Started for health, finished ... The series from the third series gradually rolled into a sad guano. I couldn't even look at the rewind. And I think King's pissed. . .
I must say, the series is very interesting in terms of attempts to study primitive evil as a phenomenon existing outside the mass understanding as a phenomenon (church, official science, pseudo-magicians). Today, there are few answers to this question that a certain scientific community would agree with without fear of reprisals from the church. So Stephen King's constant return to the subject deserves respect, even though it's all featured in an extremely popular pitch. The series is primarily Mystic, the second Detective and not once a thriller, it is even somehow offensive for this work.
I don't read the descriptions so I don't spoil it, and the beginning was cool. But in Episode 4, heresy began with witchcraft magic and mythology. and very cheap. everyone was raked in a pile on the principle of compote. And then I read that it's Stephen King, you know, stupid, BU horror stories. Steven, the real evil on this planet is a human being, that's who you should be filming, not your funny monsters.
It is often believed that King’s film adaptations are weaker than his novels. Maybe it is. In any case, the film adaptation is a separate work that may or may not follow a literary basis, the decision is made by the director. In the case of the series “Alien”, it’s not that someone has completed a love line, changed skin color or added a tragic backstory. These minor discrepancies with the original source do not go to any comparison with how bad the series itself is from an artistic and plot point of view.
Screenwriters use the whole set of cliches of the detective genre: a serial killer is; a detective with a difficult fate is, a detective's partner who offers him an alternative look - there is, an American deaf man - is. Anyway, the clichés themselves aren't particularly annoying. But what's not there is an atmosphere of terror, which is the main component. It would seem that there is an interesting plot: the killer is a shapeshifter, from which one could squeeze a wonderful atmosphere of paranoid and omnipresent horror, when no one is immune from the machinations of evil. It didn't work out.
Static footage, lots of conversation, little action, dull green-brown color correction, no sound theme. Even the screensaver is boring. Yes, judging the series by the screensaver, probably not worth it, but here as if lazy at all over her to think an extra couple of minutes. The series is unbearably long: all 10 hours you will watch as the characters with lean faces slowly go back and forth. No horror, no drama, no thriller, no detective you will not get. The abundance of dead boys and girls (as well as their parents) is exhausting by the 4th series. Heroes are a set of long-running clichés that solve the mystery in the middle of the series, and spend the rest of the time to gather their thoughts and start acting.
Bottom line: if you want to watch a detective series with a bias in the supernatural - choose "True Detective" or "Twin Peaks", if the detective series, where one of the characters is slightly autistic - the series "Bridge" or the film "Girl with a dragon tattoo", if just a good detective with real people in place of heroes capable not only of suffering and despondency - the series "Meir from Easttown". Don’t waste 10 hours of time on this.
Stephen King is considered one of the greatest writers of our time. His books are popular around the world, and King himself earned the fame of a well-deserved “master of horror”. However, the reason for the success of his works lies not only in fantasy, but also in the ability to syncretize horror and deep psychological drama. To a certain extent, most of his novels are examples of psychological horror, in which horror is used as a tool to uncover real human problems. One of these last novels was the detective thriller “Stranger”, based on which in 2020 the eponymous series was released.
In the small American town of Cherokee Falls, the body of an 11-year-old boy is discovered. The found evidence suggests the involvement of a respected citizen, literature teacher and baseball team coach Terry Maitland. The problem is that Terry has a solid alibi: he was hundreds of miles away from the scene when the boy was killed. The investigation is entrusted to police detective Ralph Anderson, who in an attempt to get to the truth turns to private detective Holly Gibney, who suggests that an ancient supernatural evil may be involved in this case.
The series turned out to be very atmospheric and authentic, which was achieved due to many factors, including acting. First of all, I would like to mention the Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn in the role of Ralph Anderson, a professional detective who used to think exclusively rationally all his life. However, this case changes all the ideas of the hero about life, while opening old wounds. I would also mention Mary Winningham as Jeannie Anderson, Ralph’s wife, a sensitive and caring woman who is ready to come to the rescue of anyone who really needs her and make it clear that whoever thinks about this person will be on his side. Finally, Cynthia Erivo is most remembered as Holly Gibney, a brilliant detective with an analytical mindset who is able to look beyond human knowledge and accept the existence of what previously seemed unthinkable.
