Stephen King Fans discussion

The easy answer for me is "The Shawshank Redemption". Great actors that really capture the nuances of one of King's non-supernatural stories.

The second movie that leaps to mind is "Misery", because even when I knew what happened in the book, seeing it on the screen was still creepy and painful.

My King 'guilty pleasure' movie has to be the TV "The Langoliers". God help me, I even like Bronson Pinchot's acting.

Not sure that I have a favorite, but I can say without any doubt I was completely horrified with the film adaptation of Dreamcatcher, particularly the end. Nothing, absolutely NOTHING like the book, not even remotely the same story!!! Arg! So so frustrating, that the great SK would give his blessing to the film ending. So sad when this happens to a fabulous story!

I find it interesting that usually when he gets adapted on TV (The Shining, The Langoliers, The Stand, IT,Salem's Lot) the project turns out pretty good or very good (notwithstanding the IT spider! :)), sometimes better than if it was a cinematic treatment.

IMHO, Langoliers was Pinchot's dramatic acting heights, but the film was ruined by Dean Stockwell's acting.

IT was terrifying and I recently saw The Mist and was impressed. I will always rewatch Dreamcatcher, Rose Madder (wasn't it called Rose Red in the made-for-tv movie?), The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Shining.

I find that I like them all really, but favorites would be Misery, Firestarter, Dreamcatcher, The Shining and Carrie. I remember when Carrie came out I saw it at the theater and man that movie scared the crap out of me. I loved Dreamcatcher if for no other reason than all those awesome actors.

I do like Stand By Me, The Green Mile, Shawshank, etc., but I would really like to see more focus on theatrical versions of his really scary stuff instead of the made-for-tv stuff. Now that CGI has come so far somebody like Guillermo del Toro or Peter Jackson could really take a movie like The Stand and make it an epic film.

But most of all I want to see The Gunslinger series put to film. I would hate to think they'd try and jam all seven books into one movie - I'd love to see each volume be its own.

I love Stand By Me! I also like The Stand and It Miniseries.

The thing I'm worried about the Gunslinger series is that it would get like JKR's Harry Potter. As the movies progress and the books get longer, stuff is just left out.

I could only see The Gunslinger as a continuing series on cable...which would be quite expensive.

oo- that would be good. a miniseries of gunslinger. some miniseries have been done quite well. i don't necessarily think it would be all that expensive. there is some fantasy aspect of it, but the setting would be fairly reasonable. arizona'ish, perhaps.

god, this one's hard- hard to pick just one, I mean. The Shining's the no-brainer, for me. Secret Window, Secret Garden is a close second. I actually liked the movie vrsn better than the book (ah! sacrilege!). Misery definitely- but I've never read the book.

BTW, did anyone ever catch the Shining miniseries they did a few years ago with Rebecca deMornay and Steve Weber? What'd you think?

A miniseries that I think gets overlooked a lot is Rose Red- I loved it- scary, sad, beautiful. I never see the book anywhere though, is it in print?

When are they going to make The Library Policeman into a movie? I've been waiting for years...that's my fave novella!

The Sun Dog was pretty excellent too, but I don't think it would make that great a movie, bc of the ending.

oh- I agree w/The Shawshank Redemption- funny, if there's no ghosts or crazies, I don't think of it as King right away- look at me pigeonholing...

I really like Rose Red too. For a miniseries I think it may be one of the tops. The story was never a book, but as a marketing ploy when the series came out there was a fake novel released that was supposedly written by one of the characters from the story.

Secret Window was a great one, and Shawshank Redemption. And do you know, to this day the sound of a train whistle gives me the chills EVERY TIME - I'm NOT kidding, thanks Stand By Me.

I thought the shinning mini series as an adaptation was better then the jack nickleson movie. they were both good, but the mini series captured Stephen Kings vision better, and i read on wikipedia that Stephen King was involved for all of the miniseries.. and he wasn't involved in the movie at all.

My favorite is still Carrie.

Carrie will come in first for me. You can't remake or recapture this classic masterpiece.


Other favorites: Salem's Lot, Rose Red, The Shinning, Shawshank Redemption(which sometimes I forget is written by Stephen King),Needful Things had a great underlining message, Pet Sematary(for its adolescence darkness, The Mist is a new favorite of mine, and Storm of the Century. Both, The Mist and Storm of the Century analyzed and expressed the results of human behavior when faith is tested.

I've still not seen The Mist, but after reading some reviews on here I think I will. The Mist was one of the early stories I remember reading that King wrote and it will be interesting to see how they bring that one to life.

I have so many I really enjoyed.
Carrie,The Shining both versions,Stand By Me,Misery,Rose Red,It,The Stand miniseries,Pet Semetary,The Shawshank Redemption,The Green Mile.

