Carrie
Stephen King
Book on Tape, read by Sissy Spacek.
Being King’s first published novel, I was surprised at how familiar the narrative style is. His basic forms and habits have not change, I think, as they continue to be filled with seemingly superfluous details that somehow make each word vitally important to the story.
The conceit of parts of the story being from a book written by a survivor, from the report of the White Commission, investigating the TK phenomenon, and from AP and local news outlets is an interesting way to present the information. I think it would be more effective in the written format, rather than being read aloud, because the reader can SEE the difference in the text and differentiate the source easier. I did not have a copy of the novel while listening, so that is an educated guess.
The graphic imagery –not just the horror bits, but the sex and the thoughts of teenagers – is both distracting and appealing. I continue to wonder if teens, then or now, really thought like that – with the smoking and the sex, and the mean thoughts. This concern is, of course, merely a reflection of my own unusual adolescence and my own children’s current pre-teen status.
Sissy Spacek’s reading is uneven, though she captures Carrie’s voice quite naturally, the slight southern drawl giving the sense of perpetual innocence. When she attempts to make her voice big, it only comes across as loud. Still, the continuity with the movie helps the mind’s eye see the blood-soaked white dress form-fitting over the thin, shuddering body.
I’m about to watch the movie now.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday, March 08, 2010
Gran Torino
This movie was a bit of a disappointment. I was expecting violence. Instead it was slow paced and poorly acted, with questionable characterization.
The opening funeral scene seems to drag, but it is necessary to setup the absence of the sons in the life of the protagonist. Initially the death of his wife seems to be the cause of his perpetual grumpiness. His grim demeanor runs deeper than that, but this is revealed slowly over the first half of the film. For my taste, there are way too many scenes where the camera is still.
Eastwood chews up the scenery, of course, for good or ill. His mumble-growl is befitting, if at first annoying. Unfortunately, he never shoots anyone! The Asian leads are first-timers. They do admirably, but the fumbles are noticeable, especially in the delivery of angry dialog.
The ‘gooks’ are overly tolerant, even reverent toward the undeserved protagonist. The protagonist is a lifelong grump and racist, and we’re expected to believe that he would sacrifice himself for this Asian family? Even the educated one (cliché?) is unbelievably patient and tolerant of the old bigot. Could he really change the core of his character over the course of one summer? Disingenuous.
The DVD has two special features, which speak on the bond between man and car. This relationship was a minor theme of the movie. Like the movie itself, the DVD feels vaguely disjointed and somehow deficient.
The opening funeral scene seems to drag, but it is necessary to setup the absence of the sons in the life of the protagonist. Initially the death of his wife seems to be the cause of his perpetual grumpiness. His grim demeanor runs deeper than that, but this is revealed slowly over the first half of the film. For my taste, there are way too many scenes where the camera is still.
Eastwood chews up the scenery, of course, for good or ill. His mumble-growl is befitting, if at first annoying. Unfortunately, he never shoots anyone! The Asian leads are first-timers. They do admirably, but the fumbles are noticeable, especially in the delivery of angry dialog.
The ‘gooks’ are overly tolerant, even reverent toward the undeserved protagonist. The protagonist is a lifelong grump and racist, and we’re expected to believe that he would sacrifice himself for this Asian family? Even the educated one (cliché?) is unbelievably patient and tolerant of the old bigot. Could he really change the core of his character over the course of one summer? Disingenuous.
The DVD has two special features, which speak on the bond between man and car. This relationship was a minor theme of the movie. Like the movie itself, the DVD feels vaguely disjointed and somehow deficient.
Monday, March 01, 2010
REVIEW: Star Wars: Death Troopers
Star Wars: Death Troopers
By Joe Schreiber
We bought this for Nick for Christmas, because he’s been into zombie movies lately, and has Star Wars in his blood, so to speak. After I promised him I would read it when he was done, he finished it in about a week!
This book is a fun mix of Zombie horror and Star Wars. It is fairly well written, though the ending leaves a lot to be desired. The horror scenes are done well, and there’s decent characterization. There isn’t a lot of detail, though. Nothing about why a handful of people are immune to the virus, very little about how the virus causes the dead to rise, and no mention of the reason for Han and Chewie being on this Imperial prison barge, with the Falcon impounded, merely months before the events in episode IV - and no, they do not escape on the Falcon. This book is more about the zombies, their victims, and their potential victims, to be sure. I enjoyed it for just that – a zombie romp with the crimson tinge of Star Wars.
By Joe Schreiber
We bought this for Nick for Christmas, because he’s been into zombie movies lately, and has Star Wars in his blood, so to speak. After I promised him I would read it when he was done, he finished it in about a week!
This book is a fun mix of Zombie horror and Star Wars. It is fairly well written, though the ending leaves a lot to be desired. The horror scenes are done well, and there’s decent characterization. There isn’t a lot of detail, though. Nothing about why a handful of people are immune to the virus, very little about how the virus causes the dead to rise, and no mention of the reason for Han and Chewie being on this Imperial prison barge, with the Falcon impounded, merely months before the events in episode IV - and no, they do not escape on the Falcon. This book is more about the zombies, their victims, and their potential victims, to be sure. I enjoyed it for just that – a zombie romp with the crimson tinge of Star Wars.
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