https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIK4bgNEcvY
Blogger meets George Orwell
I opened blogger today to discover several emails from a very hyper oversight team at blogger, who insisted the posts at talk stephen king violate their community standards. Of course, these are really old posts, that mostly link to other sites. And none of it violates any community standard. which explains why after that set of crazy emails, I got another set of emails saying to never mind, they had reevaluated their censorship of my site.
What had the post done that so deeply violated ther "community" standards? They wouldn't tell me. Just a link to a giant list of things that could get you banned. None of which were present in the content they were upset about.
Oh, and they are upset about my daughter holding a up a Stephen King book in the bookstore. Really, which community guideline does that violate? Really?
So I'll take the blog down. And probably a lot of other people will takes theirs down too. Because I suspect America isn't spending a lot of time reading blogs.
Dr Phil Stalking the Shining
Many of us remember the rather disturbing interview Dr. Phil ran in 2016 of Shelly Duvall. Turns out, the story wasn’t over. I found this article interesting account of Duvall’s ongoing frustrations with Dr. Phil.
The article notes that the 2016 appearance was “slammed by critics for being exploitative of her mental health struggles.” Duvall noted that she later regretted having done the segment for Phil.
One of those who expressed disappointment in the interview was none other than Stanley Kubrick’s daughter Vivian. She tweeted, "You are putting Shelly Duvall ‘on show’ while she is suffering from a pitiable state of ill health. Unquestionably, this is purely a form of lurid and exploitive entertainment – it’s appallingly cruel."
However, that’s not all. Duvall claims that even after the show, “Phil McGraw tried repeatedly tried to get in touch with her mother even after the show.” It quotes her, “He started calling my mother. She told him, ‘Don’t call my daughter anymore.’ But he started calling my mother all the time trying to get her to let me talk to him again."
The Stand: You Should Like This
Episode 9, The Circle Closes
I’m going to have to watch this episode again, because I’m
not sure what I just saw. I think I was
supposed to like it. I mean. . . the
preacher in me is supposed to like the Christian symbolism, the clear battle
between good and evil, the demand to resist temptation. And I do.
Still, something feels, wrong about this episode.
The long journey home was cut out altogether. I’m glad for that because I was afraid it
would be reduced to a series of flashbacks; This episode gave us none of those hard
painful slaps to the face. Instead, this
final episode gave us a journey. But
here’s the deal. . . it’s a journey that we the viewers had no vested interest in
making with the characters. Yep, sure
enough, life goes on. They drive, an the
stop places, and they drive some more.
But nothing has been done to sell the viewer on why we should care about
this new destination.
The more spiritual elements were refreshing. But they did not really move or inspire me
spiritually. Fran has this great epiphany
that there is an entire other dimension all around her; both of great good and
a deep well of dark evil. Really? She had to come this far through the world of
The Stand to realize there’s a dimension of evil. And it required a special vision for her to
figure it out? A little obtuse, don’t
you think?
I’ve always liked the circle closing. In Revelation the Beast rises again and
again, and each generation, each culture, must take their “stand” against evil. The vision promising Fran a line of children
was interesting, and perhaps supposed to give us hope. I just didn’t care. Humans go on.
I think I’m so numb to this series I just couldn’t enjoy the final
fireworks.
Not sure what to make of miracle child either.
Know how I feel about this episode? Glad it’s over. Glad this miniseries is over. Ready to give it some time and space and maybe
someday I can come back with lowered expectations and find the diamond I missed
on the first run through.
Was it a fun journey?
Nope.
Would I do it again?
I’m a sucker for punishment.
The Stand: Cancelling God
The Stand is a novel with deep roots in the Bible. Specifically, Christianity. You don’t have to be a scholar to spot the Biblical themes; though today it is harder as the culture itself is less versed in Scripture itself.
It’s not that a few Bible Thumpers went and claimed The Stand as their own, choosing to read it as a novel of faith. That happens quite often (try all those books telling us Star Wars is about Christianity.) In his 1989 introduction to the uncut version of The Stand, Stephen King made it clear the references are to. . . Christianity. “Finally, I write for only two reasons: to please myself and to please others. In returning to this long tale of dark Christianity, I hope I have done both.” In other words, if you’re reading this and keep thinking you spot themes of faith and Biblical symbolism – you aren’t wrong.
