ROLAND... alas

Picture: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000849/
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We have official word as to who will play Roland in the film and television series The Dark Tower.

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Stephenking.com has posted: "Mike Fleming of Deadline Hollywood is reporting that oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem will play Roland Deschain in the upcoming Dark Tower films and television series."

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I wonder if Bardem knows he'll have his fingers bit off somewhere around movie #2.

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Mike Flemming at deadline.com writes, "I'm told that Bardem has officially been offered the lead role by director Ron Howard and Universal Pictures. While formal negotiations haven't yet begun, there's a high level of enthusiasm internally that they've got their cowboy. Akiva Goldsman has scripted the first movie, and will write the TV component as well. Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer is producing with Goldsman and the author. Universal is financing and distributing the films, and NBC Universal Television Entertainment is backing the TV component, which will either be a limited run series or a miniseries."

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http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/javier-bardem-wanted-for-the-dark-tower/

Notes from The King Cast Interview with Marsha DeFilippo

picture: http://larryfire.wordpress.com/2008/06/09/interview-with-marsha-defilippo-stephen-kings-personal-assistant/

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The King Cast has an interview posted with Marsha DeFilippo. This one is really good!

http://thekingcast.ca/site/?p=129

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DeFlippo is Ms. Mod at the King website. "I couldn't ask for a better boss to work for," she says about King. The interview is posted in full and is easy to access. The question answer session is really interesting. For instance, she doesn't like chocolate. Stunning! The interview is just over 40 minutes.

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Here are a few of quick notes. . .

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She started working for king as a "Kelly girl." Cool. . . I once worked as a "Kelly Girl." She typed Eyes of the Dragon -- the book I'm currently reading. She also typed Tommyknockers onto disks to be sent to publisher. She did her work on a wang word processor with 8in floppy disks!

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She notes that one reason for the website is to offer accurate information. If you wonder if such a site is needed, just google who will be cast int he upcoming Dark Tower movies. There's a lot of opinions out there, but not all of it is backed up. Personally, I tend to trust King's own site for news and Lilja's library.
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Also discussed are King's two ideas for books. Dr. Sleep and the next Dark Tower book (Wind through the Keyhole). The website was used to poll King's readers, just to determine the mood.
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Interesting, she says that horror is not her preferred genre. So who does she read? Well, truth is -- she doesn't read much because that's what she does all day long!
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What impresses her about King? "That he has kept his roots." She shares how King is a very ordinary person, not tainted by his public persona. He's humble.
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I really liked her talking about how things quiet down in between book releases. Found myself thinking, that's probably the time King likes the most -- when the world backs off and he's just allowed to write books.
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Here's a funny question someone submitted: With so many cuss words in his books -- why can't people cuss on the board? The answer: Books are age appropriate, while anyone can click on a site -- including younger children.
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She mentions more than once that she is very cognizant of the fact she represents King. What she says or does could reflect on him.
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Oh, and bummer. . . she says that we will not see the rest of the Cannibals. Man! I was hoping to read the rest of that. I really really enjoyed what was published.
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There is not a huge office at work behind Stephen King. No factory of workers! It's just King and a couple of secretaries.
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Okay. . . stop reading my notes and go listen to the interview! It's fantastic.
http://thekingcast.ca/site/?p=129

Eyes Of The Dragon Journal 2

Eyes of the dragon really picks up pace once the old King (Roland) gets knocked off. This is the part of the novel I like a lot. The early part of the books is spent building characters and setting the stage. King does this like a pro, of course.

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The story is really about Peter, who King does not develop much in the early novel. Most of his focus is on Thomas, King Roland and Flagg. Hey, catch any Dark Tower irony here? Roland the Good verses Flagg?

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Peter's authority and natural tendency toward what is right is a powerful draw to his character. He has inner strength and conviction that Thomas is lacking. When he agrees to stand trial for the murder of his father, he does it with surprising confidence. King doesn't have to work a lot to get the reader to like Peter -- it's natural. Any scene Peter is in, he quickly becomes the center of attention. King aptly conveys Peter's ability to show authority, love righteousness and honor the law.

Photo: Maximum Overdrive behind the scenes

I like this behind the scenes photo from Maximum Overdrive at Aint It Cool News. Actually makes you go, "Wow, ain't it cool."

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"Quint" writes, "I unapologetically love Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive. Granted, I saw it as a kid and loved the shit out of it and I’m also a giant Stephen King fan, but come on. It’s a silly movie about all motorized machines gaining life where a truck that has a giant Green Goblin head leads an assault on a small southern truck stop. I mean, a soda machine kills a coach and a steamroller crushes little leaguers to death. How can anybody hate this movie?"

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I dunno how anybody could hate a movie directed by S.K. I loved it! But alas, some of the world is not as cultured as Quint and I.

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http://www.aintitcool.com/node/48212

Notable Bangor

picture: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cOElEn9DGguG-06PB-532w?select=WThIExmqHHsGNhKhMpMpgw

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I first spotted this story at Bev Vincents website. Edgar Allen Beem has a neat article in Downeast. He asks notable residents to share their observations about Maine. Yes, one of them was Stephen King.

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King says:

"BangorMy idea of the real Maine is lunch at Rosie’s Diner in Lovell. Especially in the fall, after the summer folks go home. Grab a copy of the local paper (the Bridgton News), sit at the counter, and order the blueberry pancakes (with real maple syrup). Bacon on the side’s optional. The cook wears a Red Sox hat, there’s a picture of Elvis over the specials board,and the locals talk politics and football while the leaves fall outside. If you like, when you finish your lunch, you can stroll across to the public library. Not bad."

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There's a lot of great contributions to this article that you should check out. I enjoyed all of it.

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http://www.downeast.com/magazine/2011/january/characters

Blockade Billy Journal 2

Wow, this story is crazy! I planned on doing two journal entries for Blockade Billy, but I'm actually afraid I can't say much about the second half of the book without giving something away. I will say that it is good -- very good, and a big surprise for me. I liked it a lot.

