Does popular = good?

[wendybeth]

As a white woman, I am totally offended.



Not really. I suppose if I actually saw the movie I might be offended, but it would depend on how they portrayed white women.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The crowd discussing what's good, what's gay, and what SAG is up to looks up.
*grand entrance*

Hello, all you wonderful people! A thread all about me, and it's not even my birthday, how generous! *bats eyelashes*

Anyway. Shawshank. Here's why I'm a statistical anomaly:

I read Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption ages before the movie came out, when I was enthralled with all things King. Like all of his novellas, it was pretty incredible, and moved me quite a bit. I read it at least 4 times before seeing the film - and Tim Robbins was NOT what I envisioned AT ALL. It was also WAY TOO DAMN SAPPY (thank you Strangler Lewis) and when you're talking Stephen King, it's hard to add sap, but they achieved it in freaking spades.

I never like adaptations of King. The movie Misery was awful for me. I understand why others would like these films but having absorbed every word of these books, over and over, it's impossible to be satisfied with the choices they make for the motion pictures.

As for popular = good....hah. Popular = popular and nothing more.

[blueerica]

Hmm, brings on a side topic for myself - favorite King adaptation.. I'll save that one for another day.

I suppose that in this thread I have yet to say whether popular = good.

Of course not; at least not on the individual level. But for more individuals than not, or at least those who took the time to respond (and that needs to be taken seriously into consideration when considering what imdb or any movie-related site has to say on a "rating" of a movie based on "popularity") the movie is "good."

"Good" is such a non-descriptor to me these days that they may have just as well said it was "okay." After all, don't most people say their day was "good" if it wasn't totally crap - by comparison, unless a movie was egregiously bad, don't they say "it was good" and if you're lucky enough for a discriminating opinion they might say, "but..."

Anyway... I don't buy much into what people say, aside from a few people I know very well.

[lizziebith]

Another way my hubby and I differ is that I could care less for King, except for his excellent "On Writing." We had dinner with him (they work together every so often), and I know he has such fervent fans that the whole time I felt like I was wasting a seat. He's very nice though. Still, his writing bores the *&^% out of me. Any movie seems an improvement. I even liked "Cujo."

Normally, I'd side with the written version of most stuff over the filmed, but I'm just not fan enough to think the written versions of King are so very great.

Cormac McCarthy though...I've got his back! I'm really hopeful that the new flick will do him justice!

[wendybeth]

God, I just read Cormac's 'The Road'. Good book, but depressed the **** out of me.

[blueerica]

Cormac McCarthy has to be one of my favorite writers of all time. Such gripping realism in his storytelling. So brutal. My introduction to him was Blood Meridian for a literature class I took last year.

And Lizziebith... You're just making me jealous. Stop. Please. Seriously.

[cirquelover]

OMG to have dinner with King!! Yes, many would have gladly taken your place at the table, me, me, pick me

I have collected his works for years, although I have been slacking the last few. I even searched high and low for a copy of my pretty pony and paid a pretty little fortune for that thing!

I envy you more than I can express right now

[alphabassettgrrl]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Or occasionally 15 minutes and an indecent reason

You make me giggle.

Originally Posted by Prudence

But if gay for pay were popular, would that make it good?

I'm so often out of step with "popular" i don't even worry about it anymore. I see equivalating "good" with "popular" to be a symptom of the degradation of opinions and taste in the culture. We used to be more demanding- stories had to actually have a story. Now we just need pretty people and good effects and call it a hit!

I've been very disgusted with movies and tv lately- I pick and choose what I watch, and hang the rest. It's a lot. So much of it looks to be a waste of my precious time. There are so many *other* things I could be doing.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I wouldn't want to have dinner with him just because I'd be a giggling idiot the whole time.

"Hey, you remember when you wrote that book The Stand, and there was that guy who was deaf and that guy who was mentally disabled, and they were like biking together and stuff? You remember that? That was awesome."

[Alex]

Originally Posted by cirquelover

I even searched high and low for a copy of my pretty pony and paid a pretty little fortune for that thing!

If I'd known I would have sold you Lani's copy and seen if she noticed. Pretty much up to about 2000 she was collecting him and has most things in first edition (meaning Grant Hill edition for many) and many still shrink wrapped. I, however, hate Pretty Pony since it is so out of size with everything. Requires a taller shelf for just one inch thick book. Very inefficient.