While I’m certain that it can and will stand by itself as a story, a great deal of the subtext to both narratives (this and the Watchmen film) will be lost viewing the animated feature separately. Cutting the animated bits back into the film will hopefully bring that thematic reflectivity back into the film.

The difficult part with this work has always been the density of Moore’s storytelling. I don’t expect the film to be the comic, nor do I want it to. Film is a far different medium that comics and as such you will never be able to capture the same kind of experience that Moore spends so much of his time crafting (one only needs to pick up a copy of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier to see this premise in action).

I look forward to watching the Black Freighter, but I will prefer to watch the theatrical release by itself as one experience. Then I’ll see the Director’s Cut as a completely different experience with the Black Freighter spliced in.

i think of it as being like the extended cuts of LOTR, the films work fine as they are, but are more detailed and have a different level of meaning with the additional content.

It kinda reminds me of all the “Tales from” book in the star wars universe. Tales from the cantina etc. they give interesting back story but are by no means essential.

i’m also happy that it will be cut back into the film in a directors cut. thats awesome!

To me, the film should stand alone. Additional story elements are good, if they truly are additional and not a requirement to understand what’s going on in the film…