Watchmen; a film that could've been a classic if not for the weak character portrayal of Ozymandias and ill-conceived layout and use of what was an excellent soundtrack (just because you have

Saw at the Manc IMAX a month ago; seeing Dr. Manhattan's old man projected to the size of my Volvo S40 was an experience; my wife blushed a little...

Sorry that was meant to read "just because you have 'All along the Watchtower' doesn't mean you should use it inexplicably"

It is astonishing that people do not tend to "get" the leftist politics of "Watchmen" - the writer of the work lives only a few miles from me (over in Northampton) and the fact that most people do not see the political message drives him round the bend.

And, of course, amuses me.

There is far less excuse not to see the leftist political message than there is with his "V for Vendetta" - the politics of "Watchmen" are obvious.

Accept they clearly are not obvious - in fact I know of nobody other than committed leftists (such as the writer) and people who have spent their lives studying and fighting the left (such as me) who sees all the political stuff.

So the whole thing ends up as a massive own goal for the left - one would have to have a heart of stone not to laugh.

As for Dr Long:

He has often written wise words - but these words were are not wise.

The Tea Party events attacked the wild spending of the Democrats AND THE REPUBLICANS.

I know Austrian economics is a priori - but events such as this should not be judged a priori.

Translation - Dr Long should have used his eyes and his ears, before writing his article.

He did not need to go to an event (if he was too busy all day).

He could just have watched the coverage that people like Neil Cavuto or Glenn Beck hosted.

Surely turning on a television set was not too much effort?

I hate to be a pedant, but it's called "Watchmen" not "The Watchmen".

I actually find it a bit sad that so much comment on the movie concentrates on Dr. Manhattan's genitalia. It's a sign of how thoroughly we're still in the grip of the post-methodist "Victorian" morality. It's just the human body, people. Get over it, y'know?

Doctor Manhattan's nudity is important. It represents his growing detatchment from those around him. In the book we see his costumes gradually get skimpier, something we don't see in the film.

I've been waiting for a blog to start a discussion about comics, so I can ask some questions that have been bugging me. OT, but maybe someone can answer:

1. What are Gambit's powers?
2. Why is he called Gambit?
3. Why does he carry a deck of cards?
4. Is he the stupidest creation since "arm-fall-off boy"?

One more thing. Have you ever thought that comic book art comes from Michelangelo? These exaggerated figures all look like they should be on the Sistine Chapel.

No, Comic Book Art is obviously yet another English Invention seeing as it was the English who created the "Bayeux" Tapestry.

Why is it that self-diagnosed libertarians have such horrible taste?

Watchmen's central closing message is that human beings can't fix the world's problems because nothing ends, as Dr. Manhattan says. Nothing is permanent, all is in flux.

Rorschach and Ozymandias both believe the ends justify the means.
Once you believe the ends justify the means, you are on the path to madness. One of Moore's points is that people who claim to do things for the public good in most cases have their own agenda (The Comedian likes hurting people and abusing women, and uses his cynical view of humanity as an excuse for his amorality.) Nite Owl and Silk Spectre beat people up for sexual kicks.

There are no answers to the world's problems, only methods of ameliorating them.

However, Moore is not in the same league as Masamune Shirow, whose Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell tower over everything else in popular culture.

Posted by Paul Marks at April 20, 2009 03:21 PM

"It is astonishing that people do not tend to "get" the leftist politics of "Watchmen" - the writer of the work lives only a few miles from me (over in Northampton) and the fact that most people do not see the political message drives him round the bend.

And, of course, amuses me."

I just watched it... literally... and I think, poliitcally, the movie is a big Rorschach test. It reaches out to and slaps all points of view / bases. Anyone can either see things they like or something to be offended by.