Stephen King's Universe

[talemaker]

---

Vampyre wrote:
I can say one thing about Cell. I am vaery happy to not own or use a cell phone.

---

If there was one redeming quality about Cell, it was the use of Cell phones as a weapon of mass destruction. In a way this might have been King telling us that innocence can kill. Not many folks thing of cell phones as weapons. Or it might be a statement relating to our dependency on technology, and how that dependency cam maim or cripple us physically and mentally.

[Vampyre]

"Or it might be a statement relating to our dependency on technology, and how that dependency cam maim or cripple us physically and mentally."

I'll go with this view point. It also follows some of what I think he was saying in the Stand. While tech may not be a bad thing, it is bad to become overly dependent on it. I agree, to become overly dependent on anything can be a bad thing.

[talemaker]

One of the most glaring examples of me having become a slave to technology, is how much time I will spend looking for the remote to the TV, when I could simply push the buttons on the TV. SK, beyond the techno stuff, allows us to see human nature is all its ugly forms. A few people shy away from SK, not because of the blood and guts, but because he makes us look at the parts of our humanness, so to speak, that we try to hide even from ourselves.

[Vampyre]

Back in the day when I was a little kid, I was the remote. TV viewing was free and we got 3 channels in black and white. When it was time to change the channel, I'd grab the pliers, grip the stem where the knob used to be(They always got lost within the first 3 weeks of purchase)and turn it in numerical order to each channel. Never backwards. It was believed back then that if you went backwards, something else would break.

My secondary job was fiddling with the antenna to ensure the best picture possible. On important occasions, I was the antenna. I never liked that job.

Today about 95% of the homes in the US have cable or satellite dishes, Tivo or DVR's and way over 100 channels to choose from. We have premium movie channels, video on demand and pay per view. We pay a lot for what we used to get for free.

When I was a kid and first heard of cable TV, I thought it was a really dumb idea. Who in their right mind would pay for something we get for free? Seems like just about everyone will. They even did it to water, free from the tap or $1.50 for a 20 ounce bottle.

Message Edited by Vampyre on 08-05-2007 06:59 PM

[Linda301]

---

Vampyre wrote:
Back in the day when I was a little kid, I was the remote. TV viewing was free and we got 3 channels in black and white. When it was time to change the channel, I'd grab the pliers, grip the stem where the knob used to be(They always got lost within the first 3 weeks of purchase)and turn it in numerical order to each channel. Never backwards. It was believed back then that if you went backwards, something else would break.

My secondary job was fiddling with the antenna to ensure the best picture possible. On important occasions, I was the antenna. I never liked that job.

Today about 95% of the homes in the US have cable or satellite dishes, Tivo or DVR's and way over 100 channels to choose from. We have premium movie channels, video on demand and pay per view. We pay a lot for what we used to get for free.

When I was a kid and first heard of cable TV, I thought it was a really dumb idea. Who in their right mind would pay for something we get for free? Seems like just about everyone will. They even did it to water, free from the tap or $1.50 for a 20 ounce bottle.

Message Edited by Vampyre on 08-05-2007 06:59 PM

---

Ah, the good(?) olde days! Seems like most kids were employed the same way back then - you brought back some interesting memories (like the pliers!). Midnight at the Scott home and the TV is on low and my older brother and sister are introducing me to Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee! "fangs...for the memories!"

Linda

[Vampyre]

I loved the Hammer horror movies. I grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Every Saturday, they showed scary movies on channel 12. That was a channel in Cincinnati. 45 miles away. I had to use every trick I knew to get that channel in clear enough to see. Sometimes I'd be too scared to go outside for the rest of the weekend.

I think those movies were important back then. I think they helped teach me how to face my fears and to deal with them. Oh and if one of those monsters ever get after me, I know what hurts most of them.

Message Edited by Vampyre on 08-07-2007 09:59 AM

[Linda301]

---

Vampyre wrote:
I loved the Hammer horror movies. I grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Every Saturday, they showed scary movies on channel 12. That was a channel in Cincinnati. 45 miles away. I had to use every trick I knew to get that channel in clear enough to see. Sometimes I'd be too scared to go outside for the rest of the weekend.

I think those movies were important back then. I think they helped teach me how to face my fears and to deal with them. Oh and if one of those monsters ever get after me, I know what hurts most of them.

Message Edited by Vampyre on 08-07-2007 09:59 AM

---

I grew up not too far away in Pittsburgh, for me the station to get was just over the Ohio border. (I wonder if there was something about the signals travelling from west to east?) I'll eventually remember the station name, but it's buried right now in the lumber yard of my memory...

Hammer rocks! I still would rather watch a Hammer film than any of the new hack and slashers! For me I think it was more about bending the rules and watching forbidden shows - I did sleep with my covers up to my neck for a long time though! (So I could feel the movement of the sheet before the vampire bit me! ) What was the one that scared you the most from you childhood?

Linda

[Vampyre]

The mummy I guess. He's the only one I remember ever dreaming about. Then there was this non-Hammer sci-fi movie about a giant bird that had me going for a while. If I had to go outside, I'd not play out in the open, I'd stay under trees so it couldn't fly over and get me.

[Linda301]

---

Vampyre wrote:
The mummy I guess. He's the only one I remember ever dreaming about. Then there was this non-Hammer sci-fi movie about a giant bird that had me going for a while. If I had to go outside, I'd not play out in the open, I'd stay under trees so it couldn't fly over and get me.

