TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER

From aicn, TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER is very faithfully adapted - featuring the voice of Gerard Butler as the castaway. The feeling I got watching it (saw it 3 times tonight) is of a lost Poe or Lovecraft or EC story. The parallels and metaphoric references are all in there to work as a companion to the WATCHMEN universe, but better than that - this 21 minute animated short film is absolutely a solid work in and of itself. At points it feels very Graham Ingels or Bernie Wrightson. I love that this is hand animation at work, because it literally brings that comic to life. The score helps to enhance the fear - but Butler sounds like a man on the brink of insanity - clawing at reality as it tears upon his fingertips.

The shark attack on the raft... Quint will die - and all JAWS fans and shark attack junkies should love it as well. This short film is R-rated and uncompromising in its conveyance of dread and melancholy. It is perfect.

The only significant special Feature is the STORY WITHIN A STORY: THE BOOKS OF WATCHMEN - which is a very nice feature about why Zack felt it was important to give life to these two parts of the WATCHMEN story, which so many would have thought instantly eliminated from consideration. You'll find Len Wein and Dave Gibbons throughout this doc - along with various members of Zack's creative team - and lots of behind the scenes footage. It runs about 25 minutes. So in all this whole package is about an hour and a half - not counting the GREEN LANTERN preview or the 1st chapter of the Motion Comic for the WATCHMEN.

I'd say this. If you loved WATCHMEN this weekend - then this is definitely worth picking up. It really made me want to go back and watch the film again for a fourth time!