Is A Good Marriage Set To Scare?

Clark Collis Entertainment Weekly article proclaims, "'We went in fearlessly': Stephen King on adapting 'A Good Marriage' for film."

Based on a short novel in King's collection, Full Dark,  No Stars; A Good Marriage is one of my favorites.  Probably because it discusses something truly horrifying!  What if you discovered someone you love is actually a serial killer?

A Good Marriage stars Joan Allen, Anthony LaPaglia, Stephen Lang, and House of Cards actress Kristen Connolly.  Most important, the screenplay was written by none other than Stephen King.

King explained why he wanted to writ the script: “I’ve seen enough movies adapted from my work to know that the things that work the best are the things that aren’t too long and aren’t too short."

Revealing he was  never on set (so don't expect a cameo), King promised not to take the story in the "wrong direction." King said the script was about the length  of Shawshank Redemption.  Actually,  the  novel moved pretty quickly until the end, when the detective tried  to figure out what really happened.

This is from my book, "Stephen King, A Face Among The Masters":

Another tough woman appears in the short story, A Good Marriage, in which Darcy Anderson lays a clever trap of her own to knock off her serial killer husband. How does she kill a man who has made a habit of killing  women? And how does she accomplish it without getting caught herself? It is interesting to watch the change in Darcy. She goes from being a “normal” 1950s-ish housewife, to a woman ready to send her beloved husband to the pit.

Even  better, King notes that he likes it because the story is from a woman's point of view.

Artwork for Mr. Mercedes EW Article

Illustration for an Entertainment Weekly feature excerpt of Stephen King's upcoming novel "Mr. Mercedes." by Owen Freeman

Check these out:
www.flickr.com Mercedes 1
www.flickr.com Mercedes 2
www.flickr.com Mercedes 3

Is Lawnmower Man Comparable To True Detective?

Jeff Jenson has an interesting article titled, 'True Detective': Does Stephen King's 'The Lawnmower Man' explain the monster at dream's end? popwatch.ew.com

This is actually the most I've read about Lawnmower man -- ever.

From the portion discussing politics:

Like King’s story, True Detective traffics in culture war politics, and makes Republicans look like jerks , and clearly desires for them to reap what they sew, or just get reaped. The well-connected Reverend Tuttle tried to co-opt the Dora Lange investigation by lobbying for a task force to investigate anti-Christian crimes that would take charge of the case. And then there’s Hart’s father-in-law: In his single scene so far this season, Maggie’s well-to-do pop, clearly a political conservative, made a big impression by making snide comments about President Bill Clinton and complaining about sex-crazed young people wearing Goth make-up. “Things aren’t like they were when I was young. People said ma’am and sir. There was more dignity. People weren’t out in the streets yelling about their rights.” 

and from the section discussing "circle"

 “The Lawnmower Man.” The titular character tells Harold that his overgrown backyard won’t be a problem to cut. “The taller, the better. Healthy soil, that’s what you got there, by Circe. That’s what I always say.”Circe? Circe was the Greek goddess of magic. Her niftiest trick: She could turn her enemies into animals. In Homer’s Odyssey, in fact, she seduced the great hero’s men and transformed them into pigs. 

True Detective. The Carcosa cultists had “animal faces ” — masks — according to victim/survivor Toby Boulair [sp?], aka “Johnny Joni.”  And all of True Detective’s “heroic” men? Total pigs.

Doctor Sleep Excerpt In EW

Stephen King's FB page posted this bit of news:

The September 13 issue of Entertainment Weekly includes an exclusive excerpt of Doctor Sleep on pages 43-47 of the print edition. When you give it a read, let us know what you think.

Doctor Sleep hits bookshelves on September 24th.

Carrie On Cover Of EW

Carrie Bonus Cover

CBS gives shout out to The Simpsons

EW reports:

the upcoming series version of Under the Dome will throw a reference back to The Simpsons in its third episode. “We do make a reference to The Simpsons Movie,” showrunner Neal Baer told EW. “We have a ‘recharge party’ in episode 3 and the kids are watching it.” 

