Category Archives: stephen king
Untold Horror’s Dave Alexander on ‘It’, ‘Stranger Things’ and the Endless ’80s
Without It, we wouldn’t have Stranger Things, but without Stranger Things we wouldn’t have It – at least not quite the version of the film that hits theatres today. The Duffer Brothers, creators of Stranger Things, have cited both the Stephen King novel and the 1990 TV miniseries adaptation of it as major influences on their hit Netflix show – “probably the biggest,” noted Ross Duffer in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Years ago, before It helmer Andy Muschietti took over from Cary Fukunaga in 2015, the Duffers approached Warner Brothers about mounting the remake but were turned down because they weren’t considered established enough to take on King’s epic tale of children banding together to take on the evil, sewer-dwelling, child-eating clown-entity Pennywise. So the siblings created Stranger Things instead, which also features a close-knit group of small town misfit kids (one of them played by Stranger Things‘ Finn Wolfhard) facing an incredible supernatural evil.
The Road to #1 Will be Hard for ‘The Dark Tower’
Will an adaptation of a cult favourite series from one of the most popular writers on the planet be able to stave off fan skepticism and critical blows to debut at the top of the box office? Here’s our prediction:
Let’s just get this out of the way: I loved The Dark Tower books. I’m a massive Stephen King fan. I am predisposed to enjoy the film that arrives in theaters this weekend, regardless of its quality. But, realistically, this is a hard road for The Dark Tower, based on the scathing reviews its receiving and a fan base that feels let down by many of the decisions that surrounded bringing Roland and the Man in Black to life. There was so much working against this film prior to the horrible reviews, and it appears so many fears are actually being realized. Regardless of how good or bad the performances from stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey are, neither actor can open a film, let alone one that was supposed to be the beginnings of a brand new franchise. While there are die-hard fans of The Dark Tower who will venture out this weekend to see the film, reviews be damned, the crossover appeal is going to be limited, and unless there’s a severe difference between critical and audience response a la Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Tower is going to underperform below even the initial light projections. Look for a first place debut with $26 million.
My Mission to The Dark Tower
For me the release of The Dark Tower as a major motion picture is a countdown. I’m on the clock, literally, as I want to finish the book series before the film comes out on Friday. I don’t know if I’ll make it. While you wish me hopeless luck, meet me after the jump to find out why I’m doing it, and my re-read thoughts.
The Path to The Dark Tower is Near
To say that reading The Dark Tower changed my life is far from an understatement. It’s a fact. I never read Lord of the Rings. I haven’t gotten into Game of Thrones. No, for me, it’s only been Roland Deschain and his quest to get to the tower that holds all worlds together.
Seven years ago, I was commuting from my home in Toronto to a crappy job about 90 minutes via subway away. What kept me going through the first few months of 2010 was reading The Dark Tower on my little Sony e-reader. While I had picked up the original trade paperback edition of The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger when it was released back in 1988 (and I was just 11 years old), and read subsequent instalments including The Drawing of the Three and The Waste Lands, the wait time between novels had killed my interest in the series, and it lay unfinished. However, in that winter of 2010, I was determined to read the books I’d already started, and finish the series.
Trailer time: IT
You’ll float too, in the new trailer for Stephen King’s IT, which is due in theaters September 8th. And yes, it looks damn frightening.
Trailer Time: The Dark Tower
The trailer for The Dark Tower is here. As an acolyte of the series, which changed my life, I have to say I am far more impressed than I thought I would be. Changes from the series are clear, but it still feels like the story I love. Just a different take. we’ll discover how it all turns out in August.
Trailer Time: ‘It’
We all float down here. The first official trailer for Stephen King’s It is here…and it is scary.
It arrives in theaters September 8th, 2017.
Holiday Gift Guide 2016: Six Books To Stuff Into Stockings*
Being literate is especially important in our current post-truth, post-facts world. And it’s especially significant when you need to take a break from reality, look into the roots of current affairs, or just expand your horizons a little.
Here are six books that fit the bill.
Read the rest of this entry
Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Fangirl Accessories
I am a girl who loves to wear her fandoms. You can keep your gold and your Louis Vuitton. I’ll take a pair of TARDIS earrings and a Totoro purse any day. Thankfully with the rise of geek culture, the internet is rife with fun, amazing, fangirl accessories.
Jewelry
Diamonds may be a regular girl’s best friend, but fandom themed jewelry is a fangirl’s best friend. Ragged Fox creates delightful jewelry. Whether you fancy some mini-Lego Hulk earrings or Lumpy Space Princess earrings, there is something for all fandoms.
I think a perfect gift would be a set of Jayne’s hat earrings matched with a Serenity necklace.
A New Way to Carry Your Books
Like many bibliophiles, I’m often overwhelmed by my books- to- read pile, so instead of gifting that reading obsessed girl in your life another book to add to the pile, you could give a purse made from a book instead.
Novel Creations has an array of purses for all reading genres.
There are HP Lovecraft and Stephen King purses for the horror reader.
For Fantasy readers, every Harry Potter book is available, or you can opt for a Game of Thrones purse.
There are even a couple of Walking Dead purses perfect for carrying small zombie fighting paraphernalia.
A Little Flavor
Lips can get extremely dry in the winter. I myself keep a lip balm in every coat pocket and bag that I own. Lip balm is great, but it’s even better when it’s flavored with fandom.
Bubble and Geek creates some tasty balms.
Game of Thrones fans can keep their lips moist with Winter is Coming.
Harry Potter Fans can enjoy Butterscotch Brew and Pumpkin Pasties.
Whovians can apply some Sonic Screwdriver or Jammy Dodger to their lips, and my absolute favorite, Bubble and Geek has created a tinted lip balm set based on The Doctor’s female companions.
I’d be happy to find any of the above items wrapped, bowed, and with a gift tag with my name on it. They are things that can’t easily be found in stores, and are perfect gifts for fangirls who love to wear their fandoms.
31 Days of Horror 2015: Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot
Sometime around 1980 a new paperback appeared in our household reading library (which conveniently doubled as our bathroom). This in itself was not an odd occurrence. Pretty much my entire reading universe at the time was comprised of whatever novels I happened to find in the bin next to the toilet.
…yeah, way too much information, Jim…
Find out what I found, after the break.
