Stephen King's Epic "The Dark Tower" - Part 2

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I do agree that The Gunslinger is the worst of the books and isn't a particularly good introduction to this epic story. It's hard to like or identify with Roland [BLACKOUT](for f*** sake, he slaughters an entire town full of people about a quarter of the way into it, and later lets Jake fall to his death)[/BLACKOUT] and Jake isn't particularly engaging in the story either. However, the good thing about the story is that it would be relatively inexpensive to film; there aren't many grand set pieces that you'd need for it or a ton of special effects. They could have made it on a modest budget, and then if it did click with people, they could have proceeded with adapting the rest of the novels.

Exactly, they could have done a Gunslinger adaptation for $50 million and then go on from there. It's the worst book but an interesting enough movie could have been made out of it to make people interested.

 

[The Guard]

The thing is though

Spoiler

by using Jake's entry into midworld via the old broken down house in the first movie,
they lose the oppurtunity to show it again later when the rest of the ka-tet are there.

Spoiler

Ok, but let's say he comes back a different way...aside from a fairly convoluted mechanism of getting Jake back involving Susannah and Eddie, what is lost from a story/character standpoint?

This also means the birth of Mordred is missed as well as some other important story elements

.

It is? Based on what?

Such as?

 

[Infinity9999x]

Exactly, they could have done a Gunslinger adaptation for $50 million and then go on from there. It's the worst book but an interesting enough movie could have been made out of it to make people interested.

Were they doing an hbo-tv series adaptation (the best format for this series I think), or a film, I never would have started with Gunslinger.

Starting with Drawing of the Three and treating the events in Gunslinger as flashbacks would be best. Honestly, I would take a page out of Arrow's book, with the show constantly jumping back and forth from the present day to different flashback era's of Roland's past.

 

[FunkMiller]

New promo video:

[YT]https://youtu.be/qZ7TrKv01cg[/YT]

Basically...

"Hey! Remember all of those Stephen King stories you love?! Please come and see our movie, because it's just like them.... honestly!"

"What? You want to actually see something new from the actual movie? No, we can't do that, because its dog****."

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Ok, but let's say he comes back a different way...aside from a fairly convoluted mechanism of getting Jake back involving Susannah and Eddie, what is lost from a story/character standpoint?

This also means the birth of Mordred is missed as well as some other important story elements [/SPOILER].

It is? Based on what?

Such as?

Spoiler

Mordred was conceived during Jake's escape from our world to Mid-world. Susannah kept the demon at bay while he raped her.

The scene of Jake coming through via the old house is in the movie, and Eddie and Susannah won't be there to play their part. Hence [BLACKOUT]Mordred[/BLACKOUT] not being conceived. Now they can do it another way, but I guarantee it will be less interesting, and most likely not relate to the story as well, if at all. Are you forgetting Rothman's role here?

Anyway, seems we won't get to this point as even the studio don't seem to have faith in the movie.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I do agree that The Gunslinger is the worst of the books and isn't a particularly good introduction to this epic story. It's hard to like or identify with Roland [BLACKOUT](for f*** sake, he slaughters an entire town full of people about a quarter of the way into it, and later lets Jake fall to his death)[/BLACKOUT] and Jake isn't particularly engaging in the story either. However, the good thing about the story is that it would be relatively inexpensive to film; there aren't many grand set pieces that you'd need for it or a ton of special effects. They could have made it on a modest budget, and then if it did click with people, they could have proceeded with adapting the rest of the novels.

Exactly, they could have done a Gunslinger adaptation for $50 million and then go on from there. It's the worst book but an interesting enough movie could have been made out of it to make people interested.

Were they doing an hbo-tv series adaptation (the best format for this series I think), or a film, I never would have started with Gunslinger.

Starting with Drawing of the Three and treating the events in Gunslinger as flashbacks would be best. Honestly, I would take a page out of Arrow's book, with the show constantly jumping back and forth from the present day to different flashback era's of Roland's past.

This is all madness. I can understand calling it the "worst" of the first 4, but there is no way "The Gunslinger" is the worst book in the series. Those last 3 could never match up to what came before, even with the on point climax.

Now personally, I think "The Gunslinger" is a perfect opening. Its tied for my favorite book in the series along with "The Wast Lands". Its sets up Roland's world and his madness brilliantly imo. And because of this, it plays with expectations very well. The books to follow don't work nearly as well without it which establishes exactly why Roland needs his ka-tet and thus the basis for the sequels.

How do you start a Dark Tower series proper without, "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed", Tull, the slow mutants, the first meeting with Jake, or the palaver? Its the whole damn setup.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

This is all madness. I can understand calling it the "worst" of the first 4, but there is no way "The Gunslinger" is the worst book in the series. Those last 3 could never match up to what came before, even with the on point climax.

Now personally, I think "The Gunslinger" is a perfect opening. Its tied for my favorite book in the series along with "The Wast Lands". Its sets up Roland's world and his madness brilliantly imo. And because of this, it plays with expectations very well. The books to follow don't work nearly as well without it which establishes exactly why Roland needs his ka-tet and thus the basis for the sequels.

How do you start a Dark Tower series proper without, "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed", Tull, the slow mutants, the first meeting with Jake, or the palaver? Its the whole damn setup.

I won't disagree it sets things up. But it's the book I enjoyed the least in the series by far. It actually took me 3/4 years after reading to build up the will to read the 2nd book as I enjoyed The Gunslinger so little.

I do think a good movie could be made out of it though.

