Mick Garris; love or hate him? Come and have your say!

[ChipOfftheBloch]

Hi all,

I've met a lot of King fans over the years and an issue of contention has always been the Mick Garris adaptations. So I thought, why not raise it here?

Do you love or hate "The Stand", "Quicksilver Highway", "Sleepwalkers", "The Shining", "Riding the Bullet" and "Desperation"?

Either, or? If so, why? Praising and venting encouraged.

Have fun!

My thoughts: I love the guy.

Why: Personally, I think "The Stand" and "The Shining" are quality adaptations that stand (ouch bad pun, Robert Bloch rolls over in his grave) on their own two feet (I know some would disagree). I love "Sleepwalkers" and "Desperation" because they are shamelessly fun and over the top, rousing and full of color and energy- especially "Sleepwalkers", which I think is a sister film to "Reanimator" in tone and style. I think "Riding the Bullet" is good, but uneven, but I respect how much Garris there is in the film, how personal a project it developed in to. I also heart the ending. "Quicksilver" is a trifle of a film and truth be told I far enjoy the Clive Barker adaptation more, but until the climax, I think "Chattery Teeth" holds it's own.

Has anyone read any of his books or short stories? I've read them all. I'd love to see this vicious, sexy side of Garris's work up on the screen, except they are largely unfilmable. His short story in "Dark Delicacies 3" made my skin crawl.

In conclusion: I love the passion and love for King that you can see in every shot. I just wish he could get a studio or station to fully support him the way he supports other filmmakers (ie Masters of Horror) and to not have financing fall out at the end (Desperation), or have a studio turn his back on him at the final moment (... um, say Desperation again). He could use some discipline, but I'm still drooling at the mouth at the concept of the "Bag of Bones" miniseries.

Thoughts?

[psj77]

The Shining I thought was better than the book. The Stand was even better but couldn't live up to the book. Sleepwalkers was great for what it was, but I could never see it as a book. Quicksilver Highway was both great & terrible. It never strayed from the story. The problem is when the teeth attack the hitchhiker in the story it was terrifying in the movie it was hilarious . Riding The Bullet is one of my favorite movies. Desperation was good but I've only read about half the book so far.

[Mr Nobody]

The Stand adaptation was pretty good, but tbh I was slightly disappointed with Desperation - I thought there was plenty more to be mined there. ()

[Wayne C. Rogers]

I have to agree with you Chip. MicK Garris does have a strong love for King's work. It definitely shows in every frame of his film adaptations of King's novels and short stories. This man is a horror fan just like us. Also, it isn't easy adapting King's fiction to television with all the rules and regulations that the networks have. I think if given the opportunity, Mick would cut loose and really put some sharp teeth into his TV films. One thing he's truly excellent at is in getting the absolute best performances out of his actors that's humanly possible. Though I'd hope to see a theatrical film version of Bag of Bones, I know Mick will do his best on the TV adaptation, realizing that he not only has to please himself, Mr. King, and the studio executives, but also the millions of "King" fans out there. I don't think he will have as fun pressure on him as he did with The Stand or The Shining. Those were extremely tough gigs to do. I haven't read any of Mick's fiction yet, but I do have a signed limited edition of a novel he wrote a few years ago about Hollywood coming in this week. I'm interested in seeing what he can do with the written word.

[Jojo87]

Mick Garris is good. Stand was excellent and I just love Shining. Quicksilver Highway I haven't seen yet and Desperation was better as book as an movie.

[Checkman]

Liked The Shining and The Stand. Desperation had it's moments, but I found it to be uneven. Still not terrible. Didn't care for Sleepwalkers and Riding the Bullet was just okay. Haven't seen Quicksilver Highway.

[BellaNicoli]

We rather like ol Mick around FEARnet. In the spirit of Roger Corman's upcoming project we dug in the archives and found his first interview with Mick, circa 1980! haha;p you won't believe how young they look! For me Mick asks the kind of questions that spark the sort of answers from his guests that I'm generally surprised to hear. That's the sign of a good host you know? So, his hair is long Ok, Have fun with this VID

FEARnet,
-Bella

[kittykiller]

I dont know of the guy to wich you all speek but the movies I do and I love the shinning and stand not so sure of quick silver but havent seen it i guess. I had just recently watched riding the bullet and thout it was good but I havent read the book it thats where it based from. sleepwalkers was kool in my opinion cause of several moments in the movie but I alwase love it when I see SR King in the films it just akes me smile every time and then I get started on a conversation with someone over him and his works.

[Goodlovin]

Does this mean that Bag of Bones is being adapted as a television mini series? Truth be told im not that big of a fan of Mr Kings work being put on television. His stories work much better in a rated R environment vs a PG television environment.

[Moderator]

It's my understanding it will be a TV mini-series production unless plans have changed in the last month.