That In Between Place

So, now I am done with 'Salem's Lot, but don't really have anything more to say about it. It was fabulous, and I loved it, but I think I've said all that I need to. This weekend, I should have time to watch both movies, and then I will make one last post on the subject. At the same time, I have not started reading The Shining yet, simply for the reason that I don't own it, and I should be borrowing it from my friend tonight. So.....I am in "that in between place". But I guess that's appropriate, since most of SK's work lies in "that in between place" as well.

It's funny, I know I'm only just starting on the 3rd book, but already I'm going into withdrawal, not having a book to sink into this week. Instead, I've been passing the time by catching up on another one of SK's favorite things, the Saw movie series. I was just reading somewhere about how much he loves these movies, and I am right there with him. I have loved them ever since they started coming out six years ago, and still love them just as much. This weekend, I will be all refreshed on Parts 1-5, and will be ready to go see Part 6 in the theater.

Lastly, I just found out that SK is going to be in town on Nov. 13th for a book signing of his newest novel, Under the Dome. I was so ready to go meet him, but alas, I will be on stage performing that night.

Sorry, Mr. King, I will have to catch you the next time around.

'Salem's Lot: What Lies Beneath

Hello. First of all, I just wanted to share this picture with you. It's of me dressed as a vampire at a costume party I went to this past weekend. It was an amazingly good time, and I was happy that I could bring some of 'Salem's Lot into the real world for one night.

Anyway, I was reading the book yesterday, and enjoying it very much, but was having a little blockage trying to come up with something to talk about here. I realize that this novel has a lot less emotional resonance with me than Carrie did, and it is more "surface value" entertainment. But then I read this one part that immediately hit me. It was a chapter when SK is describing all of the horrible things that go on behind the closed doors of the townspeople, and how people don't see (or choose not to see) too far below the surface of the "people next door". Knowing what I do about a great many SK stories, this is also a very common theme of his. And whenever he starts to write about these things, I always get so fascinated by them in a very voyeuristic way.

I find that at my job I sometimes get to learn a little too much about the customer's I serve. I work at a bank, and let me tell you, when you work with people's finances you get a chance to see a little too far into their private lives. Sometimes it can be fascinating, but most of the time it can be a bit creepy. I see people who are compulsively gambling or buying porn online, to the point of financial ruin. I can tell who drinks too much. I see who is visiting the local sex clubs on a regular basis. I see husbands or wives hiding money from their spouses. Honestly, it all kind of gives you that "not so clean" feeling. But it really does make you stop to wonder what is going on behind the doors of the most normal looking people. Granted, I'm sure we all have things that might be looked upon as "deviant behavior" if someone was watching in through the window (I won't deny it for a minute, but then again, I have no shame.)

At any rate, just some food for thought. Hopefully, I can find the time to finish the book this week, and then watch both miniseries.

'Salem's Lot: Devilish Delights

One of the things that I like the most about 'Salem's Lot is that the story mixes a "vampire story" with a "haunted house story". I love haunted houses, because of how they can really make your imagination run wild. Growing up in New England, we had haunted houses coming out of our ears. We had the famous ones like the "Amityville Horror" house, but more commonly we had a lot of old Victorian houses that were either run down, or just had some scary old people living in them. These were the houses that us kids never really went near, except at Halloween, when all houses were fair game for "trick or treating". And nothing beats the adrenaline rush you get when you think that some scary old monster is going to jump out at you while you are approaching one of those haunted houses. Knowing what I know about several SK books, my guess is that he knew at least one house like this as a child as well.

As for vampires, I have always loved the vampire mythology. It is one of those things that can take on so many varying forms, and always stay exciting and mysterious. From an early age, I was always into anything vampire related. From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it all kept me well entertained. As a child, I used to run around my backyard, forcing my brother and sister to play vampire hunter games with me. Ok, admittedly that is quite cheesy, but who hasn't done something like that as a kid? But as I got older, I started to get more entranced by the sensual side of the vampire folklore. I mean, come on, how hot is it to watch Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt (from Interview with a Vampire, and Bill Compton (from "True Blood") seducing their prey? (and for my straight guys, I don't mean to alienate you, the vampire chicks are just as sexy, I will admit). It's kind of creepy, but if a vampire showed up at my door, I might be in trouble because who knows if I would turn them away. Also, the whole lure of eternal life, youth, and beauty doesn't really help in the resistance department. Granted, the vamps in 'Salem's Lot are not really the sexiest, but you get the idea.