Directing Stranger turned out to be a really atmospheric series. I especially liked the genre combination consisting of a detective thriller, psychological drama and mystical horror. And the series really looks like a detective. Heroes piece by piece collect evidence and facts, gradually approaching the solution. Usually, according to tradition, some distant past of the criminal, some old sins that should serve as a clue should surface here. But suddenly an ordinary detective with a search for a maniac turns into a mystical horror about ancient monsters from national folklore, and then there is a unique feeling that the heroes first encountered something supernatural that is stronger than them at times, or even impossible to stop.
The story takes place in the southern state of Georgia. The quiet and measured life of Cherokee Falls is disrupted by the murder of 11-year-old Frankie Peterson, whose torn body was found near the city in the woods. Evidence found at the crime scene, including DNA, as well as witness statements, point to the involvement of local literature teacher and baseball coach Terry Maitland. The police arrest Terry, and the investigation is entrusted to Ralph Anderson. For Ralph, this case is not easy, since he lost his only son a few years ago. Everything, including the video, points to Terry. The case seems too simple in terms of evidence.
But here's the inconsistency. There are solid facts of non-involvement of Terry, proving that at the time of Frankie's death, he was hundreds of kilometers from the crime scene. How is that possible? However, such a serious crime, limited information and unjustified aggression lead to a chain of tragedy that kills both Terry and the remaining family members of the murdered Frankie Peterson. Realizing that something is wrong, that the case needs an investigation by a real expert on such issues, Ralph and his colleagues turn to private detective Holly Gibney for help. Reluctantly, Holly still takes up the case and, unlike the police, quickly moves forward in the investigation, which leads her to guess about the existence of a supernatural monster that has been killing people since ancient times, sowing grief and despair.
Disclose some details of the plot does not make sense, because spoilers will go. In my opinion, “Alien” is a very good series, in which literally everything is masterfully verified, starting with the acting and directing and ending with the script and camera work. Once again, I note that the series is interesting to watch, first of all, as a detective, i.e. you will not be bored. Therefore, I would strongly recommend watching.
The works of Stephen King are constantly filmed. Not always the film project is successful, but the series “Alien” from HBO is a success story.
The novel “Alien” by Stephen King was published in 2018. And the content of its history is visible modern trends. Stephen King is absolutely true to himself and his writing style. However, topical topics of the potential duplicity of any adult who is alone with children, and the interaction of real and online reality, did not bypass the author.
The story begins with the murder of a boy. Very quickly, witnesses and videos are found that clearly point to the person who committed the crime. The case seems to be closed, but it turns out that this man was definitely somewhere else at the same time that witnesses and video cameras filmed him at the crime scene. . .
In The Outsider, Stephen King combined the problem of parents’ trust in teachers – after all, it is the school coach who is accused and the problem of the limits of a person’s trust in what he sees with his own eyes on the screen. These are two very relevant topics for modern society.
However, Stephen King would not be the “king of horrors” if his story, based on real countries of society, did not receive mystical interpretations.
The main roles in the series were performed by the magnificent Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo and Jason Bateman. Ben Mendelsohn perfectly embodied the image of a rational detective on the screen. And Cynthia Erivo appeared on the screen in the image of a brilliant and at the same time very strange and even unearthly woman with paranormal abilities and engaged in private investigation.
A huge advantage of the series is its multi-layered, if you have not read the book, you will be very surprised what plot twists the story takes with the end of each series. First it all starts as a detective, then it turns into a draza, and then a private investigator named Holly Gibney appears and the story gets a completely new mystical expression. . .
The series consists of 10 episodes - and each episode is full of events, and the main characters by the end of the series will seem to you so familiar and close that it will be difficult to say goodbye to them.
Excellent, not protracted by unnecessary dialogues and meaningless plot branches of the series.
