Ben Affleck chosen to direct the remake of "The Stand"

[Mr. Hole the Magnificent]

by Adam B. Vary

Ben Affleck’s transition from an actor-who-directs to a director-who-
acts just took another interesting step today. With Oscar-bait The
Town and Gone Baby Gone under his belt — and the period thriller Argo
currently underway — Deadline is reporting that Warner Bros. is keen
on hiring Affleck to direct its feature film adaptation of Stephen
King’s epic tome The Stand.

That could honestly mean anything. But the fact that Affleck is even
under consideration to helm The Stand is a good sign for fans eager to
see King’s book make it to theaters. Warner Bros. announced its co-
production with CBS Films last January, but mum’s pretty much been the
word on any major developments since then.

In the meantime, King’s oeuvre has been very much a hot potato in
Hollywood: Universal famously scuttled its wildly ambitious TV-and-
movie adaptation of King’s The Dark Tower; MGM hired a screenwriter to
adapt a new version of Carrie; Showtime is developing Under the Dome
as a possible series with Steven Spielberg exec producing; and Silence
of the Lambs filmmaker Jonathan Demme snapped up the rights to King’s
impending novel 11/22/63 (an excerpt from which you can read in this
week’s issue of EW).

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/10/21/ben-affleck-stephen-king-the-stand/

[tobymax43]

On Oct 21, 10:38 pm, "Mr. Hole the Magnificent"

<classic.mr.h...@gmail.com> wrote:
> by Adam B. Vary
>
> Ben Affleck’s transition from an actor-who-directs to a director-who-
> acts just took another interesting step today. With Oscar-bait The
> Town and Gone Baby Gone under his belt — and the period thriller Argo
> currently underway — Deadline is reporting that Warner Bros. is keen
> on hiring Affleck to direct its feature film adaptation of Stephen
> King’s epic tome The Stand.
>
>

Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story. This
is
one of the great miniseries plus I don't know how one can compress a
1100 odd page novel into a 2 hour film.

Gary Sinise is Stu, can someone really besides Ruby Dee play Mother
Abigail?

This is almost like saying "oh lets make a new movie based on Roots".
Stand like
Roots was made to be a miniseries not a 2 hour movie.

[Brian Thorn]

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:06:53 -0700 (PDT), tobymax43
<tob...@comcast.net> wrote:


>Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.

That would be "The Shawshank Redemption", nothing else comes close.

>This is one of the great miniseries

It was very good, especially for a King treatment, but it wasn't
without flaws. Adam Storke as Larry wasn't very good. Shawnee Smith
was terrible as Julie.

>plus I don't know how one can compress a
>1100 odd page novel into a 2 hour film.

I see no alternative to splitting the book into two parts, a'la "The
Hobbit", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", and "Breaking Dawn".

>Gary Sinise is Stu,

Bill Faggerbakke was perfect as Tom, too.

>can someone really besides Ruby Dee play Mother
>Abigail?

I always saw Cicely Tyson in the role. She'd need a lot less old age
makeup now, but she'd still be great.

Brian

[Ian J. Ball]

On Oct 21, 8:22 pm, Brian Thorn <bthor...@suddenlink.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:06:53 -0700 (PDT), tobymax43
> <toby...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> >Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>
> That would be "The Shawshank Redemption", nothing else comes close.
>
> >This is one of the great miniseries
>
> It was very good, especially for a King treatment, but it wasn't
> without flaws. Adam Storke as Larry wasn't very good.
> Shawnee Smith was terrible as Julie.

What?! Are you effing nuts?!!

[Michael OConnor]

> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story. This
> is
> one of the great miniseries plus I don't know how one can compress a
> 1100 odd page novel into a 2 hour film.

It's one of those things like Lord of the Rings where it doesn't work
trying to cram everything into one movie; just take your time and
break it up into three movies to tell the entire story. There was a
three hour script for The Stand written in the late 70's-early 80's
when George Romero was trying to film it:

http://www.subcin.com/stand.html

[Thanatos]

In article
<82c1f7b7-131f-435b...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,

tobymax43 <tob...@comcast.net> wrote:

> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.

Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
Shawshank Redemption.

> Gary Sinise is Stu, can someone really besides Ruby Dee play Mother
> Abigail?

I think they could do a helluva lot better than Molly Ringwald as
Frannie. Kate Beckinsale maybe...

