StephenKingman Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Just viewing it as a film, I enjoy Kubrick's The Shining. The acting was superb and most of it was quite well done. In comparison to King's novel it isn't quite as spectacular, but it's the only King adaptation that I really think was good. But then again I haven't seen that many of the adaptations, so I could be wrong about that. The adaptations range from fantastic (Misery, Carrie, Shawshank, Stand By Me, Apt Pupil and Dolores Claiborne) to the merely good ( IT, The Stand, Christine, Dead Zone ) to the downright, oh God what were they thinking (Tommyknockers, Christine, Children of Corn, Cujo and Thinner) and lots in between which do not fit into any category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Maximum Overdrive, on a scale of quality, is probably the worst (tho a couple of the Children Of The Corn films nudge pretty close on the lame-o-meter), but either Shawshank or The Green Mile is probably the best. For those of you with a well-developed sense of the absurd I suggest watching Creepshow - though just the once. No need to do something crazy, like buy the DVD or anything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilona Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 ^I did enjoy Shawshank, though I haven't been able to sit through it since the first time I saw it. The adaptations range from fantastic (Misery, Carrie, Shawshank, Stand By Me, Apt Pupil and Dolores Claiborne) to the merely good ( IT, The Stand, Christine, Dead Zone ) to the downright, oh God what were they thinking (Tommyknockers, Christine, Children of Corn, Cujo and Thinner) and lots in between which do not fit into any category. I completely forgot about Misery! That one was well done - beautiful choice of actor for Annie. I saw some of Carrie and couldn't get into it, and didn't quite like IT. A lot of the time I just don't think the films live up to King's books - even if they aren't bad - and can't enjoy them. I saw The Shining before I read any of the book, so I was able to sit through that one, but I don't think I'll be able to again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 ^I did enjoy Shawshank, though I haven't been able to sit through it since the first time I saw it. I completely forgot about Misery! That one was well done - beautiful choice of actor for Annie. I saw some of Carrie and couldn't get into it, and didn't quite like IT. A lot of the time I just don't think the films live up to King's books - even if they aren't bad - and can't enjoy them. I saw The Shining before I read any of the book, so I was able to sit through that one, but I don't think I'll be able to again. Well, everyone has different opinions on his films so that makes debate all the more interesting! I didnt mind IT as the movie had a stellar performance by Tim Curry and made a generation of people terrified of clowns! I love Shawshank buy find it very grim so i haven't watched it too many times. There is another point which is thye should make movies out of some of his less famous works. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon would make a fantastic movie if they got the right director, similarly Geralds Game would play on the isolation and terror King is so fond of exposing. Under the Dome, his most recent novel, is being adapted for a mini-series in the same vein as The Stand was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I have given up on Under the Dome This is a pretty large issue for me as I am a massive King fan and adore several of his other novels and regard them up there with some of the very finest tales full of storytelling passion. So, this has concerned me, plus I spent a large chunk of money on this, the most I have been able to spend on anything for myself for a long time, so I do feel I have a right to be let down. The great man has very rarely disappointed me however, I guess i'm just not 'feeling it' in big Jim Rennie's words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ned Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 That's bad news Rawr, i was going to read that pretty soon, think i'll have to move it down the TBR pile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I think King has many better books for sure, it's just my opinion though but I do think it is one to be moved down a little! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ned Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Yeah, the size of the thing is pretty intimidating, you really need to want to read it before starting it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Exactly, take The Stand for instance, which is a fair huge story, I read that in around 13 days because the story really grabbed me and made me want to read it and look forward to the ride. Under The Dome never did that, apart from possibly one moment in the third or fourth chapter, it just never really got going in my opinion and there's a lot of potential King could do with such a plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 (edited) Exactly, take The Stand for instance, which is a fair huge story, I read that in around 13 days because the story really grabbed me and made me want to read it and look forward to the ride. Under The Dome never did that, apart from possibly one moment in the third or fourth chapter, it just never really got going in my opinion and there's a lot of potential King could do with such a plot. To be honest, i don't blame you. Even though i still think Under The Dome is a very entertaining book, i felt the same sense of frustration as i read through the story that the Dome itself was just being ignored as a sideshow while the anarchy and chaos that descended onto Chester's Mill was the real story. It was no doubt King's intention to focus the story on how a small town copes with suddenly being cut off from the world, and his old reliable themes of paranoia and isolation are as strong as ever, but to me, you cannot sell a novel on such an intriguing concept, only to spend a mere 6 