Stephen King's Epic "The Dark Tower" - Part 1

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, Insomnia is technically the first time he appears within the novels that King wrote and he plays a more direct hand within that story than he does in the Dark Tower series, and it builds up that final showdown amongst the roses in the seventh novel by providing a little more context on the Crimson King and Patrick.

Black House is great because it's a side story going on during Roland's whole saga, showing the Crimson King's efforts in other worlds to try and destroy the Tower and the various acolytes serving him. Both the novels do a good job showing the depth and extent of the character's goals.

Damn, guess I really need to read those. Because I agree... they build him up so much in the books and then all we really get of him is a guy throwing Harry Potter toys at Roland. That always bugged me.

 

[:eek:]

Maybe you could add the short story The Little Sisters of Eluria into the first movie, considering the first book is quite short. That events in that story takes place right before the first book begins.

 

[Rowsdower!]

What would be really tricky is if they decide to incorporate the story of how Roland becomes a gunslinger into the first film. The problem there is if they do that, then they have try and cast three kids who won't age noticeably so that they don't look drastically different when they get to Wizard and Glass.

Perhaps the best thing to do would be to tell The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass as the first film (with W&G being told through flashbacks).

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

What would be really trick is if they decide to incorporate the story of how Roland becomes a gunslinger into the first film. The problem there is if they do that, then they have try and cast three kids who won't age noticeably so that they don't look drastically different when they get to Wizard and Glass.

Perhaps the best thing to do would be to tell The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass as the first film (with W&G being told through flashbacks).

I was just thinking your last sentence as I was reading the other posts. It would certainly pad out the first book into a more whole story and would add a bit of emotion to the story. I found the Gunslinger book totally emotionless when I read it.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah. I think that would really work. Wizard and Glass is one of the best stories in the entire series, and it would really help fill the gaps in The Gunslinger.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Yeah. I think that would really work. Wizard and Glass is one of the best stories in the entire series, and it would really help fill the gaps in The Gunslinger.

Definitely, I only got up to W&G before having to stop but I agree it was a great story. It could really help flesh Roland out in the first movie as well as again, in the book, he was a bit cold.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, he's pretty much a bastard in the first book. I mean, I understand why he is that way and the later books humanize him a lot. But I'm not sure movie audiences would warm to the character if they just went with The Gunslinger as the first movie.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Yeah, he's pretty much a bastard in the first book. I mean, I understand why he is that way and the later books humanize him a lot. But I'm not sure movie audiences would warm to the character if they just went with The Gunslinger as the first movie.

Definitely, I hated what he did with Jake in the first book, and a few other instances, the story of Susan Delgado would certainly help audiences warm to him more.

 

[The Guard]

Roland is supposed to be someone you occassionally hate. It's not just in THE GUNSLINGER. He's generally quite willing to sacrifice them all, should it come down to it.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Roland is supposed to be someone you occassionally hate. It's not just in THE GUNSLINGER. He's generally quite willing to sacrifice them all, should it come down to it.

I know he isn't a character that's all good, but I definitely warmed to him a lot more in books 2, 3 and 4. That's why for me there was a several year gap between reading the first book and the second, I didn't feel compelled to at all because I didn't like the characters in the first book and I know I am not the only who feels this way. That could turn out the same with the movies if they are not careful.

 

[The Guard]

I would imagine writers would endeavour to make Roland at least a little bit likeable.

 

[Victarion]

He's pretty cold, no denying that. But I did admire the dude's determination and grit.

Does the Marvel lore add anything worth adapting?

 

[Roose Bolton]

The backstory for the Gunslingers gets expanded a bit, we see large sections of Roland's youth following Wizard and Glass, the Battle of Jerico Hill, more of John Farson. On its own, you could probably build a TV series entirely out Roland's youth.

We also see some of the "origin" of the Crimson King and Arthur Eld. It's interesting material, if they choose to go there.

 

[Rowsdower!]

The Jae Lee artwork is gorgeous too. He was the absolute best choice to draw that series.

 

[DeGenerate10]

I personally hope they ditch the whole Stephen King being in the story. That was my main complaint about the series.

 

[Octoberist]

So Bill Hader for Stephen King?

 

[Roose Bolton]

It's freakishly accurate

 

[DigificWriter]

If I were in charge of adapting The Dark Tower, I'd keep each screenplay's contents confined just to the material found in each book in the series, but also expand the universe by making new or first-time adaptations of the other King stories that have significant ties to the Tower narrative.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I would imagine writers would endeavour to make Roland at least a little bit likeable.

I think they have to, not only was he not very likeable in the book, but he does a pretty deplorable thing at the end as well with Jake. You want audiences to come back for the sequel so they need to give them a reason.

 

[Victarion]

I think Roland giving Sylvia a gun-barrel abortion would upset people more than him choosing to let Jake fall.

 

[Hypestyle]

I've never read the books. how scary are they?

 

[DeGenerate10]

I don't think they're scary at all. It's more of an adventure story than a horror story really.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I think Roland giving Sylvia a gun-barrel abortion would upset people more than him choosing to let Jake fall.

Well that's just another reason to not like him, I imagine they will change that part.

I've never read the books. how scary are they?

They have some parts which people may find scary but overall are more fantasy/sci-fi mixed with western. At least the first 4 books are as they are all I have read so far.

 

[:eek:]

Yeah, they aren't exactly horror-novels, but have some horror-elements that could be quite shocking on the screen for people not familiar with the story, and perhaps expecting some family friendly fantasy. The character Mordred for example.

 

[thegameq]

No. Scott Eastwood is WAY too young to play Roland.

Yeah, he would have been my first choice after his dad but he looks like he belongs on the set of the latest James Dean bio-pic. Way to young...

The only problem I have with Hugh is that you will see Hugh and not Roland. Hugh's exposure prevents me from seeing him as anything but Hugh....though I did like him in Oklahoma and I saw Curly moreso than Hugh in that so....