ending, but would not mind seeing this _script_ filmed. I read a Sam Hamm version a few years ago which barely changed the ending of the comic.  Dr. Manhattan returns from Mars and starles Adrian, giving Rorschach a chance to break Adrian's neck and kill him. Lori, Dan, and Rorschach then realize that Jon has left the earth for good (which kinda bit, as it kept the great final scene between Jon and Adrian from happening). Rorschach then goes out to the Owlship and tries to go back to civilization, Dan shoots him to prevent this (as opposed to Jon killing him in the comic).  I haven't read the online version, I can tell you that the draft I read was dated 1988 or '89. Alex Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/

I also just remembered that Adrian's plan was analogous to the one in the comic: One of his satellites released a fabricated extraterrestrial spaceship that plowed into New York City and killed half the people in Manhattan. I wish I knew whether the online _script_ was written before or after this draft... Alex Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/

I read a Sam Hamm version a few years ago which barely changed the ending of the comic.  Dr. Manhattan returns from Mars and starles Adrian, giving Rorschach a chance to break Adrian's neck and kill him. Lori, Dan, and Rorschach then realize that Jon has left the earth for good (which kinda bit, as it kept the great final scene between Jon and Adrian from happening). Rorschach then goes out to the Owlship and tries to go back to civilization, Dan shoots him to prevent this (as opposed to Jon killing him in the comic).  I haven't read the online version, I can tell you that the draft I read was dated 1988 or '89. Huh

Doc Manhattan ... who can tell the future, for god's sake.. gets there too late? So what's your point? This is perfectly in keeping with Moore's version of Dr. Manhattan. You're right, he *could* tell the future. So...what if he knew that he would show up late? Wouldn't he just then show up late, because he knew that that's what would happen? From his perspective, the flow of time was meaningless, so he wouldn't attempt to change what he saw was going to happen because from his point of view, it *already* happened that way. Ehhh... I suppose it might have worked if it had been played that way. But it wasn't played that way. Or if it was, it was done so badly that it didn't work. Also, John's steadily increasing apathy towards the world at large was a major plot thread that unfolded gradually as the series progressed. By hitting the audience over the head with it in the first two minutes of the movie (and I don't think the screenplay even manages to do *that*, but you seem to be arguing that it does), Hamm blows the wad way too early. It's like having the calvary charge in and rescue everyone during the opening credits. One way of explaining Dr Manhattan's late arrival would be to show Pentagon officials arguing over whether it was appropriate to use their primary weapon to deal with terrorists. It would help make his later disillusion more understandable. (Not that this scene is necessary in itself - just that it gives some kind of rationale for the omnipotent Dr Manhatten arriving late as if he had to catch the subway). A more fundamental flaw in the _script_ is the way that it glosses over the climax of the whole book. Moore is setting up a genuine moral dilemma. The spray-paint silhouettes are a constant reminder that the world is on the brink of destruction. Ozymandias averts this - by committing a horrible crime. Moore forces the reader to confront the reality of this by including all the minor characters. We actually care what happens to these individuals, whereas we might not have minded about a few million unknowns. Any likely film of Watchmen is likely to gloss over this ending, because Hollywood films, in general, don't like this kind of moral ambiguity. (Unforgiven is an exception to this). Moore doesn't pretend that what Ozymandias does is not morally bankrupt - but at the same time, he doesn't offer any comforting alternative. Remove the dilemma, and you just have another superhero story with good dialogue.

and you just have another superhero story with good dialogue. I think it is still more than that, but the impact would not be the same. - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -