Stephen King Adaptations

[Luckylyn]

So many films have been created from his work that I consider him to be his own genre.

 

I wish they'd adapt The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon or The Eyes of the Dragon than remakes like Carrie over and over again.

 

 

[Demented Daisy]

Agreed.  He's written so many books that haven't been adapted.  I assume they think remakes are a sure thing.  Presumably, the remakes would appeal more to young people, but I wonder how many young people read SK?  

 

I'm hoping the It remake falls apart.

[Luckylyn]

Nothing can top Tim Curry's Pennywise in my opinion.   He was scary as hell.

 

I wouldn't mind a remake of Under the Dome that actually gets what was great about the book right instead of the awful tv adaptation.  I think that story was better suited to film than a series since there was a finite timeline for the events of the books when you take oxygen and food issues into consideration.

[cmahorror]

I have always been of the opinion that Stephen King would work best as a series on a cable station like HBO or Showtime. Kind of like what they are doing with American Horror Story - one book for one or two seasons and then move on to the next book. The Stand would definitely benefit from a limited series on a station where King's work can be shown as written. The Bag of Bones adaptation was awful and another book that could be done. There is at least 20 good seasons just from his Dark Tower series (Game of Thrones anyone?). Just a thought.

 

I love the original Carrie but the miniseries wasn't that bad. It followed the book and the acting was good. The biggest problem I had with it was the horrible ending. Let us not speak of Carrie 2: The Rage.

 

As for the remake, my biggest problem was Carrie was aware and viciously attacking everyone while in the book and previous films she went into a trance and was unaware of what she was doing, she just loses control. She wasn't out to kill everyone. It took any sympathy I had for her away when they did that.

 

I have a soft spot for Silver Bullet starring Corey Haim. I love a good werewolf story and this one was fun. I also like Sleepwalkers, his only film written expressly for the screen.

 

I didn't really care for Kubrick's version of The Shining. I found it cold, distant and missed the point of the book. Kubrick was on record that he didn't believe in ghosts or the afterlife and the film, IMHO, suffers for it. Plus, Jack Nicholson already seems crazy as the film begins so the character arc doesn't come across as subtly as it does in the book. As always, this is just my opinion.

 

Finished Dr. Sleep in just a couple of days - really good read.

 

There is a podcast called Now Playing who are doing a Stephen King retrospective. They started with the Carrie movies first and then continuing on in book, not movie, order. The podcasts are free and they really do a great job of breaking the movies down and they have some great conversations. They also did all the comic book movies, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween and many others. They are one of the few podcasts I will listen to more than once.

Edited May 27, 2014 by cmahorror

[Luckylyn]

Doing Stephen King adaptations American Horror style is a really great idea.

 

I wonder if Frank Durabont's adaptation of The Long Walk will ever happen.

[Carrie Ann]

I love Carrie (the original), Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, Dolores Claiborne, and Misery. The best adaptations of his work manage to capture the feel of the books, and I think it's easier to do that with some of the shorter works. I also really love Kubrick's The Shining, but I don't consider it a good adaptation because it's so far removed from the spirit of the book. On the other hand, The Green Mile does a nice job of capturing the feel of the books, but I don't actually enjoy it all that much.

 

I have some fondness for the miniseries of IT and The Stand, but I don't think either is actually good. I loved Tim Curry in IT, but that was about all. They made it all about the monster, and not enough about the special friendship among the kids. (Although...I don't ever need to see all the specialness, if you know what I mean.)

 

I'm still crossing my fingers about The Long Walk, because it's possibly my favorite thing SK ever wrote, and it fits my criteria of being short enough to do a decent job capturing the feel. Plus Darabont has a good track record with SK.

 

As for The Dark Tower, I have put more thought into how to adapt that than any sane person should. I think the only way that would make me happy would be a GoT-esque TV series with a pre-determined number of seasons/episodes, so that they can break out all of the plotting without having to stretch things out unnecessarily (Under The Dome, I'm looking at you). I would also want the Gilead parts (Wizard and Glass, etc.) spread out as flashbacks throughout the episodes, so that the main, present-day action doesn't get derailed for storytime as it does in the books.

