WATCHMEN: Director's Cut or Ultimate Cut?

[csdot]

ive been holding out for a good price on the UC but 13.99 was too go to pass up. i really dont need all the extras, ive seen black freighter/under the hood and would probably never watch the motion comic. and i dont really think i could sit through an even longer version of watchmen every time i watch it im just a completist so i felt the need to have the most complete version but i said screw it and just pulled the trigger on the directors cut.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Just a clarification, I never said that I wasn't a big fan of the DC, just that I wasn't a big fan of the film itself. I will always go with the DC of any film if available, no matter what it is. But because the Watchmen is kind of an obscure, (but with cult status) comic book/graphic novel, I wasn't at all familiar with the story. I did enjoy the film, but because I wasn't at all familiar with the grahic novel, my question was basically a question whether or not the UC would be worth the price for someone like me who wasn't familiar with the GN.

Also I do like extras, but to tell you the truth, since I've gotten into BD, I bet I haven't watched a fraction of the extras on my collection. Mainly because most of my titles are upgrades of what I already had on DVD, so in most probabilty, I've already seen most of the extras.

Well, in any case, I'm kind of spent out this month...I need to wait till next month to see what I'll buy next. If the DC is still pretty cheap like this, I may pick it up then.

[Freekman]

I have to admit, I love the heck out of Watchmen. However, after seeing the TotBF by itself, I wouldn't want it in the film. Also, the Motion Comics would have been good if they didn't have one voice actor playing male and female characters. I would only get the UC if it was real cheap, but as far as price and value goes, the DC is well worth it. For $14, don't pass this up.

[DRS]

The Director's Cut


The Black Freighter material is badly animated and quite ugly and overall ruins the pacing of the film, and it does not carry the same weight it did in the original comic book.

If the Ultimate Cut let you choose between watching the regular DC or the Ultimate Cut, Id say go for that since you get both versions, but since it doesn't, just skip it.

[csdot]

Originally Posted by DRS

If the Ultimate Cut let you choose between watching the regular DC or the Ultimate Cut, Id say go for that since you get both versions, but since it doesn't, just skip it.

yeah, that was the deal breaker for me. dumb move on their part for not including both.

[starbinger]

Huge Watchmen fan and in my opinion any Watchmen fan should own the Ultimate cut. It's even more loyal to Alan Moore's orignal vision.

[csdot]

i dont know, ive never seen the ultimate cut but ive seen the black freighter on its own and i dont see how it could make the crassly dumbed down film version any more loyal to the book. i enjoy the movie but compared to the comic its a lot of style with little of the substance the original story has.
to each their own obviously, i just cant justify spending that much more money on it personally.

[sxerunner]

Go with the Directors Cut.

-Tales of the Black Freighter you can buy separate. It also has "Under the Hood"
-The Complete Motion Comic (an extra with the UC) you can buy separate.
-All the special features on the UC can be found somewhere else minus the two new commentaries by Snyder and Dave.
-The DC has a hell of a Maximum Movie Mode that isn't on the UC.

So in the end, the only reasons why anybody would want to buy this is for the new commentaries, and if they are a pure Watchmen fan. Otherwise, everything else can be found elsewhere and at a price now that will be less expensive than the UC.

[BaronVH]

I must say I am surprised of the lack of love for the UC. I much prefer it to the other versions. The TotBF really adds to one of the characters in the film due to its parallels. It also adds some live action around those parts. I also felt that with it added to the film that it improved the flow of the film. To me it is how Godfather 2 seems much better than with the story done in chronologoical order.

[Mahatma]

I will throw this out:The PQ and AQ on the BD DC is mindblowing!And like others say:If you are not THAT into the movie,go with the nobrainer

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by Lincoln6Echo

Just a clarification, I never said that I wasn't a big fan of the DC, just that I wasn't a big fan of the film itself. I will always go with the DC of any film if available, no matter what it is. But because the Watchmen is kind of an obscure, (but with cult status) comic book/graphic novel, I wasn't at all familiar with the story. I did enjoy the film, but because I wasn't at all familiar with the grahic novel, my question was basically a question whether or not the UC would be worth the price for someone like me who wasn't familiar with the GN.

Obscure? It was in Time's 100 best novels of all time list.
Anyway, without having seen the Ultimate Cut, I'd go with the DC and simply buy the comic book.

[42041]

Originally Posted by BaronVH

I must say I am surprised of the lack of love for the UC. I much prefer it to the other versions. The TotBF really adds to one of the characters in the film due to its parallels. It also adds some live action around those parts. I also felt that with it added to the film that it improved the flow of the film. To me it is how Godfather 2 seems much better than with the story done in chronologoical order.

It's a gimmick edit of the movie. It's like inserting scenes from the animated LOTR film into the Peter Jackson film that Jackson may not have included. What's the point? If you want the graphic novel, go read it, the black freighter parts were never meant to be in the movie.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by 42041

It's a gimmick edit of the movie. It's like inserting scenes from the animated LOTR film into the Peter Jackson film that Jackson may not have included. What's the point? If you want the graphic novel, go read it, the black freighter parts were never meant to be in the movie.

Well, that was kind of my concern to begin with. Whether or not that the animated bits actually ruined the flow of the film or not.

So with all this feedback, I guess I'll go with the DC.

[starbinger]

I got the Ultimate cut for Christmas. It was 31 bucks on Amazon at the time. Which is alot cheaper than buying the DC, Black Frieghter and motion comic seperate.

[BaronVH]

Originally Posted by 42041

It's a gimmick edit of the movie. It's like inserting scenes from the animated LOTR film into the Peter Jackson film that Jackson may not have included. What's the point? If you want the graphic novel, go read it, the black freighter parts were never meant to be in the movie.

Got to seriously disagree with you on this one. First of all, the kid is reading a comic book, and the way the comic scenes were filmed specifically relate to the events in the live action parts of the movie. I felt that there was specific reasons why they inserted it at certain points in the movie, and by the end of the film, it really added tension to the ending and made the director's cut drag much less. Now this is just me. Some people don't like the animation added to live action films. The scenes in Kill Bill did not ruin the movie where they did it, and it makes perfect sense with the story in this.

I must say that I saw The Black Freighter by itself outside of the movie and hated it. When it was made a part of the movie, it really added to both movies. The sum was greater than the parts. If you disagree with the UC due to double dipping, that I understand. They should have had all three versions in the UC box, but I do think the UC is the best version of the movie.

[TylerDurden]

Originally Posted by BaronVH

I must say that I saw The Black Freighter by itself outside of the movie and hated it. When it was made a part of the movie, it really added to both movies. The sum was greater than the parts. If you disagree with the UC due to double dipping, that I understand. They should have had all three versions in the UC box, but I do think the UC is the best version of the movie.

+1 Excellent point. There really is no way to compare the TofBF if you have only seen it by itself. Those people knocking the UC really have no say if they have never seen it. I personally loved the UC but have never seen the DC.

[tommyboy81]

Is the Ultimate Cut even for sale anymore? I don't see it anywhere except at Moviestop which is $44.99 used

[joltman]

I wish they would release a single disc Ultimate Cut with just the Ultimate Cut of the movie and the audio commentaries. I already have the DC and Black Freighter and don't have a need for the motion comics, so the UC + commentaries is all I want from it.

[Minimejer05]

Im more a fan of the Ultimate Cut. But if you didnt like the directors cut.. theres no way you would like an even longer cut.

[kk725]

Thanks OP, and all who posted. I had been waffling on this same issue since the UC was released, even though I knew I'd never be able to afford it. I'm not a huge fan of the comic, so it sounds like the DC will suit me just fine (and it's in my price range).