How does one have an "elegant solution" to the squid problem?

[Baliset]

But, Snyder's version will include a new, potentially more upbeat ending. In fact, Snyder denies the squid's existence: "The squid was not in the movie when I got the script, the squid was never in any draft that I saw. My point is only that there was this elegant solution to the squid problem that I kind of embraced."

 

[xfer]

argh

 

[Astral Poetry]

BAH! no squid, no ending

 

[metaghost]

I enjoy calamari as a chewy appetizer, especially with hot peppers.

 

[xfer]

new york loves the squid

 

[xfer]

seriously, I don't know what the alternate ending is, but here are some things which the squid achieves (and which the alternate ending must also hit to be "just as good"):

1) Great evil being perpetrated to stop an even greater evil
2) Twist on the usual supervillain thing: the squid was teleported already several minutes ago and there's no stopping it
3) Lovecraft nod
4) Launching an alternate narrative that occurs outside the confines of the story (the narrative that people construct to explain the "alien invasion", what we would see in a more conventional action movie if we were not privy to the Antarctic plot). Kind of like the alien invasion in "Signs".
5) Technology development driven by the need to create murderous horrors
6) Visual awesomeness
7) Millions dead

I'm sure I missed some, too.

 

[Astral Poetry]

most important: illusion of an external enemy that binds humanity together.

how the fuck will they accomplish that with bombs or missiles or whatever else?

 

[metaghost]

Isn't everything just being blamed on Doc Manhattan, or is that just rumor?

Not that I necessarily think he satisfies your point Astral, which I do think is the most important facet, but he is something of an alien organism that everyone can hate equally by virtue of him being the only Atomic Blue Man.

 

[xfer]

oh yeah I'm assuming they'll hit THAT mark, but it would be easy to do in a million ways (dr. manhattan, terrorist bombs, a nuke hitting NYC, whatever). i mean that the use of the squid qua the squid has the additional necessary effects i listed above.

 

[xfer]

if they do use dr. manhattan that will fail on nearly all of the things i listed; additionally, it's less believable because dr. manhattan has been an engine of american policy for so long that it's not conceivable that the US won't be blamed somewhat if he goes haywire (thus ruining the world peace thing achieved in the graphic novel).

 

[xfer]

ohh astral i see what you're saying and i agree that nothing we could have is "external" enough.

i mean terrorists can be portrayed as pretty external i guess, but it wouldn't be as good as the otherness of a FUCKING ALIEN SPACE SQUID.

 

[metaghost]

They should at least be able to satisfy #'s 1, 7, and Astral.
6 is dependent upon how much you enjoy slow-motion and CG.
3-5 seem likely to have been discarded or horribly misrepresented to the point of non-existence.
2 seems like a screenwriter's wet dream, but sans Squid it will definitely be less awesome.

 

[Astral Poetry]

watch the newest trailer. there's a moment right towards the beginning that looks to be the explosion. the only reason i'm guessing this is that it looks like what i would conceive of as a psy-shockwave or whatever. also, the trailer kinda points to dr. manhattan, but that's still assuming alot.

the best part about the squid is just how outrageous it is, but then when veidt explains it, it makes complete and beautiful sense. i can't imagine them getting by with anything else.

 

[Astral Poetry]

terrorists are just sooo 2000-2006. i imagined with the squid done right that the movie would have made some serious waves, but we'll never know

 

[xfer]

another awesome thing about the squid is (like you're saying i think) it's SO FUCKING INSANE and at the same time the reader totally gets on board with veidt's plan and realizes with sickening horror that conventional morality requires you to endorse the SO FUCKING INSANE option.

 

[Astral Poetry]

eeeeeeexactly. in a story about a bunch of grown men running around in costumes (sans Dr. Manhattan), the page with the huge squid almost makes you drop the book.

 

[Josh Seipp]

another awesome thing about the squid is (like you're saying i think) it's SO FUCKING INSANE and at the same time the reader totally gets on board with veidt's plan and realizes with sickening horror that conventional morality requires you to endorse the SO FUCKING INSANE option.

YES!

 

[4LAO]

I just read this entire thing today. GIMME SOMMA DAT SQUID!

 

[metaghost]

Goddamn this movie sucked so much.

 

[4LAO]

Tons of huge blue cocks? I THINK NOT!

But I still haven't seen it... it hasn't released yet where I am.