# Stephen King adaptions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418 "2008-08-09T16:25:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/41 "2008-08-10T20:21:18Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Based solely on numbers, perhaps. But Dickens wrote books–immensely readable and popular publishing phenomena–that examined and enlightened the modern (to him) human condition, and exposed and criticized important social issues. While King indulges and, what, incubates; massages; stimulates; feeds; celebrates at the very least–the very worst impulses of humankind and wallows in those impulses in a grottily masturbatory way that almost seems violative to me. I read him voraciously through highschool and my twenties; reread most things several times. But over time I began to notice how spiritually sick he made me feel, even while he was so easily digestibly diverting. After expanding my reading horizons for many subsequent years, whenever I return to King (for the same reason that I occasionally watch a horror movie), I’m reminded by a distinctly visceral reaction how “bad” he is for me. He’s ill. And I’m glad the universe I live in is not the one he’s built in his head. [/QUOTE] I think Dickens was a satirist more than a reformer, which doesn’t make him less of a great author. King went through a mastubatory period, when it was too obvious that he overly identified with his central characters, all of whom seemed to be writers. But I don’t think he celebrates horror or low impulses. Have you read _Danse Macabre_? He goes quite deeply into the motivations for horror in general at a societal level, and comes to the conclusion that he suspects it’s the restoration to normalcy as much as the thrill ride that makes people enjoy it. Sort of like the old joke about the guy who wears his shoes too tight because it feels so good when he gets home and takes them off. I’ll agree that King’s best work is the non horrific stuff - the work in which there is either no horror or where the horror is off-stage, but that’s because I have no personal taste for horror in books or movies; it just doesn’t interest me. It’s King’s style that has always roped me in, from the first time I picked up a book of his because it happened to be there and have a shiny cover. (It was, not surprisingly, _The Shining_ :D) I loved that book for two reasons - one, because it took me into the mind of a child without showing me utter contempt for adults (which at that time in my life I assumed was the default state of mind of all children), and more importantly, because it wasn’t clear where the outer influences coming from the hotel ended and the inner fluences from Jack’s past began - it seemed as if the madness sprang from both. But there is at least one paragraph in that book which in entirely unnecessary. It is when the black cook who also “shines,” living in Florida, gets the kid’s psychic shout for help and almost has an accident because the shout is so powerful. The person whose car he almost hits with the limo he’s driving yells some insults, and, well: [QUOTE=The Shining, by Stephen King, A Signet Book, Copyright 1977] The workman cut to the left, still laying on his horn, and roared around the drunkenly weaving limosine. He invited the driver of the limo to perform an illegal sex act on himself. To engage in oral congress with various rodents and birds. He articulated his own proposal that all persons of Negro blood return to their native continent. He expressed his sincere belief in the position the limo-driver’s soul would occupy in the afterlife. He finished by saying that he believed he had met the driver’s mother in a New Orleans house of prostitution. [/QUOTE] Yeah, it’s a cheap laugh. But I loved it then, and I love it now. If you had your way, things like that would be editted out, and I at least would be the poorer for it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/42 "2008-08-10T20:27:21Z")
I’m getting a completely different vibe from his latest books; like I said upthread, I just read “Duma Key,” and I think it is one of his strongest ever. I thought it was an absolute treat to read; it seemed much more mature and tighter than he’s been in a long time (and with no extraneous spiders!). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/43 "2008-08-10T21:44:58Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] It’s because King’s greatest “strength” is his logorrhea; he assaults you and overpowers you with an avalanche of unnecessary verbiage. This has something of a hypnotic effect and makes the actual reading of his books the literary equivalent of being tube fed under general anesthesia. When they’re adapted to film, much of this padding is necessarily excised, making it easier to see how much Stephen King sucks. [/QUOTE] King is most effective at the short story length – some of his shorts pack an incredible wallop. He himself observed that it is easier to maintain the horrific atmosphere in a short than in a longer work. In the earlier part of his novel-writing career, his editors would correctly insist on cuts, which forced him to focus a bit. Later on, he got to be popular enough that he could ignore this advice. Clancy, Gresham, and Rowling all went through the same process. (Clancy’s last novel is about half the length of his previous efforts. I won’t say it’s a great novel – it isn’t – but it does move much more quickly than his more typical doorstops.) ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/44 "2008-08-11T01:52:03Z")
[QUOTE=BrotherCadfael] King is most effective at the short story length – some of his shorts pack an incredible wallop. He himself observed that it is easier to maintain the horrific atmosphere in a short than in a longer work. [/QUOTE] I finished reading The Monkey yesterday, and I’m still a little freaked out 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/45 "2008-08-11T13:09:16Z")
[QUOTE=Laudenum] I finished reading The Monkey yesterday, and I’m still a little freaked out 😛 [/QUOTE] Interesting. My daughter tried to read it this weekend, but had to stop because she was getting too scared. 😃 BTW, as another King fan, I’m very pleased to meet you! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/46 "2008-08-11T23:15:28Z")
Ah, yes, the monkey. I’m in the middle of a “Supernatural” marathon (have to get it back to my sister soon), and in one episode, a kid has a cymbal-banging monkey toy (which starts up on its own, of course) - seriously, who still buys cymbal-banging monkey toys? Don’t they know those damned things are all evil? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/47 "2008-08-12T00:07:09Z")
Cymbal banging monkey toys like [this evil little bastard](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/Quilts/monkeyetc007.jpg)? I could hardly stand to be in the same room with it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/48 "2008-08-12T00:47:30Z")
