Search forums

Forums

Export thread

Stephen King - One More Reason Not to Hit Him with a Van

Dec 13, 2009#1

Zappit

He's paying to fly 150 soldiers from Indiana to Maine so they can be home for the holidays. That's a real nice gesture.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091213/ap_on_re_us/us_people_stephen_king_troops

Dec 13, 2009#2

Deschain

Also he wrote only the greatest series ever.

Dec 13, 2009#3

phil

I knew he was the mastermind behind twilight

Dec 13, 2009#4

Kitty Sinatra

Damn. That was the joke I had been looking for.

Dec 13, 2009#5

Nile

Deschain said:
Also he wrote only the greatest series ever.

With the worst ending ever.

Despite the grudge I still hold against him for that, this is an awesome gesture. Good on him.

Dec 13, 2009#6

Kitty Sinatra

And that was the analysis, Nile.

Dec 13, 2009#7

Deschain

Mmm Nile, I think it was kind of fitting. There was no way it could finish, it was just built way too epic for that. Although I read an ending that I think I found decently written:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2747620/1/Dark_Tower_Coda_Redux

Dec 13, 2009#8

Chazwozel

Nile;314780][quote=Deschain said:
Also he wrote only the greatest series ever.

With the worst ending ever.

Despite the grudge I still hold against him for that, this is an awesome gesture. Good on him.[/QUOTE]

He admits himself that he sucks at endings.

Dec 13, 2009#9

Rubicon

He's still my favorite author tied with George R. R. Martin.

Kudos to him for such a display of awesomeness

Dec 13, 2009#10

Sparhawk

Zappit said:
He's paying to fly 150 soldiers from Indiana to Maine so they can be home for the holidays. That's a real nice gesture.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091213/ap_on_re_us/us_people_stephen_king_troops

Nope, paying for a two bus rides, to and from Maine, not flights.

Dec 13, 2009#11

Espy

I hope they didn't tell the soldiers in a letter. Since soldiers can't read.

Dec 13, 2009#12

ThatGrinningIdiot!

Espy said:
I hope they didn't tell the soldiers in a letter. Since soldiers can't read.

Were you making a joke Espy? If so, that one went way over my head.

Dec 13, 2009#13

Espy

"If you don't (read), then you've got the Army, Iraq, I don't know, something like that. It's not as bright." - Stephen King, 2008

But really, this is a nice thing and it rather makes up for his dumb ass comment.

Dec 14, 2009#14

CrimsonSoul

That was a cadence call when I was in the Navy back in 01 "We're not the Army, I don't think that they can read."

Dec 14, 2009#15

Espy

CrimsonSoul said:
That was a cadence call when I was in the Navy back in 01 "We're not the Army, I don't think that they can read."

I think I remember hearing my wife say their cadence call was "Who cares if we can't read, at least we aren't the Navy".

Dec 14, 2009#16

drawn_inward

Espy said:
I hope they didn't tell the soldiers in a letter. Since soldiers can't read.

Damn Espy, I was going to post the same thing.

He sure is generous. <-Read: Sarcasm. I still think he's an ass for saying that.

Dec 14, 2009#17

Thread Necromancer

I think my ex-wifes cadence call while in the navy was "In the Navy... All these men for me!"

/end bitter moment

Dec 14, 2009#18

Ravenpoe

Thread Necromancer said:
I think my ex-wifes cadence call while in the navy was "In the Navy... All these men for me!"

/end bitter moment

That was a whole different kind of mess hall.

Dec 15, 2009#19

Shegokigo

The only reason I ever need for not hitting him with a car.

Dec 15, 2009#20

Kovac

Chazwozel;314831][quote=Nile;314780][quote=Deschain said:
Also he wrote only the greatest series ever.

With the worst ending ever.

Despite the grudge I still hold against him for that, this is an awesome gesture. Good on him.[/QUOTE]

He admits himself that he sucks at endings.[/QUOTE]

I don't hate the ending to the series but considering how epic the tale was in it's entirety, I did feel less than blown away with the resolution. I'm not quite sure how I wanted it to end either... just not quite how it did.

Beginning and endings... they are just rather hard I suppose

Which book did people enjoy most if I may ask.

Dec 15, 2009#21

Deschain

The first book was nothing short of awesome. Some of them dragged on like Wolves of the Calla, but everything leading up to the end was increasingly fantastic. I like to think it has a good end, one day. Or if not, "the road goes on forever and the party never ends."

