Any DISers out there fans of Stephen King's "The Stand?"

[MrsKreamer]

One of my faves!!! Love, Love, Love it. Now I need to go find it and read it again!

 

[beachblanket]

The 1994 TV mini-series adaptation really is a pale shadow of the book.

Despite a relatively strong cast (Gary Sinise is a good fit with the Stu Redman character, and Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe actually work in their parts), the surreal atmosphere of the novel -- an artful mix of the Grapes Of Wrath, The Andromeda Strain, and The Bible -- is never effectively replicated.

The teleplay works for the first hour or so (during the plague).

Howver, the program fades after that, mainly because much of the dialog of the novel just doesn't translate well to the screen (particularly that of the Mother Moses and Tom Cullen characters, their lines -- which are critical to the story -- sound labored and unrealistic on the small screen).

The adapation also fails on a technical level; this is a saga that at certain key points (read: ever time Randall Flagg gets upset) just screams out for a lot of heavy duty CGI, but that technology wasn't there (or affordable enough for ABC) back in the mid 90s.

Bottom line: there have been times ("Carrie," "The Shining") when a King novel was the basis for a true grand slam of a film.

This unfortunately was not one of them.

 

[hiwaygal]

The Stand is arguably one of Kings best stories (I also like the Dark Tower Series).

I thought the mini-series was one of the best (if not THE BEST) adaptations of a King story. Carrie and The Shining didn't do anything for me (Misery was a good movie though). Although I did feel like they sort of "ran out of time" near the end...it seemed like they spent a lot of time developing the story, then rushed it a bit toward the end.

 

[disneynutt1225]

The Stand is definitely one of my favorite books. In fact, a few months ago I recommended it to a friend who has read every one of SK's books except that one! I couldn't believe it. I lost my copy in a flood years ago, so I might have to go out and buy another one so I can read it again!

Oh, and it's MUCH MUCH better in the book form. I found the mini-series to be a little cheesy.

 

[nliedel]

This is the problem I have with it. I hate the ending. I know, most people love it. It just goes along gangbustess, the terror of Captain Trips is stupifying and then they have to go to Vegas and set off a bomb? It just got... dopey. I have this theory that Stephen King writes beautifully until he gets a set number of pages then he just wraps it up. The only book that had a good ending for me was Pet Cemetary and that book gives me the chills to just think about it.

Don't even start me on the stupid spider in IT. How dorky! LOL!

 

[Kycha]

"The Stand" was the first Stephen King novel I read. I enjoyed it so much that I have read everything he has ever written. The miniseries was good in my opinion.

And anybody that thinks King has gone downhill since "The Stand", what about "Shawshank Redemption", "The Green Mile", The Dark Tower series, "Apt Pupil", "Cujo", "Christine", "Salem's Lot" and many, many more. Two of my all time favorite Stephen King novels are "Insomnia" and "Desperation". They are totally underrated.

 

[eclectics]

What's sad is that Stephen King's books pretty-much went downhill from there, and while it was a pretty good amount of room to drop, he managed to get all the way down to the bottom with some of his later books.

I loved The Stand and it is in my "favorites" book shelf. Sadly, Bicker is correct, with a few exceptions. I loved The Green Mile and thought it was one of his best works. I also enjoyed Insomnia, which I believe was post The Stand. "It" also was very good but I'm not sure of the dating on that one. His latest book disappointed as did the one before. I wonder if he has any masterpieces left? I hope so because when he is good, he is very good.

 

[RickinNYC]

"The Stand" is simply my #1 favorite book of all time. I read it three times so far and know I'll re-read it again and again. The character development is amazing!

For those that loved that book, I would suggest you pick up "Swan Song" by Robert McCammon and "Lucifer's Hammer" by Niven & Pournelle. Both are excellent reads as well.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

The Stand is an amazing book! I really liked it. I liked most of King's earlier work - can't say I have read any of the newer books.

I thought The Shining was one of the scariest books ever. I thought Cujo and Pet Sematary were scary, too.

The thing is, King writes NOVELS, not screenplays. I think an awful lot gets lost in the translation. I have never seen a movie that I liked if I read the book it was based on first. The movies all fall terribly flat for me.

 

[Sandy51]

I loved this book-I didn't want it to end. I think The Stand and Salem's Lot are his best novels.


Sandy

 

[eclectics]

I have to disagree with everyone about the mini-series. I thought it was pretty good and actually bought the DVD when it came out. Of course, no screenplay can compare to the book, or any book for that matter, but I liked the way this one was done. A lot of his other stuff that has been adapted was awful, with the possible exception of Pet Semetary, The Shining, and Salems Lot.

 

[sgtdisney]

They all float down here....


I read the Stand when I was in college, which ahem was a few years back, and I still remember it. I think I need to find my old copy of the book and read it again.

 

[Magickndm]

Actually, quite a few of his movies have translated pretty good on screen. Shawshank, Green Mile, Misery, Pet Semetary, IT (was ok), Needful Things, Delores Claiborne, Christine, Secret Window....

But nothing beats reading a King book.

 

[eclectics]

Actually, quite a few of his movies have translated pretty good on screen. Shawshank, Green Mile, Misery, Pet Semetary, IT (was ok), Needful Things, Delores Claiborne, Christine, Secret Window....

But nothing beats reading a King book.

Forgot about Misery and Dolores Claiborne (although I'm not so sure how good they would have been without Kathy Bates). And yes, Shawshank was great.

 

[nliedel]

I used to raise St. Bernards so there is not money enough in the universe to get me to read Cujo.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I read it as a teen and it was one of my favorite all time books. I've read it many times since then. Unfortunately, I gave my well worn copy away. I miss that book!

 

[Virgo10]

One of my favorite movies taken from a King story was The Dead Zone. As a smoker, I got the horrors from a short film called Quitter's, Inc. that was included in a movie called Cat's Eye.

I also enjoyed the mini series The Langoliers but my favorite of any SK story given up to film would have to be The Green Mile. That was perfect.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Wow!!!

Thank each and every one of you SO MUCH for all of your input! I left this thread early this morning and came back expecting 10 or so replies. You guys rock!

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

Loved it also, it was the first huge book I ever read, made everyone crazy because I couldn't put it down and took it everywhere with me, and would say, "hey listen to this part" !! It has been years since I read it. Lately I have moved to Dean Koontz, I feel close to the characters similar to the way I felt about them in The Stand. - Twilight Eyes and Odd Thomas were great books (Odd Thomas was apparently such a hit, that a sequel book is coming out soon if not out already). Just started reading Koontz - Life Expectancy. Enjoy The Stand!

 

[swea_pea1]

I read it before the "uncut" version was released and then read that as well. I think the uncut version is the one I have on my bookshelf. It's one of my favorites. If you get a chance, pick up The Talisman which was co-authored with Peter Straub. Great read!

I also loved IT and for the poster that mentioned the spider at the end of the mini-series, that's not at all what it was in the book (that I can remember). It was more indescribable than that and I just think they plunked a spider in because there really wasn't an "IT" for them to depict.

I also loved The Dark Half and The Green Mile and thought both translated well to screen. I wish he'd do the chapter series again, like The Green Mile. I loved going to the bookstore every few weeks to pick up the next little book in the series. Very cool concept!