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The narrator, Granny Grantham, is both energetic and insightful. As an old man, he enjoys King's company and hopes King will return and talk more. By using Grantham's voice and speaking as if talking TO Stephen King, King has again made himself a character in the story. Innovative.
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Though not exactly a story of revenge (but almost), this short novel would have fit neatly into Full Dark No Stars. Reading King lately has been a joy. His recent work is not only very good, it's exceptional. Under The Dome, Morality, Full Dark No Stars, Blockade Billy have all shown King at is best. He has aid for years that he hopes that he is getting better as a writer, and I think recent books really display his gift and passion for writing. King doesn't let constant readers down.
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Bill Sheehan writes in the Washington Post, "Blockade Billy" works as well as it does for a couple of reasons. The first is the narrative voice that King has conjured up for Granny Grantham. Funny, sharply observant and casually profane, it is the voice of a quintessential baseball insider who happens to be a natural raconteur. Equally important is the lovingly detailed evocation of the game as it was played in 1957, when, with few exceptions, the players were neither celebrities nor millionaires but "working stiffs" who earned, on average, $15,000 a year. King's descriptions of these tough, hard-bitten men and the hardscrabble contests they engaged in add both a dash of nostalgia and a touch of gritty reality to this dark, absorbing portrait of a vanished era."

Eyes Of The Dragon Journal 1

I started a journey through Eyes of the Dragon the other day. It's been a long time since I read this book -- like 1992! That was the year I graduated high school and got my first job, an usher at the Hollywood Bowl. I have fond memories of reading this book every chance I got. I couldn't stop!
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I recommended my daughter read it, thinking she would love the fairy tail. I had forgotten most of the details of the story, just fond memories of the joy it gave me at the time. As I started back through the novel I had a surprise coming to me. There's a lot of . . . uh. . . talk about how babies are made. And Flagg (the King's evil magician) has this magic potion that is a super version of Viagra.
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The story is not a typical King novel. The writing in particular is different. King usually builds a story scene by scene, like episodes in a television series. Eyes of the Dragon often pulls far above a single scene to give a birds eye view of a character or storyline, and then the narration dives in for a particular scene.
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King also narrates the story in his own voice. What I mean is. . . while it is third person, he often speaks directly to the reader. Much like a father pausing to explain something in the midst of a story.
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Each character is carefully introduced before the meat of the story is served up. This leads to a slow build up in plot as the reader sees each player. Thomas in particular is vividly portrayed. I think there is something in all of us that identifies with Thomas. He's not as good as his older brother. He feels like his father doesn't pay him adequate attention. And when he gets to peep through the eyes of the dragon at his father alone in his den, he discovers that his father the king farts and picks his nose and pees in the fire; not the kind of guy he can respect. King does a masterful job explaining, in simple language, that we all do things in private that we would never do if we knew people were watching.
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I like it that King's "bad guys" have depth. People who do bad things oftne have motive and reasons that make them feel they are not really so bad. King doesn't give us simple black and white characters, but shows us a real picture of humanity.
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Thus far, my return to the kingdom of Delain has been a joyful one.

King Collection

picture: http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/42003/fright-rags-launches-stephen-king-collection-t-shirt-line

Do you have a "King Collection"? I mean -- T-Shirt. Dread Central has announced that Fright Rags just launched the "King Collection" line of tees.

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Buy them here: http://www.fright-rags.com/

Stand By Me Headed To Blue Ray

As Stand By Me heads to Blue-Ray, Jessica Grabert writes, "The film was initially released in 1986 and features the late River Phoenix alongside Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, and Wil "Don't Call Me Wesley" Wheaton. Since no one back in the '80s was anticipating DVDs and recording special features, we’ll have to make do with a bunch of thrown-together “remember when” sequences." That's the bad news. I like her comment -- Will don't call me Wesley... haha! I love his role on Big Bang Theory.

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Grabert then shares the good news: "The features will include a picture-in-picture chat with director Rob Reiner, audio commentary, a featurette entitled “Walking the Tracks,” and the video for the epic song “Stand by Me.”

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http://www.cinemablend.com/dvdnews/Stephen-King-Revitalized-With-Stand-By-Me-Blu-Ray-Release-29491.html

The Other - OTHER Pet Cemetery

picture: http://honan.net/PetCem/

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Who would have thunk it! There's another one... Pet Cemetery, that is. And, to my delight, it's right here in the beautiful state of California -- San Francisco to be exact. But the city seems to sport two Pet Cemetery's! There is one just above Crissy field, at the corner of McDowell and Cowles. The other one is a secret! Well, not that big a secret. You can find it at the link below.

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http://sfist.com/2011/01/18/urbane_studies_with_the_tenderloin_2.php?gallery0Pic=2#gallery

Full Dark Journal 6: Fair Extension

I was excited to jump into Fair Extension, because so many have expressed that it was their favorite of the four Novella's in Full Dark No Stars. This one left me a little wide eyed. "Really!"

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In order for our cancer ridden protagonist, Dave Streeter, to extend his life (and get rid of cancer), he makes a deal with the devil: He will pay a tithe of his income to George Elvid -- aka: The Devil. He must also "do the dirty" to someone else. That is, someone must pay for his life extension.

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Theology:

I am again struck by the layers of theology here. Forgive me, I can't help it! Note: The concept of blood atonement (eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life), and the devil's price: 15%. A much steeper demand than the tenth (ie, tithing) demanded by God.

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So the deal is: The price is higher, but if you can live with yourself, the dark "blessings" can be counted ahead of time. I mean, think about it; you serve God, and you have to trust him to take care of you. You give to God, and believe He will bless. But God chooses the blessing (unless you're into TV preachers). So you have to trust God to know what you really need. But the Devil (at least in Fair Extension), is ready to give you exactly what you think you need. The price is higher, but the exchange is clearly stated up front.

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By the way, I don't think King is actually seeking to build a theology here. He's having fun. But he does it with skill and real depth.

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FAIR!

Now here's the catch: The devil turns out to be a fair trader. It's crazy, but it works. Streeter faithfully pays his dues, and watches over the years as disaster rains down on his frenemy. Probably the strangest thing about the novella is that Streeter feels no guilt. None! In fact, he watches with inner glee as his friends life unravels. I really like this. The simple exploration of a man who is so totally self focused, he is incapable of human compassion.

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For most of us, "doing the dirty" to someone else would take a huge toll on us emotionally. Even if we made the deal, we would experience intense guilt for bringing such harm on another person. But not Streeter! He's that rare creature who is perfectly matched to make a deal with the devil.

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Would Streeter do it again? You betcha! In fact, he wants more! Picture poor Oliver Twist holding out his bowl to the devil, "Please sir, I want more."

