Anybody see IT? It kinda sucks. (spoilers)

oh yeah. The cleanup scene was as stupid a scene as I've ever seen. It would have taken those kids DAYS to clean that up. So dumb.

And just another excuse to show us gallons of blood.

unicorn33 said:

I thought the bathroom scene was silly. Didn't work for me at all. (And why did the kids feel the need to clean it up? And why could only the kids see the blood?)


I enjoyed The Stand but it was longer than it had to be. Haven't read The Talisman.

As far as "horror" is concerned, there certainly are different kinds, some bloodier than others. Some of the scariest moments are more suggestive than bloody. And there's a huge range from traditional horror movies (remember Frankenstein and Dracula?) to slasher films. I enjoy the former, won't watch the latter.

It isn't just zombies that are killed in the Walking Dead.  I have no issues with the zombie gore, but watching Glenn's head get bashed in was just too much, they show him slurring words with an eye popped out of his freaking head, skull misshapen.  Then there is the after shot of the bloody mess of chunks of meat, brain matter, bits of skull, and hair on the ground where his head used to be. Meanwhile, when Fat Joey gets his head bashed in by Daryl, for whatever reason they suddenly decide to do it out of frame. I guess there isn't any shock value in gratuitous violence when the viewers aren't attached to the character. 

Agree  that this scene was pretty silly. 

I haven't read the book but want to ask what was the deal with the kid who was really violent and ready to kill (based on tv messages). Was that character in the book? As deranged? 

drummerboy said:

oh yeah. The cleanup scene was as stupid a scene as I've ever seen. It would have taken those kids DAYS to clean that up. So dumb.


And just another excuse to show us gallons of blood.

unicorn33 said:

I thought the bathroom scene was silly. Didn't work for me at all. (And why did the kids feel the need to clean it up? And why could only the kids see the blood?)


I enjoyed The Stand but it was longer than it had to be. Haven't read The Talisman.

As far as "horror" is concerned, there certainly are different kinds, some bloodier than others. Some of the scariest moments are more suggestive than bloody. And there's a huge range from traditional horror movies (remember Frankenstein and Dracula?) to slasher films. I enjoy the former, won't watch the latter.

This reminds me of my long-ago college days as an English major, when we'd write essays interpreting what we've read, whether or not our interpretations had anything to do with what was actually in the author's mind. 

More likely interpretation is probably just one of the filmmakers suggesting: "Let's have blood come gushing out of the sink and splatter all over the place! It'll be a cool effect!"

In fact, I think there were a number of logical gaps in the film, when shock value trumped sense.

conandrob240 said:

I saw the blood as her "coming of age" fear. Being raped by her father when she now menstruates has a different level of fear for her.

And they help her clean it up because it's her darkest fear all over her walls and she's scared Her friends want to erase the pain for her.

unicorn33 said:



More likely interpretation is probably just one of the filmmakers suggesting: "Let's have blood come gushing out of the sink and splatter all over the place! It'll be a cool effect!"

You've just perfectly described every Quentin Tarantino movie ever made  

That may be true.

spontaneous said:

unicorn33 said:



More likely interpretation is probably just one of the filmmakers suggesting: "Let's have blood come gushing out of the sink and splatter all over the place! It'll be a cool effect!"

You've just perfectly described every Quentin Tarantino movie ever made  

Reading this thread, I'm embarrassed the only Stephen King book I ever read was Dolores Claiborne. 

I enjoyed many of his books. But I really loved 11/22/63. One of my favorite books of all time.

IMO, King books never seem to translate well into movies. The best movie adaptations are Delores Claiborne, Misery and Carrie. The best is Carrie. Somehow, for some reason, they tend to become kitschy and silly. Not sure how much input King has when movies are made. My guess is little to none. 

Wondering if you forgot The Shining, a critical and popular success (though King hated it).   I would also put a nod in for the underappreciated Dead Zone, a touching tragedy with Christopher Walken playing against type as the tragic hero of the story.     

kibbegirl said:

IMO, King books never seem to translate well into movies. The best movie adaptations are Delores Claiborne, Misery and Carrie. The best is Carrie. Somehow, for some reason, they tend to become kitschy and silly. Not sure how much input King has when movies are made. My guess is little to none. 

And let's not forget Stand by Me (based on a King novella) and best of all The Shawshank Redemption, which was from a King short story.

I thought the bathroom clean up scene was necessary and touching. Although her father couldn't see it, she could and that is core to IT's power - he tortures them with their worst nightmare. Her friends help her clean it up because they care about her. Childhood friendship and support is a consistent theme in King's books. 

And the Green Mile. Though I enjoy Mr. King's books, I agree that they never translate well to the screen- big or small. Sometimes I'll read one with certain actors in mind, whether they have actually played the part or not. Much more enjoyable that way.

Just curious: Has anyone recently read the book? It's been so many years since I read it that I don't remember the details well. My sense is that the movie took huge liberties. If I recall correctly, the scares in the book were all Pennywise-the-clown specific and generally associated with water sources. I don't recall zombie visions, tentacles, haunted paintings, bloody sinks, etc. Am I just not remembering the details?

In many cases, the movies were assigned to hack directors and/or given low budgets as if they were intended to go straight to cable, despite King's huge popularity at one time and presumptive clout.   Maybe he just took the money and ran without bothering to exercise any creative control.

blackcat said:

And the Green Mile. Though I enjoy Mr. King's books, I agree that they never translate well to the screen- big or small. Sometimes I'll read one with certain actors in mind, whether they have actually played the part or not. Much more enjoyable that way.