[Mack A. Damia]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos <atr...@mac.com> wrote:

>In article
><82c1f7b7-131f-435b...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
> tobymax43 <tob...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>
>Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
>Shawshank Redemption.

"The Shining"?

[Jim T.]

"The Shining" is a great movie. But I understand it's not true to the
book. As someone who has read a few other King books before I wised
up, I think that was a very good decision.

[Brian Thorn]

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:58:46 -0700 (PDT), "Ian J. Ball"
<ijb...@mac.com> wrote:


>> It was very good, especially for a King treatment, but it wasn't
>> without flaws. Adam Storke as Larry wasn't very good.
>> Shawnee Smith was terrible as Julie.
>
>What?! Are you effing nuts?!!

About which, Storke? The guy was a lightweight who was rarely seen
again. Smith? Nope. She's another pretty face with little to no acting
talent.

Brian

[Mack A. Damia]

Wasn't King in on the filming of the first and best version? Yes, I
heard it wasn't absolutely true to King's novel, and initially, he
wasn't too happy wish the results.

However, the film has become a classic, and King changed his mind.

[Professor Bubba]

In article <nil5a7tr1q0me9dhv...@4ax.com>, Mack A. Damia

Success will do that to you.

The closest adaptation to a King book I can think of right now was
Firestarter. The only significant difference in it was the name of the
newspaper at the end, which I think ignored one of the most clever
things in the book.

I thought they did a good job with The Stand.

[RichA]

On Oct 21, 10:38 pm, "Mr. Hole the Magnificent"
<classic.mr.h...@gmail.com> wrote:

> http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/10/21/ben-affleck-stephen-king-the-st...

I hope he can make the movie far less dull than the book was.

[Brian Thorn]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:46:00 -0700, Mack A. Damia
<mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:


>Wasn't King in on the filming of the first and best version? Yes, I
>heard it wasn't absolutely true to King's novel, and initially, he
>wasn't too happy wish the results.

King was producer and wrote the screenplay. He also made a cameo as
one of the residents of the Boulder Free Zone when Stu and Tom return.

I really think the ABC version was about as good as they could do on
free TV at the time, a few examples of miscasting notwithstanding.

Brian

[Thanatos]

In article <krd5a718p2qi3klu9...@4ax.com>,

Mack A. Damia <mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:

The Shining was a good movie, but it had very little to do with King's
story.

[Thanatos]

In article <lvs5a7pil1m4g25ui...@4ax.com>,

Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net> wrote:

> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:46:00 -0700, Mack A. Damia
> <mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> >Wasn't King in on the filming of the first and best version? Yes, I
> >heard it wasn't absolutely true to King's novel, and initially, he
> >wasn't too happy wish the results.
>
> King was producer and wrote the screenplay. He also made a cameo as
> one of the residents of the Boulder Free Zone when Stu and Tom return.

He was asking whether King was involved with Kubrick's version of The
Shining.

[trotsky]

Other than the entire premise.

[Jerry Brown]

The TV movie of The Langoliers was fairly close to the original
novella, although the giant pacmen eating the airport and chasing the
plane looked a lot sillier on screen than my mind's eye version from
the original reading.

--
Jerry Brown

A cat may look at a king
(but probably won't bother)

[Thanatos]

In article <ep56a79fbudohbrqo...@4ax.com>,

Yes, there are some stories that can only work in the written-word.
Langoliers is one of them. And Balky's over-the-top performance didn't
help matters, either.

[Wull]

"Jerry Brown" <je...@jwbrown.co.uk.RemoveThisBitToReply> wrote in message
news:ep56a79fbudohbrqo...@4ax.com...

I wonder if any of you feel about Pet Cemetary as I do.
I used to read all of King's book and saw all the movies but after I read
Pet Cemetary, I lost interest in him completely.
I have not read or watched anymore of his issue.

Wull

[Invid Fan]

In article <h4CdnTwIRNCLiz7T...@mchsi.com>, trotsky

It follows the plot, but not the story. At no time do you think Jack
Nicholson's character isn't crazy, where as in the book he's actually a
good guy with a drinking problem he's trying to overcome.

--
Chris Mack "If we show any weakness, the monsters will get cocky!"
'Invid Fan' - 'Yokai Monsters Along With Ghosts'

[Mack A. Damia]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:27:42 -0500, "Wull" <wma...@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

Well, yes, I have to agree with you. I'm not a big fan of novels; I
read mostly non-fiction. My suspension of disbelief has become rather
picky over the decades, and I can only exercise it if it's believeable
disbelief! :)

I posted to the Dean Koontz group for a while - even visited some of
the others, but I could never get into one of his novels. Something
about his prose bored me.