---

I've thought about those old movies a lot, and I guess the reason I still like them is that the evil beings in them could be pitied as well as being scary.

The one that scared me and had me hiding under the bed was "The Picture of Dorian Grey" That skull swooping around the house! Brrrr! (Kind of like your giant bird!) I've watched it again and thought "why was I so scared??!!"

Linda

[Vampyre]

Well the thing about true horror is the fact that it does scare us and it doesn't need an ocean of blood and gore to do it. One thing I never understood though in sop many vampire movies is, why do they go looking for the vampire at night? If it was me, I'd be out there looking for that sucker at dawn + 10 seconds in the summer so I'd have a good 16 hours before sunset. 8)

[talemaker]

---

Vampyre wrote:
Well the thing about true horror is the fact that it does scare us and it doesn't need an ocean of blood and gore to do it. One thing I never understood though in sop many vampire movies is, why do they go looking for the vampire at night? If it was me, I'd be out there looking for that sucker at dawn + 10 seconds in the summer so I'd have a good 16 hours before sunset. 8)

---

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and you are right, true horror does not contain gallons of blood. in my opinon true horror lives in two places: the heart and the mind. evil is conceived in both of those places before it is ever acted upon. what I like a SK is that he put the horror their in the lives of ordinary folks. Needful Things is the perfect example of the evil and dangers that lurk in us all. The most frighten moment of my life was walking home by myself when I was about ten after having seen the Night of the Living Dead. Lexington is a nice quite town, but I was sure that around each corner was the living dead. What to expand on this but has to go to work this morning but, wanted to leave something. G.

[Linda301]

---

talemaker wrote:

---

Vampyre wrote:
Well the thing about true horror is the fact that it does scare us and it doesn't need an ocean of blood and gore to do it. One thing I never understood though in sop many vampire movies is, why do they go looking for the vampire at night? If it was me, I'd be out there looking for that sucker at dawn + 10 seconds in the summer so I'd have a good 16 hours before sunset. 8)

---

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and you are right, true horror does not contain gallons of blood. in my opinon true horror lives in two places: the heart and the mind. evil is conceived in both of those places before it is ever acted upon. what I like a SK is that he put the horror their in the lives of ordinary folks. Needful Things is the perfect example of the evil and dangers that lurk in us all. The most frighten moment of my life was walking home by myself when I was about ten after having seen the Night of the Living Dead. Lexington is a nice quite town, but I was sure that around each corner was the living dead. What to expand on this but has to go to work this morning but, wanted to leave something. G.

---

Night of the Living Dead was filmed not far from my house! Brrr - I still get shivers when I see those open PA fields!

Linda

[Vampyre]

Oh I know all about Lexington. My sister has lived there or close to there most of her adult life. I flew in there one time before they expanded the air port and thought, "OMG we almost hit that cow!" Now that was scary.

Thanks to horror movies, I do not like windows, especially at night. To look out a window at night and see a face looking back at me would scare the crap right outta me.

Part of the blame belongs to William Shatner and the 'Twilight Zone". He was a 'recovered' mental patient flying home with his wife. He saw a gremlin on the wing that no one else saw. In one scene, he opens the window shade and it's right there looking at him. First time I saw that I sort of levitated all the way across the room and behind the couch. TZ did a lot of stuff like that.

[allenctynimrod]

I guess I'm dating my age here but I don't ever remember the Shatner episode of TZ. However John Lithgow's performance in the movie version of the episode from 1983 was a sight to behold.

[Vampyre]

To sort of get the thread I hijacked back on track, I also had a hard time getting interested in the Dark Tower Series. I first tried to read it when it was still pretty new. Didn't like it, didn't understand what it was or what was going on.

Once I heard he had finally finished the series, I decided to give it another try and read it all. The more I read the better it got. I especially like the flashbacks to when Roland was younger. I wont say anymore though.

It seems to me SK writes one theme for a while then switches to another. In the beginning it was stories like Carry and Fire Starter. Lately it's been stories like Delores Claybourn, Rose Madder and Misery.


I've always thought it was interesting to watch as his style evolves.

[allenctynimrod]

I never really had a problem with the first story in The Dark Tower I always seemed to bog down in the Drawing of the Three after Eddie showed up (won't give anything away beyond that). However from the very get go I always enjoyed books 3-4-5. I think the middle of that series is just so great. Eddie vs. Blaine has some lines that just crack me up. Book 6 was ok and Book 7 did a great job with most of the loose ends but it felt like a big undertaking. I will admit I was dissappointed but hopeful at the end. All in all I really enjoyed the series.

[Frannie]

---

Stephanie wrote:
It's a funny thing, reader's reactions to novel length - I often purposely seek out the fattest book in the store! I truly enjoy being able to totally submerge myself in the story, and short novels make me sad to have to give up the characters too soon.

Stephanie

Message Edited by Stephanie on 10-25-200605:37 PM

---

Stephanie I absolutely agree! When a book is really good, like Stephen King novels always are, I actually go through withdrawels when the story is over, lol.

[ZZTROUT]

I have to say that the whole Dark Tower series ranks #1 as my favorite fictional experience.  I am a sucker for sagas, but this one blew me away.  King made me love and hate almost every character in that series at some point in his narrative.  I am probably going to cause some consternation, but I feel that the Dark Tower is a better read and is more relevant than Tolkiens 'Lord of the Rings'.  Just my opinion, but I felt closer to his characters and their experiences affected me way more than Frodo or Sam ever did.