aside from The Stand.
While I prefer the book...... Sadie says it all when she asks Jake, "Isn't the book always better than the movie?", I enjoy this series very much.
I just watched it again today. I find it better with every viewing.
The Stand was my absolute favorite of King's work. I got it as a Christmas present one year, otherwise I probably would not have read it. A great gift!
Some of my other favorites are Misery, Dolores Claiborne and Pet Semetary.
I also really like Different Seasons with its four novellas. I was always meaning to read The Body which was the basis for 'Stand by Me' and 'The Shawshank Redemption'. They were the two best stories in the book, I think. One of the others, Apt Pupil, is one of the most chilling stories I ever read.
I liked King after reading Salem's Lot. I kept thinking that I had never read or seen a vampire story like that. It was set in modern time! You could actually sort of relate to these people!
I gave the book to my room mate at the time. It was the mid 70's. I kept thinking, who the heck is this guy who wrote it????
A month later, she dragged me out to see this movie called Carrie. I was flabbergasted. That was one fun movie! On the way home she told me that it was based on another book by King, the same guy who wrote Salem's Lot. I was hooked! I read anything he wrote after that.
I read The Stand in the early 80's. That is and was my favorite. I love 11/22/63 just as much though.
Over the years some of the movie adaptations didn't always turn out to be so great, but so many were pretty fantastic. The ones that you listed? We are in agreement!
Apt Pupil is definitely a chilling story. It leads you into a place where you can understand why people do these things in real life. It makes you think.
I've never read Salem's Lot. I still can't believe it. Every King fan loves it. My sister read it and said it scared the #bleep# out of her. I will have to read it.
As for film adaptations, I thought Pet Semetary was one of the best. I saw it years ago and then decided to buy it on DVD. A scary flick to watch at night, alone, especially when one of your CATS is sitting across the room and staring at you. I kept thinking, "if that cat's eyes start to glow funny, I am OUT of here." lol
I had never read the book, so I finally checked it out of the library. Pretty scary!
One of the made for TV movies, 'The Langoliers' just didn't do it for me. It started out good but I think it fizzled out in the end. Maybe I'll watch it again some day with a more open mind.
I also like a number of King's short story collections like "Night Shift'. Do you like his short stories?
I am one of those people who usually says "the book was better", but in the case of 'Stand by Me', I loved the film more. A lot has to do with the talent of the child actors. Their performances really brought out the humor and pathos that I didn't feel from reading the novella. And the older teens played by Kiefer Sutherland and the others, gave great performances too.
It's also a tighter story as a film. The novella drags a bit with all of Gordie's long drawn out stories. The one story with Larda$$ was enough, I thought.
I hope that you will read Salem's Lot. Have you seen the TV movie? I'm talking about the one from the late1979 That's the good one! (the book is better though.....)
I think that Pet Semetary (my spell check is on! lol!) was a brilliant adaptation. I love my cat, but in certain lights those eyes do glow! It gives me the creeps! I always think of Church the Cat!
One of my many fave short stories is The Monkey. No. None of my childhood toys ever made anyone die.... not that I am aware of. I do remember a certain doll that my sister had in our room that we shared. I never liked it. I always imagined that it didn't like me either!
I think that Rob Reiner is one fine director. Stand By Me (The Body) is a great example. You are so right. It was actually a good story, but the film brought it to life in a special way.
Misery was another example of what he could do with those characters.
I will have to read Salem's Lot. Never saw the movie either. It's been on TV many times and I always seem to catch it in the middle when I'm channel surfing. I would LIKE to see it from the beginning some day.
I love that gray cat from Pet Semetary. A friend of mine has a cat just like it and I always call him "Church" even though that's not his name.
Did you like "It"? We watched the miniseries. My son was quite young but he liked it. It didn't seem to scare him too much. Scared me though! ha That early scene with Pennywise the clown trying to entice little Georgie down into the sewer was terrifying.
Years later my son actually used to talk to Tim Curry at a gym where he worked out. (my son went across country to school in Los Angeles). He said he was very nice, nothing like Pennywise!
Rob Reiner did a great job with 'Stand by Me'. He got very deep performances out of all the actors. For me though, the scariest scene was trying to outrun that train across that trestle. Yikes! My heart was in my throat. I think I'd rather see a dead body. I have had a life long fear of trains, especially one that is right behind me!!
I loved IT. The book is naturally better, but I loved the mini series too. They chose good actors, children and adults. I have the DVD with the special features. Sometimes I watch it with the commentary. Several of the actors and the director are on it. They have so many interesting stories to tell. It's the most entertaining commentary I have heard! John Ritter is so funny! It's like watching the movie with a room full of friends.
Tim Curry was fantastic as Pennywise. That's a hard act to follow in this remake that's coming out. Glad to know he's such a nice man. I had the feeling that he has to be one fun guy to be around. It's cool that your son met him!
Stand By Me....
That train scene scares me to this day. It has more to do with my fear of heights. I would have been like Ben; afraid to walk across that trestle! I think I'd have been a goner when that train came through.
I spoke of the commentary on the IT DVD. I also have listened to Rob Reiner on Stand By Me.That's a great commentary as well. He's not all technical, but he did explain how he shot that train scene. It kind of ruined it for me. I advise you not to listen when they get to that part. lol!
And the worst part in the train scene is that Vern "lost the comb". lol
I think I'd be too scared to cross the trestle without knowing the train schedule. I think I would've just sat there and waited for the next train. After it passed, then I'd cross. Yes, the "height" aspect doesn't thrill me either.
I have an old VHS tape of the film. Now I'll have to get the DVD and listen to Rob Reiner's commentary on how he shot the scene. You mean the boys weren't REALLY trying to outrun a train? ha!
LOL! NOOOO! They weren't out running that train!
As far as checking out that train schedule, I doubt any of us at that age at that time would have stopped to think of that one.
It is one fun DVD. It has the MTV music video and a sort of documentary. Lots of information!
I thought you may be interested in some of what the commentary on IT consisted of....
John Ritter was quite entertaining....
Richard Thomas talked about working with his co-stars, as did everyone else. He mentioned his birth mark on his cheek and what a pain it must have been to apply it each day for the boy who played him as a child
Tim Reed had interesting things to say about that time..... example? There were people there at the time they were shooting the movie who were trying to interest him in investing in some new coffee shop chains. He didn't think the idea would fly...... Some years later he says he could kick himself for not investing in Starbucks!
So much was discussed about the sets and the the buildings they shot at in Canada. They discussed the young actors who played them as children.
They all talked about the clown!
So many interesting things. You'll have to check it out
Commentaries are great! It's a totally different genre, but a favorite of mine is the sci-fi series Stargate:Atlantis. They have a lot of commentaries by the actors, directors, writers, etc. I just love hearing all that inside info.
Peter deLuise (son of legendary comedian Dom deLuise) was one of the show's directors. He must've inherited his father's "funny" gene because some of his commentaries had me laughing so hard I cried.
Now I'll have to get IT to listen to the commentary. That boy who played a young Richard Thomas looked like he could've been his son. Richard Thomas could almost have played the child role himself. The man never seemed to age! lol (perpetually looked like John Boy)
I'm not surprised that John Ritter was so entertaining. He seemed like he'd be a fun person in real life.