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NEEDFUL THINGS

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Elvid reminds me very much of Leland Gaunt. Needful Things was one of my favorite novels. It was brilliantly executed, in my opinion. An entire town was spun in circles by the manipulations of one wicked store proprietor. Of course, in that story the characters felt deep shame for their dealings with the devil. And old Gaunt didn't play fair.

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In Fair Extension, King narrows his focus. Instead of an entire town being the landscape, just one man and his relationships are looked at. I think it serves as a nice companion piece to Needful Things.

Morality

This is a great short story! Or novelette... or whatever you call this, it's good. I am becoming a big fan of King's shorter work; something I previously avoided. I am startled by just how strong King's writing is when developing a shorter work. See, I think I would be tempted to save my really good prose for the big novels. But King never holds out on the reader!
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More than simply a good read, Morality has two facets that are worth mentioning.
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First, it is tense -- really tense. I'm listening to it, and find that I sit in the car alone listening because I just have to know what's next. This story tightens with suspense that would make Hitchcock grin with approval.
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The story is also theologically engaging. King deals with subjects here that I thought only preachers really thought about. The idea of double sin -- the worst kind of sin -- is solid Bible. That is: The worst kind of sin is the kind that says: I know this is wrong, but I'll simply ask God to forgive me.
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King explores a subject that has become a common thread in his work -- the impact of sin on the individual. In that sense, Morality is very much like 1922. The real strength of the story is what Nora is asked to do in order to collect a very considerable payment. No, I won't tell you what it is. But, it's really not a big thing. Not murder. Not adultery. Not even on the list of the seven deadlies. It's just one small act. But that one small act changes Nora.
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The story is not about getting caught, it is about living with yourself after you've deliberately brought harm on another human. A justice system might not catch up, but a persons own happiness, pleasure, relationships and sanity are at stake just the same.
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There is a weakness in the story. The evil priest. Old men don't suddenly turn wicked, do they? In fact, men who have strived all their lives to please God tend to run harder that direction as they approach the judgement seat. Men who have run from God often continue in that direction; but the sudden turn toward evil seemed pressed to me. It was necessary to advancing the story.
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I found the story theologically deep. Like many of King's stories, I did not know at any point what was going to happen next. I made my drives to work extra long in order to listen to a little more of the story.

Reader 19: Review THE CRATE

Review by Reader 19 (TSK contributor). There are spoilers ahead. This review is primarily a summery of the story. It is not meant to take the place of ACTUALLY READING King's work. Now the reivew. . .

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The CrateKing does it again! Even though this is a newly published work, it was written early in his career. But definitely has the classic King style. There is some suspense and some scare and a bit of gore. You know it will be quite a tale when the main character Dex, has a tale to tell and there are two people dead.
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Oh and he is recounting his tale to his best friend Henry, who has an annoying wife, Wilma, who always tried to control him–this is key to the story at the very beginning even though you don’t know it yet.
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So here is the premise–the janitor and Dexter Stanley–Dex-- a Zoology professor are at the university during Summer break cleaning and moving things from an old classroom building to new one. The janitor finds a crate under the stairs–this is a returning theme in The Crate "under the stairs." The crate is very old, the date says 1832 on it. They carry this crate to the zoology lab-very heavy close to 200 pounds and it makes an odd sound when its moved.
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After some discussion, the janitor decides they should open it. The nails are evidence of a very old crate, square type nails, not shiny like they make now. He pulls off the first board–they can’t see inside. It is about halfway open by the time he removes the fourth board off the top–and now our fun begins. If you don’t want to know what happens next then don’t read any more but here part of the story. The janitor’s arm gets pulled inside the crate by something–something very strong with teeth and its begins to tear at his arm. Dex tries to free him but it is useless; the thing has a hold on him and is not letting go until he finishes his meal. The thing comes out of the crate eventually and tears at the janitor’s jugular to finish him off.
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More excitement and scare round out this brief story of horror. I was truly engaged throughout the whole story. One phrase he likes in this story is"squat and mute"–the character Dex seems to think the phrase sounds creepy. Cool, yes, but I am not sure it’s creepy.
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I like his descriptions of the moon in this story–just pay attention and you will see thery are very vivid.
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The wrap up was a surprise to me–but very cleverly done. The plot was never boring and neough gross out for those of you who like gross out. Just don’t forget King always introduces characters for a reason–that’s all I have to say about that.
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Overall, the story was well done. I liked his use of imagery and his descriptiveness throughout this brief story. There are some truly bloody descriptions after the creature has attacked.
One thing not explained however is the consistency in its description. The first encounter withe the creature it is" dry, brown and scaly" ,like a reptile. Then in the next encounters it is furry and has the head of a lynx has 6 legs and " eyes the color of an owl’s eyes only smaller." I am not sure how it got fur-- maybe it morphs-- I don’t know--but whatever, it is still a good tale.
It is amazing to me how well a guy who can write 1000 page books can also write short stories well. Well told, vivid story Mr. King!

Creepy Tribute To The King

picture: http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/41896/hail-king-stephen-king-tribute-art-show-heading-des-moines-iowa
Here's an interesting press release from Finders Creepers, a local book store in downtown Des Moines, Iowa.

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The press release:

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January 12, 2011 – Finder's Creepers and D. Ryan Allen Present: Hail to the KIng, a Stephen King Tribute Art Show featuring artists from across the country and around the world! This show will have an opening reception on January 22nd and will run through the end of February at Finder's Creepers, located in downtown Des Moines at 515 18th Street. This show includes numerous locally known artists as well as artists from across the nation and around the world.

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Artists included in this show are: Allison Hall, Anastasia Catris (UK), Andrew Barton, Brent Houzenga, Brian D (NY), Bryan Baugh of cryptlogic.net, D. Ryan Allen, DeAnna Herrington, Jacqueline Roate, Jeff Bonker, Jessica Pertzborn, Job Yamen, Joe Jones, Kelly Hutchison of DarkVomit.com, Kettle Art, KimB Kreatures, local film maker Kristian Day, László Lampert (Hungary), Lisa Beck, Lyndal Ferguson (KY), Misty Hover, Nate Fetus, Regina Riordan, Ryan Jon Gillispie, Satanimals, Shannon Gausten of Effectionhate, Shawn Palek, Tanner Saltzman and Van Holmgren.

