This tackled many issues that many people refuse to want to talk about: such as incest, domestic violence, and elderly s
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MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 12:00 PM)
A number of his stories are disturbing.
Personally, I have a hard time with Pet Semetary.
The death of the little boy, and then, his "resurrection", was extremely disturbing to me. It's the one book I couldn't bring myself to read again, and the movie doesn't sit too well with me either.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
nemesis — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 02:55 PM)
I think Pet Semetary is a difficult read for sure,
the sudden and violent death of Gage is like every parent's nightmare.
However it wasn't as if there weren't plenty of warnings about how when the pets came back they weren't the same and yet the dad still went ahead with it! Wasn't there even a human character, maybe someone's son, who came back changed?
King seems to be able to tap into our deep fears about death. -
Loki — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 03:16 PM)
Not sure what my fav King novel is. Might be Needful Things. I have a few I can't really choose between
The short story that stayed with me the most (which I always wished would be adapted to film. Then finally, in animated format, it appeared on an episode of the new Creepshow) is Survivor Type. Loved the way it was written. -
nemesis — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 03:33 PM)
I looked it up because it didn't sound familiar, I haven't read it but I remember the animation vividly!
I loved, loved, loved Needful Things, couldn't put it down. I didn't finish It, got 2/3 of the way through and just lost interest, couldn't finish The Stand or The Shining either.
I think I prefer the shorter books like The Dead Zone, Cujo and Firestarter and some of the short stories were great.
Bag of Bones was another one I enjoyed but the tv series was exceptionally disappointing.
I expect you've read Lindqvist? He's been saddled with "the Swedish Stephen King" moniker poor guy. -
Loki — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 03:36 PM)
The way Survivor Type ends….mid sentence mid page…. reminded me a little of a particularly ballistic chapter of American Pyscho where it just abruptly ends mid sentence, mid page.
Such a simple story but wow, it never left me. -
MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 04:03 PM)
Survivor Type was one strange short story! Another one was Cat From Hell!
Another scary one, but memorable, was The Monkey. all short stories.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 28, 2022 02:05 PM)
I enjoy them too. There are so many that come to mind. His early collections were great, but some of the later short stories were memorable as well.
A few of my favorite stories:
You Know They Got A Hell Of A Band. That was adapted for TV in the Nightmares and Dreamscapes series. It's on You Tube. I always wondered where dead rock stars go…
If you ever want to check out a story of real survival, check out A Very Tight Place in his Just After Sunset collection of stories. It's a place you NEVER want to be in!
That collection of short stories has quite a number of good stories.
The book, Full Dark and No Stars has a collection of four stories, as did Different Seasons.
Full Dark and No Stars includes three stories that have been movie adaptations…
1922: a Netflix original
Big Driver: A surprisingly good Lifetime movie. I wouldn't believe that they could produce such a good movie! I would have sworn this was a feature film.
A Good Marriage: A Feature Film. I would have thought that Lifetime made this one.
Personally, I thought that the written story was better, but the movie isn't terrible.
There are so many great stories. Too many good ones to list!
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
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MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 28, 2022 02:53 PM)
I think that the thing I like about his stories is that he takes everyday ordinary people you can relate to, and puts them in some of the most bizarre situations.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 28, 2022 02:06 PM)
You have to wonder if you could hold it together as well as she did in that situation!
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
nemesis — 3 years ago(July 28, 2022 05:26 PM)
The horror of that situation! The dog, the husband's body, the strange intruder, the degloving
then she found out that the stranger was real.
I liked the way it linked to Dolores Claiborne via the eclipse.
I wonder if Netflix will do any more? I wasn't too keen on In the tall grass but a new version of Desperation or something might be good. Gutted I can't watch Lisey's Story. -
MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 28, 2022 06:40 PM)
Somehow, I just don't believe I could have survived all of that! I thought the linking of the two stories was interesting. Two young girls at the mercy of their fathers… The eclipse.
I didn't find In The Tall Grass all that interesting either. I have yet, to see Lisey's Story.
I wish that someone would make an adaptation of The Long Walk. I think it would make a terrific movie.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 04:01 PM)
Yes. There were definitely warnings.
His neighbor told him of his own dog when he was a boy. The dog was buried in the Indian burial ground, and when he came back, he was never really the same.
The real warning was the other story his neighbor told him. It was about a local young man who died. I believe it was his grief struck father who buried him. When the young man came back, he really wasn't the same. The neighbors and townsfolk got together and did something about it. They set fire to the house with the man and his resurrected son, both in the house, killing them both.
Then of course, there was the little girl's cat, Church. When he was killed, the neighbor (I wish I could remember the old man's name!) took Creed to the burial ground and of course, the cat came back, once again, not really the way he was before…
all of this should have been a big red flag to Creed, but I suppose I can understand why he did what he did when his son died. The grief was so great and he wanted him back so badly. I suppose there was guilt too, at not catching his little boy in time before he was hit. So much pain would cause a parent to try to turn back time, so to speak, and try to make it right again. I think that is the hardest part for me. I know what my parents went through that pain when it happened in our family… I think I told you about that one time when we were discussing the movie. That is probably why I find it so disturbing.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
nemesis — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 04:18 PM)
Thank you, it's been a while but you refreshed my memory beautifully. I looked it up, it was Jud Crandall! Played by Fred Gwynne and quite hard to watch without thinking of the Munsters!
I think the scene (in the book) where he is digging up his deceased son is one which stayed with me due to the almost excruciating detail.
Margo
I don't know how anyone gets over that. -
MissMargoChanning — 3 years ago(July 28, 2022 01:31 PM)
Thank you for looking it up! I was called away, and forgot all about this. You are right about Fred Gwynne. Herman Munster casts a long shadow!
I think the scene (in the book) where he is digging up his deceased son is one which stayed with me due to the almost excruciating detail.
It makes you want to hold your children, and never let them go, but you know that you can't keep them in a bubble. I remember reading the book when our son was very young.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night! -
NZer — 3 years ago(July 27, 2022 06:05 PM)
Actually, I think disturbing stories are his 'thing'. Some are more visceral than others, but they all have the power to creep you out one way or another.
One of my favorites is a little story about a young girl lost in the forest. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. I found it riveting and there isn't a vampire, zombie or psycho to be seen.
I've always enjoyed his style. Very easily engaging. I don't mind if it's pulpy. 