The biggest travesty of a movie ever made!

[Tay_Phoeinx]

This book is very special to me. I've read from an early age, horror and "SCI-FI" / fantasy being the stuff i enjoy. I've been a career writer for the past 9 years and have finally finished my first novel, which is a horror.. and I doubt I would have got into writing had it not been for reading this book... maybe i would have, however It had a tremendous impact on me... I was about 13 at the time and found it by chance, written as Bachman, in a second hand book shop... I was going on a family holiday to greece.. so far as endings to books go, the count down from 100 to ooo was thrilling and I loved how gritty the atmosphere of the novel was... When I heard there was a film of it made I nearly died with excitement (slight exaggeration) - it is by far the worst book to film ever made.. even if it hadn't been taken from the book it sucked!!! I also write screenplays and I've always dreamt about remaking the running man, true to the story... Ben Richards going to the games federation, his kid dying, his wife turning tricks for old bucks to buy cheap dope for the baby!!! It has all the hallmarks of an amazing film... instead they changed the entire plot and let that musclebound "actor" Swarznigger play the role... I have faith in my own writing to take me where I want to go and hopefully one day I'll be able to make this situation right... I know that I would need the authors permission, and at the moment this is little more than a pipe dream - I'm not even sure if Stephen reads these messages although I'd be interested to hear what he thought of the movie... If you do read this Stephen I'd just like to thank you for your amazing contribution to the horror genre... I read a swedish novel let the right one in, where you were used as a comparison (and the person said they actually meant it) - however I still don't think anyone has come close to your standards yet, except perhaps myself :-) Everyone i speak to always says the shining is their favourite novel and I think it's definatly the best that's worked as a film, however the running man is one of my all time favourites.. and you have a few books in my all time favourites! So let me know what you thought about the running man movie if you should happen to read this and can reply to posts!

[GNTLGNT]

It was not one of the better cinematic endeavors...

[Silhouette86]

I liked the movie very much. I'm going to read that after "A Prayer For Owen Meany", and I'm going to separate the movie from the book as best as possible.

[fljoe0]

I liked the movie very much. I'm going to read that after "A Prayer For Owen Meany", and I'm going to separate the movie from the book as best as possible.

Let me know what you think of "Owen Meany". It is in my top 2 or 3 that I've read.

Anyone who hasn't read it, go get it and read it.

[omm poppa mow mow]

Watched this at my uncle's place in Mt. Vernon, on the road, I was and I'd stopped by. Dunno where Aunt Bea was at the time...maybe chasing down Smart Aleck, my cousin. Heh! I didn't know this was "based on a story by Stephen King" until the credits rolled. The uncle and I loved the movie, thought it was great. They're down in New Mexico now, having tired of counting corn everywhere they went, that, and volunteer corn in the beans. Lookit all that corn! :grr:

:grr:

[The11thGhost]

I think the name is spelled Arnold Schwarzenegger (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000216/)

[Atik]

I read the book when I was young too.I loved it.It is one my favorites by Bachman.So after I finished the book.I rented the movie.Within the first 15 minutes I shut it of.Terrible Movie.I think they should do a remake of The Running Man.I just hope when the guy who's got the rights for The Long Walk movie doesn't fail.

[JohnDalglish]

.I think they should do a remake of The Running Man

Hi,

Yes, I've been hoping this for many years too.

But I think 9/11 scuppered any chance of that.

Long days and pleasant nights

[50 mission cap]

Grew up watching the movie. Classic Arnold. Just finished the book though, and gotta say that the film is a travesty. The book is SO much better. Loved it. Love all the Bachmans.

[jellydonut25]

The book is great but, I love the movie for what it is. They are two totally different ideas, almost and I judge them almost completely separately.

[Pucker]

I'm not even sure if Stephen reads these messages although I'd be interested to hear what he thought of the movie.

Well . . . if we can believe Harlan Ellison (and I think we can) Mr. King is purported to have said -- some twenty years ago and more, mind you -- of film in general and this movie in particular, that the best you can hope for is that “they buy the rights, pay you half a million dollars and, for some reason, never make the movie – but you get to keep the half million dollars without the embarrassment of some awful film coming out.”

It's probably worth noting that when this opinion was offered there hadn't been anything reasonably watchable or particularly adherent to the source material -- with the possible (and meager) exception of Christine. Or course, all of that has changed in the intervening years, with passable adaptations of The Body, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile; but it's an interesting window into how perspectives change. The guy who once said that now has more money than God and Mark Zuckerberg, and never misses a chance to tell us that it was never about the money and he never "took of his hat to fashion and held it out for pennies."

:wink2:

[Moderator]

Took you a while but I see you're back to your old self, eh, Pucker? :eyebrow:

[Pucker]

Time's change.

People don't.

