Stephen King goes to the movies... (1 Viewer)

[Winston T. Boogie]

I completely understand why King hates the Kubrick film. I don't at all agree with that assessment, but Kubrick definitely took a novel that had been about one thing, and used the details from that work to a make a movie about something that was very different. And since The Shining was very personal to King because of what it was about for him, I understand his frustration.

Yes, one of my favorite King moments is hearing him describe how Kubrick phoned him out of the blue one morning to discuss the supernatural. It is hilarious and also sort of summarizes the differences between the two men, their take on the novel, and horror in general. These guys did not approach things the same way and so likely would not have been good working together. I think Kubrick sensed this and so did not want King around when making the picture. Sure, I understand why King did not like Kubrick's version and probably rightly so. It took his story and just used it as a draft to chase something entirely different than what King was chasing when he wrote it.

Here's a good video that discusses The Shining and in particular the process of adapting it to the screen:



And though this video takes a shot at Prometheus, an excellent example of bad writing, I can assure everyone that no, I am not the one that made this video.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I think Torrance being apeshit crazy nearly from the jump in the movie is nowhere near as effective as his slide into madness in the novel. I realize that Kubrick had to operate with 2-ish hours rather than King having as many pages as his heart desired but I think Jack immediately being nuts doesn't work as well.

I agree. In the book, the slow slide into madness really conveys the idea that the hotel is slowly possessing Torrance and that is what is driving him to madness. You don't get that same sense in Kubrick's film.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My love of the film over the novel is the film dropped all the things that I thought would come across as ridiculous. The topiary animals becoming a maze I thought was a brilliant switch.

It's funny, but the first time I saw the film I was really looking forward to seeing how those topiary animals would look on film, considering the state of special effects at that time. I was quite disappointed when that was replaced with the maze.

At this point, I have grown to love both the book and the film, but as two completely different works of art. You just have to separate the two.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

At this point, I have grown to love both the book and the film, but as two completely different works of art. You just have to separate the two.

Yes, I think you are correct. They should be viewed as separate things and I think Kubrick and King would agree with that. Kubrick liked the novel...or at least something about the novel which is why he chose to make the picture.

Some things I think are better read than visualized. In your imagination when reading King's novel the animals coming to life could be spooky and strange. On screen though it may come across as goofy or funny. I think this is sort of a giant problem with much of King's writing and a great example of this would be the film Dreamcatcher. Lawrence Kasdan, who is no slouch with telling a story, had everything at his disposal to make this an excellent film. He wrote the screenplay himself, and he is a fine writer, he had the budget and cast to pull off a top notch production. However, the utter ridiculousness of King's writing sinks the film. Shit weasels, farting, belching, silly ways of conveying that a character is possessed, actors having to deliver absolutely outrageous dialogue that Kasdan kept from King's story...well...it does not translate to the screen. You can tell watching the film that every effort was made to make an excellent picture and a good King film but it just ends up being so ridiculous it plays like comedy. Honestly, I think there is a lot of comedy in what King writes but in a novel he can interweave that in ways that work.

When some poor bastard has to try to get these stories up on a screen though it becomes a sort of giant issue. Watch the long list of King films and a lot of the time the scares in the films are totally undermined by the humor.

 

[dpippel]

I agree. In the book, the slow slide into madness really conveys the idea that the hotel is slowly possessing Torrance and that is what is driving him to madness. You don't get that same sense in Kubrick's film.

I certainly do. I think Kubrick did a pretty fine job depicting Torrance's mental erosion as a result of exposure to the supernatural forces at work in the Overlook.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This looks like it could be the best Stephen King film coming out this year and maybe in some time. Mike Flanagan is a solid horror director...

 

[RBlenheim]

Why aren't any of you talking about "Dolores Clailborne"? I think it's easily the finest film made from King's books.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Why aren't any of you talking about "Dolores Clailborne"? I think it's easily the finest film made from King's books.

I have not mentioned it because I actually have never seen it. I just went to check availability of the film and it seems there is no blu-ray available of it.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So he really does go to the movies and his favorite film is William Friedkin's Sorcerer!

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Explore King's full list here:

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/stephen-king-favourite-films

 

[TravisR]

^ That's a really good list. Nice to see somewhat lesser known movies like Sorcerer and The Stepfather get some acknowledgement.

I guess King left his own Maximum Overdrive off the list in order to be humble.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This looks like it could be the best Stephen King film coming out this year and maybe in some time. Mike Flanagan is a solid horror director...