 

[Infinity9999x]

This is all madness. I can understand calling it the "worst" of the first 4, but there is no way "The Gunslinger" is the worst book in the series. Those last 3 could never match up to what came before, even with the on point climax.

Now personally, I think "The Gunslinger" is a perfect opening. Its tied for my favorite book in the series along with "The Wast Lands". Its sets up Roland's world and his madness brilliantly imo. And because of this, it plays with expectations very well. The books to follow don't work nearly as well without it which establishes exactly why Roland needs his ka-tet and thus the basis for the sequels.

How do you start a Dark Tower series proper without, "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed", Tull, the slow mutants, the first meeting with Jake, or the palaver? Its the whole damn setup.

Your last sentence is why it's not the best book. The whole thing is setup. It's a book-long prologue, and almost all the themes iy introduces, Drawing has as well, and does them better.

I wouldn't discard the material, but I would incluse most of it in flashbacks. Or condense it heavily.

 

[DeadStroke]

Daniel R?
@DanielRPK
Next up - The Dark Tower.
2:07 PM - 27 Jul 2017

Maybe get his reaction today or tomorrow.

 

[harlequinade]

Still no reviews?

 

[The Apocalypse]

The first book is my second favorite of the series.

 

[Crosswind Ghost]

There's screenings happening Wednesday, Embargo will probably be let up the following day. Unfortunate.

 

[cabel]

Finally got book 4 from the library

 

[FunkMiller]

Finally got book 4 from the library

Well done. Read through that, and stop there.

The last three books are... not that great. I've been rereading the series again recently, and got to about a third of the way through book 7 before giving up. I won't say why as to not spoil you, but let's just say Stephen King pre-1999 was a far braver & stronger storyteller than Stephen King post-1999.

There's screenings happening Wednesday, Embargo will probably be let up the following day. Unfortunate.

What a huge surprise

Thursday or Friday is going to be ugly.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Well, in the U.K. We have started getting TV spots for this, but still no reviews?

 

[:eek:]

All the connections to The Dark Tower in King's other works:

https://apps.bostonglobe.com/arts/graphics/2017/07/dark-tower/#

 

[Wise]

It's weird how there's only been one trailer.

 

[Wise]

Well done. Read through that, and stop there.

The last three books are... not that great. I've been rereading the series again recently, and got to about a third of the way through book 7 before giving up. I won't say why as to not spoil you, but let's just say Stephen King pre-1999 was a far braver & stronger storyteller than Stephen King post-1999.



What a huge surprise

Thursday or Friday is going to be ugly.

Books 1-5 took me a few months to read. Book 6 took me about 5 years to read, coming back to it and feeling like a chore to read. I still haven't read book 7.

 

[Filmfan93]

It's weird how there's only been one trailer.

True that, if we don't count the international trailer. I don't remember anything like that in recent history (last time being At World's End in 2007).

 

[FunkMiller]

Books 1-5 took me a few months to read. Book 6 took me about 5 years to read, coming back to it and feeling like a chore to read. I still haven't read book 7.

Book five is poorly paced, and becomes an exercise in unnecessary meta-narrative that threatens to ruin the entire story. Book six is not really a book, it's just a bit of narrative connective tissue where nothing really happens, other than King allowing himself some *********ory glory. But the whole thing goes off the rails in book 7 with the death of a certain character that is as pathetic as it is abrupt. And the less said about what happens to the main villain, and King's little message to his readers at the end, the better. My advice is - never read book 7.

Personally, I like to imagine the ka-tet forever sat at the edge of the road after the emerald castle, looking towards Thunderclap and End-world, and waiting for King to write the real last three books....

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Your last sentence is why it's not the best book. The whole thing is setup. It's a book-long prologue, and almost all the themes iy introduces, Drawing has as well, and does them better.

I wouldn't discard the material, but I would incluse most of it in flashbacks. Or condense it heavily.

I did not say the whole thing is setup. I am saying the story sets up what comes after. Just like The Fellowship of the Ring or Star Wars.

There is nothing to condense. You can do the movie in 100 mins easily. Its short.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I did not say the whole thing is setup. I am saying the story sets up what comes after. Just like The Fellowship of the Ring or Star Wars.

There is nothing to condense. You can do the movie in 100 mins easily. Its short.

I'm saying the entire story is set up, which is why I don't want an entire film of it. It's like taking all the stuff in the shire, making it a 100 minute film and ending it when they escape the riders. That would be a mildly interesting, but mostly unsatisfactory film.

And so would the Gunslinger as a stand alone. Roland has no character development, you're introduced to the themes of the story...and little else. It could easily be condensed into a 45 minute tv episode, or mostly regulated to Flashback. It's not a great book on its own. It only works as a prologue to the main story which really starts with Drawing.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Sorry to go against the grain but I enjoyed the last 3 books personally. There were some bands things in them sure but some great stuff also. I loved everything with Mordred personally.

 

[DeadStroke]

Still no reviews?

There's screenings happening Wednesday, Embargo will probably be let up the following day. Unfortunate.

The guy that usually gets to see these movies early.


Daniel R?
@DanielRPK
Was not a fan of the aesthetics/cinematography in The Dark Tower. Felt a bit too much like Underworld.


Daniel R?
@DanielRPK
Other than that; Some decent action scenes, good performances. Solid story. Overall I enjoyed it.

 

[Galactus10]

I am not really feeling the visual aesthetics either, I always pictured a romanticized, ****ed up version of the Wild West mixed with Fantasia.

Not . . . this.


I'm just glad IT looks awesome because that's one of my favorite novels and never gave TDT series the time I hear it deserves