Some cool news for horror fans.....

It's definitely not King's fault manyof the movies based on his material stink. But as it has been brought up before, King is very very indie friendly and takes steps back when people adapt his material...kind of the have fun playing kids attitude.

The fact is King is a proven commidity with name value, whether or not the movies based on his material have all been successful. The fact is many were made cheaply and may have actually made profits on DVD sales and cable sales alone. You pay King a seven figure fee because people know the name instantly.

Take the budget of ONE HP movie and that's the budget for like a dozen or more SK movies. Big difference there.

For every Stand By Me, Green Mile, Shawshank, Misery there are 3 turkeys. When you have as much material as SK to draw from, its bound to happen esp. when producers want/need to do it on the cheap.
 
CallaghanFilms said:
-Maximum Overdrive...Movie...1986
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Don't know if you guys have read "On Writing" or not, but the quote that always stood out to me was in the section where King is listing some novels that he thought weren't very good. He goes on and on for a bit then says something like

And before you yell at me for criticizing this work, I wrote Maximum Overdrive, so I know a bad novel when I see it.

:laugh:

I'm a huge King fan too (dang Callaghan, are we brothers? :) ). The opening 10 or so pages of Cell blew me away. They're just screaming to be made into a movie. Not sure about the Eli Roth factor though....
 
krestofre said:
Don't know if you guys have read "On Writing" or not, but the quote that always stood out to me was in the section where King is listing some novels that he thought weren't very good. He goes on and on for a bit then says something like

And before you yell at me for criticizing this work, I wrote Maximum Overdrive, so I know a bad novel when I see it.

:laugh:

I'm a huge King fan too (dang Callaghan, are we brothers? :) ). The opening 10 or so pages of Cell blew me away. They're just screaming to be made into a movie. Not sure about the Eli Roth factor though....
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That's funny because I am the opposite on this. I love Stephen King. Have first editions of everything he's ever written, but for the first time his first 10 pages didn't hook me. First time ever. I said it a few posts back, it didn't feel like SK to me. Parts did, but not the whole. I'm almost halfway through now (usually 2-3 days to finish even the meatiest SK book-a few weeks and still not done...).

I think from what I've read Roth would have a lot of fun with SK's work. I think he is a good match.
 
Yeah, I saw that post. To some extent you're right. Cell is kind of a departure in structure and character for King. What hooked me about the first 10 pages is how "cinematic" they are. I mean he jumps from event to event almost like an episode of ER. I think it will look fantastic on screen.
 
I'll give you that-it is very cinematic. Structurally and character--it's classic King. All the elements are there, but in some ways they're not gelling the way most of his pieces do--at least so far. Cell has receieved a lot of great reviews so I am hoping the last 1/3 changes my mind.
 
I didn't find the characters classic King at all. Generally things just happen to King's characters and they react to the events. Cell actually has proactive characters that take charge. At least that's the way I've seen it.

I never thought I'd be discussing a novel on a filmmaking website. :)
 
The characters themselves are classic King... a little girl, a father separated from his wife and kids... they may take charge of the situation, but the heart of the characters is classic SK, IMO. They could be in almost King story and not be out of place. I also don't think all of King's characters just let things happen to them. The evil generally happens around them gradually. In Cell, they can either stand there or move to survive. The horror doesn't happen gradually in Cell. It begins on page one. Different set up but I think the core of the characterizations is very much in line with what SK has done before.

Yeah who would have thought? I'm glad there are still people reading books.
 
Ought2bCommitted said:
It's definitely not King's fault manyof the movies based on his material stink. But as it has been brought up before, King is very very indie friendly and takes steps back when people adapt his material...kind of the have fun playing kids attitude.

The fact is King is a proven commidity with name value, whether or not the movies based on his material have all been successful. The fact is many were made cheaply and may have actually made profits on DVD sales and cable sales alone. You pay King a seven figure fee because people know the name instantly.

Take the budget of ONE HP movie and that's the budget for like a dozen or more SK movies. Big difference there.

For every Stand By Me, Green Mile, Shawshank, Misery there are 3 turkeys. When you have as much material as SK to draw from, its bound to happen esp. when producers want/need to do it on the cheap.
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The Stephen King name attached to a book absolutely sells books because people know that he delivers; I guess what I found interesting was that a studio would pay seven figures to attach his name to a movie when past movies have shown that his name on the movie is not automatic success. I guess it comes down to the studio pays for the source material and seven figures is what King commands. And you may be right that the movies do make money when you consider the budgets.

Either way, I'm not mad at King for making the big bucks :)
 
Ought2bCommitted said:
The characters themselves are classic King... a little girl, a father separated from his wife and kids... they may take charge of the situation, but the heart of the characters is classic SK, IMO. They could be in almost King story and not be out of place. I also don't think all of King's characters just let things happen to them. The evil generally happens around them gradually. In Cell, they can either stand there or move to survive. The horror doesn't happen gradually in Cell. It begins on page one. Different set up but I think the core of the characterizations is very much in line with what SK has done before.