Can you guess what I'm being for Halloween this year?

Anyway, that's all for now.

'Salem's Lot: Home Is Where The "Haunt" Is

I think that it is so completely appropriate that I have come to 'Salem's Lot right around the month of October, when the air has chilled, and Halloween is right around the corner. I have read this book only once before, many years ago when I was a teenager. I don't remember all that much, but I do remember that I really enjoyed it.

As I have now read through the first 80 pages or so, I see that SK has developed what is to be his more common book format (Chapters, within chapters, within 3-4 "Parts"(or "Books"), within the novel). Also, unlike Carrie, the action of the story really does not get going for a good way into the book. SK spends a lot of time setting the scene, and developing characters, which I appreciate completely. I do like this format a lot, and I feel that he develops his stories well with this layout.

Now about my first personal 'Salem's Lot reflection...the first part of this book is mostly about how the main character, Ben Mears, comes back to the town of Jerusalem's Lot ('salem's Lot for the "Ho's at home") after being away for 25 years. The feeling of the story, in my opinion, is much like a ghost story. And it is quite fitting, because visiting a place that you knew as a child is quite haunting. I grew up in Connecticut, and lived there until I was 21 years old, when I picked up and moved to Atlanta, GA (8 years ago, for those of you keeping score). I have been back several times to visit family, attend funerals, and other such things that pull you home. Each and every time I go back, I get a haunted sort of feeling. There are always ghosts of places I used to play as a child, or of hangouts that I spent nights as a teenager. Whenever I'm there, there is always a part of me that never wants to leave, but simultaneously can't get away quick enough. It's an odd sort of feeling, that I don't know how to express except by saying that it is a "haunting" of sorts. Even now, thinking about it, I get lost in thought. I remember more and more things, and people, and places that will forever be trapped in some mental bubble. When I was younger, I swore that once I got out of CT, I would never NEVER move back there. But as I get older, it calls to me in a strange way. I don't know if I ever will move back there, but I certainly will always be haunted.

Well, I'll leave you with that thought for the day...

Carrie: The Films and Conclusion

Today I spent a few hours watching both the 1976 theatrical and 2002 TV movie versions of Carrie. I only really have a few comments to make on both version:

As for the original movie, I have always loved this film adaptation. Even though I may be slammed for saying this, I am a big fan of Brian De Palma's films. I recognize that he spends most of his time ripping off other directors (primarily Hitchcock), but I can honestly say that in all his "hackishness" he has developed his own easily recognizable style (i.e never ending tracking shots, extreme deep focus shots, and the always fun split screen images). In his adaptation of Carrie, there are a lot of scenes and images that will always be remembered, and have already made their way into film history. The performances of Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek were deliciously disturbing, and well deserving of the Oscar nominations that they both received. I also feel that Amy Irving gave a heartfelt performance as Sue Snell. My biggest criticism of the film is that the destruction that Carrie White causes stays too small. She burns down the prom, and then just goes home to take care of her mother. No one else in the town is effected. Even in the final scene, Mrs. Snell is on the phone while Sue is sleeping, and she says to someone, "We're all a bit shaken up..." In the novel, no one could claim that they were only "a bit shaken". But that's a quite minor complaint. I have always loved the movie, and still think that it leaves a lasting impression.

When it comes to the 2002 TV movie, there are things that I enjoy, and some things that I could do without. First of all, I understand that that the confines of a TV movie are much more restrictive than a theatrical release. There is obviously not as much that you can get away with due to censorship. That being said, this version still does an excellent job keeping the feel of the story alive. I also appreciate how this movie attempts to keep a bit truer to the novel, including scenes such as the rocks falling on the White's house, and the destruction that Carrie causes in the town of Chamberlain. The prom scene is equally well executed, and disturbing. The biggest downfall in my opinion is the ending of the movie. (SPOILER ALERT) Carrie lives?!? Really? I think it diminishes the power of the story by having Carrie survive, only to run away from town (with the help of Sue Snell) to live another day. I did find out that this TV movie was going to be the pilot for a TV series (which never got made), and that is why she gets to live. I guess that makes it a little more palatable, but not by much.