Dec 15, 2009#22

MindDetective

Espy said:
"If you don't (read), then you've got the Army, Iraq, I don't know, something like that. It's not as bright." - Stephen King, 2008

But really, this is a nice thing and it rather makes up for his dumb ass comment.

I seem to be missing the context. If he's talking about the opportunities available to the illiterate, then it doesn't seem so bad to me. I don't read it as military personnel are all illiterate, though.

Dec 15, 2009#23

Bowielee

In the context of the speech, he was saying that if you are literate, you have more opportunities open to you. If you are illiterate you don't have as many options, the military being one of them.

Dec 15, 2009#24

MindDetective

Bowielee said:
In the context of the speech, he was saying that if you are literate, you have more opportunities open to you. If you are illiterate you don't have as many options, the military being one of them.

That's largely true, isn't it?

Dec 15, 2009#25

Bowielee

Yes, but that would involve not freaking out about a soundbite, which is something the media sucks at.

Dec 15, 2009#26

MindDetective

So true. And apparently people here too.

Dec 15, 2009#27

Covar

MindDetective;315551][quote=Bowielee said:
In the context of the speech, he was saying that if you are literate, you have more opportunities open to you. If you are illiterate you don't have as many options, the military being one of them.

That's largely true, isn't it?[/QUOTE]

Not really. You still have to score above a certain point on the ASVAB to be eligible even for Infantry.

Dec 15, 2009#28

Bowielee

Sorry, I shouldn't have used the word illiterate.

"not well read" is as close as I can come to what he's talking about.

He's basically saying that the more you read, the better your options are.

Dec 15, 2009#29

Covar

Bowielee said:
Sorry, I shouldn't have used the word illiterate.

"not well read" is as close as I can come to what he's talking about.

He's basically saying that the more you read, the better your options are.

Definately I understand that. I also understand why you chose illiterate as that was what King himself used. So really all the misunderstanding on or about the sound byte lies fully with him.

Dec 15, 2009#30

Bowielee

Covar;315616][quote=Bowielee said:
Sorry, I shouldn't have used the word illiterate.

"not well read" is as close as I can come to what he's talking about.

He's basically saying that the more you read, the better your options are.

Definately I understand that. I also understand why you chose illiterate as that was what King himself used. So really all the misunderstanding on or about the sound byte lies fully with him.[/QUOTE]

No, the poor wording was mine, not his. He never even implies that soldiers are illiterate or even that they aren't well read, just that it is one of the options for people who aren't very well educated. Which is very true.

Dec 15, 2009#31

MindDetective

Covar;315608][quote=MindDetective;315551][quote=Bowielee said:
In the context of the speech, he was saying that if you are literate, you have more opportunities open to you. If you are illiterate you don't have as many options, the military being one of them.

That's largely true, isn't it?[/quote]

Not really. You still have to score above a certain point on the ASVAB to be eligible even for Infantry.[/QUOTE]

A little research shows that the ASVAB is a composite score of several sub scales. The minimum to enlist with the army (which has the lowest minimum) is 31. I've read that a score of 31 implies that you are in the 31st percentile, though I'm not sure that's actually right. In any case, a person could conceivably score a 31 if they had partial literacy or good numeracy.

Dec 15, 2009#32

Espy

MindDetective;315606][QUOTE=Bowielee said:
Yes, but that would involve not freaking out about a soundbite, which is something the media sucks at.

So true. And apparently people here too.[/QUOTE]

When I said that it was a dumb-ass comment was I freaking out about it then? Funny, I thought I was just saying it was a dumb-ass comment.
My thoughts on it is that he could have phrased better so it not only made his point but so it avoided coming off as insulting to the men and women serving their country. I do think he meant it as derogatory towards service people, but thats just my personal impression so who knows. So that being said I'm not sure who think is freaking out over it unless I missed something.

As to him as a writer, I'm a pretty huge fan. Own most of his stuff in hardcover and just started Under the Dome.

Dec 16, 2009#33

JCM

Awesome move by Stephen King, although theres no lack of reasons to love the man... from great stories (and their oscar-winning movies) like The Green Mile and the Shawnshank Redemption to horror movies ala The Shining and Misery to even comics like his Dark Tower series, the man has had a creative output that few writers have ever dreamed of having, so here's another vote for not running the man over with a van.

Reason not to run Stephen King over with a van no#2987; The introduction of coulrophobia to millions

\"Originally Posted by [B said:
Bowielee\"[/B]]
Yes, but that would involve not freaking out about a soundbite, which is something the media sucks at.

