Stephen King Fans discussion
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Scariest single moment or "scene" out of all SK stories?
I finished "Misery" a few days ago and the scariest moment was - Caution! Spoiler! - the scene when Annie amputated Paul's foot with the axe. That was really horrible!
Chris wrote: "IT is definitely one of his more visceral and disturbing books. Avoid the piece of garbage miniseries though."In large part, I agree. But I will say that Tim Curry made an outstanding "Pennywise". He was terrifying.
"The Mist" has always stuck with me. That there could be creatures in the fog waiting to snare, and....what?...eat people. I think of it every time there is a foggy day. But the part of the story that I found most terrifying was the reactions of the everyday people, like Mrs. Carmody. Misdirected deadly action by regular people is in general, one of the most terrifying aspects of human nature. And Uncle Stevie exploits that very very well. And very realistically too.
In the short story, "Sun Dog" every time the kid develops another picture. And then you wait and wait and wait for it to develop. (Old-fashioned Polaroid camera.)I read this story every summer.
Jaksen wrote: "In the short story, "Sun Dog" every time the kid develops another picture. And then you wait and wait and wait for it to develop. (Old-fashioned Polaroid camera.)I read this story every summer."
That's a great one!
The car accident scene with Jacobs wife and son has stuck with me since I read the book. It was more disturbing than scary too me.
The Shining, when Danny enters room 217.
In IT, when Stan Uris goes into the stand pipe, or Beverly Marsh's bathroom.
Revival at the end. If you haven't read it I don't want to spoil the ending. Suffice it to say some crazy stuff goes down in those, like, last 50 pages.
George wrote: "Revival at the end. If you haven't read it I don't want to spoil the ending. Suffice it to say some crazy stuff goes down in those, like, last 50 pages."Good pick George. Not necessarily the scariest, but surely one of the most unsettling and unexpected.
Yeah Nick. That one had me up for like an extra hour before I went to bed with that whole "Mother" thing.
Revival's ending have me chills as well. T was horrifying as he described what he saw, but the part that made me just kind of stop in my tracks was his absolute acceptance of what will happen to everyone in the world with that last sentence.
Flagg coming out of the corn in The Stand to Mother Abigail and then to Stu, then Franny. All 3 dreams terrifying.
George wrote: "Revival at the end. If you haven't read it I don't want to spoil the ending. Suffice it to say some crazy stuff goes down in those, like, last 50 pages."I loved it! It had me thinking for days after I finished the book.
Kelsey wrote: "Revival's ending have me chills as well. T was horrifying as he described what he saw, but the part that made me just kind of stop in my tracks was his absolute acceptance of what will happen to ev..."I found it very moving.
I'm currently working through Just After Sunset, and the story "N." really got to me. It wasn't the events that was what disturbed me, but more the over arching psychologically disturbed atmosphere that gave it the terrifying feeling. They're things that aren't uncommon (OCD and insomnia) and everyone suspects they've experienced those things at some point. The fact that it could have been anyone - and that level of responsibility that would make someone crazy... It just got under my skin and crawled around uncomfortably.
Kelsey wrote: "I'm currently working through Just After Sunset, and the story "N." really got to me. It wasn't the events that was what disturbed me, but more the over arching psychologically disturbed atmosphere..."Kelsey, I haven't read all of King's short stories, but in my mind this is one of... if not THE very best. Extremely disturbing. It's interesting in a lot of ways, one of them being that it doesn't sound like King. It's almost as though he's trying to imitate Lovecraft or even Poe. Great terrifying, horrific work.
Kelsey wrote: "I'm currently working through Just After Sunset, and the story "N." really got to me. It wasn't the events that was what disturbed me, but more the over arching psychologically disturbed atmosphere..."Having rubbed butter and seasoning between the skin and meat of two turkeys in the last week that description just skeeved me out! O_o
The ending of Pet Semetary because I would do the same. : |
Stevo wrote: "The ending of Pet Semetary because I would do the same. : |"Me too Stevo.
I think almost all parents who are honest with themselves would do the same thing.
It has been many many years since I read Just After Sunset. While reading the comments about "N" I could not remember the story. At all. Not even a hint. (going senile/forgetful) So I just KNEW I owned this book! So I go to my King shelves to find it and do a quick reread. I am unable to find it! Then I remember.... we had a sudden unexpected move a few years ago. A lot of my books were water damaged while in storage. I lost 5 King books. This was one of them!!! So now I have to go to my library and borrow the book until I can afford to replace it! Thank God for the library!!!
Kandice wrote: "I think almost all parents who are honest with themselves would do the same thing."Wasn't the last page (view spoiler) rather than parenthood related? I thought it was chilling because despite everything that happened before and knowing the consequences... I would do what Louis did. I thought that was the scariest part.
Kandice wrote: "Stevo, yes to your spoiler, but [spoilers removed]"I agree with Stevo... I would do what Louis did, but to have my wife with me. I think her mothering skills might be a little suspect and would at least require watching. What if your mom came back and acted like the cat!?!
On the other hand, if my wife came back and acted like the cat.... never mind.