Well, that's all for Carrie. Moving right along to 'Salem's Lot...

Carrie: "Innocent schoolgirl or vengeful demon..."

"Innocent schoolgirl or vengeful demon...Carrie will make you shudder." This quote was taken off the back cover of my copy of Carrie (which I just finished). It makes me wonder.

How much of what Carrie did to the town of Chamberlain, ME was she personally responsible for? If you wanted to argue the "innocent schoolgirl" theory, Carrie was a teenage girl just going through puberty, and suffering a traumatic school and home life. A typical child in those circumstances would undoubtedly lash out at those around her. We see that in various forms and degrees of severity every day. Carrie just happened to posses certain powers that other typical children do not. How often do we see child abusers, murderers and rapist's lives examined, and the moment it is uncovered that they were abused as children, or picked on in school we all say, "Ah...that explains it." Does it really? It is easy to look at a person's misfortunes and turn them into a reason...but is that really an excuse? Don't we all have free will that stops us from doing such horrific things in the heat of anger? So..."innocent schoolgirl"? I can't agree to that. In my previous post, I said that when I was picked on in school, that I would have done exactly what Carrie did had I the power. I don't know if I can amend that now honestly, and that thought alone gives me pause. I would like to think that I would have had the power to stop myself, before I committed murder, but rage, in a tormented teenager can be a dangerous and destructive thing. And just how "innocent" is anybody really?

As for the possibility of Carrie as a "vengeful demon"...this is a thought that I had never really considered until just today when I was exchanging comments on my last post with Jerry. I referred to Carrie as "becoming a god" when she rained down death and destruction upon the town. In the book, she even starts to think of herself as "...the Angel with the Sword. The Fiery Sword." Maybe that's not too far off the mark. Perhaps, a god trapped in human form, is more like it. As Carrie's power grows, she starts to effect people. She doesn't just move things with her mind, she gets into people's heads. This makes me think that maybe she is not an entity of her own. She is a part of everything and everyone around her, like nature. This is indeed what some would consider "God". Once she gets going, she brings the whole town down to its knees. Why the whole town? Why not just those who harmed her? I think that it is because it was not just the kids or her mother who drove Carrie to this point of breakage, and it's not just Carrie White who is being avenged. As the book constantly reminds us, there are plenty more "Carrie Whites" out there. She is a literary representative for all of the angry, abused, tormented, and troubled children in the world. She brings the whole town down, because it IS everyone's fault. And so all of society must be punished. I think that is why Chamberlain does not get rebuilt in the end. The damage is beyond repair, and the survivors are forever scarred. No one will forget Carrie White. And there is no feeling of closure in the end of the story, because the story is not really ever over.

So "innocent schoolgirl or vengeful demon"? Take your pick...but I think that like most things in life, it falls somewhere in the grey area between the two.

I will check in again after a viewing of both movie versions...and then on to 'Salem's Lot.

Carrie: Crazy Religious Folk

First of all, if I haven't said it before, let me just say it again...This book rocks. Every single time I read it, it gives me the same goosebumps, and the same sick feeling in my stomach as it steamrolls towards its climax. I forced myself to stop reading just a few minutes ago, right before the moment when the pig's blood comes showering down. From that point in the book, I always like to read straight on until the end without stopping, because of the momentum of the suspense. And unfortunately, I won't have time to do that until tomorrow.

But for the moment, I would like to reflect on something else.

