Some blatherations* on the novels and movie adaptations of Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’ and ‘Doctor Sleep’.
Getting to grips with the dark stuff of Stephen King’s novels and short stories is a major challenge for filmmakers. This hasn’t dissuaded many from trying. Some have succeeded but many have failed, some miserably.
Metacritic helpfully lists the ratings of 45 movie adaptations. Entertainment Weekly’s assessment of ‘Riding The Bullet’ (2004) is that the film “falls short of its source” and this is a common criticism for other adaptations. One reviewer wrote that the only scary thing about Creepshow 2 is the prospect of Creepshow 3!
The difficulty of making convincing on screen versions of King’s works can largely be put down to the author’s steadfast refusal to gloss over the grimmest aspects of the human psyche. King relishes the prospect of delving deeply into dead zones like a persistent psychoanalyst. By these means he uncovers a veritable plethora of dark secrets, frustrated sexuality, sadistic urges and murderous inclinations. Continue reading
There are certain novels, like Robert Musil’s ‘The Man Without Qualities’, that I find too daunting to even attempt and others, such as Malcolm Lowry’s ‘Under The Volcano’ that I have tried but failed to complete.
