HORROR MOVIES 101

Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

I think that Stephen King movies have a huge reputation for being either really good or pieces of crap.  I just happened to read an article (if you haven't noticed, I read a lot) in this month's edition of Rue Morgue magazine about another movie coming out that's based on Stephen King's novella The Mist which appeared in a book of his collected stories called Skeleton Crew.  The movie, conveniently titled The Mist, is directed by Frank Dabaront, who also directed The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption.  I'm going to give you all some info, whether you like it or not, so bear with me.  The Green Mile was kind of a serial novel that came out in parts, six of them I think, and then was released as a complete novel a little while afterward.  The Shawshank Redemption, which was really titled Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, appeared in a book of four novellas called Different Seasons, released in 1982.  Also appearing in Different Seasons were The Body, and Apt Pupil.  The Body was renamed Stand by Me and starred River Phoenix.  Apt Pupil was released with the same name and starred Ian McKellan, better known as Gandalf and Magneto ... ah crap.  I wandered way the hell off track ... 

Anyway, The Mist happens to be one of my favorite stories of Senor King's.  It is beautifully written (natch) and very vivid.  It is also quite deep and very depressing.  The movie will star Thomas Jane (The Punisher!) and I can't think of a cooler person to play the main guy, David.  I am very excited about this film, coming out in November, and just wanted to get an idea of what you all liked, if anything, regarding Stephen King flicks.

Cheers

P.S.  If anyone wants more information on various Stephen King stories turned movies, hit me up (that's right I said it!) because I love to talk about books, too.

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

Big Stephen King fan, especially of his short stories.  Couldn't agree with you more on The Mist which is probably my favorite of his behind The Long Walk.

As for movies, gotta go with Maximum Overdrive, yeah it's stupid and goofy but that's why I love it.  I enjoy the usual ones as well: Stand By Me, Carrie, The Shawshank Redemption.

One I hate though is The Shining, I'm not a big Kubrick fan as it is and that movie was just so disappointing and horribly casted.  The miniseries was a lot better.

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

Yes, I'm a Stephen King fan too, I have read ALL his books and seen ALL of his movies.   I agree with you both too, The Mist is one of my favorite stories, I could just envision everything so vividly and I could feel how terrified people were and I kept thinking, Oh I hope so and so is okay...Thomas Jane is an excellent choice for David.  How cool, I hope it won't disappoint us. 

I think one of the WORST movies was the TommyKnockers (that is just my opinion), It's still entertaining to watch, but it just isn't very good.  I enjoyed watching RoseRed, but it had some very stupid parts in it, as well as the Langoliers, a few really good interesting parts but the story is just a little lame.  I have to say that I really like IT  and of course the first Shining (even though Stephen King was not happy with it because they didn't take his suggestions about how he wanted it to be, that's why they released the later one because it followed his story the way he wanted it too), Shelley Duvall is not the best actress in the world but Jack Nicholson is just incredible in that role.  Anyway, I could just go on and on and on, even though I say some of the stories are a little lame, I still enjoy watching them.  He is just such a wonderful story teller. 

Side note:  Did anyone watch the Ghost Hunter's episode where they went to the Overlook hotel?  It was very entertaining...

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

  "Carrie" is one of my favorite movies of ALL time! (Nancy Allen naked...  mmmm!)    Other than that, I thought "The Stand" fucking ROCKED!   My FAVORITE book AND MOVIE! ..

. and, yes, June, I DID see "The Ghost Hunters" at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO!   It is spooky as hell!   (I have been there!)... 

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

I also loved Carrie and The Stand.  Another favorite is 'Salem's Lot. That book was responsible for my meeting Stephen King.

It was at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts in the mid-'70s.  A local book store had a tent set up there, and he was in it signing copies of the newly released paperback edition of 'Salem's Lot. His career was just starting to take off at the time, and if you can believe it, there was no one waiting in line at his table! I walked in, picked up a copy of the book, and handed it to him.  As he was signing it, just to make conversation, I said, "I hope this doesn't keep me awake at night."  He looked up at me and grinned and said, "Oh, I hope it does!"  And yes, I still have that autographed paperback.