The phrase, “I will fear no evil” is used at least eleven times in the novel. This was picked up on in the CBS miniseries, but was rendered powerless.
The battle in the miniseries isn’t between any real good and evil personified; it’s a battle of viewpoints. Flagg is a monster, but he’s not really the embodiment of the wicked. The people from the Free Zone aren’t people of fait taking their stand for righteousness; they are people scared their way of life is in danger. (How American.) In other words, they aren’t there to stand against evil, they are their to try and protect the Free Zone.
I was swept away when I first read the novel because it was so gutsy. The Almighty himself reaches down and does business on planet earth. When the spies take their stand, it is like Samson pressing against the Philistines and power reaches down from on high to do what no human could do. This was exciting because it was so unexpected (at least for me when I read this as a teenager.) I remember the Stand at camp in the middle of the night and actually sitting up and going, “No way!” It was amazing to young me that an author would be so bold.
Of course, it was question from the moment the spies set out from the Free Zone – how will the very powerful Flagg be taken down? Would the Free Zone build an army? Would Stephen King, the master of horror, allow Flagg to destroy the Free Zone and rule the world? I mean, it was Stephen King (and it was the first Stephen King novel I read) so the suspense was real. When the hand of God reached down, it didn’t just surprise me, it seemed right. Not righteous (it was that) but right for the novel itself. As if it had all been building that direction, but I hadn’t seen it until the moment it happened. Then the entire novel (or at least the last third) came together.
Of course, I had questions. Why did they have to take their “Stand” if they were just going to die in a nuke blast? (Think Samson again.)
The hand of God doesn’t just suddenly appear at the end of the book, but plays a major theme throughout. The ending was hinted at when Mother Abagail knelt down to pray (Chapter 52), Bible pressed for forehead and began to meditate on the conversion of Saul. “Acts was the last book in the Bible where doctrine was backed up by miracles, and what were miracles but the divine hand of God at work upon the earth?” A question is being put forth in this scene; does God still do miracles in our world? Does God’s hand still reach down and do business, or does he just leave it to us to sort things out? Does God deal with evil, or does he expect us to build bigger nukes to counter enemy nukes? Is God indebted to the arms race to keep peace on earth? I think not.
But, of course, in a cancel culture, what CBS cancelled in this retelling was. . . God. Mother Abagail is a nice lady with her own moral compass; but there’s no real sense she’s actually being led by God. She’s not a prophet, she’s a grandma. You respect your grandma’s religion, but don’t necessarily have to think it’s true outside of her.
It’s not only important to the novel that God’s hand destroyed the wicked in the novel, but that the Free Zone KNOW it was God’s hand. Consider this vision Tom has of Nick: “You have to get back to Boulder and tell them that you saw the hand of God in the desert. If it’s God’s will, Stu will go with you … in time.” It’s not enough for team Flagg to be taken down by the hand of God; the Free-zone needs to KNOW that the Almighty has acted in their world. Mother had wondered earlier if God still does miracles; now her people need to know that God not only does miracles in their world, but it was his hand who delivered them. At the core of The Stand the story of a dark miracle. It doesn’t serve just to cap off the novel; the book runs another 100 plus pages in order for the survivors (Tom and Stu) to tell of what they have seen. Again, this is a theme from the Bible. Exodus doesn’t end at the Red Sea, even though the parting of the sea is the major miracle of the book. Big miracles have after-shocks that have to be told. (In Exodus, they not only celebrate, but move on to Mount Sinai where the Almighty descends in fire.)
Without going into the nuance of themes from The Stand, the big picture was a retelling of the book of Revelation. A Beast (Flagg in this case) comes rises up on the earth to bring destruction. Now it’s important in Revelation that the Beast rises again and again, forcing the people of God to take their Stand, until the end of time. Remember at the end of the novel (the uncut version) King added a scene in which evil rises yet again.
The Revelation of John is the struggle of two cities: Jerusalem v. Babylon. Jerusalem and her people are pictured as a “Bride” while Babylon and her people are depicted as a whore drunk on the blood of the saints. (Free Zone v. New Las Vegas.)
