OK, if you haven't already seen or bought what is in my opinion probably the best comic to film adaptation, Hellboy the 3 DVD director's cut is currently on offer at Music Zone (Leeds branch opposite Harvey Nics on Briggate) for £5.97. At that price it's hard to turn down.
I can easily turn it down. I thought it was rubbish. Even though the story is pretty faithful to the comic, it just doesn't seem to capture the feel of the movie, and it certainly doesn't translate the best aspect of the comic to the screen, that of Mignolas artwork. It's a while since I've seen it, and I'm not a massive fan of the comic, but I seem to remember The Crow being a good translation. The same feeling of loss and abandonment that James O'Barr tried to convey....
Unless you go the route of animation (cel or CGI) you're not going to get the visual impact that you get from the artwork. Unless that it is you do a Sin City style flick (which I had forgotten about when I typed best comic to film adaptation). The movie did convey the humour of the comic, the villains were pretty faithful and the action sequences were better executed than many other comic adaptations. The script was tightly paced although I could have done without the romantic subplot.
I hadn't read the Crow when I saw the movie some years ago. I do remember thinking that it ran too long. I think I saw it around the same time I saw Darkman which I thought was a far better film.
Is it just me or did anyone else feel Shafted about that "Extended Cut" ... I wouldn't have bothered
The best Alternate cut of a film was the Robocop directors cut which was exactly 17 seconds longer ... worth it just for the sheer mindboggling hilarity!well that and the Goonies music video 12 minutes of utter perfection!
A man can appreciate the beauty in another man without being gay. In fact, I think it takes a man who's cumfortable and secure with his masculinity to voice such an oppinion. Don't be scared to be honest with yourself.
