Okay, I know it is nearly 11:00 CST on Christmas Eve, but I just finished watching for the first time "The Shawshank Redemption". This followed a watching of "The Green Mile" the night before. All, I have to say is damn. Those 2 movies might be the best movies that I have ever seen. I really enjoyed "The Green Mile" but people kept telling me that "The Shawshank Redemption" was even better, but I couldn't see how that would be possible. Well, it was possible. The acting in both of those movies by all the characters were so good! Robbins and Freeman are outstanding in Shawshank and Tom Hanks and of course, Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey ("same name as the drink but spelt differently") are unforgettable in The Green Mile. That got me thinking...these 2 movies would probably top almost everyone's list of the 5 best movies based on works by Stephen King. My top 5 would be: 1 - "The Shawshank Redemption" 2 - "The Green Mile" 3 - "The Shining" (still the scariest movie, I think, of all-time) 4 - "Stand by Me" 5 - "Carrie" I would give honorable mentions to "Pet Sematery" (just for that scene where that diseased girl jumps out of her bed and taunts her sister...God was that disturbing!), "Misery", and "It" (even though the ending sucked!). I read that King is the author that has had the most movies based on his works...what are your 5 best King movies?
Holy Crap - you had never watched Shawshank all the way through? Damn that is one of my Top 10 all time! 1. Shawshank Redemption 2. The Stand 3. The Green Mile 4. Silver Bullet 5. Stand By Me Honorable Mention : Christine, Misery, It, Creepshow, The Cat's Eye, The Langoliers, and Maximum Overdrive. Thinner, The Lawnmower Man, Sleepwalkers, and Pet Cemetary were all so-so for me. Not bad, but not great. I still watch them when they come on. You know he wrote "The Running Man" with Arnold also? The man has skills.
edit : "Pet Sematary" not "Pet Cemetary" Also, "The Shining" was not too bad, just didn't get to me though. Don't even ask me what I think of "Dr Strangelove or HILTSWALTB" - which I just got through watching...
You got to remember, though, that I am a huge Kubrick fan. Strangely, though, I didn't care much for "Dr. Strangelove" either. Maybe if I watched it a couple of times, I would really like it but I didn't like it after one watching like "The Shining", "Full Metal Jacket", "A Clockwork Orange", or even, lol, "Eyes Wide Shut".
Good - I am glad that I am not the only one who didn't find that movie very funny at all... Guess you just had to be there back in the 60's.
I knew you were a Kubrick fan, that's why I mentioned "Dr. Strangelove". The Shining was scary, Full Metal Jacket was good, Clockwork Orange was very different and Eyes Wide Shut was kinda cool. I watched Strangelove and then watched all of the special features on the dvd. George C. Scott was great, but Peter Sellers as Strangelove just didn't click for me, not funny at all... Wish the edit button worked...
Actually, the short story "The Running Man" has only the vaguest of similarities to the movie. But both are still good. By the way, people are (hopefully just) overlooking The Dead Zone. Not the current TV show with Anthony Micheal Hall, but the old school movie with Christopher Walken. Creepy (and not even completely due to Walken) with the typical King ending.
Has anyone seen the made-for-tv movie "Langoleers (sp?)" That had to be the worst Stephen King movie by far. The acting... the ending... ugh.
I agree with your take, but the theory is kinda scary. Those little monsters eating the world... crazy.
