Gerald's Game goes to Netflix

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Mr Nobody

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2008
3,306
9,050
Walsall, England
Watched it last night. Excellent adaptation, probably one of the best. Outstanding performances from Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood (I've been a bit of a fan since Nowhere Man; a very dependable actor. And Carla? Not seen her in much, really, but thought she might be just a pretty face. Not so! She deserves to be in the running for an award or two on this evidence. And yeah, she's gorgeous besides).
The voiceover and ending were a bit meh, but didn't really jar too much.
 

Aloysius Nell

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Apr 1, 2014
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I will add myself to the crowd that loved it. I was halfway through Dreamcatcher (only meh, but I was going to finish it last night) only to find Netflix had taken it off! I was an unhappy camper so searched for more SK things and figured I'd just start this.

Well, that didn't happen. I was GLUED to it the whole time. Carla was FANTASTIC. I honestly don't think I've seen her in anything since Son-In-Law 25 years ago. I know she's been acting but I just haven't seen any of it. WOW.

As for the adaptation, not much more to be said. I will put it right up there with Stand By Me and Green Mile as the best I've seen. I felt a little bit let down by the ending (post-escape). I felt it was a bit rushed, like they just wanted us to get the info about Joubert and get it over with. It was the only part that seemed a little clumsy. Ah well, every diamond needs a flaw.
 

Machine's Way

“Go then, there are other worlds than these.”
Jul 13, 2009
671
2,877
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Baltimore
I have not read any of the previous comments as I didn't want any spoilers. My question is - I haven't read the book yet, I usually want to read a book before I watch a movie/show, do I stick to my usual rule or is it worth watching?

I always suggest reading the book first, but thats just me. The movie has been made and will be there waiting when you are finished. And honestly depending on your reading pace, you should be able to get thru the book in a few days to a week I would imagine.
 

lovely1

Well-Known Member
May 16, 2010
337
437
Trinidad and Tobago
I have not read any of the previous comments as I didn't want any spoilers. My question is - I haven't read the book yet, I usually want to read a book before I watch a movie/show, do I stick to my usual rule or is it worth watching?

Read the book first, it made watching the movie more delightful. =D The book isn't that long so that's a plus.
 

JMR

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2017
296
1,706
44
I just got done watching Gerald`s Game over the weekend. I thought it was good. I never read the book so this is for the movie only. I won't go in to the story here but for me it had to do with the personal cages of the mind and soul. What holds back and down. Really most of the talk was between two people witch made the problem more personal. It was not over gory and I know some may find it slow. But you got to really listen what they are saying and deeper meaning between the words.

It was bit quite at times. The dog was loud, then when they did the talking they seem to whisper. I think it was make it more personal. It was a good thriller. I really had no clue how it was going to end. Just no there not of action like car chases and such. It more of thriller in a different way
 

Steffen

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,233
12,800
Okay, definitely do not read this unless you have watched the film.

I agree with Flanagan's decision, especially the way Jessie handled the confrontation at the end.
She took the high road, and it was a hurrah moment for me personally. She realised that she gave men far more importance in her life than they merit, and it just wasn't worth the anger any more.


[Interview] Mike Flanagan Talks Controversial 'Gerald's Game' Ending and One Thing He Couldn't Leave Out - Bloody Disgusting
 

Nomik

Carry on
Jun 19, 2016
3,973
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Derry, NH
I was trepidatious about this adaptation to begin with: the book was one of those that seemed meant more for the written word than the screen. The book struck a deep chord with me from the first time I read it at thirteen. I've re-read it time and time again, and each time I've found it to be a deeply psychological bit of literary catharsis. There are parts of that book that reach into depths of your psyche that you didn't even know existed, and they drag those parts out into your consciousness that resists examining these feelings.
That said, I think that the adaptation was as well done as it could have been, for an adaptation that was tricky to make, at best. A few things seemed a little glib, for example,
I felt that the "ghosts" of her husband and alter self were a bit to darkly humorous. I don't recall this playing out that way in the book, but it worked, I guess.