:wink2:

[Alli3388]

Do you know if some has plans for the long walk??? The Running Man and The Long Walk are two of my all time favorites. Of course I was devastated to see what some had the nerve to call the running man based on the novella by Stephen King. What a stupid joke (even if it was desecrating the story, it would still suck). I've often wondered if the long walk would be made into a movie though... partly I wish for this, and I am partly scared of it being ruined as well.

[Moderator]

Frank Darabont currently holds the film rights so chances are improved that it will be a good adaptation. :smile2:

[fljoe0]

Ms Mod - how does buying film rights work? Does someone buy the rights and have a time limit to get a film made? After they make a film does Steve get the rights back?

[Moderator]

Ms Mod - how does buying film rights work? Does someone buy the rights and have a time limit to get a film made? After they make a film does Steve get the rights back?

If it's someone who's worked with Steve before or who is in the business, they would usually first contact Steve and/or his film agent with their proposal. If not, then they would have to demonstrate their ability to produce a film by sending samples of their work and proving they have the financial resources to finance an adaptation. From there, a fee is negotiated for the film rights and a contract is drawn up by the attorneys. Unless Steve buys back the rights after a film has been produced or there was a specific clause in the contract that stipulates the rights would revert to him because the film was not produced, he does not automatically get them back.

[Pucker]

Do you know if some has plans for the long walk??? The Running Man and The Long Walk are two of my all time favorites. Of course I was devastated to see what some had the nerve to call the running man based on the novella by Stephen King. What a stupid joke (even if it was desecrating the story, it would still suck). I've often wondered if the long walk would be made into a movie though... partly I wish for this, and I am partly scared of it being ruined as well.

Good point.

They should have called it The Prize of Peril and waited to see how many people got the joke.

[dsurrett]

I've never read the book, but after now seeing the movie isn't close to the book, I might need to give it a go.

[blunthead]

Well . . . if we can believe Harlan Ellison (and I think we can) Mr. King is purported to have said -- some twenty years ago and more, mind you -- of film in general and this movie in particular, that the best you can hope for is that “they buy the rights, pay you half a million dollars and, for some reason, never make the movie – but you get to keep the half million dollars without the embarrassment of some awful film coming out.”

It's probably worth noting that when this opinion was offered there hadn't been anything reasonably watchable or particularly adherent to the source material -- with the possible (and meager) exception of Christine. Or course, all of that has changed in the intervening years, with passable adaptations of The Body, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile; but it's an interesting window into how perspectives change. The guy who once said that now has more money than God and Mark Zuckerberg, and never misses a chance to tell us that it was never about the money and he never "took of his hat to fashion and held it out for pennies."

Paragraph One...
Amateurish, one run-on, for lack of a better word, sentence composed of words seeming to be seeking their rightful home, while managing to include innuendo, propaganda, a misquote, and lameness:

...if we can believe Harlan Ellison (and I think we can) (propaganda and lame). Well... can we or no? And if so, why?

...Mr. King... Ironically, in your case it's not rude to refer to him as "Steve".

...purported (pər-pôrˈtĭd, -pōrˈ-) adjective, assumed to be such. (innuendo). Prove it. We aren't convinced.

"Star Wars is adolescent nonsense; Close Encounters is obscurantist drivel; Star Trek can turn your brains to puree of bat guano..." --Harlan Ellison

"Writing is the hardest work in the world. I have been a bricklayer and a truck driver, and I tell you – as if you haven't been told a million times already – that writing is harder. Lonelier. And nobler and more enriching. " --Harlan Ellison

Pucker, Stephen King is a writer. You need to keep trying.

ps: The guy...now has more money than God and Mark Zuckerberg... Please repeat after me, "Doesn't he have enough money already?!".

[Pucker]

Seriously, blunt?

Is this your thing?

Do you have any thoughts of your own on this matter, or do you just get off on being the grammar police?

I guess those who can't do or teach hang out in chat forums hoping desperately for a dangling participle or a split infitive.

Sad.

[blunthead]

Seriously, blunt?

Is this your thing?

Do you have any thoughts of your own on this matter, or do you just get off on being the grammar police?

I guess those who can't do or teach hang out in chat forums hoping desperately for a dangling participle or a split infitive.

Sad. First, I must apologize for using the phrase “we aren’t” instead of “I’m not”, in my first response to Pucker, since no one has given me the right to speak for the SKMB.

Pucker, I ask again for your proof Stephen King said what Ellison claims or that Ellison even claims it. Back up your accusations, it’s only fair, you demand the same from the SKMB. Your post, per the Ellison/King quote, is hearsay (I appreciate the honesty you included via “purportedly”). And to be clear, I'm not referring to the hat off for fashion held out for pennies quote, which you pulled outta someplace.

And, per “grammar police”, please stop changing the subject, stop trying to avoid the worms you insist on releasing from your can.

