Today’s reviews are for the book: “The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger” (1982©), written by Stephen King and the movie: “The Dark Tower” (2017), which is based on the book. | |
“The Dark Tower” (2017) — movie review | |
This movie is based on the book by the same name. Okay, it’s not exactly the same name. The book is the first of a series (8 books in total) nominally called: “The Dark Tower Series“, all written by horror writer Stephen King. The movie, like the books, is a blending of science fiction / magic, American western lore / Arthurian legend, and dystopian future, with a bit of existential / quasi-religious philosophy thrown in for seasoning. | |
The movie stars Idris Elba as the titular “Gunslinger” (hero) named Roland Deschain, Matthew McConaughey as Walter Padick (aka “the Man In Black”) (bad guy) and Tom Taylor as Jake Chambers (the boy who must be saved by the Gunslinger). | |
Basically, we have a multi-universe tied together by a “Dark Tower” which separates all of the universes from the dark evils which would destroy / enslave them all if the tower should fall (ever be destroyed). Somehow children have the ability to destroy the tower and the Man in Black sends his minions to kidnap them to be used to to this. The “Gunslingers” are the defenders of the Tower. At the start of the movie, they lose a major battle with the forces of darkness and Elba / Deschain is the sole survivor. Disheartened, he seeks only to kill the Man in Black to avenge the death of his father (not to protect the Tower). | |
Blah, blah, blah, magic, gunfights and chase scenes ensue until we get to the main / concluding battle. Three guesses who wins… Three guesses who gets to be the sidekick and next “Gunslinger”… | |
So, is the movie any good? How’s the acting and the special effects? How closely does the movie match the book? Well,… The movie is okay. It’s entertaining for a minor action / SciFi movie. It’s definitely NOT great cinema. The acting is fair to okay. The special effects are a little better than “just” okay, but nothing ground-breaking and nothing we haven’t seen a dozen times (at least). Not having read the entire series, I can’t say how closely the movie is to the series. To the first book – not very closely at all. Well, both have the two main characters, so there is that. The boy is completely different in the movie. | |
Final recommendation: moderate. To be honest, I’m not a big fan or either Elba or McConaughey. I haven’t seen Elba in a lot of roles, so maybe I’m just not “there” yet. I’ve seen McConaughey in lots of different roles and I’m hard pressed to name one role where I got up saying, “That role makes him a star.” He’s okay. Even good, sometimes… But I feel like he’s getting older and I’ve not seen a DiCaprio / “Inception” role / performance. Again, maybe I’ve just missed it (the performance). | |
“The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger” (1982©) — book review | |
As mentioned above, “TDT:TG” was written by Stephen King. The book is actually a compilation of short stories which have been turned into a book. I guess, more accurately, a series of books. I haven’t read any of the other books, so I don’t know if they are also compilations or if they are actual true-form novels. | |
As mentioned above, the book is a western / feudal / dystopian story about a group of “knights” called “gunslingers” who are supposed to defend a Tower. This first book, jumps around introducing the main character Roland Deschain who grows up as a knight-in-training and then sets about trying to find and kill a mysterious “Man-In-Black”. The Man-In-Black has multiple names. I just remembered him as “Walter” (which is used in this book). Roland does a lot of wandering around (in a desert, mountains, a tunnel and a forest) and meets a boy named Jake, who he brings along on his “adventure”. | |
The “Tower” series of books is supposed to be the linch-pin for King’s writing career, tying together all of his other novels / stories. I have only ever read “Salem’s Lot” and “Carrie”, and both of those were back in my Army days (1970’s) and I don’t remember any references to the “Tower” or the “Gunslingers”. | |
This book came to me from my son who says it is his favorite book series of all and that he has read the complete series multiple times… Okay… | |
Final recommendation: give it a pass to moderate. I don’t know if this is a book I would have read if it hadn’t come so highly recommended. It reminded me a lot of the movie “Cloud Atlas” with the way it jumped around in time and location. I didn’t enjoy that movie and I didn’t enjoy this book. Or, at least most of it. | |
Again, if it hadn’t come so highly recommended, I would not have finished it. The writing style is overly flowery / imagery. I felt like the author was adding words to fill out the book length, not to actually make a point in the story. I was repeatedly bored; waiting for something – anything – to happen. Then, when things finally did happen, they still just weren’t interesting. | |
Having said all of this, in the last 20-30 pages, Roland finally confronts the Man-In-Black and they get into a lengthy philosophical conversation which I did (finally) find very interesting. Almost interesting enough that I could imagine reading another one of the books. The discussion is VERY briefly held in the movie, too. But, it is almost an after-thought there. | |
Full disclosure: I got the book from my son after hearing there was a movie coming out. He loaned me the book, but I never got around to reading it. I saw the movie last year, but didn’t like (understand) it, so I was still not motivated to read the book. Over the summer, my son asked about the book / movie and egged me on about reading the book (“give it a chance”). Since I didn’t really remember the movie, I decided to read the book and then revisit the movie. I did both, in that order. I’m glad I did or the movie would still have made no sense. This is definitely one of those cases where you need to read the book first, then see the movie. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Land Of My Birth – Executive Order Notwithstanding |
Keeping It Real… | |
2017 | Use A Bigger Can |
2016 | Vote Tomorrow – 8 November 2016 |
2015 | Old Bond |
2014 | Preferences |
2013 | Prudence |
