Stephen King Fans discussion
message 51:
by
Casey
(new)
Jul 14, 2011 03:08PM
I just read this one. Four years ago I tried to read it, got halfway through and then ended up violently ill with a stomach bug and had to donate the book because I couldn't look at it without getting nausea. I'm glad I reread it and it's now one of my favorite King books. I love the characters so much in this one!
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Finally giving this a try. The movie alone was enough to give me nightmares and I love horror movies. We'll see how far I get before I get freaked out.
Ashley wrote: "Finally giving this a try. The movie alone was enough to give me nightmares and I love horror movies. We'll see how far I get before I get freaked out."I read this the first time when it came out and it is my favorite King book. When I heard the movie was coming to TV I was excited but after I watched it I was soooo disappointed. I thought the movie was a horrible representation of the story although Tim Curry did a good job bringing Pennywise to life. I just hope they do better with the remake.
Hope you enjoy the book.
IT is the book I still turn to when I am having a sick day or am feeling depressed or funky. Maybe it is strange, but this book is the most inspiring things I have ever read.
Tim Curry..love him as an actor but after seeing that movie everytime I hear his voice I see Pennywise and I hear the words "Beep Beep Richie" in my head.Scott wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Finally giving this a try. The movie alone was enough to give me nightmares and I love horror movies. We'll see how far I get before I get freaked out."
I read this the first time..."
I always read the audio versions if I can. I really enjoyed it too. This book is ingenious. "I've come to rob all the women, rape all the men, and learn the peppermint twist."
Mod
"I've come to rob all the women, rape all the men, and learn the peppermint twist.""
How many discs is that? Wow. 75?
Lol. Yeah, it is very long, around 48 hours of straight listening.
I have always refused to watch this movie. The book was so absolutely fantasic there's no way any TV movie could come close. I remember when this first aired. I laughed when my parents asked if I was going to watch it. They had both read it and my response was something like, "How in God's name can they seriously portray King's characters on cable TV? Why would I watch it?" It's been 22 years since I read this book and I plan to join in next month for the group read. Can't wait!
Joel wrote: "IT is also probably my favorite of King's books. I read it in hardback when it first came out. I remember spending my winter vacation reading it (I was in school at the time.) My parents were great..."I carried that hardback version everywhere when I was in 8th grade. I remember it took me two weeks to read and the book had 1138 pages. I no longer have that book - anyone care to check? Read it 22 years ago and STILL remember this because it was the longest and most impressive book I had ever read!
It's been about 15 years for me since I read IT. Lookin foward to Pennywise scaring me once again!
"I've come to rob all the women, rape all the men, and learn the peppermint twist." Sonja, thank you so, so much for reminding me of one of my favorite King quotes!!
Jane wrote: "I just found Dick Halloran (from the Shining) in IT! I've read the book about 5 times and not noticed before...I love when I find stuff like this that links the books together..."Thanks for pointing that out, Jane! I think I noticed this during one of my rereads, but I totally would've blown past it this time if you hadn't mentioned it.
Brandy wrote: "Yep, totally scary clown. The teeth, the white face, Tim Curry -- this was the first and last time something shown on network television scared me so much I couldn't sleep that night."I'm 44 and I still give a wide berth to storm drains after it has rained...if I ever see a balloon in one it will definitely be a coronary for me!!!
my son put Pennywise up as my screen saver for a while, not a good start to the day.
I continue to compliment folks who can get through the first fifteen pages without becoming unnerved. Great book!
The movie adaptation made me hunt out the novel but I have to agree there's no comparison. The novel has depths and history that are completely cut or glossed over in the movie. And the ending of the movie, rubbish. Hated it and felt let down even when I saw it the first time.
I think this is the scariest King book of all. Every few pages seems to have something scary and the terror really builds up throughout. I may seem a bit of a wimp but I tried to re-read lately and just was too freaked out and had to leave it....I'll try again when I feel braver
This was my first King book! I love it, it is by far one of my favorite books! Since then I have went through a few more and love every single one. But this one will always hold a special place in my heart and will keep forever. And I only started one year ago this month.
This book is one of my favorites. I've read it twice, once when i was sixteen, and again when I was twenty-four. For me, the magic of this one is that the heroes aren't "the popular kids" like they would be in most books. In "It" the heroes are the outcasts, and King's magnificance is that he makes Bill, Beverly, Richie, and the others beautiful BECAUSE OF this, rather than IN SPITE OF it.
