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Also discussed this episode: Raising Cain (1992), Murder Party (2007), Basket Case (1982), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Special Effects (1984), The Green Inferno (2015), Spring (2015), The Guest (2014)
I don't know that I've ever been as excited to listen to a podcast.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I've ever been as excited to listen to a podcast.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I can't wait for my drive home from work. And not for the usual reasons.
DeleteThirded!
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DeleteThe second best idea after a Xtro podcast
That was a terrific, lively discussion. Oddly nice to hear a chat that wasn't entirely about movies.
ReplyDeleteGreat podcast about one of my favourite subjects! I've been reading Stephen King since I was way too young to be reading him (like Erich I was allowed to read whatever I wanted - Patrick I saw you watched The Pit recently - I read the book that was based on - "Teddy" - when I was 8!) and it wasn't long before I was watching the movies. I'm cutting and pasting my comment from yesterday's open thread because by happy coincidence it applies to this discussion (and I think I came to the same conclusion about my feelings for the movies as Erich did):
ReplyDelete"For some reason I've always thought Stephen King adaptations were more bad than good but I've been on a great run - started with It and Cat's Eye which were probably the weakest but still a lot of fun, then Cujo, Misery, The Shining (which just gets better every time I see it - probably the most dread-inducing movie I've watched all month), Salem's Lot (first time - really solid though it somehow never particularly feels like a King story or a Hooper movie), Carrie (masterpiece, obviously) and finally The Dead Zone which is really a fantastic movie - I have nothing bad to say about it other than, perhaps, it crams in a lot of plot in a short amount of time. And when I think of some of the ones I didn't watch - Pet Sematary, Christine, The Mist - they range from decent to great. So yeah, I don't know if it's because I originally watched them closer to having read the books and they're not particularly great adaptations but I mostly love em now."
My question for you guys relates to the writing - did any of you guys notice a kind of overall change of tone after his accident? I find it's really evident in the Dark Tower series where there's a real marked difference to me between Parts IV and V. I don't know, there's just something "cleaner" about them or they've lost some of their edge or something - hard to describe they just seem to have a different feel. Maybe it's just a natural result of his maturing as a writer but when you read just how severe that accident was...I don't know, I still love the guy and read a book or two of his every year but it's been awhile since I've read one I thought was really great.
I see what you mean about a marked difference in his prose voice after the accident. I'm pretty sure the high points of those last Dark Tower books would have still been in there. Also, from what I understand, he meant to retire from writing after finishing the final Dark Tower books. The accident put him in a very depressed place. If it wasn't for his support system-- if it wasn't for Tabby -- he probably wouldn't have continued. The next time you ever read books five through seven, remember that he wrote them as though they'd be the last things he'd ever write.
DeleteThat's an interesting way to look at it, thanks - now that you mention it I vaguely recall him saying he planned to retire after finishing that series but forgot, so yeah that does make for a different perspective. And I'm glad he didn't retire! As you put it (better than I) his prose voice changed but I still appreciate his storytelling and ideas as much as ever.
DeleteI'm always reading 2 books at a time. One is always devoted to cinema. The other tends to be a Stephen King book, unless some other author's book manages to pull me away for a week or two; but then it's back to King. Ironically, I'm in the middle of re-reading Insomnia. I haven't read it since it was published, and I was still in high school. I wasn't completely thrilled with the subject matter at the time. Now? I never hated the book. I love everything King writes. Even a mediocre King book is better than what some writers release in a career. I've always loved King's prose. It's what keeps me coming back to his work. I'm a little over 500 pages into Insomnia. I like it fine -- obviously -- however, I feel the politics of the story are a little jumbled. I forget if the little bald doctors have anything to do with Ed Deepneau’s sudden shift in political opinions, but he has gone on record that he's seen them before he started acting all crazy. I started a major King re-read. I went from Carrie and started reading everything in order of publication. I found a used anthology that includes his rare short story “The Reploids,” but I still have to get to that.
ReplyDeleteJust a little heads up: just went up to Walmart and noticed the paperback of Bazaar of Bad Dreams has been released, and with a new short story not included in the hardback edition, a story called "Cookie Jar."
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear The Dead Zone getting some love here, I thought I was alone. Christine is fantastic as well, love Keith Gordon in that movie, he really does go all out, but in a good way. Carpenter shouldn't be ashamed of his work in Christine. That's too bad that he wouldn't talk about it. I was always amazed by the car effects, I thought they were edited well, especially when you consider the year the film was made. I think you guys did a great job trying to cover as much as you could, and you can tell you guys have a lot of respect for Mr. King and his work.
ReplyDeleteI think my favourite thing about The Dead Zone is Christopher Walken - I'm so familiar with him being CHRISTOPHER WALKEN it was nice to see him playing someone normal (normal for a Christopher Walken character, that is!) - it's such a natural, effortless performance you really see his talent as an actor.
DeleteOk... it seems it's time to start reading King then.
ReplyDeleteReally great podcast guys.