Zack Snyder talks Watchmen the Director's cut

Michael Moran (who provides your regular fix of movie news on this blog) recently promised that he would not write about Watchmen anymore. I however, have made no such claim, and so whilst at San Diego Comic Con last month I took the opportunity to quiz Zack Snyder on the upcoming release of his Director's cut on DVD. 

The Director's cut restores 24 minutes of footage to the film helping to fill in some of the details from the graphic novel that were missed from the theatrical release including the death of Hollis Mason, the first Nite Owl. But what can we expect from the Director's cut? 

“Really the Director's cut is the movie,” says Snyder, “People have been asking me what the deleted scenes are, but I haven't really seen it like that – this is the movie but unfortunately it was the wrong sized movie for theatres so I had to re-do it so that it could be shown. That's the difference and I think the Director's cut is just a better movie, it's more watchmeny if there is such a word.”

But with the theatrical version also out on DVD and an extended version including The Black Freighter due for release later this year will the director be doing a Blade Runner on us and releasing an anniversary cut of the movie 20 years down the line? 

“No,” Snyder chuckles, “This is everything. Whilst there is an ultimate edition to follow it isn't a cut it's an experiment we wanted to do with The Black Freighter. Whilst filming we shot some stuff with the idea that later on down the line we'd do a huge version of the movie...and it's an interesting experience, especially if you're a fan of the graphic novel.”

It must have been difficult to decide what to cut and what to keep for the theatrical release, what was the hardest thing you had to cut before it went into theatres?

“I think the Hollis scene. Once you cut Hollis' death and you start to cut back on the character overall it's a big deal because of what it affects because the whole thing is sort of a house of cards. So that was the hardest thing to do and it works, but it sucks.”

Watchmen is held in such high regard by fans and it's a seminal work, so did Snyder ever feel like his vision would get lost under other people's expectations, and how did he ensure that he was able to put his own style onto it?

“I just tried to let it happen. In the end all the director has is a point of view, if you give up your point of view then you might as well make the movie by asking everyone what they want and no-one wants to see something like that, although I think that unfortunately you do see a lot of those movies. If you get to control what you see then it's like playing a videogame and I think for me, in a motion picture experience I want the director to push things around and be in control.”

The fan reaction at Comic Con can make or break a movie so does Snyder feel more relaxed now that fans of the graphic novel have seen the movie and given it their approval? 

“I feel good, especially now people have had the chance to see the Director's cut...a lot of fans who thought the original cut of the movie wasn't what they wanted have said they liked this version and that's cool as they're the hardest ones to please.”

Daniel Bettridge