I have never been the kind of person to put much stock in organized religion. Mostly, because they always kind of scared me (don't get me wrong, I have some beliefs, but they don't really fall into any particular religion). It's the whole "mob mentality" of it all. When it comes to growing up with religion, my mother is Jewish and my father is Presbyterian. When they divorced they decided that they were going to expose us kids to both religions, but not force either one on us. After awhile I just kind of shied away from both, because I didn't really relate with either one. As I continued to grow up, I came into contact with people of all kinds of different beliefs and religions. Some were beautiful...and some not so much. Unfortunately, the people who seemed to use their religion for uplifting, good purposes were the minority. And the majority of the people who were the most vocal about their religious beliefs, also seem to be the ones who treat people the worst, have the most prejudice, or use their beliefs as excuses to hate.

I think that this is why the character of Margaret White (Carrie's mother) is such a terrifying and unforgettable one. She may seem way over the top, and unreal after a first glance, but if you really think about it, chances are that you can probably name at least one person you have enountered that's not far off.

Now, let me stop to say that I do not feel that all religious people are like this, by any means. I know plenty of devout people who are wonderful and accepting human beings, who would not hurt a fly. I only wish there were more people like that who crossed my path.

Well, anyway, that's my two cents for now. I'll write again when I finish the book, hopefully tomorrow. (And then we can watch the two movie versions...yay!)

Carrie: Childhood Hell

Well, I suppose it's fitting that Carrie is the first book I get to read and discuss, because it not only is the SK book that I have read the most amount of times, but it is also the one that brutally reminds me of my own school experiences. Growing up, I was always the kid who was so desperate to fit in with others, but never could. I only ever had girls for friends, because the boys all thought I was too much of a "sissy", and I was never into things like sports. I remember one time in the 3rd grade, when my teacher, Mrs. Nigri, called my mother in for a conference to discuss my "social development" (or lack thereof). My mother was quite defensive when my teacher suggested that I start to try to participate in sports activities to "toughen me up". My mother told Mrs. Nigri that I was doing just fine, and would not be forced into participating in activities that I was not interested in. I don't really know the exact conversation that transpired, but in the end I think it pretty much amounted to my mother telling my teacher to "piss off". If it was one thing you could always count on my mother for, it was for defending her children. And I did appreciate how she stood up to Mrs. Nigri, even at that time.

But none the less, I still got picked on incessantly. Through elementary school, I remember getting "pantsed" while playing on the jungle gym. Everyone either referred to me as a "girly girl", or as I got older, a "fag". It reached its pinnacle in the dreaded "Middle School Years". I dreaded even going to school at all during the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Some of the worst times were just spent on the bus going to and from school. There was this one guy, whose name totally escapes me now, who would sit in the seat behind me, and continously "gleek" into my hair (for those who don't know, "gleeking" is when you shoot spit through your teeth in quick spraying spurts). I would just sit there ignoring it, with my face buried in a book (I think I was reading It during most of that time). One time, in the 8th grade, someone even went so far as to put a sewing needle into the handle of my locker, so that it stabbed me when I went to open the door.

Kids can be real motherfuckers, can't they.

I was quite lucky, though. Two things happened during the later part of the 8th grade, that helped me find my self confidence. Some of my girl friends convinced me to come to an audition for a local youth production of "Godspell". I had done some choir, but never any acting before. I auditioned, and somehow got cast in the lead role. All of a sudden, I was the popular one. I had friends, and people started to see me as their social equal. I even had some high school guys come backstage after the show, to make sure that I would be audtioning for the high school shows next year. It was a feeling that I had never had before. The second thing that happened to boost my confidence was the realization that I was gay. While for a lot of kids, this could have been a harsh realization, for me it was empowering. I realized that I did "belong", just not with the crowd that I had always wanted to belong to.

I started my freshman year of high school as a new person. Not many people picked on me anymore. The ones that did, I just laughed off. Somehow I escaped being the class scapegoat. But never have I forgotton those early childhood days. Never have I forgotton the feeling of "being" Carrie White. There is a passage from Carrie that always almost makes me cry. It's on page 8 and 9 during the "Plug it up!" scene, when SK is describing all the things that the kids have done to her over the years again and again and again. "Gut wrenching" is really the term for how it makes me feel when I remember those days.

