Night Shift: Ah...The Stephen King short story

First let me start by saying how much I love to read the SK short stories (well, most of them). I will say that there are a few that leave me with that kind of head scratching, "what the hell was he on when he wrote this" kind of feeling. Sometimes this can be a good thing, sometimes not so much. I feel like SK short stories are like good movie trailers, sometimes you get really pumped up by them, and sometimes they just leave you wanting more. I was trying to figure out how to space out my posts so that I can say a little about each story in Night Shift (even the ones that I don't really have much to say about) without getting too far behind, and without slowing my reading process. I figured that I would post after reading every 5 stories, and I think that that will work nicely. I am also planning on watching all the respective movie versions as well, and that will take some time, and I do not plan on slowing my reading for those, as it seems that there are like 8 or 9 movies that came from this collection (again, some of them complete crap, but still worth the watch just for the sake of it). Anyway, without further ado:

"Jerusalem's Lot": The first of the "SK Connections" (which I will start to compile separately). "Jerusalem's Lot" is set in and around the town of the same name in 1850, and was previously the locale for 'Salem's Lot. It is an interesting short story told through letters written to the main character's friend. It is all about the evil that lies in the deserted town of Jerusalem's Lot, and also in the "haunted" house that the main character lives in. I liked the story, but was kind of frustrated because of the continuity issues between this and 'Salem's Lot. Don't get me wrong, I understand that this story was probably written a lot earlier that 'Salem's Lot, and hence the issues, but it still nagged at me. I kept asking myself, "Is his house the Marsten house?" which it seems to be, but then the end of the story has someone else in the house in 1971, which does not make sense. And also, the town is described as being an ocean town, and in the book it is not. Stuff like that. But I really liked the style of writing, as it reminded me a lot of Edgar Allen Poe. Very Gothic.

"Graveyard Shift": Ok, I love love love this story. It creeps me right out of my skin! The story is simple enough. It is basically about a bunch of mill workers who have to clean out the basement of the mill, and get attacked by huge nasty rodents. Need I say more. My skin is crawling just thinking about it. The story does have a deeper quality at times when it comes to the conflict between the main character and his asshole boss, and how the rats play into that situation. This is a perfect example of one of those SK short stories that does exactly what it is supposed to do, and ends just when it should end. There is a movie version, with the same name, that I have not seen yet, and I will let you know what I think about it after I watch it.

"Night Surf": This one is a "SK Connection" to be. It is a very short short story about a bunch of survivors of a flu virus that has decimated the world, on the beach, really just surviving. Really just a precursor to The Stand with little variation. Not much happens worth mentioning. One of those stories that ends just as it begins. Eh...take it or leave it.

"I Am the Doorway": Another awesomely creepy story. This one is about an astronaut who has been up to Venus, and has come back infested with an alien intelligence that manifests itself in the form of eyeballs on his hand. Pretty soon the alien starts to make him murder people, and things just get worse from there. This is another story that gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I was just thinking that SK really does not dabble to much into space. I'm thinking about all the books of his that I know, and I really don't think that he has gone that far into what is considered "sci-fi". Even this story, while about an astronaut, is not really sci-fi at all. It might be interesting to see what kind of sci-fi story he would write, though.

"The Mangler": Another fun story, but one that ends way too early. It is the story of a possessed industrial folding press machine at a laundry facility that has a taste for blood. I know that even just saying that sounds really hokey, and it kind of is, but not so much while you're reading it as it is after you have finished. You kind of put the book down afterwards and say to yourself, "Really? A laundry folding machine that eats people?", but SK makes it work. But like I said, I feel like the story ends to soon. It's just at the point when the machine breaks loose and is coming down the street, and then bam...story over. But that's just me. Now, I have seen the movie, and will watch it again, but if it is anything like I remember then the movie goes to shit after the first 5 minutes. I will keep an open mind though.

Anyway, that's all for now. Stay tuned...

Rage: Getting It On "Bachman Style"

Well, from what I have read, around the time of 1977, SK decided to publish under a pseudonym, Richard Bachman, for a couple of different reasons. One, his publishers thought he would be over-publishing if he released too many novels at once, and also didn't want him to release anything but horror novels. And two, he wanted to really see if he could be successful under another name. So SK pulled out of the trunk a short novel that he has began during his senior year of high school, Getting It On. He finished it up and published it as Rage.

Let me just say, this book completely knocked my socks off.

