moore presented so soon after a nuclear war. Plus, there are other logical loopholes such as England suffering only a few bombs while the entire continent of Africa was mentioned as being destroyed.

So, since the England of V is presented as being Nazi-like and took shape after a war, I don't have a problem with the change.

The alternative is to show England having slipped into that state gradually, which, again, is something viewers would have a hard time accepting. I mean, we're talking about an England with concentration camps. In fact, iirc, the book mentions that all minorities and jews (along with what one character calls "beatniks") are all dead. It's hard to imagine any circumstance in which that would happen "gradually" in a modern, democratic country in the 21st century. Even Moore had to include a nuclear war to justify it.

Plus, wasn't the story set in a near future which is now our past (like 1990)?

With that said, I think the movie will suck. Not because of the above changes, but because Alan Moore's ideas don't seem to get translated well to the screen, and the Wachowski brothers' involvment is sure to turn it into a big, Matrix-like shoot 'em up.

BTW, I don't think we can say "Wachowski brothers" anymore. One of the brothers is getting a sex change. Really.

 

[Rackhir]

RE: Sexchange - At least according to Wired, those rumors are the result of a tabloid story that the distraught husband of the wife he had stolen, made up after he was paid by the tabloid for a "Story" on him. He does however tend to crossdress and has shown up at some ceremonies in rather "odd" garb. The brothers are also apparently notoriously secretive, which usually tends to breed rummors.

 

[Rackhir]

Well, before we judge this part too harshly, we have to remember that the reasons England turned fascist in the comic was that there was a nuclear war. Moore himself has said that that sounds kind of silly in retrospect since we now know about concepts like "nuclear winter" and such.

Actually a "Nuclear Winter" couldn't really happen. It was a concept dreamed up by Carl Sagan in one of his books and really caught on with the public imagination. Problem being that no nuclear war scenario could generate nearly as much dust being tossed into the air as the Krakatoa explosion and that only lowered the temperature of the globe for a year or two, even if it was a significant drop.

Here's a link to an article that discusses it.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=19722

Granted it sounds like the guy is probably a right wing nut from the other articles on the web site, but it IS consistant with what I know.

More to the topic though. I thought another explanation of why he needed the nuclear war for his scenario, was to explain why there didn't seem to be a world outside of England. Not that only England hadn't been destroyed, but that the other countries were too damaged or unable to maintain much contact with other countries. Especially given the clearly isolationist stance of England.

RE: Africa being destroyed : Remember this is what Evey understood when she was like 4 or five yrs old. Children that young can't necessarily understand the implications of something like a nuclear war and generally have a poor understanding of things outside their immediate experience.

 

[FraserRonald]

Well, before we judge this part too harshly, we have to remember that the reasons England turned fascist in the comic was that there was a nuclear war. Moore himself has said that that sounds kind of silly in retrospect since we now know about concepts like "nuclear winter" and such.

Actually, IIRC (and I might not so take this with a big lump of salt) in the DC "V for Vendetta" limited series, in a foreword, Moore pointed out that he no longer thought a nuclear war would be necessary to push Britain to the point of the story. I don't think he was a fan of Thatcher and this may have painted his thinking.

I also think it could be done with very little in the way of explanation. I think of Blade Runner, one of the great dystopias of modern cinema, with nary an explanation in sight. Or even the 1968 Planet of the Apes. Granted, they went on to explain it in later movies, but in the movie itself, there is no explanation. We are left to our own devices. This is the world, this is the story, accept it or don't. A good story with a consistent setting and I imagine most people will accept it.

Still, I think it's all academic. The chances of this movie being good are very, very low. It's one of those properties I'm torn on. Yes I want a movie made (or something) but I know how unlikely it is for such a move to be good.

 

[tetsujin28]

Why did they write out the lizardlike aliens wearing human makeup bent on global domination? Talk about lame, we won't even get the half human/half alien babies this time. I say flush it!

Dude, that's at least a movie I'd watch. Alan Moore is so over rated.

 

[Villano]

Actually a "Nuclear Winter" couldn't really happen. It was a concept dreamed up by Carl Sagan in one of his books and really caught on with the public imagination. Problem being that no nuclear war scenario could generate nearly as much dust being tossed into the air as the Krakatoa explosion and that only lowered the temperature of the globe for a year or two, even if it was a significant drop.

Here's a link to an article that discusses it.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=19722

Granted it sounds like the guy is probably a right wing nut from the other articles on the web site, but it IS consistant with what I know.

More to the topic though. I thought another explanation of why he needed the nuclear war for his scenario, was to explain why there didn't seem to be a world outside of England. Not that only England hadn't been destroyed, but that the other countries were too damaged or unable to maintain much contact with other countries. Especially given the clearly isolationist stance of England.

Okay, maybe the nuclear winter stuff won't happen...

However, you do make a valid point with the nuclear war and why England is so isolated in the comic.

I still don't think it's a very filmable movie. They will cast a big name star as V, which means he will unmask, and, most likely, someone completely wrong for the part (Keanu, anyone?). It will involve a lot of car chases and gunfights and, I'm sure, something totally out of place (like a giant Nazi robot or Hitler's clone).

 

[Jdvn1]

Did anyone else see it? I thought it was a great movie, personally.

Though, I know nothing of the comics.

 

[Rackhir]

Did anyone else see it? I thought it was a great movie, personally.

Though, I know nothing of the comics.

It's great as long as you haven't read the original. They left out all the best parts.

 

[Thanee]

Did anyone else see it?

The movie? Or the date of the thread?

Seems like Villano's fears havn't quite become true.

Bye
Thanee