Edited May 27, 2014 by Carrie Ann

[GreekGeek]

I didn't really care for Kubrick's version of The Shining. I found it cold, distant and missed the point of the book. Kubrick was on record that he didn't believe in ghosts or the afterlife and the film, IMHO, suffers for it. Plus, Jack Nicholson already seems crazy as the film begins so the character arc doesn't come across as subtly as it does in the book. As always, this is just my opinion.

 

Agreed. I thought the miniseries starring Steven Weber and Rebecca DeMornay was better. The more leisurely pace allowed more of the episodes from the book to be dramatized, and I liked the more gradual loss of contact with the outside world. I also thought Shelley Duvall was a bit miscast in the movie. I could not believe that she was ever a high school cheerleader. I guess she was supposed to be beaten down and unhappy after years of living with an alcoholic, but she was so dowdy and spiritless.

[tinaw]

The Shining is one of my favorite movies of all time. I admit I never read the book so I have no say in that. As a movie on its own I think The Shining is horror at its best. "Hheerrreeesss Johnny"

[Demented Daisy]

It moves from WB to New Line

 

Gerald's Game to be adapted -- his scariest book, IMO, but I'm not sure how it would work as a movie.

 

I doubt that The Long Walk will ever be adapted.  People would complain that it's a rip off of every other teenagers-fight-for-their-lives/dystopian future movie.  (The fact that it's been around longer than any of them would mean nothing.)

Edited June 1, 2014 by Demented Daisy

[AimingforYoko]

Quote

I didn't really care for Kubrick's version of The Shining. I found it cold, distant and missed the point of the book. Kubrick was on record that he didn't believe in ghosts or the afterlife and the film, IMHO, suffers for it. Plus, Jack Nicholson already seems crazy as the film begins so the character arc doesn't come across as subtly as it does in the book. As always, this is just my opinion.

The reasons I didn't like it so much were that Shelley Duvall's Wendy had me rooting for Jack to kill her. Jack was a supporting character in the book, Danny was the protagonist. And why did they have to kill Dick Hallorann?

Edited June 1, 2014 by AimingforYoko

[psychoticstate]

I have a soft spot for Silver Bullet starring Corey Haim. I love a good werewolf story and this one was fun.

 

 

I agree.  It didn't take itself too seriously (how can you with Gary Freaking Busey?) and had enough tense moments to make you jump here and there.

 

I also love Christine.  Keith Gordon is so perfectly cast as Arnie, it's like King envisioned him while writing it. 

 

I remember watching the miniseries/tv movie of Salem's Lot when I was younger and it scared the bejeebus out of me.  I still get the willies remembering that boy scratching at the window, asking to be let in.  Yikes.

 

I think my favorite SK book into movie is The Shawshank Redemption.  Just an excellent film all the way around.

 

Add me to the list of suckers who watched Under the Dome last summer and WTF?  Really?  I hadn't read the book but the concept is a good one.  Just very poorly executed IMO - - because, really, wouldn't people start freaking out after a few days.  These people were like "a dome fell on our town and we can't get out.  Huh!" 

[spaceytraci1208]

I've always wanted to see "The Talisman" (co-authored w/Peter Straub) on the screen...miniseries would probably be a better than trying to cram it into a movie though

[Demented Daisy]

I didn't make it through the first season of Under the Dome.  The book was an excellent slow burn, but the show was just slow.

 

Anyone started on Mr. Mercedes yet?

[Demented Daisy]

http://www.vulture.com/2014/06/josh-boone-interview-fault-in-our-stars-shailene-woodley-the-stand.html

 

Relevant SK bit about directing The Stand:

 

 

So I’m a big Stephen King fan, and I know you’re a gigantic Stephen King fan, so I have to ask about The Stand. You’re directing it. What can you tell me about it?
We’re gonna do one three-hour, R-rated version with an amazing A-list cast across the board. Every single one of those characters will be somebody you recognize and somebody you relate to. And it’s gonna be awesome. I’m really excited. It’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever got to do in my entire life. If 12-year-old me had ever known that one day I’d be doing this, to even just go back and look at that kid, I’d be like, Keep doing what you’re doing! It’s just crazy. I’ve met so many actors over the years, and like, when I met Stephen King, I hugged him with tears in my eyes. He meant that much to me when I was young. I still say everything I learned about writing I learned from Stephen King. I don’t read screenplays. I don’t read screenplay how-to books. It’s always just, establish the character. Establish the character.