The story is simple enough, it is about a troubled high school student, who comes into school with a gun, and holds a classroom hostage in order to "teach" them harsh lessons about themselves. The book is only 170 pages, and it packs a wallop on each page. As I was reading, I was remembering back to when I was in sixth grade when I wanted to read this for a book report. I now know why my teacher was so vehemently against me reading it. I started doing some research about this book, and was amazed at what I found. Apparently, SK has allowed this book, and any version of The Bachman Books that contains this novel, to go out of print. It is now a rarely found novel that can seemingly only be found in some libraries (or in some personal collections, so it seems). How lucky am I too have purchased in sixth grade, and not have lost it since then? But in 2007 SK has been said when referencing Rage, "Now out of print, and a good thing". So, I dug a little deeper, and I found that there has been several school shootings (mostly in Kentucky, go figure) where a student has killed some teachers, and held a classroom hostage. In 3 out of the 4 cases I read, they later found a copy of Rage among the student's things. While I am one who does not in any way think that the TV, movies, books, etc. are responsible for people doing the crazy things that they do, I can see where SK might feel like if he had not written this book, then these shootings might never have happened. That's the way guilt works. I strongly believe that if someone is capable of something horrible, then they are going to do it regardless of the inspiration.

In spite of these happenings, and maybe because of them, Rage has intrigued and also inspired me. While reading the short book, I was taken with the idea of adapting it as a play. Technically, it would be easy enough. There is really only one major scene, and most of the story is centered around the interaction between the students. I couldn't get the idea out of my head. Considering the way that SK feels about the story I doubt he would allow it to be adapted, but who knows. I think that inside the "school shooting" plot, there is a wonderful story about a group of teenagers who "discover" themselves, that can't be overlooked.

I'll keep you updated if anything comes of that. Anyway, moving on to SK first short story anthology, Night Shift.

Stay tuned...

The Shining: Wrapping It Up

Ok, I have now finished both movie versions of The Shining, and have some comments to make on both, but first I just wanted to make a few comments about my current state of mind. Hopefully what comes out here today will not be incoherent or random, but I am on some pretty strong pain medication right now, so who knows. This past weekend I got quite a scare, and not just from the works of SK. I started to get a pretty annoying pain in my abdomen on Saturday, that escalated to a stabbing constant pain by Sunday night. I thought it best to go to the ER just to make sure that one of my organs had not exploded. After a CAT scan, they saw quite clearly that it was something called diverticulitis, which quite simply is an inflammation of the colon due to "junk" getting caught in there. Anyway, what it boils down to is 3-4 days of bed rest, heavy antibiotics, and all the pain meds I want. Needless to say, any trip to the ER can be scary, and this was no exception. I was glad to find out that it was easily fixable, but lying in the hospital for 6 or seven hours waiting for tests to come back really gives you time to contemplate your worst fears, and confront your own mortality. It seems a bit melodramatic thinking about it after the fact, but most of us know that during is a whole different story. At any rate, all is well, and life ticks on.

But not for some of the people at The Overlook hotel...

My mother has told me that the first movie I ever went to see in the theatre was The Shining. This is sort of a half truth, as I was just a newborn baby, and my Mom really was the one watching the movie, while I slept most of the time in a baby chair. But in some fun way, I like to think of it as my first real exposure to the work of SK, and possibly the beginning of something great. Realistically, I hope I was a quiet baby, because I just hate those people who bring their screaming kids into movies that they shouldn't be brought into in the first place. So, I'll give my mother the benefit of the doubt, and say that she knew that I'd be wrapped in attention, and on my best behavior (snicker snicker). Ramon and I always joke about the movies that came out in "our year", meaning our respective years of birth. "Well, it came out on MY year, so it must be a good movie." is usually the phrase that is used. Well, this one is no exception. I think that most of us know how creepy, and stylistically genius this movie is. It is on the AFI's top ten for scariest movies, and I will agree. It still can scare the shit out of me, even though I know exactly what is going to happen at every turn. Now, I know that true SK fans have some major problems with this movie adaptation, and I can understand that. This movie is really more the child of Stanley Kubrick, and less of SK. The bare storyline is still present, but most of the nuances of the book have been either changed or eliminated entirely. Most of the characterization has been dramatically altered as well. At the time that this movie came out, SK was quite vocal about his dislike for what Kubrick did to his story. SK actually wrote a screenplay for Kubrick to use, but Kubrick decided not to take it because he did not think that SK was really that great of a screenplay writer (and with little exception, I kind of agree with him). SK's greatness is in his ability to create a world, weave a story, and bring it to life in his writing. Dialogue...well, sometimes his people sound a bit retarded. It works so much better in the confines of a book, but hearing some of his dialogue out loud can be kind of laughable, and not in a good way. Which leads me into talking about the 1997 TV miniseries version...

