Alan Moore, co-author of the famed graphic novel “Watchmen”, has spoken out to Total Film and his words hit right on target as he rips to shreds the idea of big budget films.
“The main reason why comics can’t work as films is largely because everybody who is ultimately in control of the film industry is an accountant.
“There is more integrity in comics. It sounds simplistic, but I believe there is a formula that you can apply to almost any work of modern culture…
“The more money that’s involved in a project the less imagination there will be in the project, and vice versa. If you’ve got zero budget, you’re John Waters, you’re Jean Cocteau, you’re going to make a brilliant film.
“100 million dollars — that’s what they spent on the Watchmen film which nearly didn’t come out because of the lawsuit, that’s what they spent on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen which shouldn’t have come out but did anyway.
“Do we need any more shitty films in this world? We have quite enough already. Whereas the 100 million dollars could sort out the civil unrest in Haiti. And the books are always superior, anyway.”
Hard to argue with those words. They leave very little room for any commentary or rebuttal.
I do think Total Film’s headline saying “Why Alan Moore Hates Comic-Book Movies” is off base since Moore is obviously referring to all big budget films in which accountants and executives have more of a say in than those actually making the films. You can read the complete piece here.