[Mack A. Damia]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:28:08 -0400, Invid Fan <in...@loclanet.com>
wrote:

>In article <h4CdnTwIRNCLiz7T...@mchsi.com>, trotsky
><gms...@email.com> wrote:
>
>> On 10/22/11 1:06 PM, Thanatos wrote:
>> > In article<krd5a718p2qi3klu9...@4ax.com>,
>> > Mack A. Damia<mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos<atr...@mac.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> In article
>> >>> <82c1f7b7-131f-435b...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
>> >>> tobymax43<tob...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>> >>>
>> >>> Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
>> >>> Shawshank Redemption.
>> >>
>> >> "The Shining"?
>> >
>> > The Shining was a good movie, but it had very little to do with King's
>> > story.
>>
>>
>> Other than the entire premise.
>
>It follows the plot, but not the story. At no time do you think Jack
>Nicholson's character isn't crazy, where as in the book he's actually a
>good guy with a drinking problem he's trying to overcome.

Not certain I follow your second sentence. Jack slowly descends into
insanity as the film progresses, but he's perfectly sane at the
beginning of the film.

[Thanatos]

In article <221020111628082580%in...@loclanet.com>,

Invid Fan <in...@loclanet.com> wrote:

> In article <h4CdnTwIRNCLiz7T...@mchsi.com>, trotsky
> <gms...@email.com> wrote:
>
> > On 10/22/11 1:06 PM, Thanatos wrote:
> > > In article<krd5a718p2qi3klu9...@4ax.com>,
> > > Mack A. Damia<mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos<atr...@mac.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> In article
> > >>> <82c1f7b7-131f-435b...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
> > >>> tobymax43<tob...@comcast.net> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
> > >>>
> > >>> Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
> > >>> Shawshank Redemption.
> > >>
> > >> "The Shining"?
> > >
> > > The Shining was a good movie, but it had very little to do with King's
> > > story.
> >
> >
> > Other than the entire premise.
>
> It follows the plot, but not the story. At no time do you think Jack
> Nicholson's character isn't crazy, where as in the book he's actually a
> good guy with a drinking problem he's trying to overcome.

Yep. The entire point of the story was to chronicle how the hotel drove
an ordinary man to insanity and murder.

From the moment Jack Nicholson appears on screen, it's obvious he's
already completely insane. The hotel was incidental.

[trotsky]

On 10/22/11 4:16 PM, Thanatos wrote:
> In article<221020111628082580%in...@loclanet.com>,

> Invid Fan<in...@loclanet.com> wrote:
>
>> In article<h4CdnTwIRNCLiz7T...@mchsi.com>, trotsky
>> <gms...@email.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 10/22/11 1:06 PM, Thanatos wrote:
>>>> In article<krd5a718p2qi3klu9...@4ax.com>,
>>>> Mack A. Damia<mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos<atr...@mac.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> In article
>>>>>> <82c1f7b7-131f-435b...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
>>>>>> tobymax43<tob...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
>>>>>> Shawshank Redemption.
>>>>>
>>>>> "The Shining"?
>>>>
>>>> The Shining was a good movie, but it had very little to do with King's
>>>> story.
>>>
>>>
>>> Other than the entire premise.
>>
>> It follows the plot, but not the story. At no time do you think Jack
>> Nicholson's character isn't crazy, where as in the book he's actually a
>> good guy with a drinking problem he's trying to overcome.
>
> Yep.

Yep? Are plot and premise synonyms? You pegged the stupidity meter
again--kudos.

[Mack A. Damia]

That's simply not true. He shows no signs of madness during the
beginning and the job interview but slowly descends into insanity as
the film progresses.

[trotsky]

Agreed.

[Mack A. Damia]

I don't see any other reasonable interpretation of Jack's state of
mind.

It was the hotel and its spirits that drove him crazy.

[trotsky]

Exactly--that's the premise of the book and the movie.

[Professor Bubba]

In article <R72dnQQSn-eOqT7T...@mchsi.com>, trotsky

I don't think so, as his desire to isolate himself at the hotel in the
first place suggests. As for his drinking, Jack admits (to the valet,
I think) that he got drunk and broke Danny's arm while punishing him,
and blows it off as "an extra ounce of pressure" or something along
those lines. (It's been a while.) Also note that Wendy immediately
goes to Jack's history of abusing Danny (and, presumably, herself) by
shrieking at him when Danny goes missing.