There won’t be actual footage of the film in the scene, but it’s definitely in the script. “We make a verbal reference,” Baer teases.

Full story: insidetv.ew.com

King ON Shining Prequel, I Would Be Just As Happy If It Didn't Happen

With recent news  that the Overlook, a prequel to The Shining, might actually become a reality -- many of us are interested in Stephen King's reaction.

Uncle Creepy at Dread Central posted the following from King (via EW),

"I’m not saying I would put a stop to the project because I’m sort of a nice guy," King tells Entertainment Weekly. "When I was a kid, my mother said, ‘Stephen if you were a girl, you’d always be pregnant.’ I have a tendency to let people develop things. I’m always curious to see what will happen. But you know what? I would be just as happy if it didn’t happen."

www.dreadcentral.com

Jeopardy Board

Image Credit: Jeopardy Productions, Inc

Hillary Busis at EW posted this picture of the Jeopardy board.  popwatch.ew.com

She writes,

Why did the show’s writers honor King? Simple: They’ve been waiting decades for an opportunity to just name a category “It.”

Good Sequels

In an interview with EW, Stephen King said one of his hesitations about doing a sequel to the Shining is that "most sequels really suck."  He gives only two exceptions: Huckleberry Finn  and the Godfather II.

Do you agree?  I'm not sure I do.  I think sometimes a story is better as it continues because the writer is in familiar territory and is working to their strengths.

Here are a few sequels that did not suck:

1. The Drawing of the Three, Stephen King
2. Odyssey, Holmer (The Illiad)
3. World Without End, Ken Follett (Pillars of the Earth)
4. The Empire Strikes Back, Glut/Lucas (Star Wars)
5. Piercing The Darkness, Frank Peretti (This Present Darkness)
6. Return of Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes)
7. Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games)
8. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter)
9. Patriot Games, Tom Clancy (The Hunt For Red October)
10. Leaving Cold Sassy Tree, Olive Anne Burns (Cold Sassy Tree)
11. The Two Towers, Tolkien (The Fellowship Of The Ring)

(I have not read Talisman or Blackhouse)

Many famous writers have actually resisted the temptation to go back  and write sequels.  Charles Dickens and John Steinbeck to name two. I also notice that John Grisham also does not do a lot of  sequels.

I think King may feel some pain when it comes to sequels, since his own works have had to endure  the likes of Return to Salem's Lot, Firestarter II and all those dreadful Children of the Corn movies.

George Beahm once said that  Eyes of the Dragon deserved a sequel.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

1. What is your favorite sequel?
2. What Stephen King book would you like him to write a sequel  to?

King Talks DOCTOR SLEEP With EW

Anthony Breznican at EW has a great interview with Stephen King.  Breznican really presses King on the origins of Doctor Sleep and why King chose to return to the world of The Shining.  At first King just jokes that he used to think that Danny just married Charlie from Firestarter.  However, when he really started thinking about where Danny would be now, it seems the story began to carry itself.

King cites part of his inspiration for Doctor Sleep as coming from a morning news show about a cat who could sense when someone was going to die. 

He admits that he likes scaring people -- a lot.  King says, " I wanted to go back to that real creepy scary stuff."

When asked if he was intimidated to return to such a popular book, King admits that he was indeed hesitant, since most sequels "suck."  That's funny -- since it's exactly what many of you are afraid of with Doctor Sleep!

King also reveals a character named Abra -- a nod to the main female character in East of Eden by John Steinbeck.  I love it when King does stuff like that (gives nods in his work to other authors.)  He says it had been a while since he used a kid as a major character, and he was excited to do that.  Me too!  I really connect with King's characters that are children.

In the interview, King also tells us a little more about "The True Knot" and what inspired him to create these villains   

King says animatedly, 

"Doctor Sleep is a sequel to the novel. It’s not a sequel to the Kubrick film. At the end of the Kubrick film, the Overlook is still there. It just kind of freezes. But at the end of the book, it burns down."