I just want to say, this is the first movie (series) in my memory that I just can’t watch until the end. With grief in half watched up to 3 episodes.
What didn't I like? It is easier to say what you like, to list more precisely, because there is nothing to list. Firstly, this film adaptation is guilty of obvious gaffes, like when Claude talks about a white shirt and immediately show the shirt in the blood. Secondly, for some reason, all those who undertake to film King, try to hang on one character the words and actions of another, as it was for example in ' The Dark Half', one could assume a desire to save on actors, but then introduced additional, - why is it unclear.
About Holly, played by an African-American, has been said a hundred and five hundred times, I will not repeat. Oh, this tradition of pushing everyone, so that it is not offensive.
I had the impression that we should not expect a really good and strong adaptation of any book at all. And here I express the opinion that King, no matter how much he was very deeply and frankly reveals something deep and very unpleasant, something that has been living in every person since ancient times. Like the light, there are also such examples, and man - as a field of eternal struggle between light and darkness.
So, if the film adaptation is successful, it will several times increase the effect of the written, awakening the next "Monster" & #39; in real life. Maybe that’s why most movies are so bad.
But this, as I said above, I have not mastered the word at all. I read the book in two days, it didn’t have enough time. Yes, maybe it echoes a few more novels, some common features. For example, in the same 'Beznadega', evil also hid somewhere in the mountains and rocks.
But in it I did not see failures of presentation or any absurdity, everything is clear and in essence and in King’s meticulous detail.
But the movie is something. Yes, somewhere a couple of actors got by the images that I drew in my head, but it’s all different. But in general, apart from perplexity, this series causes me nothing more.
For fans of King, definitely watch, and suddenly it will come, well, the series 11 will always be able to stop, and so once again convinced hard to film what is transmitted by sensations and feelings, what is called the magic of cinema.
There was no magic, grayness, dullness of longing and hopelessness, the feeling that was filmed by our fans of harsh reality )
In general, for the efforts of the actors and the cost of effort and means 3 points, if he had inspected, he put it possible and more. But there's no strength or desire. Maybe I'll decide later. . .
'Stranger' - a series from HBO based on the work of the same name by Stephen King. By the way, I found out about this series, when I bought the book "Stranger" on it adorned with the inscription - "Read the book - watch the series!", the book I read in a few days, I liked it, and I started watching the series.
The story revolves around the brutal murder of an eleven-year-old boy, whose murder is accused of baseball coach Terry Maitland - all the evidence points to him, but there is one BUT at the time of the murder he was in another city and there is irrefutable proof of this. This complex case is taken by detective Ralph Anderson, who has to figure out who really killed the boy.
To begin with, the series was shot as close as possible to the literary source, except that some new characters were added, some characters were replaced with other characters, some changed during the course of events. The series is shot in gloomy tones, the inflating atmosphere, the tension between the characters, despair, hopelessness, the unknown with which the heroes will face, here were very well conveyed.
The storyline is built intriguingly, with each series the heroes will face new “surprises” of the case, the soundtrack in the series is appropriate, getting to the chills. From the cast, I wanted to mention Ben Mendelsohn, he perfectly embodied his character Ralph Anderson, I would say that his character is not too emotional, he seems to be on his own mind, he is worried about the fact that he hastened to arrest Maitland, and now he wants, despite everything, to find the real killer. Cynthia Erivo, Holly Gibney, her heroine is a detective of a private agency, which will help Anderson in this complicated case, she herself is an extraordinary person, with her own characteristics, she believes in what Anderson does not believe, but despite their different visions of the situation, they complement each other well.
In general, “Alien” turned out to be a pretty good adaptation of the work of Stephen King, this is a tense, intricate detective with elements of mysticism, which captures from the first to the last series, you worry about the characters, and personally I watch the series, having read the book in advance and then I was worried, I was wondering how it will end, because you understand that the film adaptation can differ significantly from the literary source. But I can say that the series did not disappoint me, I can recommend to lovers of detectives, mysticism, “Alien” definitely deserves attention.