 

[Luckylyn]

I really love the ABC adaptation from years ago which lead me to read my first Stephen King novel, and so I'm weary about a new version.  I do like the director's enthusiasm and appreciate his focus on character.  Still I think it's a story better suited to a miniseries which they seem to realize since they are making it a 3 hour movie instead of the usual hour and half or two hour film.   Plus, I  loved the cast of the miniseries so much.  I think the fact that I saw the miniseries before reading the book makes me biased.

[AimingforYoko]

I liked Mick Garris' version as well. With one exception....I did not like Molly Ringwald as Frannie.

[Demented Daisy]

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/stephen-king-a-good-marriage-us-distribution-1201216461/

 

A Good Marriage, from Full Dark, No Stars, gets US distribution.  Scheduled for October of this year.  Starring Anthony LaPaglia and Joan Allen.  Should be good, I enjoyed the story.

[BooksRule]

I always liked the film adaptation of 'The Dead Zone'.  I'm not sure why, because although I like Christopher Walken okay, he isn't my favorite actor and I haven't seen most of what he's done.  I think I liked the atmosphere and the visuals of having so many scenes take place in the snow.  Something about that stark look and the sound of the crunching through the snow was every effective.  And, the music was good, too. 

[AimingforYoko]

You know what I loved most about The Dead Zone? (Both the book and movie) It was the first time I saw the physical effects of a prolonged coma portrayed realistically.

[cmahorror]

Just finished Mr. Mercedes.

 

First off, fun read. Engaging and surprised me a few times (I even gasped out loud one time). It's a fun little detective story.

 

That being said, this is probably one of the few full-length novels that will easily translate to a motion picture. The action is all realistic, the story moves at a quick pace and a lot of the exposition can be condensed. The plot is straight forward and there is only one storyline.

[Demented Daisy]

cmahorror, I started a Stephen King thread in the books forum -- I just finished Mr. Mercedes as well.

[Ariah]

Add me to the list of suckers who watched Under the Dome last summer and WTF?  Really?  I hadn't read the book but the concept is a good one.  Just very poorly executed IMO - - because, really, wouldn't people start freaking out after a few days.  These people were like "a dome fell on our town and we can't get out.  Huh!" 

Been there, watched that... 

I remember thinking; they have a pretty good cast (nice Barbie, nice Big Jim...), I'd love to see the scenes I liked played out in the se... Oh. Oh... Oh wait. It ruined the book for my friends, because now I cannot recommend it - I get the stink-eye treatement.

 

Let's just hope The Stand fares better. Too bad Colm Feore is a bit too old for Randall Flagg. Plus I don't know if anyone can beat Gary Sinise's Stu (while a shop manequin can beat Molly Ringwald's Fran).

[avecsans]

I was so disappointed to hear that The Stand will only be a three hour movie. I also thought that it should get a stand alone 8 episode or so arc a la True Detective. The Stand is my favorite Stephen King book and I hated the mini-series. Molly Ringwald could not have been more miscast as Frannie. And the guy who played Harold Lauder? Awful. I am also blanking on the actress who played Nadine but she was pretty bad as was the actor who played Larry Underwood. I still get upset beyond all reason when I think of it.

Edited June 11, 2014 by avecsans

[Ariah]

But still you have to admit that Gary Sinise was a good Stu.

 

On the topic of King adaptations, I have to mention Storm of the Century. I watched it waaaaay back and liked almost everything of it, except the anticlimactic ending (but this seems to be a constant with all works of King)

 

Rose Red was also nice (till the ending - again) and I actually got creeped out once in a hotel corridor when I heard the very same music as was played in the film.

[Princess Sparkle]

I didn't really care for Kubrick's version of The Shining. I found it cold, distant and missed the point of the book. Kubrick was on record that he didn't believe in ghosts or the afterlife and the film, IMHO, suffers for it. Plus, Jack Nicholson already seems crazy as the film begins so the character arc doesn't come across as subtly as it does in the book. As always, this is just my opinion.

 

 

You articulated the issues I have with The Shining as a film, especially about Jack Nicholson.  Apparently, Stephen King didn't like the casting of Jack Nicholson either (for the reason you stated; that he already seems crazy), and had suggested Michael Moriarity and Jon Voight as replacements, and Kubrick refused.  I think either one of those two would have been perfect.  And as someone else mentioned, the Shelly Duval casting was off as well, and from every account of filming, it sounds like Kubrick terrorized the poor woman in order to get the shrinking violet performance out of her.  