Amen

Dec 16, 2009#34

Covar

I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

Dec 16, 2009#35

Espy

Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

He doesn't just do horror, go with the Richard Bachman books if you want less horror and the Shawshank, Green Mile stuff.

Dec 16, 2009#36

JCM

Espy;316087][quote=Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

He doesn't just do horror, go with the Richard Bachman books if you want less horror and the Shawshank, Green Mile stuff.[/quote]Stephen King's non-horror stuff is pretty much great, here are some good flicks based on his non-horror stuff, for example-

-Stand by me - Based on "The body"
-Hearts in Atlantis - Based on a "Hearts in Atlantis" short collection
-Green Mile - Based on the Green mile mini-series (where Stephen King sold cheap monthly parts of the books as he was writing it)
-The Running Man (with Schwarzenegger) - Based on the Running Man novel King wrote under the Richard Bachman name, to test if his stories sold well under a different name (they did)
-Apt Pupil - Bryan Singers best flick comes from King's novel of the same name.
-Dolores Claiborne - based on King's Dolores Claiborne meganovel, which had no chapters, paragraphs, but was just one continuous monologue
-The Shawkshank Redemption - based on the novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption"
-Desperation - Based on the book with the same name
-Dreamcatcher - Shitty movie based on the book with the same name
-Secret Window - Based on King's short story "Secret Window, Secret Garden"

Unlike most writers, King doesnt ask anything but that his name appear in the credits, thus most non-King fans watch shitloads of tv shows, movies and series based on his stuff and dont know its his.

Its a bit sad, because the Stephen King has written more damn good stuff and influenced books, movies and tv series than any other writer, ever.

Edit:
His books-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_King_bibliography
His short stories - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_fiction_by_Stephen_King
Movies/tv shows/comics based of his stuff- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_based_on_Stephen_King_works

Dec 16, 2009#37

Shegokigo

Apt Pupil is one of my favorite underrated films ever, no question.

Dec 16, 2009#38

Espy

Shegokigo said:
Apt Pupil is one of my favorite underrated films ever, no question.

Ah... I remember when Brian Singer made good films...

Dec 17, 2009#39

JCM

Espy;316297][quote=Shegokigo said:
Apt Pupil is one of my favorite underrated films ever, no question.

Ah... I remember when Brian Singer made good films...[/quote]His first three flicks were cinematic perfection (Public Access, Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil), which had people calling him the next Kubrick.

Then he did two Xmen flicks, a shitty superman-yet-again-its-kryptonite! flick and Valkarie.

[STRIKE]At least his direct-to-dvd "Trick 'r Treat" was awesome[/STRIKE] (EDIT: Oh wait, that wasnt his)

Dec 17, 2009#40

Frankie Williamson

Valkyrie wasn't terrible....it just suffered with it's cast I think, most of which are fantastic actors mind you, it just seemed a film that could have used more unknown people in the rolls.

Dec 17, 2009#41

Shegokigo

Valkyrie would have been a fantastic film sans Cruise.

Dec 17, 2009#42

Espy

Is Valkyrie even worth seeing?

Dec 17, 2009#43

Bowielee

Shegokigo said:
Valkyrie would have been a fantastic film sans Cruise.

I haven't seen the film solely because Tom Cruise is in it. I just can't stand him, the only film I really thought he was excellent in was A Few Good Men.

Dec 17, 2009#44

Shegokigo

In all honesty he really takes some decent films and runs them into the ground. Some great movies would have been better with a different actor: Mission Impossible/s, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky, The Last Samurai, Interview with a Vampire. All would have been elevated to a higher status easily without him.

Dec 17, 2009#45

Shannow

Cruise is actually a great actor, his off screen antics are another matter.

Dec 17, 2009#46

ThatGrinningIdiot!

I can't imagine Lestat without seeing Tom Cruise's face portraying him, that's how impressed I am with his acting ability in Interview with the Vampire. His personality, I find is generally arrogant and obstinate, and at times: peculiar.

Dec 17, 2009#47

Kitty Sinatra

Espy;316087][quote=Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

He doesn't just do horror, go with the Richard Bachman books if you want less horror and the Shawshank, Green Mile stuff.[/QUOTE]

And a 4pack of short novels called Different Seasons. one of these was turned into the movie Stand By Me way back when.