I like the spooky ending of the movie much better than the pat ending
of the book.

BTW, you guys really ought to see this, uh, trailer, if you haven't
already:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmkVWuP_sO0>

[Mack A. Damia]

Abusing children isn't a sign of insanity. Jack had plans to write a
novel, and the job at the hotel would work out well for him.
Alcoholism isn't a sign of insanity, either.

At the beginning of the film, Jack may have been a recovering
alcoholic who abused his son on one or more occasions, but he was by
no means insane - either that, or you don't understand what insanity
means.

[Thanatos]

In article <hrc6a7tutplo67f9q...@4ax.com>,

Telling me that it's not true how I experienced the film is rather
presumptuous on your part.

[Mack A. Damia]

You're contentious for the sake of argument. There's no question of
Jack's sanity at the beginning of the film - that's the whole fucking
story, buttercup - that the hotel and it's spirits drove him crazy.
You have no more credibility - at least with me.

[nick]

On Oct 22, 4:28 pm, Invid Fan <in...@loclanet.com> wrote:
> In article <h4CdnTwIRNCLiz7TnZ2dnUVZ_qSdn...@mchsi.com>, trotsky

>
>
>
>
>
> <gmsi...@email.com> wrote:
> > On 10/22/11 1:06 PM, Thanatos wrote:

> > > In article<krd5a718p2qi3klu98j2a4clcinaifl...@4ax.com>,
> > >   Mack A. Damia<mybaconbu...@hotmail.com>  wrote:
>
> > >> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos<atro...@mac.com>  wrote:
>
> > >>> In article
> > >>> <82c1f7b7-131f-435b-aa15-d13c6db81...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
> > >>> tobymax43<toby...@comcast.net>  wrote:

>
> > >>>> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>
> > >>> Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
> > >>> Shawshank Redemption.
>
> > >> "The Shining"?
>
> > > The Shining was a good movie, but it had very little to do with King's
> > > story.
>
> > Other than the entire premise.
>
> It follows the plot, but not the story. At no time do you think Jack
> Nicholson's character isn't crazy, where as in the book he's actually a
> good guy with a drinking problem he's trying to overcome.
>

But that's why I liked the movie. Nicholson's fucked up from the
beginning, never having found any fulfillment or happiness, any sense
of belonging, but then he lands this job at the Overlook Hotel and he
loves it. It might drive him all the way into homicidal mania but at
last he's found a job he likes and a place he can call home. On that
grimly comic level, it's a great film. It wasn't the adaptation that
King wanted but so what, it's still one of Kubrick's best films.

[nick]

On Oct 22, 4:27 pm, "Wull" <wmai...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> "Jerry Brown" <je...@jwbrown.co.uk.RemoveThisBitToReply> wrote in message
>
> news:ep56a79fbudohbrqo...@4ax.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:32:38 -0400, Professor Bubba
> > <bu...@nowhere.edu.invalid> wrote:
>

> >>In article <nil5a7tr1q0me9dhv6t14hl1mqb8vru...@4ax.com>, Mack A. Damia
> >><mybaconbu...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> >>> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:09:12 -0400, Jim T. <x...@y.z> wrote:
>
> >>> >On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:31:21 -0700, Mack A. Damia

> >>> ><mybaconbu...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> >>> >>On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos <atro...@mac.com> wrote:
>
> >>> >>>In article
> >>> >>><82c1f7b7-131f-435b-aa15-d13c6db81...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,

> Wull- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I'm reading Pet Sematary right now and all I can say so far is "what
the hell was up with that film adaptation?!?" I didn't think it was
that terrible until I started reading the book. It needs a remake.

[Professor Bubba]

In article <i8f6a7dfj5sq4783p...@4ax.com>, Mack A. Damia

It's certainly not a sign of mental stability, and this particular
symptom was not isolated.

> Jack had plans to write a novel, and the job at the hotel would work
> out well for him.

It seems more likely that Jack used his writing as an excuse to cover
his ... odd ... desire to separate himself and his family from society
for five months. He wound up not writing a thing, of course.

> Alcoholism isn't a sign of insanity, either.

One of the reasons people become drunks is to avoid dealing with their
demons. Unfortunately, it doesn't help at all and, in fact, it adds to
them.