Aside from two major strays from the novella, i loved the movie "the Mist". The they captured the human fear element was fantastic. I also have to say that the best movie ever made from a King addaptation would be Shawshank, that was such an awesome story, and really hightlights Kings versatility.

I have two favourites - I love The Green Mile, it always moves me, which is slightly odd for a King adaptation and the other is The Shining, the choice of Jack NIcholson to play the lead was superb. This was the first film adaptation that actually stick very closely to the original story adn what I visualized in my head was what I saw on screen - I read the book before I saw the film, most of my friends did it the other way round, saw the film and then wanted to read the book - my copy never got returned come to think about it :)

Love, love, LOVE Secret Window. Aside from this being my all-time favorite novella, I am a huge Johnny fan and practically came out of my skin when I first heard about the movie in the making. I do prefer the movie adaption to the book; the ending was so much more gratifying.

The Green Mile comes in at a close second, and of course Carrie can't go without mention. Shawshank also ranks pretty high on the list. I didn't care much for The Shining though. I can't wait to see The Mist!

I recently saw Thinner and was quite impressed! I need to look this book up. Has anyone read the book and seen the movie? Thoughts?

******* Keeping to short stories *******

To this day i love Maximum Overdrive. Next would be Stand By Me, The Mist, 1408, The Shawshank Redemption, & Secret Window.

******* Not books short stories*******

The Green Mile. I don't care how many times I see it, it's always a sob-fest for me. And Sam Rockwell's "Billy the Kid" very nearly trumps Nicholson's Jack Torrence, IMO---probably because the entire cast of TGM was so strong, whereas Nicholson was paired with the homely and snivelling Shelley Duvall, who seriously detracted from the film.

First off The Shining is a book, not a short story! And i thought we were only doing short stories. :(

And yes there is someone who likes Shelley DuVall as Wendy. ME! What all of you have to remember is, this was written in 1977 & filmed in 1979. And no matter how we don't like it, & don't won't to remember it, it was a male dominated run house hold during that time period. The man worked, payed the bills, bought the food, & more or less set the pace for the woman of the house. He said clean, she asked cleanwhat, he said fix supper, she asked what do you want, he said i want sex now, she said no, he slaped her. Get the picture? Almost from jump street we find out that Jack's a drunk, about to lose his job, he's got writer's block, & he's broken his sons arm. Not to mention his tone with his wife. All of that leads me to believe Wendy has been submissive to him for quite some time. Of course she comes off mousey, timid, quite, inverted, and beaten down. Jack wouldn't have it any other way. And to Wendy's credit she grows some during thier ordeal. For love of her son she stands up to Jack as best as she can. In this Kubrick stayed pretty true to the book. IMO Shelley DuVall was Wendy! Really do you see Kubrick casting Goldie Hawn, Sally Field, Bo Derek, or Carrie Fisher? I don't think so!

Sorry...but I liked R. DeMornay much better. And not because she had big "hooters". SK didn't write Wendy the way Duvall played her. Yes, women were more submissive in the late 70's (than now) but that was also the time when women started to demand equal rights. There is such a lack of strength in Duvall's portrayal...at least in my opinion. She spends the entire movie putting out fires...simply reacting. And I did not sense a strong bond between her and Danny like I did in the later movie. Of course, all this is JMO.

I have really liked pretty much every adaptation (other than the Kubrick one). No one has mentioned "Dolores Claiborne" (which I loved) or "Silver Bullet" (which I thought was very under-rated).

Rob wrote: " I guess Kubrick could've casted some bleach blonde with hooters that bounced when she ran..... "

Physical appearance has nothing to do with the reason I don't like Shelly DuVall in the Shining. The simple fact is that I don't like her in anything! I can not stand the sound of her voice... it makes me wish an immediate, violent death to her characters. She could be the world's best actress and I'd hate her once she spoke.

As for my favorite adaptation, that changes based on my current mood but the Creepshow movies are always high on my list :)

I love Delores Claiborne. I don't think I ever finished the book. I need to give it another go.

Mary wrote: "The Green Mile. I don't care how many times I see it, it's always a sob-fest for me.

Mary -- I completely ageee. The two best adaptations are The Green Mile (one of my big time favorite King novels) and the "Shawshank Redemption" -- There's a very simple reason for that, tho -- they were directed by the same man. - He used to joke that in Hollywood, he had the smallest of specialities - Stephen King prison movies!

IMO I don't think King wrote Wendy to be this outspoken, strong, liberated woman that most of you want her to be. And Kubrick's vision worked well with Shelly DuVall. I like Steven Weber & Rebecca DeMonay, but i hated the remake The Shining.