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In addition to the horrific artwork, Jonathan Crowl (a local Des Moines Author) will be releasing his book "Alone with the Living Dead" for the first time to the public. The first ten people who purchase this book will also receive an original zombie illustration from Brad Askvig. For the opening reception, there will be horror movies on the big screen, horrific drinks and treats and in-store specials on all used horror books and horror tees!

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http://www.prlog.org/11215346-hail-to-the-king-stephen-king-tribute-art-show-featuring-world-wide-artists.html

http://www.finderscreepers.com/Welcome.html

Shivers 6 Arrives!

Hooray for Cemetery Dance! Shivers 6 has arrived, and it looks great. I didn't realize the copy I bought was signed by Chizmar -- what a happy surprise. I have already dug in to The Crate, and look forward to reading all of these dark tales. I am also looking forward to reading Richard Thomas' story "Stillness." This is gonna be fun.

Wishing For A Runningman Remake

Zach Oat (The Moviefile) has a fun blog entry titled, "Schwarzenegger Remakes We'd Rather See Than Total Recall." And yes, there are plans in the works for a Total Recall Remake. So, in essence, they are Recalling Recall to make a new Recall. I agree wholeheartedly with Oats on this one, "Blasphemy!"
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Oats choices for Schwarzenegger remakes we'd rather see include:

• Twins
• Commando
• Red Heat
• Hercules in New York
• The Running Man

About The Running Man, Oats writes, "The Running ManWe've suggested a Running Man remake before, but only to more accurately reflect the great Stephen King novella it's based on. In this case, we would stick to the ridiculous American Gladiators-esque storyline, cast Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in the lead role, and increase the special effects budget to show a future where the gladiators are turned into actual superheroes, and not just guys wearing hockey gear and Christmas lights."
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Haha, "christmas lights" that's funny!
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I don't think budget was the problem. For what it was, I liked the movie. However, I do pine for a Stephen King / Richard Bachman version. See, it's just not the same story! The movie is good, but it's not one bit the one Bachman gave us. I remember being honestly on the edge of my seat as I read that little gem.
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My review of Running man: http://talkstephenking.blogspot.com/search/label/Running%20Man
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Oats blog entry: http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/mwop/moviefile/2011/01/schwarzenegger-remakes-wed-rat.php

The Writer Is Worthy Of His Hire

I read an interesting article today titled, "Pay the writer." It had this theme, "Writing has become almost slave labor, with companies offering pennies for large scale jobs. Know what you are worth and how to get writing jobs that will pay off."
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Billy Ritchie explains in his article, "I actually get paid to sit and be creative and write all day, which according to Stephen King, is 'an agreeable thing to be able to do'."
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But truth is, Ritchie isn't so agreeable to the pay some companies want to offer for the written word. He agrees with Harlan Ellison -- the problem is all them dang amateurs! (My words). People who will take anything, any payment, any job -- and thus lower the standards for everyone else.
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Stephen King has discussed his problems at Doubleday. Even when his novels were making them loads of cash, they bound him up in contracts that would take years to pay off. It does bring to mind first Timothy 5:18, which says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages ."
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This article actually makes me glad King is well paid for what he does. Why? Because it allows him to keep on doing it! Also, it gives us a glimpse into the deeper life of the person. What a person does with what they have says much more about them then what they say about themselves. What causes a person invests in says volumes about the inner person.
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I won't list King's charitable giving here, but if interested, you should do a search. I think you'll find he has a heart for artist who have fallen on hard times. Also, he did pay the way for a reserve unit to come home for Christmas a couple years ago. There's more, much more, and I would again suggest that a better picture of a persons inner self than a running chronicle of their thoughts or ideas or books. How we handle what we have says something about who we really are.
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http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pay-the-writer.html

The Mist rates "brilliantly depressing"

I enjoyed this article by Colin Covert titled, "Saluting some brilliantly depressing movies." Covert, writing for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, highlights The Mist as one of the brilliantly depressing movies.

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You know, I've got to agree -- the Mist fits right into that title. It is both brilliant and depressing. And, wonderfully horrific!

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Covert says, "the Stephen King horror novella "The Mist" becomes a classy, classic bummer in the hands of screenwriter/director Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption")."

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Classic bummer! That's good. By the way, on Lilja's recommendation, I'm still planning to watch this in black and white. The next quote that really caught my attention:

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The film is more focused on the flawed, fearful Maine townsfolk than the tentacled invaders, weaving an intense character study of how humans persevere -- or crumble -- in a hopeless situation.

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That is true of King's word, it's more about character than monster. One family member mentioned recently how much they did not like the monsters in the mist. Crazy! In fact, The Mist is one of my favorite stories because of the monsters. The town folk, in some instances, don't really do that much for me -- like the religious freak. But the monsters... oh my, that is sweet stuff my friends. I mean, as a horror fan, how do you beat nasty flesh eating tentacles sweeping out from a heavy mist? How? -- You don't!

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Covert says, "The finale is so shattering it's a wonder it ever wriggled through the studio system." Yeah, well, I'll just be quiet, since my views on that ending are already overstated.

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Check out the entire article here:

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http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/58953

Blockade Billy Journal 1

As I did with other books, I will not be offering a review of Blockade Billy. Lilja has a very nice one on his website. However, I find it easier to make notes as I read. Imagine the journal entries as a scrapbook, with notes from my favortie things.

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I like this book. However, like a lot of King's work, it was not love at first sight for me. I'm not a sports fan (come on, I'm a horror fan!). After about three tries, the magic finally fell.

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Stephen King is the perfect author for a story revolving around baseball. As an avid fan, King writes about something he knows well. His passion bleeds through this story.

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I really like the narration. It is an old man talking to Stephen King. It is written as if you are King, sitting in the chair listening to every word spoken. Even pauses for drinking water are recorded. And the narrator keeps mentioning King by name. That would get annoying if King did it in every novel, but it's kinda a nice change of pace in this little gem.

Number 19 again

Just started reading Blockade Billy. For real this time! Blockade Billy was #19 on his team.

