Samhain Project '24: King on Screen

                                       

                                         

"...and if he got you when you were young, he had you forever"

If anyone's adaptations from book to film require a lengthy analysis, it's Stephen King.  This documentary is unique and informative. 

It starts with a short film where a young woman wanders about a small town immersed in easter eggs all related to Bangor, Maine's pride and joy.  This is interesting enough,  but it then slides into the words of many talking heads. 

Many directors have much to say here, from those who've directed him once, to those with a long resume of adapting "Steve". 

The most time is spent with Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist), and Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers, TV's The Stand, Riding the Bullet, TV's The Shining, among several others) and George A. Romero, one of King's favorite collaborators.  George is not there to speak as we've lost him to time, but the work is deeply explored.  Then even more of the chaps out there who have brought King's work to the screen once or maybe twice jump in with contribution.   They all have different takes on what is needed to transpose his work from the page to the visual medium, and they're fascinating to watch and listen to. 

Modern guru Mike Flanagan speaks of the touch and go nature of adapting Doctor Sleep, a fascinating portion of the doc, and the difficulty of Gerald's Game.  Flanagan is the next generation of the adapters, the one who seems to get him best.  He's no rookie with the adapting game, having done Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, and Henry James' The Haunting of Bly Manor (The Turn of the Screw), but he is capable of his own masterpieces, as evidenced by the incredible Midnight Mass.

All of them speak of him richly, bringing out my favorite part of the documentary.  The segments discussing the warmth of the man capable of inducing so many chills.  The generosity of the man, so freely giving permission for others to do with his work as they please, for better or worse. 

And the humor of a man writing stories more often than not in a fantasy/horror setting, whose work is so very serious.

I was hooked on Stephen King with Salem's Lot at the age of 8.  

And he's still got me.