Originally Posted by Bill
A Prayer for Owen Meany is my absolute favorite book ever. I love John Irving.
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Oh, don't ever rule the book out because of that movie.
It's seriously one of my faves, if not my favorite book.
(however, the movie was one of the most hideous things ever made)
Stephen King is an amazing author who puts so much into his writing that it always fails on the big screen. You can't really understand King's characters and how they operate without being able to read his text, where he delves into each character so sublimely you feel as if you might actually know them. And I also love the way a lot of his stories involve characters from other stories.
I began reading Stephen King's stuff in 1984 when I was twelve. I read first Carrie, then Christine, then Cujo, and onto Salem's Lot and finally read The Stand in the spring of my seventh grade year. It was definitely a departure from the pervious novels, yet not an unexpected one to me as I had read the collections of short stories (Night Shift, Different Seasons, etc).
My personal opinion is that only two of King's stories have been as good as a movie as they were as text, and those are Stand By Me (text title The Body), and The Shining. Both versions of The Shining should be seen to get the whole picture (or just read the book!).
Kubrick's Shining was good, in fact, the scariest movie I have ever seen to this day, but the ending was different from how the book ended. I also thought Wendy was too much of a train wreck of a human being, more so than she seemed in the book. I hated the kid who played Danny.
The second Shining did offer more character development for Jack, which is crucial to understanding just how the Hotel really has him. Wendy was a little more with it, more true to her book character, but I still hated Danny. Danny is supposed to be five, FFS! Both kids who played Danny were at least seven, and didn't truly portray his innocence. And this version's ending stayed true to the novel.
My favorite King stories are two: Rage, from the Bachman Books, and Christine.
I read an interview with Stephen King wherein he said he saw specific actors as characters while he was writing the book. He saw Rutger Hauer (I've probably spelled it wrong) as the Dark Man and Bruce Springsteen as Larry.
I'm SURE he did NOT see Molly Ringwald as Franny. No offense to Ms. Ringwald - I loved her in sixteen candles- but IMO she was not Franny to me.
I also liked Gary Sinese as Stu, although I pictured Stu as a younger man in my head; I'm not sure why. Ray Walston was inspired casting as Glenn, but I did not care for what's his name with the huge face that played the Dark Man. And remember that guy that played Trash Can Man? He was "Max Headroom" in that 80's show.
I was disappointed in the movie, but of course I still watched it (more than once, as you can probably tell). Overall it wasn't bad, I just think it's usually disappointing to see on film something so horrible that you've pictured in your head - I find my imagination is usually better than anything a made-for-TV movie can dish out.
I have to agree with bad casting for Frannie, but I wasn't happy with Gary Sinese as Stu though. I though Stu should be just a little bit older myself.. To be honest I hated the movie....but I usually do when it comes to any of King's books.
I began reading The Stand a few months ago, the unabridged version. Yet another attempt to find a Stephen King book I liked. I saw Misery, years ago and then read the book. Loved it! Then I looked for other King novels to read. I started one about a shop with a weird owner. Can't remember what it was called, but it was "wick" to use an Ulster phrase. It means really bad! Strange how some people can really "get" an author and others can't.
Anyway was bored stupid by The Stand. Ended up filicking to the last chapter to find out the ending!
Belfastgirl, I've read all of Stephen King's books and short story collections, and I tried to think of some that may appeal to you since you liked Misery:
1. Different Seasons It's the collection of four (not-so) short stories that provided the source material for three films: Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption and Apt Pupil. Barely a whiff of the supernatural in the bunch; more the "everyday horror" variety.
And it's the first time I've ever recommended 2. Gerald's Game. Speaking in general terms, GG doesn't make the Top Ten of most King fans, but I liked it. And I think you may, too, if you liked Misery.
I hesitate with these next two, but King was a different writer during the period he wrote Misery, and from that era, I recommend 3. Pet Sematary, which kept me turning the pages. Finally, my all-time favorite King book is, like so many other fans, 5. IT, but like The Stand, is also very long and very supernatural.
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