I forgot he wrote that.  I liked that book too. 

conandrob240 said:

I enjoyed many of his books. But I really loved 11/22/63. One of my favorite books of all time.

unicorn33 said:

Just curious: Has anyone recently read the book? It's been so many years since I read it that I don't remember the details well. My sense is that the movie took huge liberties. If I recall correctly, the scares in the book were all Pennywise-the-clown specific and generally associated with water sources. I don't recall zombie visions, tentacles, haunted paintings, bloody sinks, etc. Am I just not remembering the details?

I  read it many years ago. So I'm light on the details. My husband and son are co-reading it now. I'll ask them to report back on the accuracy. May be in a few years thought....the book is like 1000 pages! 

I read it decades ago.  Between the creepy group sex scene, and the disappointing ending, I have no desire to revisit it.  

As an aside, as a teen I read Salem's Lot in one sitting.  In a cabin.  In the middle of the woods. In Maine.  I started it at night, and finished about 4am.  As tired as I was I stayed up, wide awake, until the sun rose and I was finally able to go to sleep.  

Salem's Lot scared me witless from the first page.

spontaneous said:

I read it decades ago.  Between the creepy group sex scene, and the disappointing ending, I have no desire to revisit it.  

As an aside, as a teen I read Salem's Lot in one sitting.  In a cabin.  In the middle of the woods. In Maine.  I started it at night, and finished about 4am.  As tired as I was I stayed up, wide awake, until the sun rose and I was finally able to go to sleep.  

I had to put that one between the living room couch cushions when I went to bed! Green Mile was great, movie AND book. The Shining movie, and Jack Nicholson in it, was AWFUL. Christine, which sounds like a stupid premise, was a great book. Stephen King creates complex characters that immediately become real to the reader.

bub said:

Salem's Lot scared me witless from the first page.

spontaneous said:

I read it decades ago.  Between the creepy group sex scene, and the disappointing ending, I have no desire to revisit it.  

As an aside, as a teen I read Salem's Lot in one sitting.  In a cabin.  In the middle of the woods. In Maine.  I started it at night, and finished about 4am.  As tired as I was I stayed up, wide awake, until the sun rose and I was finally able to go to sleep.  

I wish I could remember these old King books better. It's been too long since I read them. One scary book I do remember, not a King book, was Harvest Home. Anyone read that? (Tom Tryon was the author.) It came out in the 70s and was made into a fairly good TV movie or mini-series starring Bette Davis. I recall that book getting off to a slow start for about 80 pages, and then, oh man, did it get scary. 

I didn't like the Jack Nicholson version of the Shining either. It wasn't true enough to the book.

I liked the critically poorly reviewed TV movie with the guy from Wings better.

Thanks for all your reviews. My weakend is safe now.   

OMG, Salem's Lot! Yes! I remember being terrified, but couldn't put it down. I may have to reread that one.

callista said:

I had to put that one between the living room couch cushions when I went to bed! Green Mile was great, movie AND book. The Shining movie, and Jack Nicholson in it, was AWFUL. Christine, which sounds like a stupid premise, was a great book. Stephen King creates complex characters that immediately become real to the reader.

bub said:

Salem's Lot scared me witless from the first page.

spontaneous said:

I read it decades ago.  Between the creepy group sex scene, and the disappointing ending, I have no desire to revisit it.  

As an aside, as a teen I read Salem's Lot in one sitting.  In a cabin.  In the middle of the woods. In Maine.  I started it at night, and finished about 4am.  As tired as I was I stayed up, wide awake, until the sun rose and I was finally able to go to sleep.  

I tried to enjoy it but I kept comparing it to Nicholson's iconic performance. Tim Daly (the Wings guy - and Tyne Daly's brother, who knew!?) just didn't seem menacing enough for me. 

conandrob240 said:

I didn't like the Jack Nicholson version of the Shining either. It wasn't true enough to the book.

I liked the critically poorly reviewed TV movie with the guy from Wings better.

yes, true. The tv version/script with Jack Nicholson would have been perfect.

Hahaha said:

I tried to enjoy it but I kept comparing it to Nicholson's iconic performance. Tim Daly (the Wings guy - and Tyne Daly's brother, who knew!?) just didn't seem menacing enough for me. 

conandrob240 said:

I didn't like the Jack Nicholson version of the Shining either. It wasn't true enough to the book.

I liked the critically poorly reviewed TV movie with the guy from Wings better.

Steven Weber, not Tim Daly.

bub said:

Salem's Lot scared me witless from the first page.

Having never deigned to besmirch my liberal arts pedigree with Stephen King, I was needling a coworker in the late '80s about her fandom, so she lent me Salem's Lot and challenged me to read it. Dawn was breaking the next day as I lay on my sofa finishing it, after a night of not being able to put it down.

(Nevertheless, it remains the only King I've read. I need my sleep.)

spontaneous said:


As an aside, as a teen I read Salem's Lot in one sitting.  In a cabin.  In the middle of the woods. In Maine.  I started it at night, and finished about 4am.  As tired as I was I stayed up, wide awake, until the sun rose and I was finally able to go to sleep.  

Reading Stephen King while in Maine adds a notch to the terror level.  I stayed in one of the houses in Pet Semetary - while reading the book.  It was Fred Gwynne's house which was across the street from the yellow house, Hancock Point, Maine.

You can dislike a movie for differing from the source novel, or for any reason, but I don't think any of the King movies, even the well regarded ones, have achieve the critical reputation that The Shining has.  It's high on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 best thrillers and Scorsese said it was one of the 11 scariest movies ever made.    In addition to being just immensely creepy, it's stylish and atmospheric to a degree that none of the other King treatments reach.   Maybe not reading the book (I didn't) helps.