King reveals that he hired Rocky Wood to read over the manuscript for consistency.   Actually, inconsistency doesn't bother me much -- I usually just go with the story where it's at.  I mean, novels are not history -- it's just a story.  When someone like King writes, and is digging into their own work, they have a mess on their hands because he's created such a vast universe of fiction.

I also really enjoyed the discussion of King's feelings about a prequel.  I've been reading "Before the Play" in TV Guide, and it's great.

Check out the full interview at shelf-life.ew.com

I think Doctor Sleep is going to work well because King has always been a writer of the time at hand.  He doesn't do a lot with the past, and certainly not much with the future -- he writes about the right now.    That means that a similar amount of time has passed in the world of the Shining as it has for us.  Or, put another way: Both books are set in the time they were written in.  

In the past King's characters with supernatural abilities have often been children or teens.  Carrie, Danny and Charlie all come to mind.  But in Doctor Sleep, King will take us into the adult world.  Danny used his powers as a child to get himself out of a jam -- and it worked quite well!  Now as an adult he can use those powers for a larger purpose to serve others.  (I'm totally guessing here.)

EW: King's Top 10 TV Shows

The Detroit Free Press has this summery of Stephen King's EW article:

Entertainment Weekly contributing writer and best-selling author Stephen King came up with 10 top shows. But one, "The X-Files," hasn't had a new episode in more than a decade. King explained that choice: American TV networks are irrelevant and the show's main characters Mulder ( David Duchovny) and Scully (Grand Rapids-raised Gillian Anderson) are "as fresh as ever."

King also loved Danish series "Borgen," AMC's "Breaking Bad" and FX's "Sons of Anarchy." He also was "particularly charmed" by teen actress Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark on HBO's epic adventure series, "Game of Thrones."

Chandler Riggs Joins MERCY Cast

EW.com has some news about the upcoming Stephen King film "Mercy."  Mercy is an adaptation of the King short story GRAMMA.

From EW:

Child stars Chandler Riggs and Joel Courtney will play brothers whose grandmother has evil powers in the Stephen King thriller adaptation Mercy. Riggs currently stars on AMC’s The Walking Dead as the son of Sheriff Rick Grimes; Courtney appeared in J.J. Abrams’s Super 8. 

EW: The Case For Letting Kids Watch Scary Movies

Anthony Breznican's article "Making The Case For Scary Movies For Kids" (family-room.ew.com)

has me thinking.  

He argues passionately  "Yes, we have to think about what’s appropriate for any given age, and yes, all kids are different. But to deny them access to the macabre entirely only creates a mind with a false sense of security. If we don’t let kids safely poke around the dark corners of their imaginations, how will they ever find out what’s hiding there?"

As a parent of four girls, I've often left my kids watch scary movies as my wife eyes me doubously.  Are we harming them for life or toughening them up?

Of course, no one is advocating the three year old watch Halloween!  But my kids did watch both versions of The Shining, and loved it (that is, the nine year old and eleven year old).  They all watched Thinner -- and they liked it.  They also liked Cujo and loved (I mean LOVED) Christine.

Three reasons to censor the movies: 1. Language.  2. Sex Scenes.  3. Gore.  A good parent watches the movie first so they know what their kid is about to see or hear.  But just because a movie contains scary scenes does not mean it is totally inappropriate.

Breznican laments, "as my generation of kids has turned into the parents, we’ve made a virtue out of sheltering our own children from any ghoul or ghostie less friendly than Casper."  

He argues that perhaps scary movies -- good ones -- speak more about life than we are ready to admit.  About Pet Sematary he says:

There’s a reason we crave scares, whether it’s the free-fall of a roller coaster or the dread of a Stephen King novel. As we clutch the edges of Pet Semetary, reading about a father resurrecting his deceased little boy, it’s the actual terror of losing a child that underpins the horror. The supernatural elements, if anything, are like those cushioned roller coaster straps that lock us in and make us safe before the plunge – this just feels dangerous, but it’s all pretend. It’s a defense mechanism as our psyches seek out the worst-case scenario.