> At the beginning of the film, Jack may have been a recovering
> alcoholic who abused his son on one or more occasions, but he was by
> no means insane - either that, or you don't understand what insanity
> means.

Jack packs his family off to what amounts to Antarctica for five months
in what he refers to as a fresh start, and then he doesn't do anything
except not-write and, eventually, terrorize his family and freeze to
death. Further, we don't see any incident in the film that triggers
his insanity. Everything that happens to Jack at the hotel feeds
what's already there, inside him.

[Mack A. Damia]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:58:25 -0400, Professor Bubba

Obviously, you don't understand "insanity" - or you just like to
argue.

I don't play childish games.

[jack]

On Oct 22, 3:37 am, Thanatos <atro...@mac.com> wrote:
> In article
> <82c1f7b7-131f-435b-aa15-d13c6db81...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
>

>  tobymax43 <toby...@comcast.net> wrote:
> > Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>
> Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
> Shawshank Redemption.

A fan of Family Guy?

[jack]

On Oct 22, 6:58 pm, Professor Bubba <bu...@nowhere.edu.invalid> wrote:
> In article <i8f6a7dfj5sq4783privdcobe1r2t72...@4ax.com>, Mack A. Damia

>
>
>
> <mybaconbu...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:59:30 -0400, Professor Bubba
> > <bu...@nowhere.edu.invalid> wrote:
>

> > >In article <R72dnQQSn-eOqT7TnZ2dnUVZ_t2dn...@mchsi.com>, trotsky

> > ><gmsi...@email.com> wrote:
>
> > >> On 10/22/11 4:21 PM, Mack A. Damia wrote:

> > >> > On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:16:41 -0700, Thanatos<atro...@mac.com>  wrote:
>
> > >> >> In article<221020111628082580%in...@loclanet.com>,
> > >> >> Invid Fan<in...@loclanet.com>  wrote:
>

> > >> >>> In article<h4CdnTwIRNCLiz7TnZ2dnUVZ_qSdn...@mchsi.com>, trotsky
> > >> >>> <gmsi...@email.com>  wrote:

>
> > >> >>>> On 10/22/11 1:06 PM, Thanatos wrote:

> > >> >>>>> In article<krd5a718p2qi3klu98j2a4clcinaifl...@4ax.com>,
> > >> >>>>>    Mack A. Damia<mybaconbu...@hotmail.com>   wrote:
>
> > >> >>>>>> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos<atro...@mac.com>  

> > >> >>>>>> wrote:
>
> > >> >>>>>>> In article
>
> > >> >>>>>>> <82c1f7b7-131f-435b-aa15-d13c6db81...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,
>

If you recall, the last shot of the movie is a slow close-up of a
picture on the wall of the hotel of a New Year's Eve's party from 1927
that shows the Nicholson character. In the Kubrick version the
Nicholson character keeps on being reincarnated as a killer spirit
linked to the hotel. He was the previous caretaker, Grady, who killed
himself and his family, and unless the hotel is demolished, will
probably show up again sometime in the future as another winter
caretaker.

So, his character was doomed from the start in the movie, unlike in
the book. If you dig out the TV mini-series it's pretty clear how
different the two Jacks are.


As to The Stand, leave it alone. The mini-series is as close as you
can get to such a long book. Not everybody's favorite minor character
could make it into the mini-series and the show did mold some of the
characters more to the personalities of the actors playing them. The
mini-series misses the potential for a sequel that the book has and
some purists have dissed the final confrontation in Las Vegas. For a
close read of the book if you don't want to slog through it, see the
current comic book series by Marvel.

[Mack A. Damia]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:08:46 -0700 (PDT), jack <jr...@columbia.edu>
wrote:

Roger Ebert wrote:

"If Jack did indeed freeze to death in the labyrinth, of course his
body was found—and sooner rather than later, since Dick Hallorann
alerted the forest rangers to serious trouble at the hotel. If Jack's
body was not found, what happened to it? Was it never there? Was it
absorbed into the past and does that explain Jack's presence in that
final photograph of a group of hotel party-goers in 1921? Did Jack's
violent pursuit of his wife and child exist entirely in Wendy's
imagination, or Danny's, or theirs?... Kubrick was wise to remove that
epilogue. It pulled one rug too many out from under the story. At some
level, it is necessary for us to believe the three members of the
Torrance family are actually residents in the hotel during that
winter, whatever happens or whatever they think happens."