2012 | Reason Against Reasons |
2011 | The 1% Rule Of Large Groups |
2010 | Going, Going, On… |
Expect Mike | |
Wasted Again? | |
You Did? | |
Reflecting Plenty | |
Old Math | |
Mental Images | |
Here’s Lookin’ At You, Kid | |
Learn | |
Nothing Feared Today | |
I Had Other Plans | |
Ratings… | |
Really? | |
Encourage Greatness | |
Posts Tagged ‘Stephen King’
Two Towers
Posted in 2019 Book Review, Book Review, Faith Family and Friends, Family and Friends, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged 2019 Book Review, Dystopian movie, Family, Gunslinger, Idris Elba, Jake Chambers, Man-In-Black, Matthew McConaughey, Moderate Book Recommendation, Moderate Movie Recommendation, Roland Deschain, SciFi Movie, Stephen King, The Dark Tower -- movie review, The Dark Tower: TheGunslinger -- book review, Tom Taylor, Walter Padick, Western Movie on November 7, 2019| 6 Comments »
Not Sure Anyway…
Posted in Quotes, Writing, tagged Ideas, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Quotes, Stephen King, Writing on June 16, 2018| 1 Comment »
We are writers, and we never ask one another where we get our ideas; we know we don’t know. | |
— Stephen King | |
From his book: “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Forms Of Conservation |
2016 | Oh, So Lacking |
2015 | e pluribus unum |
2014 | Nothing So Far Removed |
2013 | Positions |
2012 | Two Errors |
2011 | Long Live The King! |
Daydreams And Wanna-Be’s
Posted in 2018 Book Review, Book Review, Reading, Reviews, Writing, tagged 2018 Book Review, Book Review, Half-Price Books Store, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft -- book review, Reading, Stephen King, Strunk & White, The Elements of Style, Very Highly Recommended Book, Writing on June 9, 2018| 1 Comment »
“On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (2000©) — book review | |
Who hasn’t day-dreamed of writing the “great American novel” and becoming wealthy and celebrated? Okay, maybe not me in over 40 years, but still… | |
Today’s book review is for “On Writing“, by Stephen King. Yes, that Stephen King. The horror novelist / writer. Well, actually, he does write in other genres, too, but that’s the one I know him for. This book came recommended to me by various sources – some “best of” lists and also a couple of blogs / sites I follow. I found it on sale for $3 at my local Half-Price Books store, so I snatched it up. | |
The book is basically a three-part tome: King’s life leading up to writing, how to write well, and finally, advice on life and how to get started getting your writing published. Part one is extremely interesting and amusing. I got several belly laughs out of it. Part two is mundane, yet (probably) useful. I have already begun applying some of King’s suggestions in my own writing here on this blog. Part three will probably be useful if I ever (again) imagine myself sitting down to write the great American novel or autobiography. One of King’s recommendations is to write about what you know. I’m afraid the only thing I know the most about is me. (Sad, but true.) | |
So, final recommendation: very highly recommended! Is this the finest book I’ve ever read on being a writer. Yes! With the qualification it is also the only book I’ve ever read on being a writer. Having said that, it is a fast read at less than 300 pages and I found it enjoyable and informative. And, of course, multiple quotes will appear on this blog in the future… | |
One last mention: King recommends all wanna-be writers start off by reading Strunk & White’s “The Elements of Style“. (According to part 1 in the book, King is a former high school English teacher. Go, figure.) Fortunately, for cheapskates like me, the book (“Elements“) is out of copyright and you can find it in pdf format at multiple locations on the web. At fewer than 30 pages, it should also be a quick read. The book cover on Amazon looks very familiar, so maybe King’s book is the second book I’ve read on writing. LOL… I probably read “Elements” in high school and blotted the contents out of my memory. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Summer Pale |
2016 | Ain’t It Funny |
2015 | At Both Ends |
2014 | Whiner(s) |
2013 | Just Passing Through |
2012 | Dog-gone Heaven |
2011 | Occasional, Sad Results |
I Will Love You… Forever
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Communication, Love, Philosophy, Quotes, Stephen King, Words on February 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »
The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them. | |
— Stephen King | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Pebbles In Your Shoe? |
2016 | Resolute Will |
2015 | Absorbed And Civilized |
2014 | Relax And Lead |
2013 | Location, Location, Location |
2012 | Are You Really Good? |
2011 | Relatively Objective, Anyway |
By Their Acts Thy Shall Know Them
Posted in Leadership, Politics, Quotes, tagged Being Good, Doing Good, Leadership, Politics, Quotes, Stephen King on October 28, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful. | |
— Stephen King | |
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On This Day In: | |
2016 | Remembering |
2015 | One |
2014 | Sure Experiments And Demonstrated Arguments |
2013 | Irrational Complacency |
2012 | Why Criticize? |
Giants Sweep 2012 World Series With Game 4 Win (4 To 3)!!! | |
2011 | Saying Just Enough |
2010 | Giants Win Game 2 Shutout of Rangers – 9 to 0!!! |
Tossers
Posted in Faith, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Faith, God, Logic, Philosophy, Quotes, Religious Mania, Science, Stephen King on April 23, 2016| Leave a Comment »
The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God — or Satan is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance… logic can be happily tossed out the window. | |
— Stephen King | |
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On This Day In: | |
2015 | Hunger |
2014 | Outside Dependence |
2013 | Doing Right |
2012 | A Short Course In Human Relations |
If Death Be My Future | |
Strive | |
Such A Fool | |
2011 | I’m Working For A Living |
Books Are…
Posted in Quotes, Reading, tagged Books, Quotes, Reading, Stephen King on January 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent. | |
— Stephen King | |
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