My Favorite Film Adaptation of an SK novel

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Cynthia E

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Apr 24, 2016
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I know Mr. King doesn't much like Kubrick's film, and it's easy to see why. SK'S original is warm and passionate. Kubrick's film is characteristically cool and ironic. I find great value in both. Few popular works address domestic violence, which is everywhere in the world. I have always thought SK's idea of setting a story about such abuse within a haunted hotel framework is brilliant. Both versions move me, though in different ways. The Shining remains my favorite novel.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I know Mr. King doesn't much like Kubrick's film, and it's easy to see why. SK'S original is warm and passionate. Kubrick's film is characteristically cool and ironic. I find great value in both. Few popular works address domestic violence, which is everywhere in the world. I have always thought SK's idea of setting a story about such abuse within a haunted hotel framework is brilliant. Both versions move me, though in different ways. The Shining remains my favorite novel.
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Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I know Mr. King doesn't much like Kubrick's film, and it's easy to see why. SK'S original is warm and passionate. Kubrick's film is characteristically cool and ironic. I find great value in both. Few popular works address domestic violence, which is everywhere in the world. I have always thought SK's idea of setting a story about such abuse within a haunted hotel framework is brilliant. Both versions move me, though in different ways. The Shining remains my favorite novel.
Welcome Cynthia
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OldDarth

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2006
730
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Canada
I quite enjoy Kubrick's version of The Shining. It's a totally different tone than the book though. Unfortunately even the TV mini-series hewed closer to the book - definitely enjoy DeMornay's portrayal of Wendy over the one Kubrick cajoled out of Shelley Duvall - it fell flat because of the miscasting of Danny. Kubrick's version does not have a great version of Danny either. Neither adaptation were able to find the right kid to play Danny. Definitely a difficult task and one of those roles where luck is needed because any adaptation of The Shining will succeed or fail on casting Danny.

That has not happened yet.

My favorite adaptation of a King story remains The Shawshank Redemption. One of the rare exceptions for me of an adaptation exceeding the source material.
 

Roho T Rooster

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2016
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I get the whole, the Kubrick changed the whole point of the novel thing. I even agree. My thing is that while i am King fan, I am separately a Kubrick fan. I have been since 2001. I like art films; and, a Kubrick film is an art film.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
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Nice post! Keep it up!
I have to admit when I saw The Shining in the theater way back when, I was sorely disappointed. I've never been able to shake that opinion, though I have seen the movie multiple times.

Me, too! I hated it when I saw it. But, after not seeing it for years and then re-watching it numerous times (first on video tape, then dvd and then (magnificently!!!) on bluray, I have come to like and enjoy it for what it is: a Stanley Kubrick film filled with stunning visuals to feast the eye upon. One must be able to separate King's novel from Kubrick's film to enjoy it. I still say Kubrick made Jack crazy from the get-go though!
 

Roho T Rooster

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2016
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Is it your favorite adaptation of a King book too?
Hmm...I kind of see the movie as being a different animal from the book. My favorite adaptation, from the standpoint of being true to the movie, and being enjoyable, is the television mini-series, "It". The opening scene was spot on; and, my sense of knowing the characters from the book easily translated to a sense of familiarity with the television characters.

But, since this is the movie forum, I will say that "Pet Sematary" is my favorite movie, adapted from a King novel.
 

CoriSCapnSkip

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Jan 16, 2015
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Posted in response to a Facebook question by an author who watches The Shining as a comfort film and asked if others do the same.

Okay, to make a short story long...I first heard about The Shining on a school bus ride in 9th grade. One girl was describing the story and another didn't believe that Jack Torrance could be so easily persuaded to menace his wife and hurt his own son. I dismissed this girl immediately as impossibly naive. If she didn't have that kind of family life herself, did she ever look at a magazine or newspaper?

It was the Kubrick film which persuaded me to read the book. When given a choice, I prefer to see the film first and then read the book. The reasons are, if the film is any good at all, it will help me envision the book, and if not, a film is less likely to ruin a book for me than vice versa. This is not the only case where I would have been very indignant had I read the book first due to the liberties taken in the film version, and there are things I would have done differently, but I was and remain surprised to this day that of all filmed versions of his work this is the only one Stephen King has said he actively hates. That's an impressive record considering the number of his works which have been filmed and the number of authors who hated filmed versions of their works.

