DOLAN'S CADILLAC/MISERY

 Watch Dolan's Cadillac | Prime Video                         


                        Misery's Return", cover with Stephen King | Stephen king, Stephen king books, Stephen    

Both films feature crashed cars. 

Started off last night with Dolan's Cadillac (2009) - a ho-hum film based on the superior novella of the same name. The novella was originally published in the 1985 newsletter, Castle Rock, and reprinted in King's best collection (to date) Nightmares and Dreamscapes. It was the first work in that behemoth of a book and I just remember being absolutely blown away by the story. He takes such great care in how Robinson plans and executes his mission to execute Dolan. It made a massive impression on 17 year old me. I remember reading it and feeling a sense of familiarity, but was never able to figure out why it was familiar. Tonight I did a little research, and of course, it's a pastiche of Poe's 'The Cask of Amontillado'.

Never mind.

The film fairly whips along. Wes Bentley - I am not a fan of. Sorry Wes. Christian Slater excells as Jimmy Dolan. Just the right sort of role a scenery chewing actor like him loves to get his teeth into. The story loses the plot about a third through and you have to sit on your hands to stop you grabbing the remote to turn the thing off. Works much better on the written page.

 MISERY!!!!

Did I read this before or after The Dark Half? Can't remember, but I know that it was these two books being read back to back that absolutely cemented my love of Stephen King. I wouldn't really read another book by King about a writer (I feel that he's said all he has to on that subject) - but back then it was really fresh and interesting and a good way into learning about THE PROCESS. Misery I thought was the superior book and how brilliant was it to have some of the keys replaced by inserted pencilled letters? This blew my mind back then.

The film, it was the poster that was EVERYWERE that grabbed my attention. The house in the middle of nowhere. The film would have been watched as soon as it came out on video, and I was shaken to the core. Kathy Bates was TERRIFYING. To this date I still don't think there has been a performance as good as hers. She was the right amount of faux sympathetic with over the top deranged psychopath. James Caan is clearly along for the ride and loving every fucking moment. And it's also good to see the other side of Kathy Bates in King's universe when she was in Dolores Clairborne - and this will be watched soon, just because I've been pumped up by watching Misery. I've watched this film about 10 times now and never get bored of it. As fine a thriller as The Silence of the Lambs.

"He didn't get out of the cockadoodie car!"


04/01/2022

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