Back in November of 2007, Comic Related was introduced to an individual who works in the film industry. This individual, who called herself Cassandra Faust, has been good enough to share an ongoing series of first hand reports direct from the set of the Watchmen film. Ms. Faust worked as an extra during the filming and offered a great summary of what she witnessed. We're pleased to share her latest Watchmen report today and Ms. Faust has our sincere, continued and ongoing thanks...
“SOME NICE FLOWERS”
by
Cassandra Faust
The more I travel around the sets of film and television productions here in Vancouver, the more I’m reminded of just how many local background performers worked on WATCHMEN. It’s hard to find someone who didn’t get to be a part of what is going to be a true classic.
Recently, while on location, I happened to overhear a conversation that may be of interest to WATCHMEN fans. As is the usual practice, a couple of extras paired to work together for the day and meeting for the first time, got to talking about their work histories. And when that happens these days, the talk inevitably turns to WATCHMEN. That’s when my ears open wide.
One of the guys, when asked about the film, admitted that he was unfamiliar with the novel but lamented that he’d heard how much fun everyone in the business was having on the movie and that he’d only worked on “one small scene” -- one that he would get screen credit for and was lucky enough to be given a line. His name is Tom Bardach. Asked about the scene, he went on to say that it was nothing. That they’d put him in a 50s look (hair and wardrobe) and that he was on a bed kissing this girl when a kid walks in. And that was it. One little scene that barely took an hour to shoot. To which his working partner asked: “Did this kid have red hair?” The answer to this was a definite “Yes.”
Well, imagine the guy’s surprise when he was informed that the small, nothing scene he was in is actually a crucial scene in the development of a character who is, arguably, the most popular in the novel! Of course we’re talking about young Walter Kovacs walking in on his whoring mother. The background performer was blown away to learn he was an essential part of the character’s back-story and started pumping his companion for information on the novel and the film. He, in turn, was asked for details about the scene.
Details I am happy to report here.
As he told it, he and the actress playing Kovacs’s mother were jammed onto this tiny, cramped set and he was not told by director Zack Snyder how important the scene was. They were to do “their thing” on the bed, then Snyder’s son, as young Kovacs, walks in. At this intrusion, he says (and this is quoted from his memory which may or may not be accurate after 7-8 months) “You’ve got a fucking kid? I don’t need this. I get enough of this shit at home.” He then proceeds to get dressed, but he doesn’t pay her or leave, rather he steps out of shot. Kovacs’s mother belts the boy for “ruining everything” and then, he was told, the scene fades to black.
As you can see, if his memory is reliable, the scene will play out a little differently than in the novel. It will be shortened but, it appears, the message will still come across. Perhaps the scene will be presented in some sort of frenetic back and forth flashback as the film cuts from Kovacs with the psychiatrist to memories of his childhood. That could explain the abrupt ending to the scene. Time will tell. Also of note, I noticed that his build was similar to the adult Kovacs to a certain extent, which may have been a deliberate choice by the director to illustrate Kovacs’s off-kilter mental state. But he resembles the “John” in the novel.
I had to laugh when I overheard him say that the actress playing Kovacs’s mother, at one point on the bed, showed him the scene in the novel as there were copies of the novel all over the set, including one on Mr. Snyder’s monitor for easy reference. There’s something kind of Twilight Zoney about Kovacs’s mother showing her “John” the novel while in her cheap flat enacting the scene. Weird.
As always, I hope this little tidbit of WATCHMEN news has helped to get everyone psyched for the film. Stay tuned for more. Until then, keep watching the Watchmen.
Page last updated on October 12, 2008