Would I have brought down bloody murderous destruction on the kids who teased and taunted me if I had had Carrie's powers? Like Carrie, I don't really think I would have had much choice in the matter.

It bears repeating, kids can be real motherfuckers.

Well, here we go...

Thank you for coming to check out my blog. I still don't quite know what I plan to accomplish here, or if I plan to accomplish anything at all. Either way, I plan to take the ultimate journey through the intricate world of Stephen King, book by book, story by story, and I hope you will join me as I go. Before I begin, I just wanted to say a little bit about myself, and my connection to the works of Stephen King (from here on referred to as "SK"). I think it will be important, since most of what I plan to write in here is about how each of SK's works impacts me personally.

SK has always had a hold on me in one way or another, as early as 8 or 9 years old. I grew up in Fairfield County, Connecticut. My parents divorced when I was very young. I had two siblings at the time, Maggie and John. The custody arrangement was that we stayed with my father every other weekend, and had dinner with him on Wednesday nights. At that time, I did not have the best relationship with my father (our relationship has improved significantly since then).Most weekends that I would have to stay with him, he would let me go to the library all day long, and just read and wander. Being so young, the library was a big, mysterious, and wonderful place. I would get lost just wandering through the aisles, looking for anything of interest. The children's section never really appealed to me. It was too safe, too boring. It reminded me of my school library. I spent most of my time wandering through the adult sections. My favorites were always the sections about movies, and the horror novels.

That, of course, is where I discovered SK.

I was a very advanced reader for my age, but still not quite advanced enough to be able to tackle a SK novel. But I was mesmerized by the cover art of his hardcover novels. I would pull them all off of the shelves, and sit on the carpeted floor of the library with all of them in front of me. Most vividly, I remember the cover of It, with the picture of the paper boat headed towards the sewer drain, with the monster's hand coming out of it. I remember the cover of Carrie, with her face peeking around the corner so you could only see half of it. The list goes on. I would read the cover jacket flap, and get so intrigued into what kind of stories were housed in these books. But I never could have borrowed these books without my parents throwing a fit. After all, I was only like 9 years old at the time, and they were still watching what I was reading. So I just visited the books at the library on weekends.

It wasn't until I was in the sixth grade (around 11 or 12 years old) when my parents didn't really care what I was reading anymore. I had purchased of a copy of The Bachman Books from the bookstore, and was determined to read the whole thing for a book report for school. Well my teacher shot that idea right down, when I told her what I planned on reading. She said that it was far above my head, and she would not allow it. Damn, I was pissed off. In hindsight, she may have been right, but the way she went about shooting me down got me so steamed, and it just made me even more determined to prove her wrong. I didn't really get a chance though, because we moved out of town, and I started a new middle school that year. And in that new school library, I was delighted to find that they had paperback copies of a number of SK books. So, I ended up shelving The Bachman Books for the moment, and picked up Pet Sematary, and it became the first complete SK book that I had ever read. Needless to say, it was amazing. In quick succession after that, I read It and The Shining.

I was recently reading The Tommyknockers (one of my favorites) and one thing that I couldn't help thinking was that SK has this crazy power of being able to completely hypnotize his readers, much like the ship does to the people of Haven in the book. As I made my way through the book, I also was thinking about how he has created a whole alternate universe that weaves and links into itself repeatedly. I have read most of his books and stories, but not all of them, and definitely not in order. So that is when I came up with the idea for "The Ultimate Stephen King Experience". I will start at the beginning, and read every one of his books and stories in chronological order to get the full scope of the SK universe. Then I plan on keeping an online blog into my progress, and I plan to not only blog about things in the actual writing that interest me, but also how it effects me personally, and what impact it seems to have on my life. Not the most original thing in the world, I'm sure. And I'm positive that plenty of people have done it before...but oh well. This is not meant for me to be the most original or most clever blogger in the world. It's just for me to hopefully discover a piece of myself, through the eyes of my favorite author.

Well, that's quite enough of an introduction for this thing to get rolling. If you have your own desire for an Ultimate SK Experience, please feel free to read and blog with me. I would love to see other's insight into the SK Universe.

Without further ado....Carrie is calling.