In 1997 SK wrote the teleplay for "his version" of The Shining. I remember watching it when it came out, and really liked seeing some of the things that I had always wanted to see from the book (i.e. the topiary, the wasps nest, the boiler room explosion, the Presidential "Sweet"...etc.). It also was nice to see some of the characterization followed more closely to the book. Most notably is Rebecca De Mornay's performance as Wendy. It was nice to see Wendy as I pictured her: a self reliant, but sometimes emotionally abusive woman who loves her family. No offense to Shelley Duvall, but her shitty acting (while providing moments of fun for us to laugh at) will always go down in history as one of the worst performances ever, and as an actor myself, that's not really the legacy I would want to leave behind. But I digress, all this being said about this remake, the dialogue is absolutely horrible. If I have to hear Steven Weber scream, "Take your medicine, you damn PUP!" one more time, I might kill myself. I mean seriously, who talks like that? On paper you can forgive it, but to hear it over and over again in a movie, it makes you seriously cringe.

Anyway, my head is starting to swim from the meds, so I need to lie down. I actually am almost done with reading Rage (the first of the Bachman books), and boy do I have some things to say. So, chances are, you will be hearing from me sooner than later.

More to come...

The Shining: Boozers, Users, and Two Time Losers

First of all, sorry if the title of my last post was misleading. I originally titled it, "The Shining: Isolation and Abuse", but then I got so far into the subject of isolation, that I completely disregarded the second key theme that I wanted to discuss: Abuse. As I read more of the book, it becomes increasingly clear that the subject of abuse is definitely not one to disregard, as it is another element that encircles the three characters in this book, just as oppressively as the snow.

There are so many different ways that someone can fall into abusive patterns, and most of them are present in The Shining. The most obvious form of abuse is Jack Torrence's alcoholism. I was very lucky not to really be exposed to alcoholism in my family, but have had many friends who have had parents/relatives who have. When Jack begins to get possessed by The Overlook Hotel, it is quite similar to how he gets when he is drinking. All of his drinking habits begin to surface. His addiction to the hotel takes the place of his substance addiction. Since there is no alcohol at the hotel, the demons of The Overlook intoxicate him instead. From what I have read, I understand that SK was struggling with his own substance abuse issues through most of the 70s and 80s, and carried the theme of addiction into much of his work.

The second type of abuse that is present in this story is physical abuse. There is a pattern of abuse that has passed down through the Torrence family. Jack's father would beat his wife (Jack's mother) with a cane, and the whole family seemed to cover it up. When Jack starts to become "drunk" with the hotel, he starts to scream the same things at his wife and child that his father used to scream ("Time to take your medicine!" "Come here, you whelp!"). I definitely think that there are some abusive patterns that can pass down through the generations. I find it interesting that SK shows how those patterns, just like ghosts, sometimes are only just below the surface.

Lastly, the third and sometimes the most devastating type of abuse is emotional. It seems that both Jack and Wendy have a tendency to emotionally abuse each other. Wendy is always holding her husband's failures over his head, even without knowing what she is doing. She is jealous of her son's bond with Jack. She knows that it is wrong to feel this, but can't control it. Many times in the book she finds herself almost wishing that Jack would do something that would allow her to leave him. Again, this seems to be a pattern in her family, passed down from her domineering mother. Jack ends up resenting this, and ends up hurting her right back, typically catching Danny right in the middle. It doesn't help Danny any that he can read emotions with his "shine". The poor kid doesn't know which way to turn, and always seems to be wrapped in the fear that his parents with get a divorce.

Ah, the poor dysfunctional characters of SK. More to come...

The Shining: Isolation

Ok, here I am, writing my first (and long overdue) posting for The Shining. Like I've said previously, this was one of the first SK books that I have ever read. I liked it so much back when I was a kid, and am enjoying it just as much right now. It has never failed to scare the hell out of me.

What I would like to talk about today, is one of the dominant themes in the book: Isolation. This can be quite scary all on its own, and this theme does carry the story forward even without the supernatural aspects. Honestly, most of the story in the first half unfolds without much supernatural happening at all.

About isolation...the isolation of this story is both literal and emotional. The three characters in the story are all quite alone, even though they are physically together as a family. Danny is isolated because of his gift. He can see things that no one else can relate to or understand. He has been forced to move away from the few friends he had, because of his father's mistakes. The only "person" that he has much interaction with is Tony, his "imaginary friend" who has the tendency to just scare the shit out of him most of the time. Even when Danny's mother, Wendy, tries to relate to him, she doesn't seem able to connect to him in a real way. She loves him, as a mother should, but stops just short of being to really bond with him.