Famous Monsters Movie Festival

Wow, right here in California! This is directly from vcstar.com:
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Famous Monsters of Filmland announced it’s first annual film competition and showcase: The Imagi-Movies Festival. The company announced the festival will be held at the Plaza Cinemas 14 in Oxnard on April 1-3.
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“The Imagi-Movies Festival will celebrate Forrest J. Ackerman’s legacy and his devotion to inspiring and evoking the imagination of storytellers,” announced Publisher Philip Kim. “The weekend will be filled with independent works that have been submitted to Famous Monsters alongside a great lineup of special features honoring the filmmakers and actors we have all come to love.”
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Along with the independent shorts and features from our submission finalists, the Imagi-Movies Festival will be the first stop in a series of Vincent Price Centennial celebrations in 2011. The celebration will include screenings of Vincent Price’s films, a presentation by his daughter Victoria Price, and special tributes from guests.
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Also featured at the festival is a Famous Monsters and The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival compilation of Lovecraft films in honor of one of horror’s iconic writers. Another highlight will be a Stephen King Dollar Babies. Throughout the weekend we will showcase independent films based on the author’s short stories. Writers and directors from Stephen King’s feature films will be present. Upcoming horror films such as Universal’s “The Thing” will be showing exclusive previews.
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Filmmakers can still submit their short films, feature films or screenplays for the competition via Withoutabox and at Imagimovies.com by Feb. 28. Event tickets are now available for sale, and sponsorship opportunities are now open. “We’re honored to be holding the first Imagi-Movies Festival in the new year,” added Kim. “The film premieres still to be announced and celebrity guests we have planned are sure to be a hit for the fans.”
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With a publishing history spanning over 50 years, Famous Monsters of Filmland is the most well-known magazine devoted to fan-oriented coverage of horror, fantasy and science fiction. Features range from previews of upcoming films to respectful looks back at film history, interviews with the principal personalities in genre and in-depth behind-the-scenes discussions of specialized aspects of film production, including visual and makeup effects.
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http://www.famousmonstersconvention.com/

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jan/07/famous-monsters-announces-the-imagi-movies-festiva/

Is Naomi Harris headed for Dark Tower?

photo: http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/bahamas-international-film-festival/Naomie_Harris_named_as_BIFF_2007_Rising_Star_Honoree.shtml

Mike Moody at digital spy has a short article (citing New York Post) suggesting that Naomie Harris is being considered for the part of Susannah Dean in the Dark Tower film trilogy. Moody says that Harris previously appeared in the Pirates of the caribbean films, 28 Days Later and Miami Vice.

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http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a296704/naomie-harris-rumored-for-dark-tower.html

Last Rung Of The Ladder To Be Filmed

Andrew Neff at Bangor Daily News has posted an article titled, "NESCom students to film Stephen King short story."

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Students at Bangor's New England School Of Communications will be filming King's shrot story "The Last Rung On The Ladder." The story has been previously filmed, and this production is going to be pretty low key. However, they are hoping that King's name on the project will be a head turner."

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The story revolves around a man who learns his sister has killed herself. He remembers a summer when they were children and the ladder broke as she climbed to the loft. She jumps, at his insistance, and falls into a pile of hay. But she insists that she had forgotten abotu the hay and was simply trusting him. The story uses the theme of falling. The woman saved as a girl from falling off a ladder, later falls from a building. Her brother realizes years later that just as she needed him to save her as a child, she was once again in need of him.

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http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Living/NESCom-students-to-film-Stephen-King-short-story,163294?ref=topstoriesOld

Stephen King Apps

So... Not being real tech savvy, I actually know next to nothing about apps. Except my wife thinks they're super cool, and is waiting for a shoe identification app like the one Penny and Sheldon were developing on Big Bang Theory. This got me to wondering, are there any Stephen King apps?

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I did not find a lot. There is a Stephen King quote app. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't really read a lot of Stephen King quotes. I read the entire book! I guess I could find piffy quotes, but I don't really get it. Sorry. Except, of course, the quotes I put all over my blog! Which is all of, uh ONE!

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But wait. . . the app isn't what it appears. The website offered this explanation: "The Stephen King Quotes app is actually a quiz app. And although the quotes are written by Stephen King, they’re quotes from his books – the 50+ plus books that he’s written. Some are very easy and can be answered just by looking at the character’s names or by trying to deduce the situation that’s currently taking place in the quote. The quote “Smucky the Cat. Now he was obedient,” can easily be guessed that the quote comes from Pet Sematary. However,other quotes such as simply, “Sally,” are a bit more difficult."

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On another note, you can download Stephen King books to your phone. Is there something seriously messed up about reading CELL on your cellphone?

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http://www.applerepo.com/stephen-king-quotes-app/

Is A Christmas Carol Stephen King territory?

Dr. James Emery White has an interesting article on crosswalk.com titled, "The Real Christmas Carol."

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Get this line from Emery's post, "when I first read the novel itself, after viewing various editions of the movie, I was shocked. Scrooge was not the buffoonish, almost cartoon-like character some of the movies made him out to be. He was genuinely evil. Cruel. Malicious. He was a dark and sinister. The story actually reads more like a Stephen King novel."

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I've been noticing connections between the two authors for years. And while Christmas Carol is a ghost story, understand the exact connection Emery is making -- it's an important one. He is not saying that the novel is like a Stephen King novel because it's a ghost story, but because of the strong characters.

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Redemption?

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There's another connection that is buried deeper in the article. In fact, I don't know if Emery means to be making this connection, but it has to do with redemption. As Christmas Carol is a story of redemption, many of King's stories are also redemptive in nature.

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However, while Dickens shows us a man turning from evil to the Light, King's redemption is usually a bit different. Redemption in a King novel has more to do with the innocent finding freedom or justice. It is rare in the Stephen King universe for a truly evil person to see the error of their way and turn. Of course, even Dickens had to employ three ghosts in order to get Scrooge to turn.

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If there is one story in the King cannon that offers Christmas Carol like redemption, it would have to be the Dark Tower. On the second journey, will Roland once again betray Jake? Will he continue to make the same mistakes? Or has he been changed? I don't think villain in the dark tower is not so much Walter or any other monster -- it is Roland himself. he is capable of both great wrong and good. He is strong, and for an unknown reason, is given a second chance at his journey. Wouldn't we all like that!

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Get this: I'm saying that in the S.K. universe, Luke is more likely to go over to the darkside than Anakin turn from evil.

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Not so redemptive:

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Of course, the message of Christmas Carol has a dark side. Not just ghost appearing to Scrooge, but Marley is chained in death, weighed down in a miserable pit. Or, at least, that's what the Disney movie conveys! I didn't exactly get that from the book.