Here's where I draw lines:

1. Kids don't get to watch movies with lots of naked people.

2. Kids don't get to watch movies with absolutely pointless killing or violence.

3. Really scary stuff!  Some movies are too scary for kids.  I think the Sixth Sense is terrifying!  Amityville Horror is pretty scary -- I think.  

4. Kids don't get to watch cartoons all day.  HA!  Some days I want to sick Pennywise on Caillou.

But most of King's work really is more story than fright.  Seriously. . . when was the last time Stephen King actually scared you?  

What I'm driving at is that horror falls into multiple sub-genre's.  There's the Texas Chainsaw stuff that is just cut ups -- not at all fun!  And then there's Christine, which actually has a story worth discussing.  One night after watching Needful Things (which I hate -- the movie) my daughter said, "That movie has a good lesson."  It does?  "Things aren't what we should worship."  

Here's another thing: I don't censor the Bible for my kids.  We read Exodus verse by verse -- and have been digging through 10 plagues.  That is far more scary than Christine!  A death angel actually moves through the land, taking lives.  Rivers turn to blood. . . you know the story.  

So, check out the EW article and tell me what you think.

JOYLAND cover

EW.com has posted a the cover for Stephen King's 2013 novel, Joyland.

Not only is King going retro with the setting of his upcoming novel, he’s also sticking to a tried-and-true format. “I love crime, I love mysteries, and I love ghosts,” he said in the press release. “I also loved the paperbacks I grew up with as a kid, and for that reason, we’re going to hold off on e-publishing this one for the time being. Joyland will be coming out in paperback, and folks who want to read it will have to buy the actual book.” 

Charles Ardai, editor of Hard Case Crime, promises a layered, genre-crossing story. “Joyland is a breathtaking, beautiful, heartbreaking book,” he said. “It’s a whodunit, it’s a carny novel, it’s a story about growing up and growing old, and about those who don’t get to do either because death comes for them before their time. Even the most hard-boiled readers will find themselves moved. When I finished it, I sent a note saying, ‘Goddamn it, Steve, you made me cry.’ ”

check  it out at ew.com and liljas-library.com

I think the cover looks great!

Dread Central: Presenting Carrie White

image credit: Dread Central

Uncle Creepy at Dread Central posted, "Entertainment Weekly scored the very first images of Chloe Moretz as Carrie White and Julianne Moore as her crazy mama!"  (HERE)

Not quite as . . . clean and neat. . . as the original, is it?  Or even the remake.  This looks like a girl who really could take down the house!

SYFY takes on EYES OF THE DRAGON

picture credit, Darek Kocurek (HERE)

This is exciting: I've hoped for years that Eyes Of The Dragon would become a movie.  Of course, I've  also always  hoped Disney would do it. Dread Central, EW and Lilja's Library are all reporting that SYFY (that's not how you spell Sifi) has decided to take the project on.  I'm hoping for a mini-series format.

Lilja's Library posted (linking from EW)

Stephen King’s fantasy novel Eyes of the Dragon could at last become a movie or miniseries. 

The 1987 bestseller is being developed by Syfy as a longform project, along with a scripted drama series based on the comic Grey Legion and two high-concept movie projects. The network is set to announce all the titles later today at its upfront presentation in New York City. 

Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica) and Jeff Vintar (I, Robot) will pen the Dragon script, with Taylor and Bill Haber as executive producers

Dreadcentral reports:

Among the scripted development projects are adaptations of popular works by best-selling novelists such as Stephen King (Eyes of the Dragon). . . 

Eyes of the Dragon – Based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel. A kingdom is in turmoil as the old king dies and his successor must battle for the throne. Pitted against an evil wizard and a would-be rival, Prince Peter makes a daring escape and rallies the forces of good to fight for what is rightfully his. Writers: Michael Taylor (Defiance, Battlestar Galactica) and Jeff Vintar (I, Robot). Executive producers: Michael Taylor and Bill Haber. A production of Universal Cable Productions and Ostar Productions.

