Editorials
8 Great Book-To-Film Horror Adaptations!
We all know the old adage: “The movie is never as good as the book.” Well sometimes that’s just not true! Sometimes the movie version can actually fix a lot of the novel’s mistakes, especially if the book isn’t exactly classic literature (looking at you Jaws). I’ve put together a list of some horror films that actually improved upon the books they were based on (or at least did the book justice)! “But Trace,” you ask, “didn’t you already write a post extremely similar to this one but with a much more click bait-y title last year?” And the answer is yes. Yes I did, but this has a much less click bait-y title and I’m taking a different angle, so ha! Anyway, now that the elephant in the room has been addressed, here we go:
Rosemary’s Baby
Ira Levin’s novel is one of the greatest novels ever written (though I’m partial to The Stepford Wives), but Roman Polanski’s film adaptation does a wonderful job of enhancing the atmosphere and dread that Levin so masterfully described. Let’s just forget the TV miniseries ever happened, alright?
The Exorcist
If you ever want to read something truly horrifying, simply read William Peter Blatty’s description of a Black Mass in The Exorcist. The novel is a fascinating read, but the film, written by Blatty and directed by William Friedkin, surpasses the novel in every way imaginable. It’s almost difficult to believe that, like many films now considered classics, it had a mixed reception upon its initial release!
Jaws
As I mentioned above, Jaws fixes a lot of Peter Benchley’s novel’s mistakes. Gone is the subplot involving Ellen’s affair with Matt (as well as Matt’s death in the shark cage) and some other superfluous subplots. Steven Spielberg injected some humanity into the characters, something the novel was sorely lacking. Also, the ending is a bit more cathartic. In the novel, the shark merely drowns. Spielberg thought the audience deserved something a little more explosive, so that’s what he gave us!
The Howling
Truthfully, I have not read Gary Brandner’s The Howling, but I have seen the movie, and I can’t imagine the novel would be much better! If anything the ending of the film, in which Karen (Dee Wallace) turns into a werewolf on live television, certainly beats the ending of the novel, in which Karen just escapes the burning mountain village while hearing the sound of howling in the distance.
The Thing
John W. Campbell, Jr.’s novella has been adapted quite a few times, but the best adaptation is arguably John Carpenter’s 1982 film The Thing, a horror film so masterful that it still sets the standard for practical effects today. Hell, a lot of movies made today can’t match the practical effects in The Thing. It’s almost hard to believe it was reviled upon its initial release, but The Thing is the level of quality all adaptations (and remakes) should strive to achieve.
American Psycho
Unfilmable shmunfilmable! Mary Harron took Bret Easton Ellis’ novel and transformed it into something special (and a little bit easier to swallow). Ellis’ novel is fantastic and a scathing critique on capitalism, but it can get bogged down by the endless (and I mean endless) lists of brand names (I get the point, but it did make the book difficult to get through). The book may have the gore, but Harron’s film has the style. It is a worthy adaptation of Ellis’ controversial novel.
Audition
Asami sure does look a lot more innocent as an anime cartoon, doesn’t she? Ryu Murakami’s novel is good, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that Takashi Miike’s direction is simply more impressive when it comes to Audition. It is not a film for everyone (it took me about three viewings to fully appreciate it), but you can’t deny the visceral impact the films has on its viewers.
The Ruins
Truthfully, The Ruins is not better than Scott Smith’s novel (which is odd considering that Smith wrote the screenplay for the film), but I will defend this movie about evil vines until the day I die. What played so well on the page could have easily come across as silly on film (comparisons to Little Shop of Horrors were abundant when the film was initially released) and The Ruins thankfully manages to avoid delving into campy territory. These plants are vicious. While the film may not surpass the novel in terms of quality, it is still a shining example of a novel adapted correctly.
Which horror movie do you think improved upon the book it was based on? Let us know in the comments below!
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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