The DC TV series has added a new member, and the "Swamp Monster" produced by Wen Ziren is scary enough

Emmitt 2022-10-09 03:31:53

When Godzilla, known as "the strongest environmental protection committee in history", hit the big screen on May 31, the most environmentally friendly alternative superhero Swamp Monster in DC Comics was also officially launched on the DC Universe streaming platform. first episode.

Under the guidance of Wen Ziren, who once led the DC movie universe to open a new chapter, "Swamp Monster" can be said to live up to expectations, and has won unanimous praise from countless industry media and audiences as soon as it was launched.

So, what is so special about this low-cost TV series with R-rated violence, uncomfortable scenes and a terrifying atmosphere, and how can it have such a word-of-mouth response?

A tribute to the classics of the era

From the 1960s to the 1970s, along with the large-scale arms race under the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, a series of nuclear tests were carried out one after another, which brought unexpected nuclear pollution and ecological damage.

At the same time, in order to ensure that countries that may break out of war at any time can have sufficient food and material reserves, under the leadership of the US government, the development of modern agriculture has been carried out on a large scale.

However, the excessive use of chemicals and fertilizers eventually led to serious environmental pollution, ecological damage, and brought unbearable disasters. A book "Silent Spring" published in 1962 became the first call for environmental protection in this era. .

Under the great changes of the times, DC is also facing new development opportunities and challenges. In the late 1960s, DC and Warner Bros. merged into one company, and hired many mature age, with a realistic thinking vision, but not easy to cooperate, rich Artists and creators with individuality and creativity, they are full of enthusiasm, passion, and even anger towards current social issues, and want to innovate and change.

Under the severe ecological situation, Swamp Monster appeared as a cartoon's resistance and appeal to reality. The first issue of "Swamp Monster" was officially released in November 1972.

Since then, not only DC's deep thinking about reality has been extended, but also the DC comics world has been greatly extended.

The swamp monster is the green of all things that symbolizes all plants in the force of nature. Corresponding to it are the red of all living beings, which symbolizes all animals, the black of decay, which symbolizes decay and death, and the withering ashes that connect all fungal life. The nine elemental forces of the earth's ecological balance.

Under the mutual restriction and balance of these forces, the earth can continue and develop.

From the very beginning of its birth, "Swamp Monster" contains rich ideological and philosophical connotations, as well as in-depth discussions on practical issues. In the creation of "V for Vendetta", "Watchmen" and other classic British cartoonist Alan. Under Moore's interpretation, "Swamp Thing" was pushed to the top of the comic book world, achieving both commercial and literary and artistic success. Later, it was even hailed as "a revolutionary work that established a new standard for pictorial narrative and whose influence is still spreading today".

Realism in the Dark Elements

After having countless loyal comic fans, "Swamp Thing" is extremely lucky to be one of the first DC comics characters to be brought to the big screen, especially under the influence of its unique dark realism element, so development is particularly rare.

You must know that even the rival Marvel, which sold a large number of character copyrights in the past, its dark, adult-oriented comic characters were adapted into movies after the 1990s, represented by "Blade Warrior" and "Ghost Rider".

However, the early film works, poor shooting techniques and low-cost film production made this character lose his vitality on the screen for a long time, until this year's "Swamp Monster" TV series recreated by Wen Ziren Debut on the DC Universe streaming platform.

Wen Ziren, who has filmed a series of classic commercial horror films such as "The Conjuring" and "Annabelle", obviously has his own unique thinking and ideas for the film and television adaptation of DC comics works.

From "Aquaman", which has become a global hit, we can see that he has been trying to integrate traditional superhero-themed film and television works with other types of film elements. In his mind, superhero films are not always evil. , Black and white, the good, evil and complexity of human nature cannot be completely summarized in one sentence.

If the character image of Aquaman cannot fully satisfy his positioning and control of the character image, then "Swamp Monster" can be said to provide him with an unprecedented stage and comic theme that can be fully practiced.

The unique dark elements and realism of "Swamp Monster" itself, as well as the terrifying and alternative image, have been almost perfectly restored to the TV series.

The pervasive dark gothic atmosphere, terrifying and realistic biochemical mutations, and a different interpretation of Beauty and the Beast can be seen for the first time in just one episode of the TV series.