or 7 chapters focusing on what the structure is and how can it be destroyed, and then throw in an explanation at the very end that is frankly ****. I read through the whole book with a mixture of excitement as to what this structure exactly was, and what connection it has to the characters, and a growing sense of disappointment that King was just going to ignore the central concept in favor of 'its all about the journey and not the destination', well i don't fully agree with that, i want some closure! And i also agree that its hard to believe that a small town car salesman could have such dormant evil inside him. I would probably watch the tv series but the book left me a little flat. Edited February 18, 2010 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Wait, so, Under The Dome is about a small community suddenly cut off from the outside world? I know a great kid's horror/sci-fi book that does that. And it's BRILLIANT. Also, SKM just added a little bit of spoiler tagging to the end of your post, because anyone who is in the middle of reading it might know who you're talking about/might be spoiled by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I agree with a lot of your post. I understand King's philosophy of 'the journey is the point of the story' of course, and I can even let him off for a couple of bad endings to great stories he has done, you need to give a good story the ending it deserves. I came to that conclusion of how the novel was 'sold' to the readers as the dome being the actual problem and intriguing centre of the issue. This is why I was so interested in this particular novel, now if the anarchy and plot weaving around (or under if you will) this dome actually had a central or a strong link to the concept of the novel, then I would be more forgiving and understanding, but I do not like the whole Rennie plot at all and I think it is quite lazy writing in a lot of places. I do not see that very much at all with King, but I do feel it is so under-par in so many places. I feel for none of the characters because there is very little standing out from any of them at all for me. He has used kids again to advance particular plot points but I honestly care very little for them, nothing is fleshed out enough for me. There was so much room for expansion (and judging by the size of the book you would think expansion was a major part of it all ) with a plot like that but it seems like Steve has completely dodged the whole attraction of the story that the reader wanted to read about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Wait, so, Under The Dome is about a small community suddenly cut off from the outside world? I know a great kid's horror/sci-fi book that does that. And it's BRILLIANT. Also, SKM just added a little bit of spoiler tagging to the end of your post, because anyone who is in the middle of reading it might know who you're talking about/might be spoiled by it. Yep, thats the plot. A huge Dome erects itself around a small town and nothing can penetrate it so the inhabitants are doomed. Sounds brilliant but doesnt end well sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 It's a great idea to be fair. The kid's book is 'Out of Nowhere' by Gerard Whelan, and it's about two kids who wake up in a monastary somewhere outside Dublin. Apart from the monks and some insane people, all human and animal life has been removed completely - and nobody knows why or how. So it's about them trying to work it out, and about why this bubble of land has been evacuated except, accidentally, for them. Tis great. I'm glad I didn't buy Under The Dome now. I was tempted by it's sheer size. (I like long books). But I haven't read much King (one and a half books) so I'd rather stick to the highest recommended stuff at first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 It is a good idea, but not executed brilliantly, which makes it all the more irritating, i'd rather it be a boring idea and executed badly so I don't feel so disappointed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilona Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Well, everyone has different opinions on his films so that makes debate all the more interesting! I didnt mind IT as the movie had a stellar performance by Tim Curry and made a generation of people terrified of clowns! I love Shawshank buy find it very grim so i haven't watched it too many times. There is another point which is thye should make movies out of some of his less famous works. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon would make a fantastic movie if they got the right director, similarly Geralds Game would play on the isolation and terror King is so fond of exposing. Under the Dome, his most recent novel, is being adapted for a mini-series in the same vein as The Stand was. I have to agree, some of his lesser known books might do well as films. And I did enjoy Curry in IT, as well as most of the child actors' performances. The movie in whole wasn't that good in my opinion (especially a lot of the adult actors - the kids really outdid them), but there were bits of it I enjoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arewenearlythere Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 The Stand has a monthly comic book which takes the book into the world of graphic panels. I'd love to know what you think about the comic and how it has adapted to the story telling on panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 The Stand has a monthly comic book which takes the book into the world of graphic panels. I'd love to know what you think about the comic and how it has adapted to the story telling on panels. Ah yes, the Soul Survivor series, i have read a few of these stories and they are a good distraction but not something i would read regularly, they detract somewhat from the memories of the original book and is best read by people who have never read the book or are new to Stephen King. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 The Stand has a monthly comic book which takes the book into the world of graphic panels. I'd love to know what you think about the comic and how it has adapted to the story telling on panels. I haven't picked up the series yet, but I have managed to find The Dark Tower adaptation, and... it isn't what I expected. It isn't bad, per se, but it is entirely unnecessary. The text lifts chunks of the book and simply adds pictures, which isn't my definition of an adaptation (where, y'know - someone bothers to actually adapt the book). There have been a few speculative murmers about other adaptations that I'm losing interest in even before they have been properly announced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maedhermit Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I liked Dolores Claiborne and Rose Madder best i guess since even though they were horror/supernatural books, they were very sensitive and had serious underlying social themes (characters were women in abusive relationships). One book that I read probably three times is " From a Buick 8". It was not too graphic a novel but still had its twists and a heart. the books i like less are yes, the Dark Tower books. Dont enjoy so much the aliens and monsters kind of stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arewenearlythere Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 (edited) @StephenKingman I tend to agree, The comic may be slightly abrasive to people who read the book because of its portrayal of the Captain Trips epidemic might differ to what readers imagined. @BigWords I see your point; however, I do believe that the panelling and layout in comics can also tell a character driven story...i do agree that book "adaptations" may be more controversial! I bought Captain Trips volume 1 (comic) and enjoyed it enough to comtemplate getting the book, the size of it was what initially scared me off! Edited February 23, 2010 by arewenearlythere grammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I liked Dolores Claiborne and Rose Madder best i guess since even though they were horror/supernatural books, they were very sensitive and had serious underlying social themes (characters were women in abusive relationships). One book that I read probably three times is " From a Buick 8". It was not too graphic a novel but still had its twists and a heart. the books i like less are yes, the Dark Tower books. Dont enjoy so much the aliens and monsters kind of stories. I agree with you on the fantasy books point. I have always felt that King seems a bit uncomfortable straying into this territory and, although the Dark Tower series is well written, it seems to me like he is just writing them to prove a point that he can excel in a genre other than horror, rather than he is genuinely interested in telling a fantasy story. His forte has always been horror and i think he should stick with that. Having said that, i think one of his greatest works ever remains The Talisman, i read that book years ago and was gripped from the first page to the last by this tale of a young boy who would do anything to cure his sick mother, the book is quite terrifying in many places (particularly the 'Otherworld' scenes) and a great testament to the master of suspense. As for the point about film adaptations, yes, nearly every second movie these days is a poor remake of an uninspiring original so there is plenty of scope for a few King movie remakes, like Needful Things or Christine, or even adaptations of stories which haven't been done yet. For example, his most recent short story compendium 'Just After Sunset' contains a brilliantly written story called Mute, about the extent a betrayed husband will go to to get revenge. It would make a superb film if it was fleshed out a bit and had the right director leading the way, and that is just one of many stories yet to be filmed, there is a rich tapestry of possibilities in Kings' collection! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Hello, my name is Kim and I have never read an Stephen King Any suggestions on a good starting point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Hello, my name is Kim and I have never read an Stephen King Any suggestions on a good starting point? Ah, you have come to the right thread! As a King newbie, i would personally recommend The Shining or Carrie as your first book, both books contain the themes and style of writing King is famous for. I would also recommend The Stand but it is more than a 1000 pages long so could be daunting for your first read. If you dont like the sounds of the two books mentioned, try Misery, Apt Pupil, Geralds Game of Four Past Midnight. If fantasy is your thing, pick up the Dark Tower series or if a more conventional style of storytelling appeals, go for The Body, Shawshank Redemption or The Green Mile. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Univerze Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Hello, my name is Kim and I have never read an Stephen King Any suggestions on a good starting point? I agree on the books SKM mentioned above, and like to add, I think it would be best to start with his earlier work. Most of us agree that those are the best, and often scariest. But yeah, he's famous for books like the Shining, IT, Carrie, Firestarter (almost forgot about that one, but I do love it), Tommyknockers, hell, all of his earlier work. At first I'd stay away from books like Desperation (though this one is fascinating, I just think it's non-typical SK), Hearts in Atlantis or Cell. Those are, to me, not really Stephen King. I too, adore the Stand and Talisman, the sequel to the Talisman (Black House) is a little less good, but still worth reading. But really, where to start. There's so much. You could always start with short novellas like Cycle of the Werewolf (adapted for film as Silver Bullet). You know what, check this out, and see which book appeals to you most. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_King_bibliography Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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