The Kubrick film aired on the movie channel Showtime, and I liked it enough to watch it a number of times. The reasons are too numerous to cover in great detail. My dad had a lot in common with Jack Torrance. They were both English teachers with writing aspirations who physically attacked students, just my dad did not hurt anybody badly enough to get in trouble. This was during the 1950s-1970s when teachers could get away with a lot more. My dad was also super protective of his writing and work space, to the point where I became so uptight about the whole subject of writing that it hurt my writing and continues to do so to this day. Obviously he was a super picky English teacher as well. His attention to good writing helped my writing but his criticism really hurt it. I am able to do so well on a computer in part because Dad never touched one in his life--he was afraid of them but impressed by how fast I could type on one.

My sisters were identical twins, and Dad always favored them, and in The Shining Danny is haunted by the apparition of identical girl twins who were hacked to death, a scene which so terrified me--that flashing between the ghosts and the dead bodies--that I photographed it so I could study it at leisure. I put all my photographs in albums, including screen captures, and friends at college were completely freaked out, one guy saying it was one of the few things that ever genuinely terrified him and I said, "That's why I took a picture, so I could study and figure out why it was so scary."

Why it's a comfort film? Not only do I identify with all the characters in at least some respects, including Jack--but it just reminds me so of my own childhood, with my father being threatening and my mother protective--a regular theme in King's work. Anything that reminds me how lucky I am that my family was not much worse is comforting I guess. Also scary films can be of comfort if done just right. I would never watch Jaws as a child but find it a real comfort film as an adult and to some extent this applies to Poltergeist as well.
 

Mel217

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2017
904
5,756
Posted in response to a Facebook question by an author who watches The Shining as a comfort film and asked if others do the same.

Okay, to make a short story long...I first heard about The Shining on a school bus ride in 9th grade. One girl was describing the story and another didn't believe that Jack Torrance could be so easily persuaded to menace his wife and hurt his own son. I dismissed this girl immediately as impossibly naive. If she didn't have that kind of family life herself, did she ever look at a magazine or newspaper?

It was the Kubrick film which persuaded me to read the book. When given a choice, I prefer to see the film first and then read the book. The reasons are, if the film is any good at all, it will help me envision the book, and if not, a film is less likely to ruin a book for me than vice versa. This is not the only case where I would have been very indignant had I read the book first due to the liberties taken in the film version, and there are things I would have done differently, but I was and remain surprised to this day that of all filmed versions of his work this is the only one Stephen King has said he actively hates. That's an impressive record considering the number of his works which have been filmed and the number of authors who hated filmed versions of their works.

The Kubrick film aired on the movie channel Showtime, and I liked it enough to watch it a number of times. The reasons are too numerous to cover in great detail. My dad had a lot in common with Jack Torrance. They were both English teachers with writing aspirations who physically attacked students, just my dad did not hurt anybody badly enough to get in trouble. This was during the 1950s-1970s when teachers could get away with a lot more. My dad was also super protective of his writing and work space, to the point where I became so uptight about the whole subject of writing that it hurt my writing and continues to do so to this day. Obviously he was a super picky English teacher as well. His attention to good writing helped my writing but his criticism really hurt it. I am able to do so well on a computer in part because Dad never touched one in his life--he was afraid of them but impressed by how fast I could type on one.

My sisters were identical twins, and Dad always favored them, and in The Shining Danny is haunted by the apparition of identical girl twins who were hacked to death, a scene which so terrified me--that flashing between the ghosts and the dead bodies--that I photographed it so I could study it at leisure. I put all my photographs in albums, including screen captures, and friends at college were completely freaked out, one guy saying it was one of the few things that ever genuinely terrified him and I said, "That's why I took a picture, so I could study and figure out why it was so scary."

Why it's a comfort film? Not only do I identify with all the characters in at least some respects, including Jack--but it just reminds me so of my own childhood, with my father being threatening and my mother protective--a regular theme in King's work. Anything that reminds me how lucky I am that my family was not much worse is comforting I guess. Also scary films can be of comfort if done just right. I would never watch Jaws as a child but find it a real comfort film as an adult and to some extent this applies to Poltergeist as well.

Beautifully written and well thought out post...I couldn't have said it better myself!