Behind the dark and fantasy elements, the destruction of the ecological environment and the human intervention of natural laws under realism... The in-depth discussion of these issues may occupy a considerable part in the subsequent plot.

Screen rendition in a terrifying atmosphere

The horror atmosphere of the first episode is almost perfect, as described by the only negative review in the early media: "Swamp Monster" puts the atmosphere of the story before the characters, and the pictures are too scary and terrifying.

Under the limited shooting budget and cast, Wen Ziren applied his technique of shooting low-cost horror films, which he has always been good at, to the shooting of this TV series.

The vines suddenly stretched out from the dark, silent swamp abyss, Alec Holland, who was reborn from drowning and death, the town epidemic with many doubts, the heroine's unbearable past years, mysterious appearance, setting The dead man in black...

The burial of questions and clues has set an unknown and terrifying tone for the development of the later episodes and the fate of the characters. Even if you are not a loyal fan of DC Comics, after watching the first episode alone, I believe that I will also walk into this grotesque horror world, unable to extricate myself.

The only thing I don't know now is whether the swamp monster in the TV series continues the original setting of the comics, whether the vines wrapped around Alec have Alec's memory and consciousness and become a swamp monster, or is it according to the new 52 comic world in the world The setting, the swamp monster is really evolved from Alec himself, not a plant with Alec's memory.

But if Wen Ziren wants to follow the original setting while continuing Alan Moore's dark narrative style, then Wen Ziren should choose the former.

Because Alan Moore once said in a narration in the original comic book, "A plant that thinks it is Alec Holland, a plant that tries to express Alec Holland to the maximum..."

Links with other works in the DC Universe

As an original comic book from the DC Universe streaming media platform, since "Titan" and "Doom Patrol" have already established a worldview relationship before the broadcast, I believe that "Swamp Monster" is a work on the same platform. At the same time, works that match the styles and elements of the other two works will definitely intersect in the future and continue to expand their worldview.

Surprisingly, Krystal Reed, who plays the heroine in the TV series this time, played the eccentric and evil mob boss Falco in Fox TV's "Gotham" drama. daughter inside. Now appearing in another DC comic work, it is quite a sense of time and space crossing and the intersection of characters.

So, to add a digression, is "Swamp Thing" the daughter of Falcone from Gotham City in the eastern United States, across most of the United States and thirty or forty years to the present, returning to her childhood hometown, and an ecological A story about a family romance that unintentionally caused a series of problems?

The debut of "Justice League Dark"?

As an anti-traditional and unpopular alternative superhero character, the swamp monster was doomed to miss the Justice League, which saves the world in an upright and upright way, so he became one of the important members of another organization in the DC comics world-Dark Justice League .

As an important and unique existence in DC comics, "Dark Justice League" has been put on the agenda as one of the production plans of Warner DC Comics series long before the birth of "Avengers". After a series of previous film series have been smashed into the sand, Warner has become more and more cautious about the selection of the theme of DC comics, so it has long been written by the famous director Guillermo del Toro. "Justice League Dark" script Along with the filming plans were put on hold indefinitely.

A dramatic development that culminated in Swamp Thing's pre-debut on the small screen.

So, can we imagine that under the circumstance that the swamp monsters as an important member of the "Dark Justice League" are already on the DC Universe streaming platform, in the near future, "Dark Justice League" will not be like "Doomsday" Like "Titan", "Patrol" has changed the original plan of filming a film, but will be on the DC streaming platform as a derivative film and television drama? Let's wait and see!

Excellent comic works are an important symbol of the spirit and development of the times. To achieve the same success, film and television works adapted from comic works can only adapt to the times and society without violating the theme and spiritual value of the original works. An adaptation of the development, and cut into the exploration of society and real life...

I really look forward to DC's excellent performance on the small screen, under the combined effect of realism and the spirit of the times, to make a comeback for its future development!

The author of this article said that the article was first published on the WeChat public account "Cinephile Life". DC, Marvel, sci-fi, fantasy, Europe and the United States, classic movie recommendations, and in-depth analysis of popular blockbusters, just pay attention to "Cinema Life".

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