We've been discussing The Stand quite a bit lately and I just now remembered one of my favorite scenes and coincidentally it's also scary as all hell.Seriously can we just talk about the "game show" scene where some crazy soldier has gone AWOL and he's broadcasting a show where they take all these poor young soldiers name tags put them in like a bingo ball thing and then randomly pull names out and shout "Lt so and so come on down!" and the poor guy gets dragged on stage and...wackiness ensues?
That was frickin' scary. The terrified anxiety of the soldiers is like palpable...and there's a race angle to it that's so disturbing. Its an incredibly short scene but it packs a major punch.
I've only read 10 SK books, but the scariest moment for me so far was the Patrick Hockstetter scene in "IT": (view spoiler)
I think the scariest moments in King novels are the little aside comments he adds that give depth to the characters. I find them to be really unsettling.For example, in Under the Dome when Junior Rennie is first introduced, King states what boils down to "he has a brain tumor. He doesn't know. It's going to set him off like a time bomb".
Just thinking about how that could be any person you pass on the street makes situations in King novels seem very real to me. The scariest part of King novels are never the monsters anyway ;)
ABookwormAbroad wrote: "I think the scariest moments in King novels are the little aside comments he adds that give depth to the characters. I find them to be really unsettling.For example, in Under the Dome when Junior..."
Exactly!
ABookwormAbroad wrote: "I think the scariest moments in King novels are the little aside comments he adds that give depth to the characters. I find them to be really unsettling.For example, in Under the Dome when Junior..."
And the fact that he does it with just 3 short sentences is a sign of his genius!
The first half of "The Stand" when Captain Trips was spreading and opening scene in "Cell" when things started going bad in such an understated way. I suspect that the first scene in "The Happening" film was strongly influenced by it.
The planchette scene in The Stand. I don't remember if it is in the original version, but it is in the uncut one. Truly classic King descriptions sure to raise the hair on the back of your neck.
When the photos in the old Derry photo album come to life and Pennywise shows up in them. I couldn't tell you why now, but I definitely had nightmares about that as a teenager. Gives me the heebie-jeebies almost 20 years later.
When Louis couldn't get to Gage in time and he got blasted by the semi. There is no parent alive that could've read that scene without their heart in their throat!
ABookwormAbroad wrote: "I think the scariest moments in King novels are the little aside comments he adds that give depth to the characters. I find them to be really unsettling.For example, in Under the Dome when Junior..."
I love that you say the scariest part is not the monsters, I couldn't agree more; what keeps me awake at night is how he examines 'natural' human conditions.
For example a lot of the Full Dark, No Stars collection, and the ending of Revival really made me think.
Kandice wrote: "In Black House there is a scene where a barbecue grill is described. It's very obviously NOT pork or beef that has been cooked there. The first time I read that scene it just slayed me..."I just read Black house this year for the first time. It was undeniably one of my favorites (I fell in love with Henry Leyden the way I haven't with any book character since Eddie Dean 10 years ago), but it was definitely very gruesome. I remembered immediately which scene you meant, it definitely turned my stomach! I can watch Hannibal with joy, but Stephen King's cannibalism is another thing entirely...
Kandice wrote: "Adam wrote: "Salem's Lot definitely, especially toward the end. The scene when the kid breaks into the house with the leading female character was also spooky.Desperation is also up there, especi..."
Oh my god, I hadn't thought of this one at all. I actually remember getting chills because of the repeated name Tak, and definitely moreso in Desperation than the Regulators. I was genuinely creeped out.
Vheissu wrote: "Being claustrophobic and just a bit scared of the dark, I was particularly unsettled by the "tunnel" scenes in The Stand and The Gunslinger. Very reminiscent of [author:J..."I am definitely impressed by how well Stephen King can write a person feeling absolute terror. That scene with Larry in the Stand is unforgettable.
Leslie wrote: ""The Mist" has always stuck with me. That there could be creatures in the fog waiting to snare, and....what?...eat people. I think of it every time there is a foggy day. But the part of the story t..."Oh, this is so true. Every time it's foggy out, I think of the Mist! But truly the brilliance is that the humans can be more monstrous than the actual monsters, and she is deeply chilling. After the movie adaptation, I can't even see that actress as anyone else.
While a few scenes have given me chills, and I'm always joking about eyeballs being at risk in King novels, nothing has ever affected me like this death in the Dark Tower: (view spoiler)
I think the story "1922" from "Full Dark, No Stars" is one of the most disturbing things I have read in my life. Those descriptions of his dead wife's corpse and those rats that she controlled... And don't get me started on the ending.
Nicole wrote: "While a few scenes have given me chills, and I'm always joking about eyeballs being at risk in King novels, nothing has ever affected me like this death in the Dark Tower: [spoilers removed]"
Absolutely, Nicole, I've never gotten over that scene either... one of the most gruesome of all time.
Pretty much the whole Patrick Hockstetter chapter from IT, especially the part where he murdered his little brother...
The eeriest scene I can think of was in Bag of Bones when the letter magnets would move. Something mundane doing something they shouldn't!
Chara wrote: "I think the story "1922" from "Full Dark, No Stars" is one of the most disturbing things I have read in my life. Those descriptions of his dead wife's corpse and those rats that she controlled... A..."Yes, I found many of those novellas gripping because they were (mostly) about dark human characteristics. Something that is within the realms of possibility.
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Plus Revival's ending left me feeling bleak and disturbed (I won't give away too much info because I don't want to spoil it)