In John’s vision, the armies of the earth (the wicked) surround the Holy City. The righteous are hopelessly out numbered. They’ve taken their stand against evil, but at the climax of the Apocalypse it looks like good will be destroyed after all. In Revelation 20, the nations (the “earth dwellers”) come from every corner of the earth to fight against the city of God. So the picture painted looks gloomy; With insurmountable odds against the righteous, the scene is painted as a hopeless situation. But then. . . “fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:9)
What rescued them? Fire from heaven. Why does that matter in a Stephen King story? Because he was using the same plotline! Only, instead of Flagg and his forces coming to Boulder, the Free Zone comes to him to take their stand. What caused them to do this? A vision from Mother. That is, a force outside themselves was directing the entire story. That’s important to The Stand. It’s important not that the characters have personal faith; but that their faith is in something that is real and able to act in our universe. You don’t have to believe that; I’m just saying that’s the engine that runs this novel.
How does Flagg die in our new version of The Stand? Well, God either has really bad aim, or he’s just killed by a random electrical storm. Yep, that’s it. Lots of lightning. Seriously, Emperor Palpatine could have made this more interesting. There’s no sense in this that this is the climax of a battle between Good and Evil; it’s just. . . more CBS mush.
This is a lot of whining about one scen; but it’s like complaining that someone took the engine out of your car. . . kinda a big deal. But hey, it’s shiny and has nice special effects; never mind that somehow the transmission is shot and this thing ain’t going anywhere.
The Stand: Hate Mail To A Stephen King Fan
Episode 7: The Walk
There’s a lot of complaining here. I wouldn’t read it if I were you. But I feel better.
Know what CBS’ The Stand is like? It’s like getting hate mail for being a Stephen King fan. How dare any of us like the novel and think things should slightly resemble the book. Every aspect must be changed, every character, every scene. It's like being told, "Hey, you can't like that. We'll fix it for you, make it politically correct, and then you can like our new retelling."
At the beginning of the uncut version of The Stand, King gave the example of Hansel and Gretel, suggesting it could be retold but too many cuts hurts the story. That's what CBS has done; made not just cuts, but so many deep changes and bad decisions that at some point they stopped telling the story of The Stand and started on a brand-new clunky soap opera.
What’s with calling Mother Abigail “Mother A” ? Rally, it’s illogical for the role she
plays. Mother Abigail is supposed to be
a revered spiritual leader. You call
your buddy “Mother A.” You call your
spiritual leader by a respectable title… Such as “Mother.” But shortening her name to “A” is
disrespectful for the prophetess role she holds in the community.
Trashcan Man. I like
this rendition a lot because he does seem crazy. But our new Trashcan Man is so insane (a
muttering fool) that it’s hard to believe he could know how to get access to a
nuke, pull it from the silo and transport it.
This is a guy who seems like he would have trouble getting a bus ticket. So in his great wisdom, this is the guy Flagg
chose to get him a nuke? !!!
Speaking of Flagg being a poor leader; what’s up with Las
Vegas? It’s just one endless orgy. The Flagg that Stephen King gave us ran a
tight ship. We all know the bad guys
basically implode, but wow this retelling gives him a big head start in that
direction.
This is probably a good place to ask: What’s up with
Lloyd? He’s supposed to be a tough
hardened criminal capable of running the underworld. This Lloyd is just Trashcan Man’s little
brother. He’s like a junior high kid who
just doesn’t have it together yet. In fact, all of New Vegas is kind of like junior high.
Turns out: Flagg is not scary enough to be the dark man; he’s
not smart enough to choose someone with half a brain to get him a nuke (he’s not
even bright enough to find himself a righthand man who’s not pathetic) and Flagg’s
not inspirational enough to actually draw anyone to him. Who would follow this Flagg? Maybe Trashcan Man and Lloyd, but that’s it. That Las Vegas is full of Flagg followers is
thanks to the script writers putting them there; because there’s nothing the
Flagg character that would make us think anyone would be drawn that direction.