Rob -- There's one tremendous difference between the two versions of "The Shining" and it's an important one. I don't think anyone would argue that the Overlook itself is the MOST important character in this story -- Kubrick's cast is better, as is most of the direction. But . . . I don't know why, but Kubrick chose NOT to film his version at the real hotel, The Stanley in Estes Park, Co. This is where SK took Tab for a vacation with the money from the paperback rights of "Salem's Lot". That hotel has more character than I've ever seen outside of Europe. The walls just ooze horror.

You have absolutely no idea until you've walked those halls, used the elevator, seen the fire hose on the wall, the bottles of booze reflected in the mirrored bar -- Every inch of that place makes my hair stand on end.

All in All, I vote for the miniseries for that one (important) reason.

Lori wrote: " IMO I don't think King wrote Wendy to be this outspoken, strong, liberated woman that most of you want her to be. And Kubrick's vision worked well with Shelly DuVall. I like Steven Weber & Rebecca..."

Did you not read the book? Because the Wendy of the book was considerably more brave and less cry-babyish than the Wendy portrayed by Shelley Duvall. Never mind "liberated", wherever that comes from--I'm not sure what if anything womens' lib has to do with it. She was a mama bear defending her cub and she just got down to it in the book, without all that blubbering. And BTW, I grew up in the 70s, and I don't remember it as being quite as "Me Tarzan, you Jane" as you seem to, lol.

Rob wrote:
Doesn't ANYBODY like Shelley DuVall in The Shining? Sure, she's not the most attractive person in the world, but so what? And...I would probably do a little snivel..."

For me it’s not about her appearance (though I’m not one to shy away from a massive pair of hooters!) I just thought she was a piss poor actress.

OK people! No am not saying DuVall is a great actress, i'm only saying for Kubrick's vision she worked out well. As for her being a mama bear that evolved during the reading of the book. She didn't start out that way. I may have exaggerated some on the 70's but i was trying to make a point. As Rob pointed out most women would have left some drunk SOB when he broke her childs arm & called the cops. She didn't. Way? IMO because she was wore down. And that took awhile to do. She may have been scared of him when we started out, but by the end she grew into that mama bear, and did what she had to do. As for her looks, again IMO, i think Kubrick wanted to take away some, in DuVall's case most, of her looks. Seeing a beautiful or even very pretty woman would distract us. We would already think she's a mama bear when she wasn't. But again that's just my opinion.


On the flip side, i'm glad i got this topic going. It's been a really good debate. LOL :o)

***** Groovy baby *****

Who's got your back? :)

I want to go on record here stating that (while I wasn't crazy about Shelly Duvall) the movie ran circles around the miniseries. When I see DeMornay all I can think about is her straddling Tom Cruise on a subway train--and not in a GOOD way. And Stephen Weber's chops just aren't righteous enough to tackle the role of a complex character like Jack Torrence.

I would also like to go on record with my disappointment in those of you who seem to blame abused women for the abuse because they stay with their abusers. SHAME ON YOU. I suggest you all do a little more research into domestic violence before you make flippant referrences like that. If "most women" left their abusers at the first sign of abuse, it wouldn't be a problem in this country. There's a whole psychological aspect to it that apparently you guys don't understand.

I'm not trying to start any sh*t. I'm just sayin'.

Mary --- What you're "just sayin'" is dead right (unfortunate choice of words perhaps - but heartbreakingly, often the result of domestic abuse.)

While I vote for the mini-series over the movie over-all, one thing Kubrick got right was the atmosphere. Bondama was right about that. I got a much better sense of impending doom from the visuals and the music. Ultimately, the thing that bothered me the most about the movie was that Nicholson did not evolve like the character in the book. In the book, Jack and Wendy started out as having a better relationship. You knew they'd been through hell and were finding their way back. Nicholson played Jack as resentful from the beginning and his downward spiral didn't have the same impact. In the book, Wendy was determined to make a go of things, while Duvall played her as fearful from the beginning. I didn't ever get any sense of love between them, which would've made the ending more powerful.

First off Rob, you said nothing to be ashamed of!

Second, DeMornay sucked as Wendy!

Third, no one was being, gib, insolent, or disrespectful toward abused women. And we sure as hell don't blame them!

Fourth & last, what i did say i'll stand by. Which was it took awhile to get where Wendy was. To most women their kid getting a broken arm would be dramatic enough to finally wake them up, & give them some kind of courage to leave. And i damn well know of what i speak. I would know more blame any woman for her being abused then i would blame myself & other women i know.