The "Heeeeeere's Johnny" exclamation was Nicholson's ad lib. Kubrick
lived in London and had no idea of Ed McMahon's famous introduction.
He almost didn't use that take in the final version.

[Professor Bubba]

In article <jkk6a710bo7846ufp...@4ax.com>, Mack A. Damia

No, I was trying to discuss the nature of a film I've seen a bunch of
times. You had no response except to make a weak insult.

> I don't play childish games.

The evidence before us suggests otherwise.

[moviePig]

> I'm reading Pet Sematary right now and all I can say so far is "what
> the hell was up with that film adaptation?!?"   I didn't think it was
> that terrible until I started reading the book.  It needs a remake.

I thought PS was one of the better Kings (albeit a ripoff), and I'm
surprised the godawful movie left you able to read it. The film
seemed to me a director trying to make her mark with Kubrick-style
art, rather than simply serving up one of literature's great, reliable
horror tales. (Meanwhile, I don't know what Ben Affleck hopes to
accomplish with THE STAND, but I'll bet young director Clint Eastwood
would've turned it down flat.)

--

- - - - - - - -
YOUR taste at work...
http://www.moviepig.com

[William]

On Oct 22, 11:10 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
>
> I thought PS was one of the better Kings (albeit a ripoff), and I'm
> surprised the godawful movie left you able to read it.  The film
> seemed to me a director trying to make her mark with Kubrick-style
> art, rather than simply serving up one of literature's great, reliable
> horror tales.  (Meanwhile, I don't know what Ben Affleck hopes to
> accomplish with THE STAND, but I'll bet young director Clint Eastwood
> would've turned it down flat.)
>

That may be -- about Mary Lambert -- but her debut film -- "Siesta" --
was an extremely interesting, if somewhat flawed outing. Haven't seen
or don't remember Pet Semetary -- her second film -- so I can't
compare them. Things haven't gone well for her as she just directed
"Mega Python vs. Gatoroid." At least she's working.

William

[Thanatos]

In article <oih6a7tno587bjis3...@4ax.com>,

Yes, heaven forfend I should do anything other than just concede that
you must be right in that I didn't think Nicholson's character was crazy
from his first scene onward. I guess I must just be misremembering,
because otherwise you'd be wrong and we know that can't possibly be the
case, right?

> You have no more credibility - at least with me.

I'll cry myself to sleep over that.

[Thanatos]

In article <jkk6a710bo7846ufp...@4ax.com>,

Christ, the ego on you.

[Keeno]

On Oct 21, 10:38 pm, "Mr. Hole the Magnificent"
<classic.mr.h...@gmail.com> wrote:
> by Adam B. Vary
>
> Ben Affleck’s transition from an actor-who-directs to a director-who-
> acts just took another interesting step today. With Oscar-bait The
> Town and Gone Baby Gone under his belt — and the period thriller Argo
> currently underway — Deadline is reporting that Warner Bros. is keen
> on hiring Affleck to direct its feature film adaptation of Stephen
> King’s epic tome The Stand.
>
> That could honestly mean anything. But the fact that Affleck is even
> under consideration to helm The Stand is a good sign for fans eager to
> see King’s book make it to theaters. Warner Bros. announced its co-
> production with CBS Films last January, but mum’s pretty much been the
> word on any major developments since then.
>
> In the meantime, King’s oeuvre has been very much a hot potato in
> Hollywood: Universal famously scuttled its wildly ambitious TV-and-
> movie adaptation of King’s The Dark Tower; MGM hired a screenwriter to
> adapt a new version of Carrie; Showtime is developing Under the Dome
> as a possible series with Steven Spielberg exec producing; and Silence
> of the Lambs filmmaker Jonathan Demme snapped up the rights to King’s
> impending novel 11/22/63 (an excerpt from which you can read in this
> week’s issue of EW).
>
> http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/10/21/ben-affleck-stephen-king-the-st...

I thought The Stand had been cancelled.

[Merrick Baldelli]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:42:35 -0700 (PDT), nick
<nickmacp...@AOL.com> wrote:

>I'm reading Pet Sematary right now and all I can say so far is "what
>the hell was up with that film adaptation?!?" I didn't think it was
>that terrible until I started reading the book. It needs a remake.

I disagree. I think Hollywood needs to do more original and
unusual instead of remakes and re imaginings.