The main thing to note is that this is not a detective, as stated by the tags.
It's a fantasy horror in a detective's wrapper. The second is a very template fantasy horror.
In principle, you could limit yourself to this, saying that this is just a passerby, not worth the time spent watching, but I will clarify a little what I did not like.
First, the story is a 1-in-1 story of the same film, only instead of children, a bunch of harsh detectives led by a girl with an autistic genius. It seems that the plot was collected by some plot designer or even generated by a neural network - so everything consists of recognizable patterns.
Secondly, in the horror movie about the monster decided to save on the monster and special effects did not bring.
Thirdly, they did not bring interesting characters (let me remind you – everything is as simple as possible – noir men-detectives with a banal background, a brilliant autistic girl, etc.). I didn’t even understand when I was introduced to one of the main characters – it seemed like another passing character, which in the next series falls out of the narrative, but no – it turns out that this is one of the main characters.
That's what we got. An interesting plot, but in the end everything slides into the fight against a supernatural muzzle that likes to kill people. Well, all this in the entourage of a noir detective. And the outcome is interesting, too, do not wait, everything is as boring and unideal as possible.
And all this - banalism, a battered plot, cardboard characters, lack of intrigue, an unideal ending, the total unwillingness of the creators of the series to at least try to do something interesting - all this could still be experienced if there were at least beautiful visuals and effects, as in the case of Ono. But there is no such thing.
If you haven’t had enough of all the simple mysticism and horror movies (a la streaming books by King or Kunz) and are fanatical about all this trendy neo-noir atmosphere – you might want to. I don't recommend watching the rest. Very boring, predictable, stupid and undecided.
5-6 out of 10
“Stranger”, in fact continuing the universe of “Mr. Mercedes”, is not the most outstanding work of the master, but also not devoid of a truly “King” spirit. The link between “Mr. Mercedes” and “Alien” becomes Holly Gibney, a private detective who is experiencing the death of her partner, Bill Hodgens. After some time, Holly joins the investigation, the center of which is the murder of a young boy, led by Anderson. At first, no one has the trouble of putting two and two together to expose the killer. This fact is beyond doubt, both DNA traces at the crime scene and reinforced concrete testimony of witnesses. Soon, however, the alibi of the main suspect, Terry Maitland, emerges.
Screening a novel that raises uncomfortable questions and awakens a gut-wrenching fear of something foreign, treacherously penetrating into our lives, was not so much a difficult task as one requiring a thoughtful approach, when one wrong step could lead to the common mistake of King’s film adaptation: the imbalance between grotesque and tragedy. The “outsider” on-screen actually outplays the book, which naturally entails both pros and cons. Mentioning the pros, first of all, I want to note the assumptions of the writers (including the writer of “The Wire”) regarding the background of some characters: the Andersons, painfully experiencing the death of their son, in the novel being in summer camp; the line of Jack Hoskins, full of horror and tragedy, and not only designed to be an obstacle to the happy ending; the tone of the relationship between Glory Maitland and Jenna Anderson, which was sometimes lacking when reading. This all layering on each other, managed to give the characters depth, the series is a piercing shade of drama.
The death of his son gives Anderson a personal motive against the defendant that can be voiced, not just caught between the lines. This “reveals” his permanent longing and murmuring doubts, soaked in the pages of the novel, into depression after the loss of a child. He not only did not lose his book humanity, but also managed to earn the audience’s trust. The lion’s share of empathy for the character falls on the stunning performance of Ben Mendelsohn. He plays not just authentically, but subtly: for example, from his discomfort at the mention of El Cuco, the audience also becomes awkward, although they are aware of the situation. The question of faith - one of the leitmotifs of the narrative - rises more acutely than the original, becoming a stumbling block between the main characters, which brings to the series a share of the necessary conflicts for the development of the characters, but somewhat moves away from the color of the novel.
