| Author | Message | ||
     Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
Ron Howard is to direct the first movie version of The Dark Tower series. I have enjoyed some of his movies, and I don't have this hatred of his work as some have, but, come on, please, surely there's somebody else better than Howard willing to take it on. JJ Abram turned down the chance saying he didn't want to take the chance of ruining one of his favourite books. Shame Howard didn't think the same. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Ron Howard? Oh FFS. I've only really liked the Frost Nixon movie. Most of his other films descend into mawkish back-slapping isn't America Greatisms. Anyway, I can't really see Dark Tower working as films. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
Did Howard do the Frost-Nixon movie? Don't answer that, Jonathan. I haven't seen it, though I've heard good things about it. But yes, a series of films, I can't see that happening. The first one would have to be enormously successful for any studio to invest the other six movies. And yet I fear it would go the way of The Stand if it was adapted for TV. Unless you had somebody with David Lynch's vision. Not that I could imagine Lynch doing it, but if somebody was going to get behind a TV version, I'd want somebody revolutionary, somebody like Lynch. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Ron Howard is one of the most vapidly jingoistic Hollywood directors of modern times imo. I haven't even remotely liked anything I've seen of his and he certainly doesn't have an eye for epic fantasy. My only experience of 'The Dark Tower' series was the short story included in 'Everything's Eventual' which I found visually striking but rather mediocre and formulaic as a narrative. Are the books any good? I've never found King strong on pure fantasy. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
The book are, in my opinion, King's masterwork. They're as much to do with the man and the works he creates as the fantasies therein. Complex, thrilling, beautiful works. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Frank, David Lynch swore he wouldn't touch such another project after his painful experiences making 'Dune'. He is better at creating his own vision than interpreting someone else's while hampered by studio expectations. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.72 |
Steve - No, I mean, we need a Lynch kind of mind at the helm of something so important. His work on Twin Peaks was incredible. We need that kind of thinking, somebody who wants to use the medium in a way not seen before. Somebody bold. Or even bald. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.148.248.101 |
Howard is so hit and miss it's impossible to write him off completely at all. He did a great little western that for me bodes incredibly well for Dark Tower as it had the precise tone of it; The Missing. In fact, My Beautiful Mind matched it well, too (I loved that film). Appollo 13 was also good. He's not bad, you know. sometimes we people are just so closed minded. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.239.78 |
Yeah, I can think of far worse alternatives, including some "specialist" horror directors. | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.209.217 |
Michael Bay? NO! KIDDING!! JUST KIDDING!!! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.239.78 |
. . . mick garris . . . | ||
| Skunsworth (Skunsworth) Username: Skunsworth Registered: 05-2009 Posted From: 92.16.56.188 |
Mick Garris makes subtle, intelligent horror movies, doesn't he, with very little cliche in them. Doesn't he? Oh, no, wait, he's the talentless hack isn't he? I remember now! Howard is a worry, but I also think that the Dark Tower is a work in need of serious trimming and editing - I liked the first three volumes well enough, but thought Wizard and Glass was massively, hugely dull. There was something good there, but it was buried in masses of unecessary plotting and wordage... Anyone read the graphic novel of Dark Tower, incidentally? S | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
I think Spike Jonze would make a pretty good go of it... | ||
| Karim Ghahwagi (Karim) Username: Karim Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 193.89.189.24 |
The Drawing of the Three is one of my favourite King books, not just in the DT series, but in his entire body of work. Phil Hale's art was just extraordinary as well. I guess they want to do one picture and then move to a television series. There is just so much material, and new artwork now from the very capable Jae Lee. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
A work like that would take the vision of an auteur and preferably a committed Stephen King fan. As flawed as the LOTR films are I can't see anyone ever bettering what Peter Jackson did given the nature of the source material... we'd be talking similar ambition to see any epic fantasy series done justice. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.148.248.101 |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMnyDL9sj80&feature=related None of you would like the DT movies done like this? I think the tone is spot on. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
Could Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) do a good job? Or Ruggero Deodato...  | ||
| Mark_samuels (Mark_samuels) Username: Mark_samuels Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 86.142.169.99 |
Antonio Margheriti would have nailed it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q39f4YzK6sU  Mark S. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.148.248.101 |
Thing is, DT isn't quirky or overly cerebral. I think Howard is actually an ok choice for King, he has the everyman touch. That said, for me Spielberg has always been the best director for King, though he never did it. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
I think Spielberg did direct a Stephen King story. Didn't he do one of the Amazing Stories series? | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Tony, Steven Spielberg and Stephen King appear, at first glance, to be a match made in heaven (I've thought the same often myself). But both share the same strengths and weaknesses and any collaboration would only exaggerate these to the detriment of the finished film. Stephen King needs a director diametrically opposed to his generally sunny world view to turn his brilliant narratives into great cinema. A director who will neutralise the Mom's apple pie weaknesses and play up the bleaker aspects of King's vision. In that respect it's no coincidence that the greatest King adaptation to date is still (by a country mile) Kubrick's version of 'The Shining'. My third favourite horror film of all time! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.197 |
Sunny worldview? He's a bit romantic when he creates his good guys, but I would hardly describe his worldview as sunny! | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Stephen King is one of the world's great romantic optimists (like me) as well as being a superb storyteller and creater of characters as real as your next door neighbour, which is why (despite working in the horror genre) he is the World's No. 1 bestselling author. It's his great strength (and why we all love him) as well as his great flaw (which is why we are all frequently frustrated with him). But love outweighs the frustration every time... | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Indeed. Pet Semetary is very bleak indeed. As is Misery and The Shining. | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.55 |