Dec 17, 2009#48

Silver Jelly

Shegokigo said:
Vanilla Sky

Dec 17, 2009#49

Frankie Williamson

Shannow said:
Cruise is actually a great actor, his off screen antics are another matter.

I agree wholeheartidly. He can be amazing. I just think that Valkyrie called for less STARPOWAHSELLSTICKETS and a little more subtlety.

Dec 17, 2009#50

Denbrought

Silver Jelly;317136][quote=Shegokigo said:
Vanilla Sky

Have you watched the spanish original? (Abre los ojos)
It has no Cruise, but I can't really say the original actor is better. Because he isn't, Cruise is a pretty good actor. But he isn't Tom Cruise, with his Cruise Face and Cruise smile all over the picture.[/QUOTE]

Abre los ojos is so so so so so much better. It seems that every good spanish movie (and there's few of these) that gets a hollywood adaptation always gets a crappy one. Same thing happened with REC / Quarantine.

Dec 17, 2009#51

Silver Jelly

Denbrought;317140][quote=Silver Jelly;317136][quote=Shegokigo said:
Vanilla Sky

Dec 17, 2009#52

Espy

Gruebeard;317131][quote=Espy;316087][quote=Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

Dec 17, 2009#53

JCM

Silver Jelly;317136][quote=Shegokigo said:
Vanilla Sky

Dec 17, 2009#54

Bowielee

Espy;317144][quote=Gruebeard;317131][quote=Espy;316087][quote=Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

Dec 17, 2009#55

JCM

Bowielee;317236][quote=Espy;317144][quote=Gruebeard;317131][quote=Espy;316087][quote=Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

Dec 19, 2009#56

Shegokigo

Yeah I completely disagree. Every scene, of every Cruise movie I mentioned, has him doing the exact same facial features/movements, exact same voice tones, exact same mannerisms. Basically saying "I'm Tom Cruise, I'm in this movie, so it's the best movie ever made cause I say so", in his every word/movement.

Dec 19, 2009#57

Hailey Knight

JCM;317244][quote=Bowielee;317236][quote=Espy;317144][quote=Gruebeard;317131][quote=Espy;316087][quote=Covar said:
I didn't know Stephen King created the Shawshank Redemption. I've never read anything of his (not a fan of horror), but I love that movie so maybe I should check out his books.

He doesn't just do horror, go with the Richard Bachman books if you want less horror and the Shawshank, Green Mile stuff.[/quote]

And a 4pack of short novels called Different Seasons. one of these was turned into the movie Stand By Me way back when.[/quote]

Yeah, forgot out Different Seasons. Very good stuff.[/quote]

I'd also classify the Tommyknockers as more sci-fi than horror. Though it suffers from the plague of many King stories, as it has great story and terrible ending. Still not as terrible as the ending of The Stand. I swear that man just decides "well, I've crafted a wonderful novel here, but I'm bored with writing this mother fucker, what can I pull straight out of my ass for an ending?"[/QUOTE]*sniff*

That pretty much describes the latter part of IT.[/QUOTE]

I felt that way about The Stand, but It's (wow, that's the first time I've wrestled with whether or not to put an apostrophe after "it" in a long time) ending felt perfectly crafted for all it was leading up to through the book. The epilogue was a little cheesy, but the actually climax underground--I know it got weird, but it never felt like it was being pulled out of his ass. It fit with that IT was totally beyond them, in ways they couldn't imagine and apparently neither could the narrative.

Unless you're talking about the bit of kiddy sex in the pipe. I won't defend that... but IT is my favorite King novel.

Dec 19, 2009#58

Twitch

I was really enjoying reading King, I had read about eight of his novels in a row and I picked up a little book called dreamcatcher. I put it down about 1/2 way through and shelved my King books. I haven't looked at them since.

Dec 19, 2009#59

Shegokigo

Weird, I thought "The Stand" ended precisely how it should have.

Dec 19, 2009#60

Hailey Knight

The "ending" was fine; the climax in Randall Flagg's town...

Bringing the characters to there for them to accomplish nothing, having no damn reason to go because there never was a way for them to succeed anyway, and then bring in the deus ex machina hand of God to set off the pyro's nuclear bomb. What a waste.

Dec 19, 2009#61

Kitty Sinatra

I couldn't tell you what I thought of the Stand's ending. I never made it that far. Damn thing suffered from rambling, as far as I'm concerned.