Jack Hoskins, another detective called into service after Anderson's suspension, gives the series an extra layer of common leitmotif - the hopelessness and fragility of a person in the face of the supernatural. In the original, this is a rather flat character, driven by revenge and King’s heroes’ hyperfixation on a certain fear of submission to the forces of Evil, which gradually undermines his condition (Bowers from It). In the series, Hoskins is not that negative, he is rather an unpleasant type, who has fallen victim to circumstances. But he has people who are not indifferent to him, the conditional trust of colleagues, which makes him smarter than the book prototype, who made dubious plot jumps. Moreover, the serial relationship between Alien and Jack protects us from some misunderstandings of the original. And most importantly, Jack’s attitude to his own fate, which changes all stages of acceptance and ends with a humanizing redemption after a shocking scene of a shootout, which, thanks to the shifting of accents in Jack’s motives and increasing the stakes, causes even more bitterness and annoyance than in the novel.
When it comes to characters, it's hard to do without Holly Gibney. It is impossible to say unequivocally whether her on-screen adaptation turned out to be good or not, because due to the scripted efforts to protect her from Holly Gibney King’s – being in the stage of treatment for depression and somehow finding solace in Anderson – serial, independent of “Mr. Mercedes”, Gibney unwittingly sags in contradictions. If familiar with the original viewer understands the reason for her sudden affair with Andy, then without knowledge the question arises: how can such a complex heroine so easily establish a relationship with a person who barely knows her, goes with her to death? The writers needed Gibney’s strong affection, which was at odds with her personality but key to understanding her motives. Attachment was prescribed, and Andy remained in the role of an unnecessary element: the emotional background for Gibney. The nature of the heroine also suffered greatly. Book Gibney believes in El Cuco because she has dealt with something similar. It's her trauma and motivation. The series believes because the writers didn’t know what to do with it and reduced everything to a dubious gift. In any case, it is worth paying tribute to the game of Cynthia Erivo, who managed to convey the color and behavior of Gibney, perhaps somewhat repulsive to the viewer, in fact demonstrating a sensitive understanding of their heroine.
Finally, the third theme is grief and grief. Glory Maitland's line - whose life turns into a nightmare, exacerbated by the public's belief in Terry's guilt - evokes a strong emotional response. She is not just a widow, she is the widow of a monster. Not only is she grieving, she is furious. Especially valuable against this background are the relationship between Glory and Jenna Anderson, still grieving for her son, but finding the strength to live and support Glory. Perhaps we will never be able to let go of the lost loved ones: it is equivalent to them disappearing from our lives, as if they never existed. Perhaps believing that they are not gone forever is easier, as it is easier to share this enduring longing with someone else. During viewing, there is inevitably a feeling of bitterness. The murderous trail of ruins of human lives and destinies left by the Alien strangles and suppresses. This explains some of the nuances of camera work: sometimes frames seem to be piled on the beholder, like a wet blanket, knit perception, deliberately slow down and depress. Why you can draw a parallel with “True Detective”, where there is a similar gloomy atmosphere. In defense of "The Outsider," it's worth saying that visualizing the atmosphere that El Cuco literally feeds on is a good way to immerse yourself in what's happening. One of the most “bright” in its hopelessness is the episode with boys in caves, skillfully woven into the canvas of the narrative and matchlessly mounted in the style of “deception”.
Despite the good script, in some places the series seems long. From this does not even save quality directing (among the director_ok - people who worked on "Ozark", "Academy Umbrella", "Outlander", and among the editors - the editor of "True Detective"). If in the novel detailed descriptions can still be written off as a genre, then visual language requires several different solutions. In addition to the drama coming to the fore, the mysticism of the plot finds expression through suspense. What is happening is not so much frightening as catching up with horror, which better corresponds to the chosen tone of the narrative.
Stranger is a first-class drama, masterfully playing with the feelings and fears of the audience, not inferior to anything, and sometimes replaying the original. It is a story about faith, grief and the fragility of human life. After a series of recent unsuccessful adaptations of King, "Alien" becomes a fresh breath of air. Without stopping there, the series copes well and as an independent product.
There is much in the world, friend Horatio, that our sages have never dreamed of. ~ Shakespeare
I love horror, so I couldn’t miss the new HBO series “The Outsider”, 2020.
