Are there any SK adaptations that you absolutely hate?

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Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
Maximum Overdrive isn't one of the truly worst adaptations. It was later adapted as Trucks (a 1997 TV-movie) and that was far worse. I don't think it's a great movie, but at least it's entertaining.

It's interesting that John Carpenter said about Christine that what he found hardest was to make the car scary. I wonder if to a degree this was a problem for King too when he did Maximum Overdrive. The most prominent truck in the film has a Green Goblin face on the front, as if they wanted to give it more of a personality and make it more distinct. I don't feel it really works well though, it just seems to add to the overall comedic atmosphere. It's hard to think he really intended this movie to be seriously scary - even if he says so in the trailer. Like other movie-adaptations he was directly involved in, like Creepshow or Sleepwalkers, you keep feeling comedy was as much on his mind as horror. They're so over-the-top, although the advertising campaigns still try to sell them as being really scary.

In Germany it's called Rhea-M, after the name of the comet the earth passed through the tail of.
The German blu-ray has quite some extras:

 
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ConstantStu

The Stu Slinger
Sep 3, 2010
411
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South East England
With very few exceptions I avoid King adaptations. I've not seen the two It movies, Pet Semetary nor Dark Tower.
No intention of doing so either.

And when I watched The Tommyknockers earlier - I was reminded of why I made that decision.

I have watched Castle Rock but other than that - I'm of the firm belief that the books are where the good stuff is. Why settle for an inferior version?
 

Wayoftheredpanda

Flaming Wonder Telepath
May 15, 2018
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With very few exceptions I avoid King adaptations. I've not seen the two It movies, Pet Semetary nor Dark Tower.
No intention of doing so either.

And when I watched The Tommyknockers earlier - I was reminded of why I made that decision.

I have watched Castle Rock but other than that - I'm of the firm belief that the books are where the good stuff is. Why settle for an inferior version?
The newer IT movies are pretty good I’d say, they take liberties, but pretty good. Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is good if you don’t mind a very loose retelling of a similar synopsis. As for Dark Tower and Pet Sematary, Dark Tower was just garbage and the newer Pet Sematary was okay.
 

ConstantStu

The Stu Slinger
Sep 3, 2010
411
59
South East England
The newer IT movies are pretty good I’d say, they take liberties, but pretty good. Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is good if you don’t mind a very loose retelling of a similar synopsis. As for Dark Tower and Pet Sematary, Dark Tower was just garbage and the newer Pet Sematary was okay.

I've seen Kubrick's movie and I like The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me but those are the only ones that spring to mind. If I were to watch a King adaptation it'd have to be a bit out of the norm. If it looks like it'll just be a cheap horror that cashes in on his name i'd just as soon save my time and money.
 

Wayoftheredpanda

Flaming Wonder Telepath
May 15, 2018
4,907
22,094
20
I've seen Kubrick's movie and I like The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me but those are the only ones that spring to mind. If I were to watch a King adaptation it'd have to be a bit out of the norm. If it looks like it'll just be a cheap horror that cashes in on his name i'd just as soon save my time and money.
IT parts 1 and 2 have really good acting and character development that feel inspired by the book, the character of Pennywise is a whole lot more true to the character in the book. It's way better than the 1990 miniseries, for sure