Whoopie Goldberg as Mother Abigail doesn’t work. Her acting is bad; it’s just Whoopie reciting
lines. Her wig is terrible. Her makeup is. . . did they put makeup on
her? She doesn’t look over 60. It’s like they weren’t even trying. Someone threw a wig on Whoopie, she jumped in
the bed and read her lines off a teleprompter and kindly collected her billion-dollar
paycheck. She doesn’t seem old, weak or
authentic.
Whoopie Goldberg is deserving of the title “Mother A”…
because this is not Mother Abigail. I
know they want to reinvent everything, but they should try to do better, not
dumb it down. That’s what we’re getting
with the Stand, a dumbed down version.
Not a dumbed down version of the novel, a dumbed down version of the
original miniseries. Ruby Dee nailed the
role in 1994. Whoopie Goldberg had big
shoes to fill, and she didn’t even try.
It is nice to finally be free from Herold. The role was well played, but the show was
becoming the Herold Show. They were so
busy developing this character that it took 5 episodes for Larry to get enough
screen time to become likeable.
I really like Larry’s attempt to give Herold some dignity in
death. Track with me… I’ve been teaching
through the life of King David. When
Saul and Jonathan died, even though Saul had made himself David’s chief enemy,
David went and rescued his dead body so that he would be buried with dignity.
(2 Samuel 21) I’m sure the writers didn’t
have king David in mind when they did this, but it’s very much reminiscent of
that Biblical scene.
All in all, this is series is reduced to a letter from CBS
and the Stephen King inner circle, “Dear fans, we hate you.”
King has said a show and movie can’t ruin a book. He’s correct, the book is right there, ready
to be read it again. But for now, the
story is marred for me. I started
rereading Swan Song last week and fell in love again. So, thanks for the hate mail, CBS, but don’t
get too full of yourselves; there are better looking girls out there.
The Stand Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
We all know stories get better when the villains get a turn to play in the sandbox. Sure, they don’t play nice, and that’s what makes it so much fun. I don’t know if that’s universally true, but it’s sure true for The Stand
It feels like the introductions are finally over, and now the story itself is finally moving forward. Herold gets his best scenes, and Dana... wow! It was nice to finally settle in on a somewhat new character. What am I talking about, it was just nice to have the story told from beginning to end.
There were enough changes to give the story real tension. I won’t spoil it yet.
The Dark Man is scary partly because we don’t overdose on him ahead of time. Up until this episode, he’s only appeared briefly in a few scenes. Keeping him in the shadows was nice.
Often, the middle of a story is the best because that’s where the bad guys get to reek havoc and raise the temperature. Just think, why is Empire Strikes Back the greatest Star Wars move ever? (And it is.) Because it’s dark, full of tension and there’s something big enough to actually fear. This episode of The Stand gives us a dose of the Empire Strikes Back. No, it’s not that good – but it’s the best offering we’ve had so far.
The Stand, Episode 4: CBS Hates Stephen King
Great, more scenes all chopped up. It’s like someone ran the script through a blender.
We start at a community meeting in the Free Zone.
. . . But then bounce backward (we assume backward) to a committee meeting, Don't get confused by community and committee, they are two different scenes.
. . . only to be yo-yo’d back to the community meeting. For me, this is the first scene where Larry is really likeable; even inspiring.
. . . Wait, don’t get excited, because about the time this meeting gets interesting, we are sent back to the committee meeting.
. . . and you guessed it: We are back at the community meeting. Wait, which is the flashback and which is reality? It’s like a chicken egg question. Which scene came first?
And all that the INTRO !
The skipping and dipping doesn’t stop there. The entire show is a time-warp. Back to the Future had less time travel.
There is no “now” in the Stand. What that means is that there’s no real story progression. Here’s an example: There is a very good scene where Fran and Herold are attacked. It wasn’t in the book, so it pulls everyone forward in their seat a little – what’s happening? This is new. Only, even as they put in what should look like an impossible situation, there’s no tension because we’ve already established it’s a flashback and our two main characters in the scene make it out just fine. How do we know? Because some idiot told us the end of the story before telling us the story!
There are other strange things here. One reason for doing the Stand on cable was to actually – do The Stand. That is, TV couldn’t handle some of the Stephen King content. However, twice now CBS has flinched. First by not giving us the Lincoln Tunnel done “right.” Actually, Mick Garris did great with that scene. But I still would have liked to see it without television standard imposed. But the oddities continue. We all remember exactly what Nadine told Herold he could do to her; only, CBS is afraid to air that, so we just get strange hints.