As for proper grammar (btw, I don’t know offhand what dangling participles and split infitives are. Tell me), I think we should all care how we appear to others, including if it means having to learn some basic manners.

Is this your thing? If you reread my post “Paragraph One”, paying attention and being honest this time, you’ll need not wonder what my thing is.

Do you have any thoughts of your own on this matter, or do you just get off on being the grammar police? What causes you to deduce I don't have thoughts of my own because I try to help you with your grammatical errors and your general apparent inability to write well?

Sad. Maybe I’m “sad” in my way. At least I can be grateful not to be an anti-fanboy hanging out at the message board of an author with whom I have, apparent to everyone here, personal issues, which by nature cannot be defended. At least not here.

I guess sometimes I don’t mind speaking for the group, after all, eh?

Oh! Thanx for reminding me I wanted to mention somewhere at SKMB that Stephen King single-handedly disproves that prejudicial, grotesque, hideous adage "those who can't, teach". Stephen King does and teaches both!

[Silhouette86]

Let me know what you think of "Owen Meany". It is in my top 2 or 3 that I've read.

Anyone who hasn't read it, go get it and read it.

I enjoyed "A Prayer For Owen Meany" very much, to let you know finally. It was a very satisfying novel to read. By the end it was almost like I expected it to continue. I also recommend it.

[Ben E Gas]

Haven't read the book yet, but it is on my list. Saw the movie as a kid and loved it. Classic Arnold. I'll let you know what I think of the book after reading it. Many movies fall short of the books, like the Stand for example, that movie was not so good. I liked it as a kid, then after reading the novel, disliked it a lot. The novel was great.

[MelissaConstantReader]

I recently read the book and handed it over to my 12-year-old son for his first SK read. He absolutely loved it and is looking forward to more!

[Great SK Movies]

Having not read the book or seen the movie I can't really say much. My father has seen the Running man before. He said Matt Damon was in it. He may be confusing it with another movie or is Arnold Schwartznegger and Matt Damon in the movie. I do want to see the movie though.

[bryantburnette]

I've got a special love for both the movie AND the book, personally. It's not a great flick by any means, but if you enjoy cheesy '80s action, then it fits the bill.

I was 13 when it came out, and was a big Schwarzenegger fan, but my mom -- probably rightly! -- wouldn't let my Dad take me to see R-rated movies in theatres. So my Dad would occasionally buy me the novelizations of things like Predator as a sort of make-up work-around.

This led to him giving me a copy of the book The Running Man, and consequently, that was the first Stephen King book I ever read! I didn't really know what to make of it, but a few years later, I remembered having vaguely enjoyed it, and bought The Stand. The rest, as they say, is history.

In the event any of you are interested in reading more of that personal history, I wrote about it on my blog. Here's a link: http://honkmahfah.blogspot.com/2011/08/media-violence-stephen-king-and-you-or.html

As for the movie of The Running Man, I can get why people who are fond of the novel wouldn't like it. But "biggest travesty of a movie ever made" seems overly harsh, especially in a world that permitted Battlefield Earth, Ultraviolet, and two -- TWO!! -- Deuce Bigalow movies to get made.

[leftrightwriterman3613]

I like to think that this movie was simply an extension of Family Feud...or should I say, Extreme Family Feud:)

[StephSCO]

With all due respect, I beg to differ with those who have flat-out said that The Running Man sucked as a movie. True, it had its faults, but the way I see it, it was a product of its' time, in much the same way that Total Recall (another one of Schwarzenegger's movies) was a product of its' time. With the trend of filmmakers these days to go back to the original source material when doing a reboot, I would say that any remake of The Running Man would be pretty freaking awesome.

[dregj]

they should have walked behind the corn

[guido tkp]

hey !!

that guy looks familiar...

the book is great...classic...one of his best, imho...

imho, the movie sucked...big time.

my movie loving friends who saw it ...who were action fans, sci-fi fans, arnie fans...peole who can laugh and enjoy true trash like 'attack of the giant gila monster' or 'j-men forever' hated it immensely...

i'm not sure it's even polite or fair to compare it to really good arnie movies like 'total recall' or 'predator'

absolutley %100 in need of a remake that hews to the original

god...i hope unka stevie does not let that cretinous darabont anywhere near this...too bad he's got the wonderous 'long walk' in his greasy little paws...

sorry this bit is more than a bit late, but....i saw that little dust-up betwix blunthead and pucker...and, at least as far as that quote is concerned...i'm pretty sure i've that quote (or something so like it as to feel real) attributed to king before: too many magazines, so little time to rememebr when...

as to ellsion...yeah, he definately is a pompous as...erm...donkey relative


did i mention the movie sucked...just in case :wink2:

[Tim D.]

I actually liked the movie, but by no means do I include it in the Stephen King section of my dvd's. It's a good, cheesy, 1980's action flick and should be watched with tongue firmly in cheek.