A Film A Day: Stephen King

Doctor Sleep (2019)

Two years after successfully adapting Stephen King's Gerald' Game, Mike Flanagan has taken upon the task both to adapt another King novel, Doctor Sleep, and to follow up Stanley Kubrick's so-called horror masterpiece The Shining. While I can't say whether Flanagan's Doctor Sleep is a good adaptation or not as I'm yet to read the novel, I can say that he did an excellent job at making a sequel that, in my opinion, overshadows the original as it's a very (in)tense and rather creepy horror film from start to finish.

Stephen King's Carrie has been on the shelf, waiting for somebody to read it, for decades (my mother bought it in the 80s and never read it). It was February when I finally decided to read it and, being a King fan, I found it rather disappointing. It wasn't terrible but it sure wasn't great either. I still decided to check out this movie because Brian De Palma directed it and Sissy Spacek plays Carrie, and, like just the book, it was disappointing.

Brought up by her religious fanatic mother (Piper Laurie) almost in isolation, Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is a shy 17-year-old whose classmates constantly makes fun of. When she gets her first period, she is teased by the girls more than before and the gym teacher (Betty Buckley) disciplines the girls severely. One of them, Sue Snell (Amy Irving), feels sorry for her so she asks her boyfriend (William Katt) to take Carrie to prom instead of her. Christ Hargenson (Nancy Allen), on the other hand, is determined to have revenge and, with the help of her boyfriend (John Travolta), starts plotting against Carrie. But Carrie has telekinetic powers and messing with her won't be a smart move.

2017 has been a hell of a year for Stephen King adaptations. From big to small screen, they were everywhere but I didn't care for most of them. Gerald's Game sounded intriguing though, and, after reading Dell's review, I added it on my watchlist.

Jessie (Carla Gugino) and Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) are a married couple who decides to spice things up/save their marriage in their remote lake house. He handcuffs Jessie to the bed and decides to role play. Only things get too intense, Gerald has a heart attack, dies and Jessie, still in cuffs, must find a way out of this impossible situation while confronting the demons of the past with her own mind.

I'd be lying if I said It was one of my most anticipated films of the year. It just wasn't. I guess it's because I never saw the 1990s mini-series and I find clowns pretty stupid. Also, I didn't read Stephen King's novel up until recently. Reading that great book, however, made me interested in seeing it, especially when all the people I (virtually) know were saying what a great movie it was. That of course created some expectations Andy Muschietti's film wasn't able to meet, and instead of being happy and frightened, I left the movie theatre pretty unhappy and bored.

Genre

Horror

Director

John Carpenter

Country

USA

Cast

Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky, Harry Dean Stanton, Christine Belford, Roberts Blossom, Kelly Preston, William Ostrander, Malcolm Danare, Steven Tash, Stuart Charno, David Spielberg

Storyline

Arnie (Keith Gordon) is just the typical highschool geek until he meets Christine, a bright red 1958 Plymouth Fury that will transform him into someone else.

Opinion

After Brian De Palma's "Carrie" and Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining", eventually came the time for John Carpenter to bring to the screen a Stephen King novel. Now I haven't seen any other work of his, but since many consider him the master of horror, I was expecting this film to be good. And it might have been good if it wasn't a horror but a dramatic film instead. "Christine" indeed isn't particularly scary or suspenseful.

On the contrary of typical horrors, this one's problem is not the story. Stephen King actually had a(nother) good idea when he conceived an evil car that goes around killing people. It is arguably very fascinating, predictable maybe, yet fascinating.

So what did went wrong? John Carpenter's direction. He does set up the story pretty well but after there's nothing. His direction is lousy at its best. He focuses (too much) on the wrong things, like on the car, Christine. I know that's also the title both of the novel and the film, but he should have focused more on the characters, like King did.

The character development is practically nonexistent, and some, if not most of the characters do nothing in the film. Buddy Repperton, for example, is just there because the film needs a villain.

However, Carpenter does something else other than screwing up with the characters: he does set up a good atmosphere through music that always fits the moment.

I'm not done yet, there's the cast. First, there are actors that look way too old to be in high school. Second, Keith Gordon in the lead role. He goes from geek to arrogant douchebag with such speed it's impossible to root for the character. Sure, the screenplay should probably blamed, not the actor, but he sure doesn't even try to improve the film.

1408 (2007)

Cast

John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack, Tony Shalhoub, Len Cariou, Jasmine Jessica Anthony, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kim Thomson, Benny Urquidez, Andrew-Lee Potts, Jules de Jongh

Storyline

Horror novelist Mike Enslin (John Cusack) believes only in what he can see with his own eyes. But after a string of bestsellers discrediting paranormal events, he has no real proof of afterlife. But when he checks into suite 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel, he confronts genuine terror.

Opinion

Based on Stephen King's short story of the same name - which I have not read -, 1408 is a creepy, disturbing and frightening psychological horror where the main protagonist is a writer going nuts in a hotel - I know, it recalls "The Shining".

Mikael Håfström manages to give the film proper tension, and puts aside the unusual apparitions and the bleeding walls to focus more on the psychological torture the main character is put through for an hour or so.

The special effects, which look quite authentic, the camera angles, and the background music give the film enough restlessness to entertain you, and to keep you on the edge of your seat for most of the time, not giving you even the time to grab some popcorns.

The most important role though is played by John Cusack. He is wonderfully brilliant as the cynical writer, being self-deprecating and at the same time tormented, troubled to perfection. He is always believable, and he basically carry the film by himself. Samuel L. Jackson is also notable in his small, yet important, role as the manager of the haunted hotel. The room can also be consider one great character: the way it is constantly changing really challenges us.

Quotes

Room 1408: Even if you leave this room, you can never leave this room!

Mike's father: As I was, you are. As I am, you will be.