The need to change every single character is frustrating as well. Sweet Tom is reduced to a joke; a bumbling idiot instead of the kindhearted good intentioned character he is in the novel. The Judge can’t possibly be an old man; so for no reason at all, he becomes and old woman. Why? Just because CBS can. Glenn is supposed to the old man of the story, but instead he’s just another middle aged white guy. There’s no story reason for any of these changes. At some point, it’s no longer Stephen King’s story that’s being told; it’s different people all together living in the universe of The Stand. You almost expect this Tom to run into the Tom from the King novel, because they are two wholly different people. So same plot, but with new characters.
It’s like that Star Trek (old series) where each person on the enterprise has a duplicate in another universe that’s like them, but just a little different. With each character you go, “Yeah, that’s them... but something’s wrong. Something’s off.” It’s like drinking Coke without the right syrup mix.
If CBS wanted to give viewers a gift, they’d send the Stand back in for another edit. A redo. Because actually, I like the scenes a lot. The characters are insanely good. At almost every turn, they made decisions with the cast that were brilliant. But it’s all lost in the edit blender.
What someone should do is build a visual timeline we can track all this on, because at some point I'm just going to give up. CBS teased, and then they kicked fans in the face with garbage.
CBS The Stand: We're On The Titanic
How many times have we heard this year, "We're all in this together" ? Well, I'm afraid when it comes to the Stand, we are all having the same frustrating experience. At some point (think around episode 2) this big beautiful boat hit an iceberg and we're now all on a sinking ship.
CBS has put a lot of time and effort into offering Stephen King fans a plate of trash. I was so excited with the first episode, endured the second, and am ready to cancel CBS after the third. After watching the latest gob of mush, I finally decided to open my eyes and see what others were saying. Am I the only one who hates this? What I found was -- I'm not alone.
In fact, after reading article after article expressing similar frustrations, I started looking for someone who enjoyed this. Some reviews found some entertaining moments, but no one seems blown away. Even Lilja at struggled to find positive notes in his spoiler free review. (liljas-library.com) Surprised, I turned to the ever-fan at thetruthinsidethelie.blogspot.com. Stuff I hate, Bryant and usually find hope in. But when it comes to this version of the Stand, we all seem to be on the same sinking ship. "Thus far, The Stand has failed utterly to establish that it is the "present" which is the real story." He notes the timeline is "sloppily connected." (Well said.)
Stephen King has rightly pointed out that no movie can really "ruin" his book, since the book is right there for you to read any time you want. Which might be what I end up doing. That, and canceling CBS.
hollywoodreporter: CBS All Access' new adaptation of The Stand is a car on cinderblocks. It looks great. If you glance under the hood, you can see all of the work that's been done on the engine. But no matter how ready it seems to peel out onto the road, it isn't going anywhere. Very rarely is the Benjamin Cavell-steered adaptation, with Josh Boone directing the pilot, actively bad, but it's very frustrating.
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics Consensus: Despite an A-list ensemble and a smattering of poignant moments, The Stand's extended runtime doesn't make for better storytelling, leaving its expansive cast stranded in a cluttered apocalypse.
rogerebert.com: Most damningly, there’s no sense of the world’s descent into madness, no seeping dread, no unbearable builds of tension; “The Stand” hits you with the glowing eyes of evil and the mystical wisdom of the “magical old black lady” (the show’s description, not mine) early and often, leaving subtlety in the dust.
www.vulture.comWhile there are some genuinely effective attempts to generate suspense, those sequences stand beside some of the wildest and most off-the-mark sections of the series,
indiewire.com: in an article titled, "‘The Stand’ Review: Stephen King’s CBS All Access Adaptation Is a Plague Unto Itself": Even more debilitating is the realization these flashbacks are going to keep happening every time we meet a new character. “The Stand” is famous for having a massive cast, and while jumping ahead in time so we can get past the pandemic is a sound instinct — the show’s viral outbreak is close enough to reality to remind viewers what’s going on outside, but far too extreme to provide meaningful parallels — repeatedly going back in time kills forward momentum. And it doesn’t help that all these flashbacks fail to set up any intriguing “how did they get from here to there” teases.
and: It is also miscast, in nearly every role. “The Stand” isn’t bolstered by a fleet of skilled actors so much as it’s hindered by watching those proven talents struggle to find a credible tone within the series’ cleaned-up TV sheen and dirty allegory for good vs. evil.