The Hunger Games

My daughter is reading The Hunger Games.  I've only read the first few pages -- on a treadmill!  She pointed out to me today that Stephen King he a quip on the back.  


King wrote that it is "A violent, jarring, speed-rap novel that generates nearly constant suspense. . . I couldn't stop reading." -- Stephen King.  


King's full review is HERE.  He gives the novel a B, noting that it is a trilogy, and he plans to return.


The fact that Hunger Games will remind many of us of certain other novels -- by Mr. Bachman -- isn't lost on King.  King writes,  "Also, readers of Battle Royale (by Koushun Takami), The Running Man, or The Long Walk (those latter two by some guy named Bachman) will quickly realize they have visited these TV badlands before."


I liked Kings short discussion of "Young Adult Novel" as a category.  It does seem to downplay (or downgrade) the book as something other than a real novel.  


Interestingly -- Stephenie Meyer also liked the book and has a quote on the back of the Scholastic paperback edition.  Strange to see the two on the same page with no darts being exchanged!

EW: Bag Of Bones The Movie v. The Book

Stephen Lee has an article at Entertainment Weekly's Pop Watch discussing Bag of Bones he mini-series and Bag of Bones the book.  The kind of stuff the only really excites Constant Readers. 

Lee objects to the "tone" of the movie, suggesting it has a different feel from the book.  His only major noted derailment from the book itself had to do with the circumstances of Jo Noonan's death.  But Lee hastens to say that this was probably a necessary change.

Lee admits that "The creepiness of the book - translated well to television. . ."

The full article is HERE.

Howard: The Dark Tower Is Moving Forward

EW has posted an interview with Ron Howard, which includes some Dark Tower news.  Howard says, "“We had to pull back to our September start date due to budget delays and ongoing story development and logistical issues, but Dark Tower is moving forward." 

Good to know!  He says that they should start in Spring, and then Howard drops this strange news -- " I can’t really say who’ll be in it yet, but Javier Bardem has shown a great deal of interest."  A great deal of interest?  I thought they had signed him.  I guess I thought this was all more cemented than it appears to be.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/05/24/ron-howard-dark-tower/

King: 10 Things I Know About The Stand Remake

This is an article King wrote for Entertainment weekly -- where he is affectionately known as "Uncle Stevie." Here's what King told E.W. :
.
1. No one will be able to top Gary Sinise, who played Stu Redman in the original ABC miniseries. He was perfect. When he says “You don’t know nothing” to the soldiers who are putting him under mandatory quarantine, you believe his contempt completely. My runner-up pick would be Jake Gyllenhaal.
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2. I didn’t know anything about the remake until I read about it on the Internet.
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3. You absolutely can’t make it as a two-hour movie. If it was a trilogy of films…maybe.
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4. Molly Ringwald won’t be playing Fran Goldsmith this time.
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5. Rutger Hauer is a little too old to play the Walkin’ Dude, and that’s too bad.
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6. People who’ve seen Kubrick’s The Shining dislike the miniseries I wrote (and my amigo Mick Garris directed) even if they haven’t seen it. That’s always annoyed me. But the wheel of karma turns! This time people will probably say, “The miniseries was lots better.” BUT…
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7. …historically speaking, movie studios blow the budget on things like this, so maybe it’ll be fun to look at. The dough certainly isn’t going to me, although if it is a trilogy, and if it makes a lot of money, I might be able to buy a chicken dinner at Popeye’s. Great slaw!
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8. Molly Ringwald will probably not play the Trashcan Man, either, but Billy Bob Thornton would be cool. Billy Bob’s always cool.
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9. They need to write in a lot of heavy-metal for the soundtrack.
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10. M-O-O-N, that spells “you probably won’t see this anytime soon.” And when you do, Woody Allen won’t be directing it. Or Molly Ringwald.
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http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/02/03/stephen-king-10-things-i-know-about-the-remake-of-the-stand/