M. Night Shyamalan vs. Steven King (films, script, horror, actress)

[noid_1985]

Which of the two writes the worst movies.... I think M. Night Shyamalan- there isn't many of his movies that I liked except maybe 6th Sense, but The Village has to be one of the worst movie of all time. Just want to know what people think because they both have a similar style

[Saybl]

Stephen Kings books may be cliche but they are fantastic. As far as his movies go I don't think he has any control over how they do them.

M. Night Shyamalan should get out of the movie business . I agree 6 sense was ok and I kind of liked Unbreakable , other then that his movies really aren't that good.

[eevee]

Stephen King does not write movies; his books are adapted into films. there is a huge difference. SK has very little control over the quality of a script once the movie rights are sold. even SK has come out and stated that he disliked some of the adaptations of his books. comparing SK to M. night Shyamalan is a bit silly. it's like trying to compare JK Rowling to Stephen Spielberg

[Bluesbabe]

To each his own, I guess. I LOVE M. Night Shyamalan movies, even "The Village". However, I have not seen all of them.

On the other hand, I'm one of the few who despises "The Shining". I thought Nicholson's performance was bit over-done and I still can't look at Shelly Duvall. I think I'd like the movie better if it had a different actress. But I liked the book.

[luckygreeniii]

What about Signs? I loved that movie!

[b. frank]

I'll just say that King is a far better fiction writer than Shyamalan is a screenwriter.
As for King's screenwriting - I think he has only written a few screenplays (maybe less?). One was Creepshow, which is a good movie. He can't really be blamed for the many, many terrible movies made from his books and stories.
Shyamalan on the other hand, has made 2 movies that I like (6th Sense and Unbreakable) and the others border on unwatchable.
So, any way you slice it, King wins.

[Wandering_Spirit]

Originally Posted by Bluesbabe

To each his own, I guess. I LOVE M. Night Shyamalan movies, even "The Village". However, I have not seen all of them.

On the other hand, I'm one of the few who despises "The Shining". I thought Nicholson's performance was bit over-done and I still can't look at Shelly Duvall. I think I'd like the movie better if it had a different actress. But I liked the book.

I was reading in a book about Stephen King that he also despised the movie and was quite open publicly about it. It got to a point where he wanted it recreated more to his writing and in order for that to happen he needed to secure permission from director Stanly Kubrick and one of the conditions was that King no longer badmouth his version of The Shining. There are actually 2 versions of The Shining: Kubrick's (with Jack Nicholson) and King's (released by ABC) STEPHEN KING'S THE SHINING.

[TX_AGGIE13]

I actually favored "The Shining" over all of Stephen King's films, and now that I hear that really wasn't him I'd have to say M. Night Shyamalan. I loved "Signs", I hated "Lady and the Water" or whatever it was called. I actually didn't mind "The Happening", but kinda silly. "The 6th Sense" was ok as well.

I like Stephen King's books, but when it comes to movies he needs a new game plan. Horribly directed, horrible casting, low budget, no special effects, and the list goes on...... Give him the crew Shyamalan is using to pop out films and I gurantee it would be a different story.

[Wandering_Spirit]

That's all well and good but as far as I know/have heard King actually has very little say in how his books are translated onto the big screen. Some directors do them justice (as with Rob Reiner) and others give their own interpretation. I know many King fans of the books who refuse to even see the movies because they are so different than the books. On the other hand Shyamalan is a director who puts his visions onto the screen so he pretty much has full say and control of the outcome. If I am wrong on any of this I humbly stand corrected now. (smile)

[natalayjones]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

Which of the two writes the worst movies.... I think M. Night Shyamalan- there isn't many of his movies that I liked except maybe 6th Sense, but The Village has to be one of the worst movie of all time. Just want to know what people think because they both have a similar style

Shyamalan. The Village was so awful I never bothered to see anything else by him. If I found out he was involved in it I immediately passed.

Originally Posted by TX_AGGIE13

I like Stephen King's books, but when it comes to movies he needs a new game plan. Horribly directed, horrible casting, low budget, no special effects, and the list goes on...... Give him the crew Shyamalan is using to pop out films and I gurantee it would be a different story.

I agree the movies are so gory and unbelievable it makes them stupid. My fave two movies are actually Misery and Dolores Claiborne, which aren't really horror. think if some of Kings movies were shot now with the all the movie magic they can do they'd be sooo much better. IT was scary as hell on the low budget - can you imagine it as the Halloween blockbuster of 2009? I'd be sleeping with my lights on for days.