 

Interestingly, the King adaptations I like best are the ones that aren't the "horror" movies: Stand By Me is one of the best adaptations, followed by Shawshank Redemption.  I think Dreamcatcher was, by far, the worst adaptation of a Stephen King story I've ever seen.  I enjoyed Secret Window, but I think it suffered by coming out after the movie Identity, which ended up having a very similar ending.  

 

Has there ever been an adaptation of The Tommyknockers?  That's one of my favorite Stephen King stories, but I've never seen a film version of it.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Princess Sparkle

[Luckylyn]

I remember watching The Tommyknockers with Jimmie Smits. I didn't really find it that compelling.

[cmahorror]

At least once a year I pull out all my Stephen King movies and have a marathon. Rose Red is among the first. Great casting, interesting story but the ending is a bit of a letdown, an unfortunate theme with SK movies.

 

I have both versions of Salem's Lot and both work for me. The Tobe Hooper version has one of scariest scenes I ever saw on tv, when Danny Glick is trying to get Mark Petrie to invite him into Mark's room. That scene scarred me for years.

 

I also really enjoyed the remake with Rob Lowe. RL did a great job with the character of Ben, I liked the consequences shown for the priest and the realtor, and I appreciated the addition of the framing story.

 

It and The Stand make it into rotation as well, but the ending 30 minutes of It never fails to disappoint and Molly Ringwald brings The Stand down just a little bit.

 

I find Storm of the Century interesting in a "The Lottery " sort of way, Colm Fiore makes a great villian and I enjoy Tim Daly's performance but it almost seems rushed and unfinished in a way.

 

I enjoy many things about the remake of The Shining. Rebecca DeMornay is so much better the Shelly Duvall was as Wendy. Stephen Webber has an actual character arc as Jack, going from a man trying to be good to a man possessed and completely insane. Melvin Van Peeples was used to further the story and not just as a shock kill like Scatman Crothers. The biggest problem with the remake is the kid who plays Danny. He is not good. Kubrick gets points for finding a great kid actor and stunning visuals but loses massive points in character development. As always, YMMV.

[Demented Daisy]

RIP Ruby Dee, aka Mother Abigail.  :-(

[kassa]

3 hours for the stand?  They're going to have to cut out a few characters.  Maybe they'll go straight from people getting sick to everybody meeting up at Mother Abigail's.  

 

 

The JFK book would make a great miniseries.

[Ariah]

Any news who could play whom in this new The Stand?

I'm almost fine with the choices as long as Scarlett Johansson is not in it.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

And why did they have to kill Dick Hallorann?

IIRC, Halloran's death was a late addition to the film because Scatman Crothers was so miserable during the shoot. There's a story about the hyper-obsessive Kubrick making him do 100 takes of a scene until Crothers broke down crying, asking "What do you want from me, Mr. Kubrick?" It fell to Nicholson to nicely ask Kubrick to take it easy on the guy.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Sir RaiderDuck OMS

[Demented Daisy]

Big Driver adaptation in the works for Lifetime

[Demented Daisy]

Huge list of current SK adaptations in the works, including some surprises!  

[Sweet Tee]

And I still can't get a Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon adaptation :-(

[MrsRafaelBarba]

I am also blanking on the actress who played Nadine but she was pretty bad as was the actor who played Larry Underwood. I still get upset beyond all reason when I think of it.

 

 

       Laura San Giocomo  played Nadine Cross.

   

       Adam Storke portrayed Larry Underwood. 

[Luckylyn]

Looks like Durabont is finally going to make The Long Walk which is great, but seriously, no The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon or Eyes of the Dragon.  Why can't those movies get made?  Is there no film maker interested?

Edited June 28, 2014 by Luckylyn

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Loved The Mist, one of the best horror films of the 2000's IMHO.

The way it was shot, felt like I was trapped there with them.

Darabont used the camera team from Fx's The Shield.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

Loved The Mist, one of the best horror films of the 2000's IMHO.

The way it was shot, felt like I was trapped there with them.

Darabont used the camera team from Fx's The Shield.

