MovieChat Forums > The Keep (1983) Discussion > The Keep: From Book to Cinema Discussion

The Keep: From Book to Cinema Discussion

posted 12 years ago by CannibalCraig
7 replies | jump to latest

I first saw The Keep many years ago as a kid growing up in the 80's. As a child I only remembered the amazing soundtrack and the brooding atmosphere. When I rediscovered it after purchasing the VHS about ten years back I realized that this was a very good, although almost non-coherent horror film. Realizing as well that the source material came from Paul F Wilson's book of the same name, I decided to read the story to find more coherency in the plot.

After reading Wilson's book my view of the film has changed. I still really like the movies atmosphere but I can't help but wonder what happened to many of the events that happened in the book. There is so much that was removed for the movie you have to wonder what everyone was really thinking. I understand taking creative liberties. Almost every film based from a novel has done that, but film version of The Keep seems to have little in common with the book aside from names and certain events.

Some spoilers here for people that didn't read the book. An important part of the book was when there was reference made to Molasar (Rasalam) possibly being the origin of vampire lore. This would make some sense as in the book he has the dead digging for him for the relic. None of this was in the film. Also, the movie has Rasalam being very easily defeated by Glaeken at the end with Glaeken being taken with Rasalam. The books ending was much more interesting with a drawn out battle between the two and Glaeken not dying. These are only a few parts removed from the movie.

I guess my point is why would the story have been rewritten for the cinema so drastically? The ending feel totally rushed and a lot of important character development was removed entirely. I did notice that there is a very long cut of the film mentioned on this website that probably at least helped character development, but I have yet to see or even find this copy.

Anyway, thought I would share my thoughts and see what others think about the book and the film and to see if anyone knows anything about the extended cut of the film.

I'm just a guy that likes horror flicks.

[–] kducklin2 12 years ago

I too saw the film before I read the book and really can't fathom why the script deviates so completely from the book, especially in regard to the vampire element, which is one of the most striking plotlines of the original story.

I guess Mann is an "auteur" director and found his imagination running in a different direction. In this case, demonstrably, the wrong one, despite a strikingly evoked atmosphere.

"Duck, I says..."

[–] CannibalCraig 12 years ago

There is no question that if the movie was a stand alone film and the book had never existed, The Keep the movie might have left a better taste in more peoples mouths. It is still a good movie, but the book is just a much more coherent and better telling of the story.

I'm just a guy that likes horror flicks.

[–] thepistols 11 years ago

I read the book before seeing the film so I found the film disappointing the first time I saw it, but I enjoyed it more on a second viewing years later. I'd love to see a remake more in keeping with the book.

[–] FabioPirovano 11 years ago

I read the book after seeing the film so I found the adaption for the film great!!Kudos Michael!

PS
THIS YEAR 2014 WE HAVE THE SAME BOOK'S DATE..

"life is Chiaroscuro matter" Fabio

[–] guigui-paul 11 years ago

Indeed Fabio!

I like the alternate ending that can be seen on Youtube but the theatrical ending is fine too with a great final shot (a freeze frame on Eva), it is a melancholic ending with

SPOILERS

Glaken far away from Eva, disappearing with his nemesis Molasar, and Eva's father back to the illness plaguing him.

http://www.myspace.com/guillaumep
http://darioargentofr.blogspot.com/

[–] uncle_pot 11 years ago

Are you people kidding? I read the book as a kid and found there was a movie many years later and HATE the movie. Every great scene from the book is gone...literally.
The fact that Molassar is a "darkness" that engulfs all light and tears out their throats.
The entire ending with the dead rising to kill the remaining Germans and moving "crab like" and Woermanns painting, his death by Molassar and subsequent revenge on Kaempffer in the booked scared me !

They really need to remake this but stay true to the book. Recently someone did a black a white comic of "The Keep" and it was amazing !

"Forgiveness is between them and god; it's my job to arrange the meeting."

[–] FabioPirovano 11 years ago

I'm not kidding ,Wilson should just be happy that somebody give a cinematic aesthetic to something of embarrassing
Did writers has never had deal with Filmic Competences? never

How you can film/show/reproduce on 1983 a hostile floating Black halo..
How you can film something that is set at deep darkness of a cellar without light or with lights that are fading always
How you can film/show something that should scare but have just a grey face with a cloak and some pins...
Film was not endend due an important technical reason,the end was filmed and is similar to book so stop blame this movie and the Author also for respect to people who worked there.

"life is Chiaroscuro matter" Fabio