who here thinks stephen king is a genius and the books are way cooler than the movies?

Answer 1

Not only is he a literary genius, but he lives about a half hour away from me. He has the coolest cast iron gate around his house that has spider web designs in it. I love the fact that he contributes huge amounts of money to the libraries here in Maine that need funding. Have you ever noticed that in nearly all of his films, He plays a cameo role, and appears at least once? Did you know that Stephen King used to be a teacher?

Answer 2

Die-hard Stephen King fan here! I will admit that I've been satisfactorily pleased with most of the movies. But even in situations where I saw the movie first, I went back and read the book and was even more enthralled by his written works. A prime example is "Needful Things", which I experienced first in the movie starring Ed Harris. Not a bad flic. But when I read the book, I simply couldn't put it down!

I finished "Cell" in January and hear it is already in pre-production for a movie. I don't get my hopes up too much in how well a King novel translates to the screen. I just get a kick out of seeing how the movie interprets aspects of the King story.

All hail 'the King'.

Answer 3

I think the appeal of King lies in his ability to write in the manner that many people speak. His books are written on a lower level, a more primal and back-woods level, than many others of the same caliber. He is able to draw you into a story by word play and character development, and at the same time get you to believe in something otherwise unbelievable. Because of his attachment and association to pop culture and the "everyday" person, he is wildly popular, but his mostly scandalous vocabulary and way of writing it into the web of a story makes it unable to translate to the big screen. In fact, he disliked Kubrick's version of "The Shining" so much that he removed his name from it, even though many consider it a fabulously freaky movie. And "It" was useless - you simply can't cover all of the elements of a King book in a movie. You can't develop the characters appropriately. So yes, I agree with you completely!

Answer 4

Yes he is great:

Here are some favorites:
1. The Stand
2. Fire Starter
3. The Tommyknockers

Did you know Steve's wife Tabby plucked his first novel "Carrie" from the garbage can and made him resubmit it! If she had not done this there may have been no SK...

P.S. I have to say the only story of his that was also great as a movie was the Shawshank Redemption which was based on his novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.

Answer 5

Pretty much all I read is Stephen King. I have read all his books at least twice and I get all caught up in them every time.

The movies are a disappointment - His books are so intense, it can't be translated to a movie.

Answer 6

Books are always better than movies. And, I used to be a King fan, but his stuff got so weird that I had to stop reading it. It was like reading something written by a person with serious mental problems. Just my opinion, of course.

Answer 7

He is the most awesome writer alive to me! I never read anything by him but I was entertained by movies adapted from his books. Then I took an anthology containing 'The Shawshank Redemption' (I had never seen the movie and didn't know anything about it) on vacation and it almost ruined my vacation! I could hardly sleep because I just wanted to keep reading. I marvel at this skill - he is the master of all masters. He is the Writer of all Writers!

Answer 8

I wouldn't go so far as to say that he is a genius, however he is a very talented author. All books are better than movies.

Answer 9

I love Stephen King. I hate horror, but I'll still read anything he writes.

Answer 10

I used to think he was an excellent writer but no longer read him. He has just become enamored of himself and the newer books are boring. The movies stink.