Discussion October 16 - In The Tall Grass by Stephen & Joe

[fljoe0]

Tonight we will discuss In The Tall Grass by Stephen King and Joe Hill. Also, feel free to discuss and compare the new movie out on netflix. Tonight at 8 (ET). Be there, aloha. I read this last night and I read the kindle version that I bought when this was released a few years back. I wonder if the Full Throttle version has any differences. I know Stephen sometimes likes to make a few changes to his stories when they migrate to collections.

 

[Dana Jean]

In the Tall Grass Part 1 | Esquire | JUNE/JULY 2012

Part 1 of 2

classic.esquire.com

In the Tall Grass Part 2 | Esquire | AUG. 2012

If the first half of “In the Tall Grass” was about suspense and thrills, the second half is about true horror

classic.esquire.com

 

[fljoe0]

This one would fit nicely in the 70s group of horror shorts that SK wrote.

I liked how creepy the tall grass was after Becky and Cal got in it. The wet sticky grass and the hot water they had to stand in was a nice touch.

 

[cat in a bag]

I really don't like this story very much. It is so very gruesome and it makes me uncomfortable. But I think that is also a mark of a good story...if it makes you feel things.

Watched the movie today too. I liked the changes made to it. I think I like the movie version better.

 

[Spideyman]

I have not seen the movie, so can only speak about the written story. Must admit, it is not one of my favorites. The beginning grabbed me -- kept saying do not go into the grass..
Yes , the wet sticky grass, the loss of direction -- all very spooky.

 

[Spideyman]

Little things like the number of cars at the church. The newest model with dust. Started to question where the end would lead us.

 

[Dana Jean]

I have not read the story yet, but I will just for comparison especially since there are changes noted by Cat. This is what I said about the movie:

I have not read the story so don't know how well this movie chalks up to the source material, but I will say, I thought it was very well done given that the majority of the time, the scenery is grass, mud, dirt, water. All of those things are characters unto themselves and makes a striking visual. You would think not, but whomever did the creative choices on the look of this, whether that's the director or cinematographer or whomever, they made all those elements Art.
It has an amazing look.

I topped corn for a summer. Rows upon rows closing in on you. Wet and sticky and hot. The choices made with the field were made by somebody who's topped corn.

 

[fljoe0]

Do you think Steve and Joe were tying to top each other with disgusting things they could do to these characters?


Haven't had a chance to see the movie yet but might watch it tonight.

 

[Spideyman]

Saw an article that there are ten differences between the movie and book. Have it bookmarked if anyone desires to compare after seeing and reading.

 

[Spideyman]

Do you think Steve and Joe were tying to top each other with disgusting things they could do to these characters?


Haven't had a chance to see the movie yet but might watch it tonight.

Would not doubt it, though at times i think Joe has a gore factor higher than Stephen's.

 

[cat in a bag]

I think, even with the changes, the movie stayed very true to the story. It is a pretty short story, there had to be changes to make it into a full length movie.

The weeds "were" corn in my imagination. I have never seen a field of grass that tall, so corn was my closest comparison.

I don't want to comment too much on the differences between the movie and story, for spoiler reasons, but there were nice little Easter eggs in the movie, like Christine in the church parking lot. Loved that.

 

[Dana Jean]

Do you think Steve and Joe were tying to top each other with disgusting things they could do to these characters?


Haven't had a chance to see the movie yet but might watch it tonight.

A limerick I posted on the site I have no doubt was Joe. Even though Joe is an adult man, he's sort of this child/man . -- and that limerick comes right from a child/man mind. I believe it wholeheartedly.

There once was a man named McSweeney
Who spilled some Gin on his weenie
Just to be couth, he added vermouth
and slipped his girl a martini.

This just made me laugh and if you really think about it, this is very clever and well written. So yes, I think they try to gross each other out, I think they try to make each other laugh. It's fun and games -- not a job.

I love their playfulness.

 

[fljoe0]

A limerick I posted on the site I have no doubt was Joe. Even though Joe is an adult man, he's sort of this child/man . -- and that limerick comes right from a child/man mind. I believe it wholeheartedly.

There once was a man named McSweeney
Who spilled some Gin on his weenie
Just to be couth, he added vermouth
and slipped his girl a martini.

This just made me laugh and if you really think about it, this is very clever and well written. So yes, I think they try to gross each other out, I think they try to make each other laugh. It's fun and games -- not a job.

I love their playfulness.

That limerick is in the book, is it in the movie?

 

[Dana Jean]

That's in the book, was that in the movie?

Yes

 

[cat in a bag]

That's in the book, was that in the movie?

Yes.

 

[fljoe0]

The brother and sister were on the same wavelength about everything all their life. They could finish each other's sentences, etc. Why did Becky have the disturbing dreams before this happened and Cal didn't?

 

[cat in a bag]

The brother and sister were on the same wavelength about everything all their life. They could finish each other's sentences, etc. Why did Becky have the disturbing dreams before this happened and Cal didn't?

Pregnancy brain! It is a real thing.

 

[fljoe0]

Pregnancy brain! It is a real thing.

Yeah, that's probably it. That mother's sixth sense.

 

[Spideyman]

Pregnancy brain! It is a real thing.

Agree.

 

[Dana Jean]

Okay wait. I'm reading this now and that limerick is Edward Gorey's? Need to research this limerick now. I'm going to be so disappointed if this isn't joe and stephen's!

Also, in the movie, I loved how they would show the wet grass cutting across Becky's skin, like a knife. THe grass blades were ominous in a simple thing as that.