Another plot point that I had no idea how the directors would handle:
The father daughter incest scene during the eclipse was done fairly well, but it didn't portray the amount of disgust she felt in the shower afterward, and how she felt such shame at the smell of copper on her dress.

As far as my favorite part of the book goes:
One of my favorite parts of the book was that Dolores Claiborne crossover scene, where she actually sees Dolores via the eclipse, by means of that SK universe magic. It just didn't the same thrilling impact in the on screen dialogue.

On a completely different note, let's talk about the dog, because I am very excited about it!

This is very exciting to me because it is a Belgian Tervuren, the breed of dog that I grew up showing and breeding for my parents' Kennel, Beaver Brook!

We call them Tervs, and the Terv world is fairly small because they are sort of a rare breed. They are a herding dog, kin to the Belgian Malinois, Belgian Shepherd, and the Lakenois. In Europe, all of the breeds are listed under Beligian Shepard, with variations for coat length and texture.
Whenever a Terv is in a movie, it causes a big, excited hullabaloo in the Terv world, with everyone gossiping about whose dog or bitch was in a Hollywood film! (Please don't edit that, it's actually how dog people talk).

Here are a few pictures of Tervs I've owned and showed throughout my life: They make movie dogs; Tervs are featured in "The Watchers" and "In the Company of Wolves".
Wh3hXOom.jpg

That was me taking Junior Showmanship that day with our bitch, Daci
DuNwhx6m.jpg

Our most recent and dearly departed Dante, RIP
p4piCDpm.jpg

Magic
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Magic, I think

Forgive my indulgences with the Tervs here, but we dog people go crazy when our breed is featured in a movie. Some don't like it, because having your breed star in a movie puts the breed in danger of becoming popular or trendy, something we do not want. That leads to backyard breeding with no health, temperament, or most importantly, owner screening. I like showing off our breed, Especially if it is a half decent specimen like in this movie.
 
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Tooly

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2014
179
658
57
Victoria, Australia
I've read the book a couple of times, so knew a movie would be a difficult endeavour. But they did a very good job, and kept pretty much to the book with only the 'odd' tweak here and there.
Carla and Bruce and the little girl did a wonderful job. But, the CreepyMcCreepyface award must go to Carel Struycken.
Funnily enough, I always pictured Michael Berryman as Joubert in the book.
d5b98f0b534b985279c48731293d8beb.gif
 

RichardX

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2006
1,737
4,434
I thought it was pretty good other than a couple of peeves. I thought they copped out on the nudity. Can understand needing to market this to a more mainstream audience but if they can deal with the other issues in the movie then perhaps the audience could have dealt with that.

I also couldn't see this uptight couple having a bondage session while leaving the front door wide open.
 

Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
I was overall happy with it. I wish it was longer though and they had included Ruth and Nora as characters in the bedroom. I liked the early part the best, as it introduced more new elements that weren't in the book, but felt right somehow.

I didn't find Joubert scary at all. I wish they had gone with a more unknown actor, Carel Struycken is too well known and likeable - it felt more like the Giant from Twin Peaks was there, so the reveal that he's in the room didn't work at all for me.
Curious: was anyone here who hadn't read it before shocked by the reveal that Joubert was in the room?

I also felt Jessie was a little too fresh looking as she exited the house near the ending. This part always makes me think of The Hitchhiker section from Creepshow 2. Was waiting for Joubert to still turn up and say 'Thanks for the ride, lady!' But I'm glad they didn't go for multiple repeat shocks near the end though.

It was kind of strange to finally see it, as the book is from so long ago. It doesn't quite feel like an instant classic as 1408 to me, but I guess it's meant as a tv-movie, not theatrical. It felt like something in between a tv-movie and theatrical to me: better than a tv-movie, but not quite as cinematic as a theatrical movie.

Have to get used to Netflix though. There quite regularly (so far not more than once during a programme, and not during Gerald's Game) is a short loading moment. So I guess it requires real high internetspeed. Not so fond of the image quality either - Gerald's Game looks good, but not every show looks as good - Stranger Things doesn't look so good to me.