--
-=-=-/ )=*=-='=-.-'-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_( (_ , '_ * . Merrick Baldelli
(((\ \> /_1 `
(\\\\ \_/ /
-=-\ /-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
\ _/ You can't spell 'disgust' without
/ / 'SGU' - Anim8rFSK

[moviePig]

Yes, I'd surely call that work.

Seems SIESTA isn't library/Netflix available. Probably just as well
for me, as I'm not sure I could unburden my impartiality of resentment
still lingering from 'Pet Sematary'...

[William]

On Oct 23, 10:25 am, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
>
> Seems SIESTA isn't library/Netflix available.  Probably just as well
> for me, as I'm not sure I could unburden my impartiality of resentment
> still lingering from 'Pet Sematary'...
>

It probably is just as well. It's one of those "what the hell just
happened" films. I saw it because Ellen Barkin is in it. And Gabriel
Byrne, Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen, Isabella Rossellini, Grace Jones,
Julian Sands and Alexei Sayle. If you bump into it, see it. But you
could probably live a full life without it.

William

[trotsky]

That's common practice for writers.

[nick]

On Oct 22, 11:10 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:

The young director Clint Eastwood would've turned it down flat but if
it were offered to the old director Clint Eastwood he'd say, sure,
what the hell.

[moviePig]

Well, every recent Clintpic has boasted a discernible vein of social-
relevance/importance. Admittedly, you and I disagree on the quality
of King's book. (I side with Rich that it's boring -- can I still
play?) But, even so, you'll need a mettle detector to find me
something in it that sounds potentially attractive to America's
Director Emeritus.

[Invid Fan]

In article
<958b86ab-86be-47cc...@n18g2000vbv.googlegroups.com>,

If you go in with the right mindset, those are suppose to be fun to
direct. A full movie, from first draft to finished film, in four weeks.
Something you can easily fit in between other projects, although
naturally I don't know if she has others.

--
Chris Mack "If we show any weakness, the monsters will get cocky!"
'Invid Fan' - 'Yokai Monsters Along With Ghosts'

[nick]

I haven't read The Stand since high school and I'm not about to plod
through 1000 pages to find out if Rich's verdict is the correct one,
especially since I'll be reading Mr. King's latest 1000 page opus in a
few weeks time. But what I remember is being with it until the
climax, and after that, being with King until Cujo, or maybe it was
the first section of It, where I got the impression that King was
spending about 20 pages to describe a character he was going to kill
off anyway. In the last few years, I've started to re-appreciate
King, hence reading Pet Sematary. But did you read Mile 81? That was
awful.

But re Affleck directing The Stand. It seems to be that in the modern
era that no matter how much potential a filmmaker shows, or how
successful a young filmmaker might be, he still jumps at the chance to
make an event picture or get in on a franchise. I don't understand
the temptation but its there. Why would someone like David Fincher
agree to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Why would Christopher Nolan
do Batman movies? If the seventies were like the first couple of
decades of the 21st century, Martin Scorsese would have directed
Superman and committed to two sequels.

Eastwood's been promiscuous enough in his recent cinematic choices
(Invictus? Changeling?) that I wouldn't put The Stand past him if the
offer came up.

[moviePig]

Don't make me commit 'film-analysis' and dig out the moral-relevancy
tropes in INVICTUS and CHANGELING (or even HEREAFTER). I think
Eastwood would be about as likely to take up a STAND as he would a bad
HOBBIT.

Still, that does sound right about young filmmakers not being able to
resist driving Dad's car ...almost as though it were the only way to
prove they ever really had the chance. (I'd exempt Fincher,
though ...as DRAGON TATTOO doesn't feel to me all that distant from
SE7EN.)

[Mason Barge]

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:22:58 -0500, Brian Thorn <btho...@suddenlink.net>
wrote:

>On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:06:53 -0700 (PDT), tobymax43
><tob...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
>>Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>

>That would be "The Shawshank Redemption", nothing else comes close.

It doesn't even get "distant second", which would go to "The Green Mile".

Oh heck, I'm forgetting about The Shining. Well, taste is personal, maybe
some people think The Stand is the bee's knees. I actually liked it okay.

[Mason Barge]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:09:12 -0400, Jim T. <x@y.z> wrote:

>On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:31:21 -0700, Mack A. Damia

><mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>>On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:37:04 -0700, Thanatos <atr...@mac.com> wrote:
>>
>>>In article
>>><82c1f7b7-131f-435b...@j20g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,

>>> tobymax43 <tob...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Why mess with the absolute best filmed version of any King story.
>>>

>>>Actually, that's a three-way tie between Misery, Stand By Me, and The
>>>Shawshank Redemption.
>>
>>"The Shining"?
>
>"The Shining" is a great movie. But I understand it's not true to the
>book. As someone who has read a few other King books before I wised
>up, I think that was a very good decision.