Yeah who would have thought? I'm glad there are still people reading books.
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Alright, I see your point. I guess these characters just seem a little more "take charge" than most of his character, but that might just be my impression because the horror really does begin at the beginning, as you said. :thumbsup:
 
krestofre said:
...I'm a huge King fan too (dang Callaghan, are we brothers?)...
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Kindred spirits are we, my man.:beer:

Chris...
Just curious - whatcha thing of my picks for the Dark Tower film that'll never be?
(Go back a page or two)
To sum up, they were...
CallaghanFilms said:
henriksen_lance.jpg

Lance Henriksen...
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-and-
CallaghanFilms said:
...
angellabassett.jpg

Angela Bassett...
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Also, still an open call for other casting ideas. I am intrigued to know which actors/actresses you all pictured in your mind's eye while reading this epic tale.
 
I'm cool with that cast. Lance Henriksen just doesn't get enough roles in my opinion.

I have to admit though that I spent most of last night trying to remember who I had pictured in my mind while reading The Gunslinger. It's been a long time since I've read that one.
 
cool Callaghan. going to check out the repeat of nightmares and dreamscapes tonight cause i missed. maybe i'll join that board too...


i'm a member of too many boards though...
 
The production team did an absolute brilliant job on Nightmares and Dreamscapes! It is nice to see some real money being spent on a King television adaptation for a change.

Here's my review from the Stephen King Board...

I can honestly say that after seeing the first two installments of Nightmares & Dreamscapes, it (as a series) is well on its way to joining the elite ranks of the top King adaptations of all time. WOW! I truly could not be more impressed.

I was especially blown away by Battleground. Its amazing production value was through the bloody roof. The writing and direction were both top notch...

...and yes, Robbi, not only was there not a single line of dialogue uttered by the lead - not a word was spoken throughout by any of the characters (with the possible exception of the airline passenger, who seemed to mouth the word "gum".) Not that it was at all noticeable or distracting...thanks to the brilliant visual storytelling and masterfully-composed score.

And Hurt's performance was spot on in every conceivable way. Obviously he has major acting chops, but I must go out on a limb and say that this was one of his purest, most straight-shooting performances EVER (it was reminiscent of some of his earlier work...in fact, I was reminded of his beautifully-portrayed roles in the likes of such classics as Body Heat and The Big Chill. My hat off to you, sir.

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I cannot wait to see where else this series takes me...and after seeing only the first two, I am already longing for another eight instalments once this run is all said and done

Two thumbs WAY up here.
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http://www.stephenking.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=103;t=359
 
The Stand was a great read, IMO.

I devoured the first three Dark Tower books. Four and Five took a little longer and I've been stuck on Six forever. I'm looking forward to the Jae Lee comic.

I read a preview of The Cell in Entertainment Weekly (SK does a pop culture column for them). The preview was okay, kind of an SK twist on zombies from what I got.
 
I'm not too stoked on Roth doing Cell. I am left unimpressed after his first two films and wonder where the hype is coming from. I also remember being totally turned off when the first words out of his mouth on the Hostel DVD were pertained to his bowell movements. Class act, this kid.

I have not finished Cell (in the middle of the move and never started again) but it should be fun; what Zombieish film isn't ? Ill reserve judgement for Eli the Steamer on this 3rd pic.
 
I can't say enough about Nightmares & Dreamscapes
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Check out the William Hurt interview...
http://alt.tnt.tv/nightmares/
Good stuff.


Don't even think about missing what's left of this series!
2 new episodes will air on each of the next three Wednesday nights.
 
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Roth is enough to turn me off of any film he's attached to.

I rank him with the likes of Paul WS. Anderson and Uwe Boll.
 
CallaghanFilms said:
I can't say enough about Nightmares & Dreamscapes
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Check out the William Hurt interview...
http://alt.tnt.tv/nightmares/
Good stuff.


Don't even think about missing what's left of this series!
2 new episodes will air on each of the next three Wednesday nights.[/QUOTE0]


Thanks, Callaghan...

I totally forgot this was coming on and I've missed the first of it. =(

Here's to hoping I can find someone who's got it TiVO'd.
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Just A Little Reminder...

Don't Forget To Watch
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Two Episodes Tonight @ 9pm & 10pm

"Umney’s Last Case"
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starring William H. Macy

&

"The End of the Whole Mess"
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starring Ron Livingston & Henry Thomas


:costumed-smiley-047 I Pity The Foo That Give Stephen King Jibba Jabba:costumed-smiley-047​
 
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