I thought The Mist was a respectable adaptation of the novella...right up until the ending (which deviated from the book significantly). Driving until you run out of gas, then committing mass suicide? THAT WAS YOUR MASTER PLAN??? It's closest I've ever come to literally throwing a movie DVD away, and I'll probably never watch it again.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Sir RaiderDuck OMS

[Demented Daisy]

I don't think that The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon will ever be made, even though it's probably the book most people would like to see adapted.  I wonder how badly child labor laws would prolong the filming -- and if it would be cost-effective.  

[Luckylyn]

There are movies with child leads that manage to get made (Bugsy Malone, Empire of the Sun, etc,).  I don't see why The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon can't be done.  I do wonder if it's sexism and if it were a story of a boy instead of a girl it would get made. The excuse that girls will watch movies with boy leads but boys won't watch movies about girl leads has been used as an excuse not to pursue certain projects despite the fact movies with girls/women leads can do well at the box office. 

 

I don't understand why they want to make remakes when there are King stories that still haven't gotten adapted yet.

[Demented Daisy]

The two movies you mentioned had quite large casts -- the filming could easily be divided to make sure that no one child would be working too many hours.  Take Harry Potter, for example.  One group of kids did school work in the mornings while another was filming, and vice versa.

 

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon centers on one child.  IMO, in order to make the film, too much of it would have to focus on the family and the search to keep the lead actress' time down.  I fear that by doing so, the impact of the book would be greatly minimized.

 

Not saying it's impossible, but I understand why no studio has made it yet.

[King of Birds]

Matthew McConaughey as Randall Flagg??

[Luckylyn]

That could be a great choice.  He can definitely do evil (Killer Joe).  He can be charming and scary at the same time.

[Bruinsfan]

I wish they'd get soemthing going for From a Buick 8. I'd love to see that on the big screen.

[Demented Daisy]

Update on McConaughey as Randall Flagg

 

ETA  Can't believe I missed that typo.  That's what I get for posting when sleepy.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Demented Daisy

[Luckylyn]

So the director wants McConaughey as Stu, but the studio wants to cast him as Flagg?   Christian Bale was his choice for Flagg, interesting. 

 

I loved Gary Sinise as Stu.  I have trouble visualizing anyone else in that part.  I liked the miniseries a lot and have mixed feelings about the new adaptation.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I think I could see Bale as Flagg more than McConaughey. The latter is a good actor, but I don't think he could have pulled off a role like the one in American Psycho, where Bale went from zero to chopping up Jared Leto with an axe in 2.3 seconds.

 

As for Stu, I'm not sure. Sinise had the quietly heroic thing going when he was in the part, and that was an integral piece of who Stu was. Would he be "too old" to fit the bill now?

[Sharpie66]

Any Stu that is older than early 30s would be really icky when pairing up with a young adult Franny. I did love Gary Sinise as Stu--he was the best thing about the miniseries, along with Ray Walston's Glen Bateman and Miguel Ferrer as Lloyd. Oh, and the cameos by Ed Harris and Kathy Bates were also terrific.

ETA: I have to mention the opening credits of the first part--"Don't Fear the Reaper" played over the lab scenes post-outbreak is just about the creepiest thing I have seen on tv, period.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Sharpie66

[King of Birds]

The promo tour for A Good Marriage continues. And they asked about The Dark Tower.

[SoSueMe]

I burned out on SK years ago but back in the day I was a big fan. I have missed most of the recent stuff. My favorite was The Stand but I had a lot of problems with the mini-series. I thought that the majority of the leading roles were badly cast, particularly Molly Ringwald (Frannie) and Adam Roarke (Larry) and the Nadine character. The opening scenes were terrific (loved the "Don't Fear the Reaper" scene) but it did get kind of cartoonish in spots. I just don't. like. Ringwald. And it bugged me to see her (and most of the female cast) costumed in what looked like 1960's Doris Day dresses strictly male fantasy syndrome. 

 

I thought the remake of the Shining was superior in a lot of ways, Shelley Duvall seemed very mismatched to Jack Nicholson. But as time has gone by, I think her portrayal of horror and fear is pretty visceral. When I watch her scenes now I feel the fear in my stomach even knowing it is frickin' Shelley Duvall-Olive Oyl, lol.

 

The Storm of the Century was one of the better King stories imo. Well cast and acted. The scenes of the villain flying through the air with the kids was a little cartoonish but then again I'm not sure how else that could have been portrayed.

 

The Salem's Lot tv movie with David Soul was veddy veddy scary to me......