SPOILER SPOILERS SPOILERSthis as well was my first SK book, i began reading it when i was ten and finished the book almost two weeks later. there are certain parts that still weigh heavly in my mind, case in a point a brief paragraph describing a monster coming out of the closet to impale a young kids eyes out with a piano wire...still scares me. AS well im still facinated by the horror of clowns and how seemingly innocent they can appear but how malicouse they truly could be if the circumstances were just right...they all float down here. it makes me think that SK took everything a child could ever be afraid of (the dark, the mummy, the werewolf, clowns, monsters, the dark, strange noises, bullys, ect...) and put it in one opus. as well touching on the fears of parents and losing said children. i've only read it once, and it still sticks with me as one of the best pieces of american literature to date.
I am reading It for the first time. I watched the mini series while I was having my kitchen remodeled and I was banished to the bedroom. I'm loving the book. It is very scary and suspenseful.
I just started to read It after having heard from a friend of mine that the movie was NOTHING compared to the book. So far, I must say I agree. Dreamcatchers was my first SK book and I love that It has the same foundation as that book. It flashes between the past and present. He does it so wonderfully and that's what usually captivates my attention.
It was my fisrt Stephen King - aged twelve! Still may favourite.
IT used to be the biggest book I ever read until Under the Dome. That literally is the biggest book ever lol.I never found IT to be scary and I was pretty young when I watched it. The book yes, not the miniseries. The only King films that genuinely frightened me were Carrie and Pet Sematary. Oh and Salem's Lot of course.
Just finished reading this yesterday. I loved how so many books were referenced especially.. (view spoiler) And I must admit I was bawling during the last 100 pages... (view spoiler)
I have read IT twice and seen the mini-series twice. These pictures of Pennywise still give me goosebumps and the creeps. Very strong images.
Glenda wrote: "I have read IT twice and seen the mini-series twice. These pictures of Pennywise still give me goosebumps and the creeps. Very strong images."me too... *shudders*.. Tim Curry made Pennywise come to life for me. I loved him as this character. I think so many of us who read the books before the movie, had a serious connection and view of what this book was. The movie was good, considering it was on TV, and I congratulate the director for pulling it off. BUT.. I do not like anyone touching SK books and turning them into movies. These are so out there, and just dont think they capture the essence of these novels... just my opinion. I guess i dont like them messing up my memories..:O
Kyle wrote: ""That is so flipping creepy!!! ...
Alondra wrote: "Glenda wrote: "I have read IT twice and seen the mini-series twice. These pictures of Pennywise still give me goosebumps and the creeps. Very strong images."me too... *shudders*.. Tim Curry mad..."
I again agree with you Alondra. I enjoyed the book so much more than the mini-series. That is the case with almost all movies made from books and I always read the book before seeing the movie. An exception to me was The Lincoln Lawyer. I enjoyed the book and the movie equally.
Glenda wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Glenda wrote: "I have read IT twice and seen the mini-series twice. These pictures of Pennywise still give me goosebumps and the creeps. Very strong images."me too... *shudders*..."
I haven't read that yet; i may need to pick it up. Saw it at one of the used book stores, so may go ahead and pick it up. :D
Its my favorite King book of all time. No book has ever given me the chills I felt reading it. And the ending was heart wrenching. No book has ever gotten me so emotionally involved as IT.
It is a great book...the longest and one of the best and most thrilling novels I have ever read. One of my all time favorites.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book again for the fourth time and it just seems to get better. Scary? Frightening? No. never read a book yet that actually scared me or made me not want to turn out the lights. I think 'It' is great because of the way it made me think back to my childhood days whilst reading. The book is well written (but then, it's King) and for a change the ending isn't as dire as, say, 'Needful Things' or 'The Stand'...but having also just watched the really awful TV film adaptation of the book, I must say that it is high time someone with some artistic sense and an appreciation of the book would remake it, even if that meant doing it in two parts with the first set in 1958 and the second in 1985...You may not be able to be cuh-cuh-careful on a skuh-skuh-skateboard, but you should sure as hell take care adapting this book to the big scuh-scuh-scruh-heen.
Paul, have you ever read The Exorcist? Or pet Sematary? Those are the two which made me sleep with the lights on :) I agree IT is not one of those types of stories. But it does not diminish it's strength and entertaining story line.
Diane wrote: "Paul, have you ever read The Exorcist? Or pet Sematary? Those are the two which made me sleep with the lights on :) I agree IT is not one of those types of stories. But it does not diminish it's..."
Pet Sematary freaks me out! Back when I was younger and lived in Maine, I went to the "real" pet cemetary and it was just as creepy as it was written and shown in the movie....Love the book and movie but don't read or watch anymore...Gage is creepy!
Gage is very creepy especially in the book! But Rachel's sister Zelda takes the cake in truly frightening characters!
Exactly it wasn't poor Gage's fault what happened to him. But Zelda was just pure evil.