[QUOTE=Laudenum] I am a Stephen King fan… _ducks abuse from more “intellectual” posters_ [/QUOTE] Next time you get that abuse, point out that King has had two stories published in _The New Yorker_, the bastion of “intellectual” fiction. Critics are beginning to consider that King may be a major American author. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/49 "2008-08-12T02:33:12Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Critics are beginning to consider that King may be a major American author. [/QUOTE] I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I would be shocked if The Stand isn’t required reading in a lot of high schools in the next 10-20 years. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/50 "2008-08-12T02:46:20Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I would be shocked if The Stand isn’t required reading in a lot of high schools in the next 10-20 years. [/QUOTE] Assuming King becomes regarded as a major writer, which I think is entirely possible, I am quite puzzled as to why “The Stand” would be the novel of choice; it’s got a long, dreary, meandering story \*that by King’s own admission \* was going nowhere until he just threw in an explosion to shake things up. And it didn’t really go anywhere after that. I could see “The Shining” being studied in school. Very possibly “The Dead Zone” and many of his short stories. ---
**Author:** ![mudkicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@mudkicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mudkicker)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/51 "2008-08-12T12:00:28Z")
Also in Skeleton Crew - Gramma. Eek. My ex used to tease me by sidling up to me in bed and whispering ‘Gramma’ in my ear to freak me out (also ‘Triffids’ sometimes). I forced him to read ‘Gramma’. He apologised profusely. 🙂 Re the OP, I think it’s because King is just such a good writer and so good at the small things. If you strip his stories down to bare plot, as you need to more for a film, you get haunted car, vampires, haunted hotel, which just seem basic and simple without the excellent writing accompanying it…the details he puts in just wouldn’t work in film, so the films seem poor. One example from many - Larry Underwood from The Stand and his feat that he isn’t a ‘nice guy’. It’s such a dense book that it just couldn’t be included in the miniseries, but it does show a lot about Larry’s character. Ooh I’m going to start a Stephen King thread now. And reread The Stand on this rainy summer’s day… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/52 "2008-08-12T15:50:28Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] Cymbal banging monkey toys like [this evil little bastard](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/Quilts/monkeyetc007.jpg)? I could hardly stand to be in the same room with it. [/QUOTE] Yup, that’s the one. Complete with evil, bulging red eyes. Brrr. ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/53 "2008-08-12T18:37:34Z")
[QUOTE=mudkicker] Re the OP, I think it’s because King is just such a good writer and so good at the small things. [/QUOTE] I second this notion wholeheartedly. His characters are thoroughly _real_ even when they are vampires or monsters. I’m the type of person who just loses herself completely in a book, and King never disappoints me. No matter what reaction his protagonists have, I can identify. Dammit, I was about to start a new series I just borrowed from someone; now I’m gonna have to reread me some King and get all skeered. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/54 "2008-08-13T17:59:45Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I would be shocked if The Stand isn’t required reading in a lot of high schools in the next 10-20 years. [/QUOTE] If we’re still here in that time, remind me of this post: I’ll publicly kill myself by eating every single page of the “director’s cut” of this book. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/55 "2008-08-13T18:03:58Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] If we’re still here in that time, remind me of this post: I’ll publicly kill myself by eating every single page of the “director’s cut” of this book. [/QUOTE] You’re a very sad man. That book is so much fun! Oh well, to quote that book, “No great loss.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/56 "2008-08-13T18:29:17Z")
I’m just going to go ahead and throw in two cents: I really enjoy the film adaptation of The Running Man. Although apparently I’m the only one. Also would love to see them do a simple yet faithful adaptation of The Long Walk, which is probably my favorite King story. ---
**Author:** ![A\_qui\_profite\_le\_crime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@A\_qui\_profite\_le\_crime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_qui_profite_le_crime)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/57 "2008-08-13T18:41:05Z")
I too liked The Running Man. Not much in common with the novella / short story (?) but the film was good fun. That makes two of us. Darabont want to make an adaptation of [the Long Walk](http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1574452/20071115/story.jhtml). Based on his work so far, I trust him to do a good job with it. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/58 "2008-08-13T18:55:00Z")
Oh, just too depressing! ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/59 "2008-08-13T19:15:51Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Assuming King becomes regarded as a major writer, which I think is entirely possible, I am quite puzzled as to why “The Stand” would be the novel of choice; it’s got a long, dreary, meandering story that by King’s own admission was going nowhere until he just threw in an explosion to shake things up. And it didn’t really go anywhere after that. [/QUOTE] I don’t know. To me, The Stand has that “epic” quality that a lot of school reading has. It is also one of the most “American” books in recent memory. Really, it’s the same reasons my 10th grade teacher gave for why Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club was added to the school reading list. [QUOTE=A qui profite le crime?] Darabont want to make an adaptation of [the Long Walk](http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1574452/20071115/story.jhtml). Based on his work so far, I trust him to do a good job with it. [/QUOTE] The Long Walk was a great book, but would make a terrible terrible movie. There’s just no way I can see it being good without adding in some unneeded “backstory” or commentary on today’s spate of reality game shows. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418/60 "2008-08-13T19:19:43Z")
They could do _The Long Walk_ on that new show _Fear Itself._ It would be great in an hour long format. No back-story allowed! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-adaptions/459418.md?page=4)