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http://www.crosswalk.com/11643261/page0/

Pennywise Bust

Check out these pics of the Pennywise Bust prop used for the S.K. IT mini-series.

http://www.yourprops.com/PENNYWISE-BUST-other-replicas-movie-props-Stephen-King-s-It--TV---1990--prop-38706.html

2011 Book Chick Challenge: Read More Stephen King

Can you read at least six Stephen King books this year? Sure you can. I mean, even if you're a slow reader, you could opt for Blockade Billy and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Book Chick has issued a challenge to read more Stephen King -- and she's dead serious.

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Book Chick writes, "Welcome to The 2011 Stephen King Challenge! I love horror, and I've loved every Stephen King book I've read. Unfortunately that's not that many. I really want to read more books written by this amazing author, which is why I created this challenge. So, if like me you want to delve further into the dark imagination of Stephen King, then join me in my quest!"

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My list (which is subject to change at my own whims)

1. The Stand

2. IT

3. Lisey's Story

4. Blockade Billy

5. Duma Key

6. The Talisman (I'm going to try this again. )

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WISH LIST:

1. Dr. Sleep

2. Wind Through The Keyhold

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My chosen format will be audio. Thank God for Audible! I'm only opting for six because I'm a slow reader, and I'm choosing long books. Now if Doubleday could help me out and get The Stand published in audio, all would be good.

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Of course, this all leads to a simple question: Is more really better? Every year I used to take on that challenge to read the Bible in a year. I've read the whole Bible, but never in a year! I'm not sure speed reading is the right pace. But anyway, I'm ready to go!

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http://www.bookchickcity.com/2010/12/sign-up-2011-stephen-king-challenge.html

My Choice For Roland

Well, there's a frenzy in Hollywood as Ron Howard seeks to fill the role of the Gunslinger. Who will be the face of Roland for us? I see a lot of suggestions. Of course, I've always had my own version of the crusty, determined, introverted gunslinger. .

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They'll never cast him, because he's too old and elderly. But you know, they can do some nice things with computers these days. to pull this off would require George Lucas, not Ron Howard. But then, I would have also chosen Lucas to have directed the series. Look, we've learned from Lucas that if he really screws a movie up, he'll just go back and edited it later!

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So my choice is:

EW: It was fun

Stephen King's 7 year commitment to his EW column The Pop Of King has come to an end. He's been an energetic, insightful writer for EW -- and it's been a lot of fun. King brought things to an end by giving a nod to Microwave Dave & the Nuke's, a Huntsville blues band.

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Kyle Buchanan at nymag.com has a neat article titled, "What We Learned About Stephen King During His Seven-Year Entertainment Weekly Stint."

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Buchanan's insights include the fact that King isn't always the most contemporary reader and that he would be an interesting person to sit next to in the theater. Also, he notes that King is not afraid to love "junky" movies. That's great! And I totally agree. I really like this line, "He uses many turns of phrase that would feel just as convincing if they came from a 13-year-old Corey Feldman."

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LINKS:

Buchanan's artcile is here: http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/12/stephen_king_ew.html

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Microwave Dave & The Nukes on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEiQMOOc9Zo

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King's article archives: http://www.ew.com/ew/package/0,,20397912,00.html

Can Carrie hold her own against Spidey?

Since the new Spiderman musical has recently dropped in on the world (in the case of one actor, literally dropped in!), suspicion has begun to mount that Spiderman might actually upset Carrie's place as worst musical ever. Gosh golly, it seems someone needs to defend Carrie's position.

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Charles Rosenay writes on examiner.com: Could the new Spiderman musical overtake the "Carrie" musical as Broadway's all-time flops? Our reviews of "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" last week received a lot of attention, but not as much as the show itself when one its actors plunged 30 feet from the set and was hurt during a recent performance.

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The Sunday New York Post did an article on the biggest stage flops through the years, and voted 1988's "Carrie" as the all-time biggest Broadway bust ever. Playing only five shows, it lost 7 million dollars. The Spider Man musical reportedly costs 65 million! We'd rather see a revised, improved version of the new show than to see it get squashed (bad spider pun).

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http://www.examiner.com/horror-happenings-in-national/spider-man-musical-vs-carrie-musical

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While Spiderman might rival Carrie, I don't think the spiderman will ever be redone in drag. How bad was Carrie on stage?

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How bad was Carrie, really? Rosenay suggests to his readers that maybe Carrie wasn't that bad. Did anyone actually see it? Or does it just have a bad rap? In search of an answer, I found Mike Flemming's article at deadline. Flemming gave Carrie the musical this rining endorsement, "Because Carrie was that big a flop, historic, losing $8 million. As a cub reporter at New York Newsday assigned to cover Broadway opening nights, I went to the 1988 opening of Carrie expecting big things because the Stephen King book is such a chilling coming of age tale and the movie wasn't bad, either. The musical started out OK and, at intermission, I chatted up King, who was encouraged. But then we returned to our seats, the curtain rose, and the bad kids launched into Out For Blood. Meant to be a showstopper, the number cemented Carrie's rep as one of the worst ever musicals. Reviewers were merciless, and the musical closed after just 21 performances. Changing that second act opener seems a no-brainer." http://www.deadline.com/tag/carrie-musical/

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Check out Carrie the musical for yourself: http://heartinajar.blogspot.com/2009/11/theyre-all-gonna-laugh-at-you-when-you.html

EW: King 10 Best Books I Read In 2010

Stephen King's article, "10 Best Books I Read in 2010" is posted at EW. Some of these are previews, since they haven't been published yet! Check out the link, King gives typical chatty explanations for his choices.
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Note the title is simply the 10 Best books I read in 2010. . . not 10 NEW books I read! Some of these are not brand sankin' new titles. I didn't know King liked John Irving.
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Included on King's list are:
10. City of Thieves, David Benioff
9. The Help, Kathryn Stocket
8. Swamplandia!, Karen Russell
7. Blood’s a Rover, James Ellroy
6. Matterhorn, Karl Marlantes
5. Last Night in Twisted River, John Irving
4. Savages, Don Winslow
3. I’d Know You Anywhere, Laura Lippman
2. Freedom, Jonathan Franzen
1. . . . about this title, King writes: "To my mind, there have been two great American novels in the past 50 years. Catch-22 is one; this is the other."
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http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20326356_20449677,00.html

POLL RESULTS: FUll Dark No Stars

Question: "Your Favorite Full Dark Story"
5 -- 1922
10 -- Big Driver
5 -- Fair Extension
7 -- A Good Marriage (my vote goes with this one!)