IMHO, you have to be a Stephen King fanboy to see major differences. I
read the book, I saw the movie - the only huge difference I could see was
the distortion that Jack Nicholson brings to any role he plays, just
because he's such a powerful personality.

[Ian J. Ball]

On Oct 26, 12:18 pm, Mason Barge <masonba...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:22:58 -0500, Brian Thorn <bthor...@suddenlink.net>

My take? I like "The Stand" miniseries, but it got weaker with every
succeeding 2-hour episode. The first 2-hours are pretty darn awesome.
The second 2-hours are pretty good. It's pretty much all downhill from
there.

[Mason Barge]

On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:27:42 -0500, "Wull" <wma...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>
>"Jerry Brown" <je...@jwbrown.co.uk.RemoveThisBitToReply> wrote in message
>news:ep56a79fbudohbrqo...@4ax.com...
>> On Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:32:38 -0400, Professor Bubba
>> <bu...@nowhere.edu.invalid> wrote:
>>

>>>In article <nil5a7tr1q0me9dhv...@4ax.com>, Mack A. Damia
>>><mybaco...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
[...]

>> The TV movie of The Langoliers was fairly close to the original
>> novella, although the giant pacmen eating the airport and chasing the
>> plane looked a lot sillier on screen than my mind's eye version from
>> the original reading.
>>
>> --
>> Jerry Brown
>>
>> A cat may look at a king
>> (but probably won't bother)
>
>I wonder if any of you feel about Pet Cemetary as I do.
>I used to read all of King's book and saw all the movies but after I read
>Pet Cemetary, I lost interest in him completely.
>I have not read or watched anymore of his issue.

Lucky you. The book was MUCH better than the movie.

And yeah, all his conventions begin to show a lot of seams after you read
a couple of his books.

P.S., wasn't it Pet Semetary, with an "S"?

Oh, and P.P.S., you didn't watch The Shawshank Redemption?

[Mason Barge]

On Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:25:40 -0700 (PDT), moviePig <pwal...@moviepig.com>

wrote:

>On Oct 22, 11:26 pm, William <wlahe...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Oct 22, 11:10 pm, moviePig <pwall...@moviepig.com> wrote:
>>
>> > I thought PS was one of the better Kings (albeit a ripoff), and I'm
>> > surprised the godawful movie left you able to read it.  The film
>> > seemed to me a director trying to make her mark with Kubrick-style
>> > art, rather than simply serving up one of literature's great, reliable
>> > horror tales.  (Meanwhile, I don't know what Ben Affleck hopes to
>> > accomplish with THE STAND, but I'll bet young director Clint Eastwood
>> > would've turned it down flat.)
>>
>> That may be -- about Mary Lambert -- but her debut film -- "Siesta" --
>> was an extremely interesting, if somewhat flawed outing. Haven't seen
>> or don't remember Pet Semetary -- her second film -- so I can't
>> compare them. Things haven't gone well for her as she just directed
>> "Mega Python vs. Gatoroid." At least she's working.
>
>Yes, I'd surely call that work.
>
>Seems SIESTA isn't library/Netflix available.

Dude, count your blessings. The shadow of death passed you by untouched.
Siesta could be the worst movie I ever saw. Or in a 100-way tie, at
least.

Of these three movies, "Mega Python v. Gatoroid" is the clear winner. It
was actually enjoyable!

> Probably just as well
>for me, as I'm not sure I could unburden my impartiality of resentment
>still lingering from 'Pet Sematary'...

Wouldn't matter. It would be like trying to overcome an irrational
dislike of Germans while imprisoned at Auschwitz. Or trying to blind
someone with a flashlight at high noon in Death Valley.

Siesta was so bad that any prejudice due to disliking Pet Semetary would
shrink to insignificance in two seconds.

[Professor Bubba]

In article <pbnga7l28k5t45v90...@4ax.com>, Mason Barge

I don't think you had to have been a fanboy to spot the differences.
One major one: At the end of the novel, Jack Torrance manages to throw
off the influence of the hotel, and then he blows it up by overloading
the boiler, sacrificing himself to allow Wendy and Danny to escape.