I should point out that Gerald's Game is now available for viewing on Netflix and I may watch it tonight as my October 3rd horror film. Word is it is the best Stephen King film released in some time...and certainly the best this year.

 

[Detour (1945)]

Nice, I just noticed GERALD'S GAME was on Netflix the other day and wondered what it was all about (the film, not the book, I've read that). I heard no advance word on this film, but was certainly going to check it out anyway. Glad to hear it's getting good reviews. I'll definitely be slotting it in my October Horror Marathon.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Nice, I just noticed GERALD'S GAME was on Netflix the other day and wondered what it was all about (the film, not the book, I've read that). I heard no advance word on this film, but was certainly going to check it out anyway. Glad to hear it's getting good reviews. I'll definitely be slotting it in my October Horror Marathon.

I thought it was very good so I do recommend giving it a watch.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So, here is a conversation with David Cronenberg where he does talk quite a bit about The Dead Zone and adapting novels into films. Plus it is just a really good talk with Cronenberg, thought I would drop it in here to keep this thread alive...

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Why aren't any of you talking about "Dolores Clailborne"? I think it's easily the finest film made from King's books.

So, at the time you mentioned this I had not seen this picture and there was no blu-ray of it available. Both of those items have now changed and I watched the blu-ray of Dolores Claiborne last week. I think the reason people don't bring it up is that it is more of a drama than a horror film...or really a film that deals with everyday horrors like being married to or a child of an abusive alcoholic and the pain and toll the choices we make in life can inflict upon us.

Kathy Bates owns this picture and gives a fantastic performance and she is surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast. Christopher Plummer is excellent, as he always seems to be, as the detective assigned to unravel a suspicious death involving a person he failed to put away for murder on the one case that haunts him from his long career. The picture is also beautifully shot with a choice having been made to portray all the present day scenes in a more muted way with the color drained from them and the flashbacks in brighter more vivid color.

Warner Archive released the film on blu-ray, interestingly, not too long after Robert mentioned it and did their usual superlative job with it. The only kind of monster you will find in this film is the very human kind and the only ghosts the pain and memories we often cling to throughout our lives about mistakes and choices we made.

I will also say that Nova Scotia does a very nice job standing in for coastal Maine.

 

[Johnny Angell]

So, at the time you mentioned this I had not seen this picture and there was no blu-ray of it available. Both of those items have now changed and I watched the blu-ray of Dolores Claiborne last week. I think the reason people don't bring it up is that it is more of a drama than a horror film...or really a film that deals with everyday horrors like being married to or a child of an abusive alcoholic and the pain and toll the choices we make in life can inflict upon us.

Kathy Bates owns this picture and gives a fantastic performance and she is surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast. Christopher Plummer is excellent, as he always seems to be, as the detective assigned to unravel a suspicious death involving a person he failed to put away for murder on the one case that haunts him from his long career. The picture is also beautifully shot with a choice having been made to portray all the present day scenes in a more muted way with the color drained from them and the flashbacks in brighter more vivid color.

Warner Archive released the film on blu-ray, interestingly, not too long after Robert mentioned it and did their usual superlative job with it. The only kind of monster you will find in this film is the very human kind and the only ghosts the pain and memories we often cling to throughout our lives about mistakes and choices we made.

I will also say that Nova Scotia does a very nice job standing in for coastal Maine.

I’ve not seen this movie nor read the book, but this sure seems a very good summary of the kind of tale the movie is, without spoilers.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I also recently watched the Shout Special Edition of Firestarter. This film was originally a John Carpenter project but then they chopped the budget down and Carpenter walked away from it. The script he was going to shoot was apparently much different than the novel but when the project went forward with a new director a script was composed that is apparently very faithful to the King story. I had not seen Firestarter since it was released in theaters back in 1984. It certainly would have been interesting to see what Carpenter would have made of this but it works as yet another entry in the "people with such strong psychic powers they can kill you with them" genre. Back in this time frame films like Carrie, The Fury, Dreamscape and The Sender to name a few seemed to indicate that the "psychic powers" genre was pretty popular. Now I can't think of any recent films that delve into this territory.

 

[Malcolm R]

a film that deals with everyday horrors like being married[.]

That's the ultimate horror story.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

That's the ultimate horror story.

Now, now...Malcolm, be nice to your wife...or ex-wife whatever the case may be...