saw the thread about The Mist, and IMHO, i had been waiting since 95 or 96 for someone to put it on celluloid (so to speak.) But there is an awful lot of Gold in the King's Mines and i am not even beginning to talk of his full length novels or even the Dork Tower series. (i call it that in jest, i liked the whole concept beyond measure.) The "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" mini-series on TNT was a good idea and i own the DVDs, but honestly they fell flat like a bad souffle`. I wanna know which of his short stories you would jump at the chance to see. i will give ya 3 of my personal favorites- Survivor Type The Jaunt The Ten O'Clock People Some of his short stories that have been done already i think coulda been a damn sight better -The Night Flier, for example, or if "One for the Road" could be done, it would be kinda like a sequel to "Salem's Lot". have a think and lemme know what you thunk.
One For the Road pretty much was a sequel to Salem's Lot. Personally, I would love to see Jerusalem's Lot made into a movie. That one kind of made you realize that vampires were far the worst thing that had ever come to The Lot.
Road Virus Heads North. The one with the golfer who was bit by a snake and paralyzed but they think he's dead. And I think it's called "Death Room"? About the journalist who goes to South America. I'd love to see Langoliers done WELL. Dark Tower Series is just so flipping EPIC that film can never do it justice, IMHO. There is so much bleeding into his other stories... Not to mention the pacing is so varied between novels that it'd feel more jolting that watching all of the Harry Potter novels back to back.
I'd love to see The Stand redone. The TV version is great, but it wasn't nearly gritty enough. Cell would make a good movie as well.
"The Moving Finger" which was adapted for that anthology horror TV series "Monsters" was excellent. I especially loved the ending. Some great dark comedy. Both "Night Shift" and "Skeleton Crew" are chalk-full of untapped gold. My favortie story from "Night Shift", "Boogeyman", has already been adapted for "Night Shift Collection 1" and is wonderful (if at times poorly acted). That needs a DVD release badly since my VHS tape is worn out. The title escapes me at the moment, but "The Monkey" (the one with the wind-up monkey with cymbols) could make a great short film. The adaptation of "The Raft" for "Creepshow 2" was excellent and, IMO, better than the short story. Both adaptations of "Trucks" can blow me, though. Yes, even the version with Emilio Estevez and Yeardly Smith. And add me to the list that would love a "Jerusalem's Lot" adaptation. I recently watched the Tobe Hooper version of "Salem's Lot" for the first time (I'm not even going to bother with that recent remake) and it reminded me how much I loved "Jerusalem's Lot". Easily one of the best Lovecraft-universe stories written. I actually prefer King's short stories over his novels. His books tend to give off this "paid by the page" vibe that rubs me the wrong way, with a lot of plodding and superfluous chapters that tend to fall flat and tread into boring territory. His short fiction is much more to the point.
"The one with the golfer who was bit by a snake and paralyzed but they think he's dead." They did that one for the TNT series- Autopsy Room 4. And i gotta say, the older his works- Night Shift, Skeleton Crew, those stories were and IMHO will be what your kids might have to read in College writing classes. hate to compare King to Rocky, but back when he was starving, making decisions like cough syrup for the kids or eating, he was fucking hungry and it drove him to master his craft. now, he seems set on cruise control. still a talented man, but he just ain't as hungry. The Jaunt was a campfire tale if ever there be one. The TNT version of "salem's lot was so-so, but seemed better than that old TV movie. Some of his stories i adore, but they just aren't box office material. Last Rung on the Ladder is a personal fave, but how can you make it 85 minutes of good film?
There's one in the "Everything's Eventual" collection about someone who's experiencing the last few minutes (hours? day? Can't remember, it's been awhile since I read it) over and over again. I remember it was pretty good. Can't think of the name though.