Someone tried to tell me that Misery isn't a horror novel the other week. It was hard not to laugh in her face. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
I would agree with her - it's not a horror novel its a novel about Stephen King being trapped as a horror novelist. It's claustrophobic, it's monstrous and certainly horrific in parts (and is nearly let down by it's ending)- but is it a horror novel? Nope. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
That depends on how narrow your definition of horror is. Mine is as wide as wide can be, so Misery is definitely a horror novel. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
'Misery' is a perfect horror/suspense narrative. It works in exactly the same way as 'The Silent Scream' episode of 'Hammer House Of Horror'... and countless other examples. 'The Collector' by John Fowles (also a horror novel) is the finest of them all imo. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.142.82 |
'Misery is definitely a horror novel.' Certainly is. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
For me Misery is your commonal nerve-shredding psychological thriller... :D Someone I know once described American Psycho as being a horror novel which I didn't think was either. Certainly horrific, and quite a few bits made me very queasy - but again not a horror novel. Interesting to see everyone's take on it. And weber, try not to laugh in my face...  | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
American Psycho is a horror novel, too. And a comedy. And a satire. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
I'll get my coat... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Ha! :-) | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
Last thoughts on Misery. I always found it funny that when Stephen King described it as a 'love letter to his fans', some of his fans were rather outraged... And if you come at the book from the 'Stephen King's drug addiction' angle I think in a really roundabout way it's a helpful and cathartic novel for those who have experienced addiction. And sometimes...I wish Annie had won.  | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
Though but to come back at you on one salient point Zed, with someone's definition of horror being as 'wide as wide can be' - with that approach "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is horror. It's very easy to be lured into claiming all sorts of only tangentially related books for your genre of choice - the way that science fiction fans claim Frankenstein as sf, say - but just because a writer has a reputation as a horror writer doesn't make his every book a horror work? | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
That's not what I'm implying, though. Frankenstein is both horror and SF, IMHO. Art can belong to more than one genre. The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly is horror, even if that Hungry Caterpillar isn't. :-) | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Frankenstein shares a lot more tropes with what we generally think of a SF than it does horror though. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
The boundaries between genre are always shifting; genre is fluid. I read the SF classic The Sheep Look Up last year and it was a horror novel. :-) | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
The point is though that 'Frankenstein' isn't sf - it didn't exist at the time and has been co-opted (erroneously) by sf fans since. And part of the justification sf fans use for claiming it (when it's clearly a gothic novel, a wholly different if related type - like horror and 'Misery' style psych thrillers) is that Mary Shelley wrote 'The Last Man', which they say is also sf (more realistically imo). But just because a writer writes one thing doesn't mean that's all they can and do write - where's the actual horror elements in 'Misery'? The ankle breaks? Only a handful of page in the whole book - in the same way that 'Frankenstein' cotains an artifical man but isn't *about* that. King wrote 'Shawshank' and others too - he does write things other than horror and to claim that 'Misery' is horror is an error based on another error (the belief that King is a horror author and that's all) - unless someone can point to the other horror elements in the book? | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.142.82 |
'The boundaries between genre are always shifting; genre is fluid.' Exactly and if we look at the film THE FLY you can look at it as horror or SF (or both) as Jonathan has just said about Frankenstein. Does anyone remember Clive Barker's discussion of genre a few years back at Fantasycon? Perhaps we are even closer to that now. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
Not ankle breaks - the chopping off with the axe. Bloody film... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Johnny - I'm actually arguing for the same thing as you, but froma different angle. Just because a writer isn't known for horror doesn't man they haven't written a horror novel (eg. The Road by Cormac McCarthy). | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.142.82 |
'unless someone can point to the other horror elements in the book?' Keeping someone prisoner against their will seems to me to be pretty horrific. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
Not arguing, discussing... :D | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.142.82 |
No problem. All opinions are interesting. It ultimately depends on a personal definition, as Zed has just pointed out. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.240.106 |
Yeah, I didn't mean arguing in that sense, more in the manner of debating, you sexy little rascal. :-) | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.70.137 |
Well, I'm off on holidays next week, so I think I'll be taking Misery and Frankenstein with me - and also Lord P's Wicked Delights, cos it's been gathering dust since March. | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 212.121.214.11 |
My definition of a horror story starts with the question - Is the writer trying to scare the reader? If the answer is yes, it's a horror story no matter what other genre it might fit into. You described it as Nerve-shredding, that to me means trying to scare. Ergo a horror story - aslbeit more psychological than gross. To suggest that just because there's only a small amount of physical violence and gore in the book makes it not a horror novel does a great disservice to the genre. On a related note, my brother claims that Alien isn't a horror film because it's sci fi - but that's even more ludicrous than the Misery example) | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Indeed. Alien is so a haunted house movie. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
To me 'Alien' is a Grade-A creature feature and as such a horror film with sci-fi trappings - same as all those great B&W creature features of the 1950s - every one designed to scare. 'Them', 'The Creature From The Black Lagoon', 'Tarantula', 'It! The Terror From Beyond Space', 'Fiend Without A Face', 'The Thing From Another World', 'It Conquered The World', etc, etc, etc... are all horror movies, even the unintentionally hilarious ones. Does anyone remember those regular double-bill seasons on a Wed evening in the 70s? Pure bliss... |