CNN notes, 'The Stand' turns Stephen King's epic book into what feels like a very long sit." And Collider headlines their article, "'The Stand' Review: A Sprawling Apocalypse Epic That Trips on Its Own Ambition."
USA Today said, "CBS All Access makes a -- mess out of Stephen King's epic." I think this form the USA Today article nails everyone's frustration: :The most troublesome problem with "Stand" is the decision to jump around in the timeline, starting not at the pandemic that destroys humanity but in the middle of a new society that sprang up after it. Working backward (and then forward, and then backward again), the episodes struggle to clearly explain what happened with "Captain Tripps," a lethal super flu accidentally released from a military facility. Most plot developments and characterizations are implied rather than filmed, making this "Stand" more confusing than anything else."
The Stand: From Interesting to Disjointed
It didn’t take long for CBS’ The Stand to stumble hard. While episode 1 was a great retelling of a familiar story, episode 2 continued the very same format to its own detriment. Not to mention, familiar scenes we all love were recrafted.
Here’s the heart of it: Episode 1 creatively started in the middle, in the Free Zone, and then told the back stories. That was fun once. But hey, if it worked once, why not do another episode exactly the same? Well here’s why: Because it’s not fun anymore. By showing people arriving, their backstory isn’t that interesting because (drum roll. . . .) we already know they made it.
This is a format similar to the one employed so successfully in IT; but it's become tiresome already with The Stand. What's lost is a sense of progression. The story is jumbled. Along with progression, all tension is gone. It's like listening to an old man ramble about stories from the past. Whatever the story, you know already how it came out.
And hey, why would we want to see Larry climb through the Lincoln tunnel over dead bodies, when he could go through the New York sewer system? A scene that was a terrifying read was dumbed down to something ridiculous. He climbs out of the sewer only to discover Rita right there. Seriously, she’s there in the very spot he comes out. Of course, it never dawns on him (or the writers) that this means the entire sewer journey was pointless. They could have walked!
Upcoming Episodes of The Stand
Episode 2, “Pocket Savior”: Thursday, December 24
Episode 3, “Blank Pages”: Thursday, December 31
Episode 4, “The House of the Dead”: Thursday, January 7
Episode 5, “Suspicious Minds”: Thursday, January 14
Episode 6, “The Vigil”: Thursday, January 21
Episode 7, “The Walk”: Thursday, January 28
Episode 8, “The Stand”: Thursday, February 4
Episode 9, “Coda: Frannie in the Well”: Thursday, February 11
CBS The Stand Masters Story Telling
Stephen King's novel, "The Stand" ranks at the top of any Stephen King fans favorite novels. However, moving The Stand from the written page to the screen has proven difficult. The 1994 version was directed by Mick Garris. I thought it was great, virtually the novel in television form. It told the story; but failed to scare.
Josh Boon’s new version of The Stand is simply amazing. It easily surpasses the original miniseries for two reasons. First, not being on live television, the new series can dive deeper into the gore. Frankly, it can tell a Stephen King story that’s a little more gritty.
A second reason I like this version has to do with the story
telling itself. King wrote the original script,
so it moves just like the book; scene for scene, building for beginning to end.
Josh Boone’s version starts about a third
through the book, then uses flash backs to quickly tell the story of earths
end. (I thought starting with an episode
titled The End was brilliant.)
My wife aske which version I like better. Of course, I've only see one episode of the 2020 version, but the truth is, I think I'll like both (unless they go off the rails on this one. I mean, it is 2020 after all.) I told my wife, it's like I've been reading Matthew all the time, and now switched to John; same story, new perspective.
With a new retelling, there are naturally scenes I look forward to
- .Larry going through the Lincoln Tunnel.
- The finger of God striking the nuke.