I miss the shorter novels King wrote. Stuff like the Dead Zone and Firestarter, the Long Walk and Running Man. Well, his old stuff, really. Stephen King is like the rock band Rush, only Rush got shorter and boring while King got longer and boring.

Dec 19, 2009#62

JCM

Shegokigo said:
Yeah I completely disagree. Every scene, of every Cruise movie I mentioned, has him doing the exact same facial features/movements, exact same voice tones, exact same mannerisms. Basically saying "I'm Tom Cruise, I'm in this movie, so it's the best movie ever made cause I say so", in his every word/movement.

His best movies are the ones he managed to slightly improve on that, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia.

Besides that, he pretty much belongs with the Nicholas Cage and Keanu Reeves acting school.

Dec 19, 2009#63

Kitty Sinatra

JCM;318250][quote=Shegokigo said:
Yeah I completely disagree. Every scene, of every Cruise movie I mentioned, has him doing the exact same facial features/movements, exact same voice tones, exact same mannerisms. Basically saying "I'm Tom Cruise, I'm in this movie, so it's the best movie ever made cause I say so", in his every word/movement.

His best movies are the ones he managed to slightly improve on that, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia.[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry but I gotta ask: How do you forget Rain Man?

Dec 19, 2009#64

Bowielee

escushion said:
Unless you're talking about the bit of kiddy sex in the pipe. I won't defend that... but IT is my favorite King novel.

Dec 19, 2009#65

Hailey Knight

Bowielee;318253][quote=escushion said:
Unless you're talking about the bit of kiddy sex in the pipe. I won't defend that... but IT is my favorite King novel.

It wasn't until probably the 3rd time reading the book to understand what was going on in that scene.

Pennywise was able to distort their perceptions because they were children, and having sex made them adults (shakey logic, I know) so they were able to find their way out.[/QUOTE]

I know why it was necessary to happen. It was not necessary to go through it for four detailed pages.

Grue: Have you read Cell? That's shorter than the big ones, and pretty awesome.

Dec 19, 2009#66

Kitty Sinatra

No, I haven't read it. Haven't read anything new by King in ages. Mostly because I've already read a significant number by him and there's so many other authors out there. But also because Wolves of the Calla turned me off not just that series, but the author, too. I just don't care to read anything more by him.

Dec 20, 2009#67

Espy

Cell is very good. VERY good. I'm halfway through Under the Dome and it's fantastic as well. A little heavy on the "hur-hur conservatives r bad!" (but subtlety has never been his thing) but it's very good.

Dec 20, 2009#68

Shegokigo

I own Cell and it really was a fantastic novel. Now let's just hope they don't cast Tom Cruise in the film version.

Dec 21, 2009#69

Null

Couldn't be worse than The Cell with Jessica Lopez.

Dec 21, 2009#70

Hailey Knight

Shegokigo said:
I own Cell and it really was a fantastic novel. Now let's just hope they don't cast Tom Cruise in the film version.

They won't, because it's gonna be a goddamn TV movie instead of a real movie. :/

Dec 21, 2009#71

Espy

escushion;319017][quote=Shegokigo said:
I own Cell and it really was a fantastic novel. Now let's just hope they don't cast Tom Cruise in the film version.

They won't, because it's gonna be a goddamn TV movie instead of a real movie. :/[/QUOTE]

Where'd you hear that?

Dec 21, 2009#72

Hailey Knight

Espy;319027][quote=escushion;319017][quote=Shegokigo said:
I own Cell and it really was a fantastic novel. Now let's just hope they don't cast Tom Cruise in the film version.

They won't, because it's gonna be a goddamn TV movie instead of a real movie. :/[/QUOTE]

Where'd you hear that?[/QUOTE]

Fangoria

Dec 22, 2009#73

Espy

escushion;319030][quote=Espy;319027][quote=escushion;319017][quote=Shegokigo said:
I own Cell and it really was a fantastic novel. Now let's just hope they don't cast Tom Cruise in the film version.

They won't, because it's gonna be a goddamn TV movie instead of a real movie. :/[/QUOTE]

Where'd you hear that?[/QUOTE]

Fangoria[/QUOTE]

Hrrrm.

Not sure how I feel about that. I pray it doesn't end up on a channel that will censor it.

Dec 23, 2009#74

Hailey Knight

Espy;319296][quote=escushion;319030][quote=Espy;319027][quote=escushion;319017][quote=Shegokigo said:
I own Cell and it really was a fantastic novel. Now let's just hope they don't cast Tom Cruise in the film version.

Forums