Hidden gem

[HMW]

For some reason this one seems to fly under the radar when discussing ”best Stephen King movies”. I don't see why though. Ian McKellen is great, as is the Ethan Hawke look-alike Brad Renfro* (who plays Todd). Last but not least, it is directed by Bryan Singer, who - according to Wikipedia - ”petitioned the author for an opportunity to film the novella”.

In 1995 Singer directed one of the most compelling movies ever made (yes, I do believe so) The Ususal Suspects. He could probably have done whatever he wanted after that, apparently he wanted to do Apt Pupil, and it shows.

If you haven't yet seen it, please do. It is not a ”horror movie”, it is a movie about the potential for evil in each and every one of us, and the ending is terrific.

*When I wrote this I wondered what the hell happened to that kid (Renfro). Apparently he died at 25 from an overdose. When will we as a species get that Heroin = Death?

 

[Walter Oobleck]

Someone ought to start a thread and paperclip it...coming soon on television near you. Maybe it would not work as channels and providers vary from location to location, country to country. Never have seen this one. Would like to. But I'm not much of a TV/movie person. Channel surf if the weather is right. Like last week...I noticed one of the channels was showing Shawshank Redemption. This one must show from time to time on television, right?

 

[Neesy]

For some reason this one seems to fly under the radar when discussing ”best Stephen King movies”. I don't see why though. Ian McKellen is great, as is the Ethan Hawke look-alike Brad Renfro* (who plays Todd). Last but not least, it is directed by Bryan Singer, who - according to Wikipedia - ”petitioned the author for an opportunity to film the novella”.

In 1995 Singer directed one of the most compelling movies ever made (yes, I do believe so) The Ususal Suspects. He could probably have done whatever he wanted after that, apparently he wanted to do Apt Pupil, and it shows.

If you haven't yet seen it, please do. It is not a ”horror movie”, it is a movie about the potential for evil in each and every one of us, and the ending is terrific.

*When I wrote this I wondered what the hell happened to that kid (Renfro). Apparently he died at 25 from an overdose. When will we as a species get that Heroin = Death?

I thought this movie was very good. I watched it with my son and his girlfriend and they actually enjoyed it too. I liked the part where he makes him put on the Nazi uniform and he goes a bit berserk there for a few seconds!


too bad about that actor Renfro - such a shame to die so young

 

[GNTLGNT]

...excellent flick...

 

[OldDarth]

We will be reviewing this in our next podcast. It is the forgotten child and is worth watching just for McKellen's performance alone.

 

[HMW]

We will be reviewing this in our next podcast. It is the forgotten child and is worth watching just for McKellen's performance alone.

Cool!

 

[FireGurl26]

Very much a "Sleeper"! Excellent movie! Absolutely loved it. I don't believe it will ever be televised. Very politically incorrect in our times now. I don't believe they want to bring that history all back up. Kind of movie that sends shivers down your spine, but not In a scared type of way, but in a historical reality type of way. If that makes any sense.

 

[MissTallica]

Apt Pupil is one of my favorite SK movies. I don’t think it has ever aired on Portuguese TV though.

 

[mcpon14]

Very much a "Sleeper"! Excellent movie! Absolutely loved it. I don't believe it will ever be televised. Very politically incorrect in our times now. I don't believe they want to bring that history all back up. Kind of movie that sends shivers down your spine, but not In a scared type of way, but in a historical reality type of way. If that makes any sense.

I liked it, too. Not too many professional movie critics do, though which is a shame.

 

[taggs7475]

Really need to find a copy of this movie. Love the story haven't watched the film yet.

 

[John Excell II]

I like to find a copy of this movie. Love the story haven't watched the film yet.

It's not too bad of a story!!

 

[Tiny]

Its hard to take a Stephen Kig story and turn it into something thats...
TV-PG . ...ITS...damn hard

 

[not_nadine]

Really need to find a copy of this movie. Love the story haven't watched the film yet.

I started to watch it, but it disturbed me. I found myself feeling so sorry for the actor dressing up. I could not finish it. Even knowing what I knew about him.

Book was really great but of course troubling as well.

 

[chris2-4]

I thought this movie was pretty good. Not great but good. Worth a watch folks!

 

[mal]

I think it is apt for anyone who is a pupil of the works of Stephen King.

 

[Steffen]

It's definitely one of of the best King adaptations, even though Bryan Singer welshed out on the ending. Ian McKellen is amazing in this.

 

[SpazzTheBassPlayer]

Book was really great but of course troubling as well.

The magic of Stephen King

 

[Dana Jean]

This was a very interesting story.

 

[Pucker]

It is not a ”horror movie”, it is a movie about the potential for evil in each and every one of us, and the ending is terrific.

I haven't seen the film, but it is one of my favorite stories (as should be apparent). More than the potential for evil, I like the way this story evinces how evil can feed on itself and how intentions often matter little, once the ball gets rolling.

 

[Pucker]

I started to watch it, but it disturbed me. I found myself feeling so sorry for the actor dressing up. I could not finish it. Even knowing what I knew about him.

Book was really great but of course troubling as well.

I would never suggest that this was the author's intention (although it may have been), but I find Dussander a sympathetic character in this book. True enough, he had been a willing cog in an evil mechanism (before the story takes place), but in the story he is just an empty husk marking time until death . . . until young Mr. Bowden shows up on his doorstep. We don't know if or how tortured Dussander may have been about his role in the atrocities -- although we know he has all the angst of anyone who is juggling myriad lies -- but when he is compelled to face what we assume he has not been facing . . .

Oh . . . he's tortured then. Yes he is.

The cold reality is that sometimes difficult things must be done and hard people must do them. There are people right here on this forum who can attest. Now, this is in no way to defend the rare combination of evil and lunacy that was Adolph Hitler . . . but given a choice between them and you . . .