- M-O-O-N
- Meeting the Dark Man himself.
LIsa and Louise
The Shining is one of the most terrifying films ever made. It wouldn't be the classic scary movie that it was without the scene where young Danny runs into the Grady twins. The iconic roles were played by the talented duo Lisa and Louise Burns.
Source: explore.faqtoids.com
Interview with Julia Marchese Director of I KNOW WHAT YOU NEED
Talk Stephen King: First of all, I was really excited to learn you took a trip to actually visit the towns we all visit in the works of Stephen King. Tell me about that trip.
Julia Marchese: Last November I took a Stephen King pilgrimage to see the towns I read so much about all of these years - the names had taken on a kind of magical quality to them - Pownal, Portland, Bangor, Ludlow - such a beautiful state, with gorgeous scenery and lovely people. I took an amazing Stephen King tour of Bangor and was in absolute heaven walking around "Derry" and seeing the canals, the storm pipe, the bird baths, Paul Bunyan, Pennywise's drain, and even Stephen King's house itself. It was like walking through one of his novels. Pure bliss. I can't wait to show the beauty of this incredible state.
Talk Stephen King: I’m so exited to hear about your Dollar Baby, “I Know What You Need .”
Julia Marchese: Thank you! I'm excited too! "I Know What You Need" is my favorite Stephen King short story! It was first published in Cosmopolitan Magazine in 1976, then added to the short story collection Night Shift in 1978. The story centers on Elizabeth, a popular college junior who is approached one night by Edward, an unkempt outcast whose first words to her are "I Know What You Need" - and she is shocked to discover that he does. It's a love story! But a Stephen King love story, so you know things aren't always what they seem.
I am keeping the film set when the story was first published, in 1976, and I'm also so incredibly thrilled that the The University of Maine - where Stephen King attended and where the story is set - will be allowing us to shoot this short film on their beautiful campus!
So that means this movie will be shot in the exact same locations that Stephen King wrote about in the story!
Talk Stephen King: Tell us a little about yourself.
Julia Marchese: I am a filmmaker, actor, film programmer, podcaster, cinephile and Constant Reader. I have been an actor since I was a kid. I programmed film and coordinated guests for the New Beverly Cinema for 8 years My first film, 2016's Out of Print, is a documentary about the importance of revival cinema and 35mm exhibition and preservation to culture. It features interviews with filmmakers such as Rian Johnson, Edgar Wright, Kevin Smith, Joe Dante, Mark Romanek, John Landis, Stuart Gordon, Joe Carnahan, Tom Holland and many more.
Out of Print was shot half on film and half on digital, and I was so thrilled to have a 35mm print of the film made. The film won the Programmers Award at the Sidewalk Film Festival and has played at art house cinemas, universities and film archives all over the world. The film is available on DVD, Amazon Prime and streaming & the 35mm print is still touring the world, having just played the Film Archive in Austria earlier this year. The film print lives now at The Academy Film Archive in Hollywood between screenings.
I also co-host a horror podcast called Horror Movie Survival Guide, which focuses on how to survive horror films and become the Final Girls. We have over 170 episodes and A LOT of Stephen King episodes! Pet Sematary was actually the first horror film I ever loved!
Talk Stephen King: Where will fans of Stephen King be able to see your film once it’s completed?
Julia Marchese: Because of strict Dollar Baby guidelines, the film is only allowed to be shown in festivals and in private screenings. That means the only way you are guaranteed to see the film is to back the project and be sent a link to private live stream link when the film is finished.
Talk Stephen King: Are you doing this as a part of an assignment, a class or just because you love King?
Julia Marchese: Just because I love King!!
The most exciting aspect of the contract is that Stephen King asks that all finished Dollar Baby films be sent to him to view - so dig this - he sells the rights to the stories for $1, basically because he's curious to see how other people view and interpret his work - how cool is that?
Talk Stephen King: That is pretty cool!
Julia Marchese: Knowing that Stephen King himself will watch a film that you can be a part of is a pretty awesome and unique opportunity!
The fascinating thing about Stephen King adaptations is how differently people can interpret the exact same story. Although we are all reading the same version of "I Know What You Need", it will be *my* version of the story up on screen, which I am sure is very different than how a lot of other people see this story.