Total voted: 27

Cemetery Dance Offers A Dark Christmas

Picture: Sharon, holding Full Dark NO Stars.
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My wife greeted me with a very happy smile when I got home. The Cemetery Dance special edition of Full dark, No Stars had arrived. Merry Christmas!

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This is a great book! I don't know if CD has anymore available, but it is well worth the cover price, and will probably actually increase in value. (I actually have no idea if it will increase in value, okay! So if you're just looking to make a buck, I guess you should invest in gold.)

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What I like:

• The book is large, but not cumbersome.
• It is tightly bound. I know that sounds small, but it is irritating to buy books that can't be read. This has very sturdy binding.
• The cover is different, and much better I think, than the Scribner edition. The front shows a man looking in a shop window, the back shows the same image but from a darker point of view. I'm actually still trying to figure the cover out!
• The book comes with a equally nice and sturdy slipcase. Something that is very appreciated, since these are often "extras."
• The book is illustrated in both pencil and color throughout. The drawings are directly connected to the text, and truly capture the heart of each story. I particularly like the rats. Very nice!
• Newspaper clips in the text are double columned, making it feel more "newspaperish."
• Sub-chapters and breaks are printed in red, which looks very nice. The color red is used throughout, with black text. In fact, there is a red line at the bottom of each page, below which is the page number -- meaning every single page has color of some kind.

Well done, Cemetery Dance! I wish CD had been given the project of producing the complete version of The Stand. I know, there's a leather bound one out there... but who has two grand in loose change? CD gives us really nice collectors books at a price taht doesn't rob our children's college fund.

The Problem With Writing

I really enjoyed King's afterword to Full Dark No Stars. He was unapologetic about offering such dark stories. The reader might have found them hard to read in places, he informs us that he found them hard to write in places.

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The problem with writing, King suggests, is honesty. Bad writing is dishonest writing. Characters don't do what people would really do. More than that, the characters don't talk the way people really talk. King feels he has pretty realistically shown people for who they are. Even if it caused the stories to be darker, he feels they are honest stories, and thus it is good writing.

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I read a lot of Stephen King, and he is usually pretty faithful to the truth as he would see it. That is, there might be times that I feel his characters mimic the people in his own circles more than people in the real world; but that is rare and the attempt at brutal honesty is always appreciated.

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Do Demons Cuss?

King's honest writing style is all the more appreciated as I dig through a very popular Christian novel. The plot is great; and the characters... well, not so great. Because they don't talk the way people talk. You can't put that in a "Christian" novel. The result is a drop of dishonesty. For those who might argue with me on this point, I would ask if you can really take us into a nest of demons, drop in to their conversation and discover... wha-la! Demons don't cuss! That is like headline news stuff. Demons don't use foul language at all. Of course, in this book, neither do the humans. The result: The characters, while enjoyable, come out seeming a little cardboard.

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This is true of a lot of writing aimed at certain groups. When someone writes to a chosen audience instead of simply letting the story tell itself and then find its audience -- the result is censorship. The author cuts out the stuff that he knows his/her audience won't like! Would demons curse? I think they would. Would Christians buy the book?

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By Richard Laymon -- Not Really

This is a struggle in my own writing. I have a perfectly good novel that my family likes a lot. I've written and rewritten it. But it's not what I want to write. I found great freedom recently when I finally decided to gut out a novel that had been on my mind for years. This thing dogs me. But it's bad! Really bad. I tried to write it clean -- no cussing, no bad stuff. But the result is obvious to me, and thus would be obvious to anyone reading; it is dishonest.

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Know how I found freedom in writing? It's as simple as this: I wrote my story title, and then under it wrote "By Richard Laymon." Ha! Richard Laymon is about the nastiest writer I've encountered. In fact, I don't know if he's really an honest writer so much as a shock-jock! Some of that stuff in a Laymon book is just disgusting. But by putting Laymon's name at the top of my story, I felt free to let story tell itself, without my editorial comments.

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Loyalty:

I suspect the reason so many people are very loyal to Stephen King is not because every book is truly a masterpiece, but because each one is at least honest. And when King lets the story take control, no one -- not even the writer -- knows what will happen.

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King has told us about times stories took a different turn than he expected. Paul Sheldon turned out stronger than King thought he was. If Paul had been a puppet in King's hands, he would have died in the clutches of Annie Wilkes. In his original plan for The Shining, everyone died! King said there was blood everywhere. But that's not really the direction the story dictated, and thus King in the end was honest to the story, not his own vision of it. This might be why he is so offended when others take his story (The Shining) and play with it. Imagine King saying, "Hey, I didn't play with this stuff! I was a simple scribe. Don't you get dishonest with my material." (But I'm putting words in his mouth, so forgive me if that seems dishonest, eh!)

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Bachman

I wonder if the reason King felt such freedom as Richard Bachman is because he had become. . . Stephen King. He was expected to write a certain way, aim at a certain audience, and do certain things. But as Bachman, he didn't have to play nice.

Who Will Play Roland Deschain

Here's an interesting article on who might play the Gunslinger in the upcoming Ron Howard adaptation. They offer the following suggestions: Daniel Craig, Hugh Jackman, Jon Hamm and Viggo Mortensen.
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http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-107896.html

LA Times: Tower Obsession Infects Ron Howard

Check out this LA times story by Geoff Boucher about Ron Howard and the Dark Tower. Here's a couple of quotes, but the full story is worth the read.
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“I really can’t stop thinking about it,” Howard said while shaking his head. “We’ve been meeting and talking and I’ve been reading and researching and just kind of living with it. I’ve been constantly going through stuff and I’ve just been re-listening to it [on audio books] on my iPod and we’ve been sending e-mails back and forth, ‘What about this approach? What do you think of this idea?’ We’re finding the shape of it. We’re moving quickly now, as quickly as we can, and I feel challenged in the most exciting ways.”
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Boucher quotes Howard: “Filmically, there are tones in this that I have never used before, tones of fantasy menace and elements of horror and real fear. And there’s the burden, on the characters, of this journey that is really palpable. That’s what we need to get on the screen. I think there’s something about [the Frank Darabont films] ‘Green Mile’ or a ‘Shawshank Redemption,’ the complexity and the ballast of them, those are two [of the Stephen King adaptations] where you do get the horror and suspense that’s there on the page. We’re charging ourselves with the responsibility of getting a real understanding of the material and utilizing many of the best aspects of the books and graphic novels.”
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The article is pretty long, and absolutely fantastic. Check it out here:
http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2010/12/17/the-dark-tower-ron-howards-plans-and-passion-for-stephen-king-epic/
image credit: http://trinity-typhoon.deviantart.com/art/The-Dark-Tower-114957103

Full Dark Journal 5: A Good Marriage

I am sure there are spoilers here. I try not to give too much away... but I also think you should not read reviews and essays on books if you haven't read them. If you need a review to tell you to go read this book, then I'll put it right here at the beginning. . . go read this book. There. Now we shall proceed.