Wendy's isolation comes from her fear. She spends most of the time trying to love her family, but is always wrapped in fear about what is going to happen to them. Her husband, Jack, has been abusive to their son, has lost his job for beating a student, and is trying not to be a fall down drunk. Yet when thinking about leaving him, the thing that stops her is her fear of having to live with her mother. She also is afraid for (and of) her son, with his blackouts, and his seizures, and his odd ability to "know" things. And what keeps her isolated from both is also a strange jealousy that she has for her son's unflinching adoration of Jack, even with all his faults.

And lastly, Jack's isolation comes from his own failures. Jack is an alcoholic who has come quite close to ruining his life with his problem. He has a horribly bad temper, even when not drunk. His alcoholism really is not the root of his problems. His mental state is really the underlying problem, and his alcoholism only adds to that. And even when he tries to be a better man, he's got his wife there just waiting for him to screw up. So by the time they get to the Overlook Hotel, they are isolated state is only added to.

I have had many moments in my life where I have felt quite isolated. Sometimes even with plenty of people around me, I have felt completely alone. I think that we all go through moments like that. Luckily, I have a great set of friends, and a wonderful partner who all help me to not feel so isolated, but we all have our moments, right? As for physical isolation, it is one of my greatest fears. I have always been a "city boy". I don't like being too far off the beaten path, because I feel so cut off from the world when I do. Whenever I visit places that are in the middle of nowhere, I start thinking things like, "Who is their right mind lives out here?" Or I start hearing the dueling banjo theme in my head. But the ironic part is that sometimes when I am going about my regular life, I start to crave that isolation. While reading this book, I start to think about how nice it would be to be up in The Rockies with nothing but time on my hands, and the beautiful mountain air. But I know that if I was there, I would go insane.

Don't I just love being my own biggest contradiction.

Anyway, stay tuned. More to come shortly...

The Shining: Coming Soon

Sorry for the delay in posting this week. I am helping out with a musical that my fabulous friends wrote, and it is opening night tonight. Unfortunately, that means that I have not had much reading time this week. I have read the first quarter of the book though, and I do have plenty to say, but it probably won't be until this weekend (at least) before I can collect my thoughts well enough to display them here.

Stay tuned....

'Salem's Lot: Birth of the SK Miniseries

Let me just start by saying that I don't really like TV movies much at all. I don't like the way that they tend to have that "watered down" feeling, or that they can only seem to cast really bad, has been actors. Of course there are exceptions to this, but in my opinion, that is a rarity.

That being said, for some reason, I love TV miniseries. Especially the SK miniseries. Now don't get me wrong, some of them are bad...I mean BAD. But still, for some reason, I can always seem to appreciate them. I will also say (and this goes for regular TV movies as well) that TV miniseries are no longer made like they used to. Back in the 70's and 80's you could find miniseries that were just as good (if not better) than some theatrical releases. If you don't believe me, watch "V" or "Roots".

In 1979, Tobe Hooper directed the first (and possible the most acclaimed) of the many miniseries incarnations of SK stories/novels: Salem's Lot. I remember watching this movie as a kid, and it scared the ever living shit out of me. I had nightmares for many years because of this miniseries. I just now watched it for the first time in over 10 years, and it still has some quite disturbing moments. I think that anyone who has seen it will agree that they will always be creeped out by the vampire children scratching at the window, or the main vampire, Barlow, with his overgrown fangs, and nasty face. There are also some really great performances. Most notably is James Mason as Straker, who is eerie and menacing to the end. Granted, many true fans of the SK novel will be quite disappointed with some of the ways that the story is twisted. I myself, was kind of hoping for a more faithful interpretation. My biggest disappointment was that Barlow did not seem like he was the mastermind to anything. He seemed like he was an animal that was being controlled by Straker. That in no way is what SK had in mind when he created the character. But that being said, it still maintains the overall feel of the book.

Just today, I watched the 2004 'Salem's Lot miniseries starring Rob Lowe. In this version, I saw that a lot of things were kept more faithful to the book. I love Donald Sutherland as Straker, and Rutger Hauer as Barlow. They both did a great job in embodying their roles. My biggest problem with this version is that it has lost that creepy "haunted" feeling that the book and original movie portray so well. It seemed a little too modernized to be haunting. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it is the only way I can describe it. I wish that there was a combination of the two movies, one movie that keeps faithful to the book, and also maintains the creep factor. Oh, well.

Anyway, moving on to the next book, which is also about a very haunted place...