As for The Shining some one ask me if i read the book. YES i did, did you? I didn't get the feel of them trying to to start over. They may have stated to some degree of having a fresh start,by going to the hotel, but that's all i got from it. And Jack's decent into madness starts almost from the word go. He can't seem to write, he's lost his job, he broke his kids arm, and his wife blames him for it. He goes to apply for the job of caretaker with all this on his mind. IMO he seems to start his downward spiral on his way home to get his family. I know in the book he took a little longer to go mad, he had all the time in the world, but of crouse movies have to move a little faster. Over all, again IMO, the Kubrick film beats the shit out of the remake any day of the year!

"And that's all i got to say about that."

Wow...you folks sure do get wound up! Honestly...I wish we could be more civil. After all, it's just a difference of opinion. About a movie.
Still, I'm sure SK would love it!

Rob wrote: "If you were referring to me with your comment, I resent it."

Actually, I wasn't. But when you (and I mean the general "you", not you specifically) make statements like "most women would leave", it implies a certain degree of "she got what she desrved for staying". The thing about women in abusive relationships is, they aren't "most women". Their thinking is distorted, obviously. I certainly never meant to imply that you are a misogynist, either. My apologies.*offers olive branch*

The more I think about it, the more I question whether Wendy and Jack's relationship in the book was one of abuse at all. True, Jack was an alcoholic with a short fuse, but aside from breaking Danny's arm by accident, (and beating up his student) I don't recall him being physically violent to his family prior to the events at The Overlook. Since I'm on a SK kick at the moment I believe I'll give it a re-read....as soon as I can find my copy. I think I may have loaned it to someone, always a mistake.

Betsy wrote: "Wow...you folks sure do get wound up! Honestly...I wish we could be more civil. After all, it's just a difference of opinion. About a movie.
Still, I'm sure SK would love it!"

We do love the smell of napalm in the morning ;)

The 'getting wound up' is one of the reasons I love this group. Lots of differing opinions and viewpoints, and while the discussions can (often) get heated they don't actually degenerate into flame wars. I can't think of a thread in this group where the Mods had to step in and end a discussion (I could be missing something, though- I don't think I've read everything) because the members themselves will step back when something starts to get out of 'heated discussion' territory and into 'argument territory'... and then everybody comes back for more- I love it, wakes my brain up :) (of course, I've been told that I'm argumentative by nature, LOL)

OK Mary if you didn't mean Rob who does that leave? You said " I mean the general "you" not you specifically" No one else used those words. Rob said "The fact that he broke Danny's arm in a drunken rage would have been enough for most women to leave, no?" I just happened to agree with that statement. As someone who has been there and done that i know some of what i speak. I also said that it took awhile for her to get that way & to some women a childs arm being broken would have been enough to find that courage they needed to leave. And no one said Jack abused Wendy physially, he just fucked with her mind. As for Danny's arm IMO it wasn't an accident. Drunks can call it what they want & maybe it's impllied in the book as a accident, but that's not how i read it.


I apologize to you Besty if any of this offends you, & your right it is a matter of opinion. But when someone takes something out of context and makes out like i'm some kind of person who would condone and even blame a woman for abuse it pisses me off. I don't mind a good debate. Hell when i saw this old topic and started it back up again i thought we might have one. But this is not a debate this is starting shit. People need to stop taking words out of context just so they can have a soapbox to stand on.

Now i'm done with this once and for all.

Oh Lori...I'm not offended and I hope I didn't sound judgmental. When people starting getting upset here I had a flashback to an old message board I used to belong to where one of these things got out of hand. I ended up getting banned from it (unfairly IMO) and I just didn't want that to happen to anyone here.

And Stacie...thank you. I haven't really been a part of this group long enough to know that folks here don't let things get too far out of hand. I just felt like I need to say something to put on the brakes. No hard feelings guys?

I've just finished reading IT and i'm planning on watching the IT movie. Is the IT movie more scary or disturbing than the book?

I don't anything's really scarier than the book :)

All 4 of my girls have read or are reading that Twilight crap. Their all sharing the books, and one of them was waiting for the other to get done. I gave her IT to read, that's my all time favorite King book. She gave it back after 10 pages, said it was to scary for her. Their all whimps when it comes to reading. They like their vamps to be all lovey dovey, & they don't read zombies. IT is awesome love reading it over & over, but that made for TV movie suckes. IT's the only SK book i'd like to see remade. I totally agree with Rachel nothings scarrier than the book IT.

the draw of IT for me though is the friendship of the Losers Club. I kind of think of the book as "Stand by Me with a scary clown".

I loved all I've watched except for 'the dead zone' that I just LIKED but my fav movie, if I had to choose one would be 'Secret Window' since I love psychological movies but it wasn't easy for me to choose this from Misery, 1408 and the myst. I guess 1408 comes real close to 'Secret Window'

The Losers Club was one of KIng's best ka-tets. I/YOU fell in love with every one of them.