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A Good Marriage is a good story.

This is my favorite novella of the four in Full Dark No Stars. I found it genuinely scary. The story often moved in directions I did not expect.

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Darcy Anderson is in a genuine predicament. King masterfully explains why she chooses not to call the police. Not so much an issue of her love for her husband, but her own need for stability. But justice ultimately trumps her own needs.

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Edgar's Ghost

King cites Edgar Allan Poe's short story (weren't they all short?) "The Cask of Amontillado." That's cool, since 1922 had hints of the Tell Tale Heart. In Poe's 1846 story, The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor uses wine to trap his "friend." Montresor literally builds a wall, while Darcy walls her victim in by incapacitating him. In each case, the victim is betrayed by someone they trust.

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Mirrors and Coins:

Both mirrors and coin collecting play important minor chords in this novella. They not only move the plot, but are the kind of details that enrich the story as a whole.

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BTK:

The story is based on BTK . The documentary BTK Killer Next Door starts with this intro: "Known to his neighbors as a Boy Scout leader, a church goer, a family man. . . but a murderer?" That is exactly the angle King takes.

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Blading and pudgy, Bob Anderson even looks like Dennis Raider. Also, Like Raider, Anderson managed to stop for a period of time.

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King picks up on a serial killers inability to feel guilt over their crimes. "Hollow" is how Darcy describes it. He is just a hollow, empty shell of a man. Anderson claims that two men live inside him. After observation, that is not Darcy's conclusion. In essence, she decides that the good man doesn't really exist. It's not Jekyll and Hyde -- it's just Hyde.

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The mystery of marriage was explored more tenderly in Lisey's Story.

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Killers Among Us:

How can serial killers move among us seemingly unknown? I told this before, but it bears repeating. My Grandfather was a pastor. His church had a photo director. One morning I flipped through the photo directory and I stopped on the picture of Bill Suff. He was a serial killer in Riverside and Lake Elsinore, California. He also sang in the choir at Grandpa's church!

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Serial Killers and Stephen King:

My list will be no where near complete, but here is a list of Serial Killers in Stephen King's fiction. Please add to my list in the comments section, and I'll update this post. I'm not counting monsters as serial Killers (ie: Pennywise, Christine, Flagg) or animals (Cujo).

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Under The Dome, Junior Renny

IT, Henry Bowers

The Dark Half, George Stark

Gerald's Game, Raymond Andrew Joubert (The Space Cowboy)

The Dark Tower, The Pusher

The Green Mile, William Wharton ?

Big Driver, Big Driver and Little Driver

A Good Marriage, Bob Anderson

Frank Dodd, The Dead Zone (thanks Eva)

"Springheel Jack" - Strawberry Spring (Night Shift) (Thanks Eva)

The Man Who Loved Flowers (Night Shift) (thanks Eva.)

Lloyd Henreid and Andrew "Poke" Freeman - The Stand (Thanks Eva)

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Wikipedia says this about Annie Wilkes in a discussion about "angel's of mercy": "The character Annie Wilkes in the Stephen King novel Misery seems to be a serial killer of this type." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_of_Mercy_(serial_killer)

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In IT, King showed a serial killer in league with the devil. Henry Bowers works under the influence of Pennywise. However in more recent works, King appears to be showing us the evil comes from within. It is not so much the work of the devil, as it is the heart itself. This was true of Big Driver, Junior Renny and Bob Anderson.

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However, in IT the serial killer was best portrayed by Pennywise himself. The monster was based on John Wayne Gacey

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Hell:

Holt Ramsey, a retired detective mentions that Anderson is now being punished in hell "according to the Old Testament." That struck me as a strange comment. I know, Ramsey is a detective, not a theologian. But it implies that Hell is an Old Testament doctrine as opposed to a New Testament teaching. However, hell in the Old Testament is simply Sheol, the shadowy underworld of the dead. It is simply not a developed doctrine. Hell is actually a New Testament teaching. It is particularly advanced by: Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), 1 Peter, Jude and The Revelation.

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Uplifting:

I found this to be the most enjoyable of all of the novella's. It was, frankly, uplifting. An encouragement to peer in at Darcy as she deepens in her convictions and carries out revenge. It is a redemptive novel, from Darcy's end. She is able not only to rise above the monster within (the monster is passivity), but also able to crush the monster who lives with her.

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If 1922 and Fair Extension were truly FULL DARK with not even a hint of STARS, I would have to say that we at least get moonlight in A Good Marriage and Big Driver.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRPS0x66ncM

Link: Video of King Chat

EW has posted video of King's question and answer session about Full Dark No Stars. I think the most interesting thing King said was that he has written a script for A Good Marriage.
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http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/12/17/stephen-king-full-dark-no-stars-exclusive/

A Different Take On Maximum Overdrive

I like Maximum Overdrive... a lot. I also liked Aaron Tellock's take on the upcoming remakes of Firestarter and Maximum Overdrive.
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His assessment of Max. Overdrive: "Maximum Overdrive” drew some initial attention because Stephen King was directing the flick, poor acting and some comically horrific kill scenes put a quick taint on the film’s success."
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And now for the part I really like. . . Tellock says: "My DVD recommendation for today is “Maximum Overdrive” (1986). A story of a group of people who try to survive when machines start to come alive and become homicidal as told by one of the masters of horror himself, Mr. Stephen King. It’s kind of like “Transformers” without having to put up with Megan Fox. Enjoy."
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transformers without Megan Fox. NICE!
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http://www.examiner.com/horror-movies-in-milwaukee/king-remakes-include-firestarter-and-maximum-overdrive