Yes it was a tall skinny demonic looking man. But yet somehow Zelda was even scarier in the book. So many levels of creepiness to Pet Sematary. You got Rachel's sister, you got the cat, Gage, and then that story about the other person who was buried and came back who ended up knowing secrets about people. What was his name? That scared me bad too! What a twist & great book.
Yes Timmy Baterman...yikes! He came back but he came back all sinister. He would tell people about themselves. One of my faves too and I'm hoping for a more faithful remake of the film one day.
Pet Sematary 2 blew. It was copy cat version of the first film. I only watch it around Halloween when it's on those fright fest marathons. I didn't know there was going to be a Pet Sematary 3! I thought there was a remake of the first one happening. I certainly have my doubts too.
Diane wrote: "Paul, have you ever read The Exorcist? Or pet Sematary? Those are the two which made me sleep with the lights on :) Yes, Diane...read both and slept very soundly. I have read all of the King books, Koontz and countless others and never lost a wink of sleep or had trouble getting to sleep. Maybe it's me but reading horror doesn't scare me. I like them, but never believe the book blurbs are genuine...Will check into the "It" re-make though...
Checked out the validity of the re-make of 'It' quite extensively now and although it was rumoured to have been in the pipeline at Warner almost two years ago, it appears that 'It' won't be appearing just yet, which is a real shame...
That IS a shame, especially since I have such mixed feelings towards the "IT" miniseries. But the remake of The Stand (directed by Ben Afflick) is definitely a go!
It had much creepier ending and not nearly as cheesy as in the miniseries. I can't recall details since it's been ages since I've read it myself, but there had to have been a way better way to execute it onscreen than using that cheap looking spider demon thing. It was stop motion animation too. Ugh.Affleck is awesome and I am VERY interested in seeing how he tackles The Stand! But to make that long of a book into a 2 hour movie is going to be very risky!
He also directed The Town which was AWESOME. The book was better, but the film was pretty damn good too. I loved Gone Baby Gone as well!Still, I have to admit as I read about Richie and Bev in 11/22/63 I couldn't help but picture them played by the young actors in the IT miniseries. So it had to have had some affect on me!
Spoilers? In the book Eddie gets snuffed during the ritual of Chud, which is basically a mystical mumbo jumbo thing where they wrestle with It in an out of body competition for the final confrontation in 1985. In the film they use the slingshot, which, in the book, was actually used at 29 Niebolt Street against the Werewolf in 1958...only one slug hit it and it withdrew to slumber for another 27 years. Although It is given the form of a spider, the narrative makes it clear that this is only the nearest approximation to it's physical appearance that humans can comprehend...The Turtle gets a mention too, but has died between 1958 and 1985...Think that a two part film would be best...Do the 1958 stuff properly in the first and then top up with the 1985 finale as the second part...That way they can deal with the plot fully. Glad that The Stand will be remade, although the TV mini series wasn't as bad as It for cheesiness, and also the Shining TV mini series was a lot better than the Kubrick film that Mr King was not happy with after its release...Dont' get me started on The Tommyknockers film...Oh, and by the by Christine makes a cameo in the book version of It, which I had TOTALLY forgotten about....Mike Hanlon had to remind me.
Ritual of Chud...yes now I remember. Thanks for the details Paul. I really do need to re-read that book.I like The Shining remake, but as someone else had said on this forum it was just too late. Everyone has Jack Nicholson in mind with Jack Torrance as it's just impossible now to separate the two.
The Stand miniseries wasn't bad, except the actors chosen. Too many of them were so miscast! It also has some terrible effects. But I do think it had a stronger screenplay than IT.
I never saw The Tommyknockers or the latest Bag of Bones.
Speaking of Christine, that also needs a remake!
Kyle, I'm glad you brought up Gerald's Game because I think that is one of SK's best books and would make such an intense film! I've been waiting years for that and I'm shocked it hasn't been made into a film yet. I'm sure they could work around the nudity issue. You only have to cast a hand full of actors with one main actress..and a dog :)I love Silver Bullet. Brings back great memories of the '80s! And I do love Christine the film, but a more faithful adaptation is in order.
Diane wrote: "Ritual of Chud...yes now I remember. Thanks for the details Paul. I really do need to re-read that book.I like The Shining remake, but as someone else had said on this forum it was just too late...." I loved the shining movie with Jack Nicholson, that is a classic. And I also like some of the actors chosen for the stand miniseries. The best actor was Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg. He played a really good villain. And I haven't seen the rest of them.
Stephen King Fans
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It (other topics)It (other topics)
It (other topics)
Mile 81 (other topics)
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (other topics)
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Stephen King (other topics)Robert McCammon (other topics)
Seth Grahame-Smith (other topics)