Naturally, as a woman, my vision for the story is probably very different from Stephen King's, but that's why I am so interested to see it come to life - the writer of the story is male, but the protagonist is female - and now will be adapted & directed by a female filmmaker. That being said, I feel very strongly as a Constant Reader that the dialogue and feel of any film based on King's work should stay as close to the original story as possible, and I've definitely kept that in mind when adapting the screenplay. Most of the dialogue is taken word for word from the story.
Talk Stephen King: How hard was it to get the rights to the story for a dollar?
Julia Marchese: Stephen King actually makes it pretty easy for fans! Just go on his website, check out the stories that are available to adapt and send in an application! He has a good amount of stories to choose from.
Talk Stephen King: What kinds of conditions come with a Dollar Baby?
Julia Marchese: The conditions are that the film has to be 45 minutes or under, non-profit and non-broadcast. That means it can't be sold, or shown on TV or online, but it can be shown in film festivals and in private screenings. That means you have to make the film for the love of it - not because it can later be sold and shown.
But as a Constant Reader, the making of it is enough! To show *my* version of the story is a dream come true! And honestly, all I did was ask. So you have nothing to lose, if you're a King fan - you get in life what you have the courage to ask for!
Talk Stephen King: How can King fans participate in this project?
Julia Marchese: Go to my Indiegogo campaign, running through October 24th. Donate if you can, but if you can't please SHARE! That is the most important part of any crowdfunding campaign, spreading the word - especially with other King fans!
Twitter: @juliacmarchese, @IKWYNfilm
Instagram: @juliacmarchese, @iknowwhatyouneedfilm
Talk Stephen King: Your obviously a big Stephen King fan. What first attracted you to king? Do you have a favorite novel by King?
Julia Marchese: I read IT in junior high and I was hooked from there, reading more and more throughout my life.
I realized two and half years ago that I had never tackled his master work, The Dark Tower series. This needed to be remedied immediately. So I devoured the books, loving each one more and more and starting to panic as I neared the end of the series. I didn't want the story to end!! I got to the 11th stanza in book 7 - The Song of Susannah (Constant Readers will know where I mean) where the reveal was going to be so good and I was so excited, that I needed to prolong that feeling as long as possible.
So I decided to pause my reading there and read every Stephen King novel and short story related to the The Dark Tower (there are A LOT, over 40 short stories and novels combined!) before re-reading the Tower series (and then continue on to the Marvel comic series omnibuses and The Dark Tower companions after that). It's taken me two and a half years so far and I am still working on it. It's the most incredibly brilliant literary multiverse puzzle that I have ever undertaken, and I am enjoying putting the pieces into place more than I can say.
I can't give you one favorite so I will give you top 5: IT, The Long Walk, Firestarter, The Stand and The Dark Tower Series!
Talk Stephen King: Have you had the opportunity to see other Dollar Babies? Do you have a favorite?
Julia Marchese: I have seen a few other Dollar Babies, yes! I contacted a bunch of the other Dollar Baby filmmakers while arranging this film, and they were all super helpful and kind. I can't say I have a favorite, but I can say how cool it is to see other people's perspective on the same story and they are all made with such passion!
I know there is another Dollar Baby version of "I Know What You Need" out there, but I am going to wait to watch it until after I finish my version. That's probably silly, but I don't want to be influenced by another version, even though I am certain it will be very different!
Talk Stephen King: Do you have a favorite Stephen King medium? (reading, audio, movies, comics...) What's your favorite way to let Si King scare you?
Julia Marchese: I will always choose his books as number one. That's what got me started and that's really the essence of who he is. He has a way of writing that makes the reader feel that he is almost talking directly to them, a relationship of sorts between Stephen King and the Constant Reader that I absolutely love. There are some excellent film versions of course, but I like it best when it's just me and King and no one else. :)
Talk Stephen King: When will you begin filming? Have you already cast the film? How did you go about that?
Julia Marchese: If the crowdfunding campaign succeeds, the film will be shot in the summer of 2021, in Maine. I haven't started casting yet - I have to make sure we have the funds to shoot the film first! Auditions will of course be virtual, and will focus mainly on actors on the East Coast.
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