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

Oh yes, Carrie, The Stand and Salem's Lot are my favorite's too.   I still remember the first time I saw Salem's Lot, I think I was in 7th grade, the floating boy scratching at the window really freaked me out.  But now since I have the DVD and watch it every once in a while (usually while I am doing some project that I don't have to keep looking at the TV because I know it so well) there are some parts that still give me the creeps, the graveyard caretaker sitting in the rocking chair after he had died, the part in the woods where the boys are walking and the wind picks up (I always have this fear of being in the woods alone and someone is stalking me), still the little creepy boy wanting to get into his brother's room at the hospital, there are just so many parts...it's just a good story overall.   The book was extremely addictive, I just bought it again a few weeks ago and thought I would read it again since it's been so long...that is a GREAT story LateNighter, sooooooo cute, I love it!

I so agree about The Stand too, Dr. Gor, I just watched it again last week when I was sick (I started thinking, why am I watching this while I am sick???) hee hee.  I think Carrie is such an excellent movie too mainly because of Sissy Spacek, she was Carrie through and through.  I still get flashes of her with her bloody face and the wide eyes. 

I can't even imagine Stephen King's brain, all those stories...just incredible. 

Hey Dr., I have always wanted to go there and see the Hotel.  It looks like a very beautiful place as well as creepy.  I had a friend who spent her honeymoon there, of course she was expecting the Shining's version, she was disappointed that there wasn't a Hedge Maze.   Anyway, I hope to go there just to see it someday.

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Storm of the Century (even though it's not based on a book).

Not such a big fan of Carrie.  The story is amazing and haunting, but I just have a hard time getting into Brian DePalma films.

<obligatory>Shawshank Redemtion, The Body/Stand By Me</obligatory>

I love Kubrick, hate The Shining.

Creepshow, on the other hand, is one friggin fantastic movie!  Ed Harris looks so young.  Leslie Nielson was born with gray hair.

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

   I have a truely amazing story about The Stanley...   I have visited the place more than a few times.   Everytime I am in Estes Park, I feel compelled to stop in... Not to spend the night (although I would LOVE to! ... "give me your most haunted room, please...")

   The last time I was there with my ex-wife and we had stopped in the bar for a couple drinks and asked the bartender to tell us 'ghost stories'...   There is not a SINGLE employee there, by the way, that DOESN"T think the place is haunted! ... then we went looking around...  From the main lobby is a short flight of stairs that go down to a 'visitors center' ... it is just a big, elongated room with pictures on the walls depicting the hotel's history and such... But, also down there they had the miniature 'doll-house' model of the "Overlook" that was actually used in the mini-series!   (I am assuming all of you know that the mini-series was actually filmed at The Stanley! ...)   Also down there was the movie-prop road sign "Welcome To The Overlook"...

  Anyhow, my ex and I are there just snooping around and, other than the bartender and a couple of girls I glimpsed working in the kitchen and a young guy in the lobby behind the desk, the place was empty!   I mean there was NOBODY there at all!   So... we were looking around in this 'visitors center' and we had made our way completly around and we were standing at the foot of that short flight of stairs when, we heard a noise... We both looked up at the same time to see a 'red rubber ball' slowly bouncing down the steps towards us... and there was NOBODY else around!   I am NOT lying to you people!   THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED exactly the way I described it!!!   I'm sure it was just the employees playing a sick joke on us, but STILL... it was pretty creepy!   We both just kinda looked at each other and said "well, maybe we should go now"...

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

OOooo, that is spooky, Gor.  They did talk on the show that people have heard children playing and bouncing a ball when there were no children at all in the Hotel.  So maybe someone wanted to play?  I would really like to spend a weekend there and go exploring and take lots and lots of pictures to see if anything shows up.  Very coool. 

Re: Stephen King Movies: Favorites?

That's pretty freaky.  My sisters wanted to spend the night at the Stanley for a birthday party.  I told them, "There is no f**king way I'm going to let you stay in that hotel.  Especially for the NIGHT."  They were like WHY?  And I told them the premise of the Kubrick movie and then they kind of went pale and said, "Oh.  I guess we'll stay home then."  It was somewhat humorous.  As for myself, I think I would like to go to the Stanley as much as I would like a punch in the throat.  And, just to be clear, I don't like being punched in the throat. 

Getting back to Mr. King's movies, I thoroughly enjoyed Carrie.  She muchly reminded of myself and, although this is a little embarassing, the movie made me cry because I knew what it was like to be an outcast.  I just didn't have the badass telikenesis she does so I couldn't throw stuff at people with my mind.  That would be awesome though.  I can see the headlines..."30 Injured in Telikenesis Fiasco."  And it would have a picture of me all red-eyed and looking pissed.  Not that I'm bitter or anything!