The beginning of the series is eerie: the mutilated body of a boy, Frank Peterson, is found, murdered with particular cruelty. Detective Ralph Andersen takes on the investigation of the murder, and, thanks to a lot of evidence left at the crime scene, quickly calculates the suspect. But here's the problem, the suspect has an ironclad alibi. How could you be in two places at the same time?
And then events develop according to a crazy scenario, where the unbeliever becomes an adept.
Many critics have compared the series to the first season of True Detective. I find similarities only in the detective component, when step by step the main characters try to solve the mystery of who the killer is. Although I add, the move with flashbacks is similar: we see scenes with events that occurred in different time periods, while such directorial decisions look very organic.
The series is fascinating, there are moments that can keep even a saturated moviegoer like me in suspense. A separate respect for the color scheme, the palette of which allows you to completely plunge into the melancholy of small towns of one-storey America. The story is hurried, immersing the viewer in a visceral foreboding. These are not horrors in the usual sense, where the viewer is afraid of screamers and blood, no, here the scriptwriters walked along the edge with the horror, but remained within a powerful psychological thriller.
Almost all reviews indicate one big drawback of the series is the casting for the role of Holly Gibney, but such a claim is made mainly by those who read the novel itself, they say King’s heroine does not coincide with the play of actress Cynthia Erivo. I had not read the book beforehand, and the actress seemed quite organic in the role of a girl “not of this world”: a deep look into herself, tense calmness and isolation, a sad half-smile.
The series was a success, with over 9 million people watching it. That unlike the same "True Detective" in "Stranger" was not an active promo, and in such a large number of viewers the merit of "word of mouth", when good reviews attracted new views, which did not happen with the previously released series "Castle Rock", despite the star cast.
There are not so many good adaptations of King, previously it was possible to note “The Shawshank Escape”, “It” (1 part), “The Green Mile” and “Doctor Sleep”. Now you can safely add “Alien” to them. I recommend watching not only mystics and thrillers, but also fans of drama, because the emotional component of the film is quite strong.
After watching all the series, I decided to read the book (already read half), because I felt a certain understatement in the finale, and I want to fill in the gaps. Many believe that all these insufferables are a direct reference to the next season. I don’t mind, I would love to continue watching.
Good show, close to the book. But with all due respect, is Holly Gibney African American??? That's too much. After Justine Lupe, the patterns were broken. . .
The novels of Stephen King filmed the last few years with a vengeance and not all film adaptations can be called at least decent. However, if we are talking about HBO and Richard Price, who worked on 'The Wire' and 'Two' as the showrunner of the project, then doubts about the quality of the material at the output are invariably minimized. The icing on the cake is the participation of Jason Bateman as an executive producer, who has already built a certain reputation for himself thanks to the hit Netflix & #39; Ozark'.
The plot of the series ' Stranger' tells about the investigation of the monstrous murder of a boy, in which a man is suspected, who was at the time of the murder 90 kilometers from the crime scene. The latter is confirmed by surveillance cameras and witnesses. However, there are witnesses and a lot of evidence, including fingerprints and DNA. The lead detective faces a dilemma: how the same person can be in two places at the same time.
The HBO series, based on the work of the master of horrors, is surprisingly well executed in the genre of a detective thriller with its inherent dimensionality, gloomy atmosphere and high-quality detective line. And no one throws monsters and esotericism at the viewer from the very door, despite the fact that we are talking about Stephen King. Of course, evil in the picture is invariably present, but the smooth transition from detective thriller to mysticism deserves special respect, as well as the fact that in ' Outsider' the main role is given to the horrors hidden in human vices and this incredibly accurately reflects King's understanding as an author. As a result, HBO presented a real hit and one of the best adaptations of King, able to keep in suspense for all ten episodes.
HBO is disappointing me more and more. Looking at their latest series like Chernobyl and Alien, you see that the studio has developed excellent mechanisms for producing quality content. It is difficult to find fault with camera work, with art, with sound. Everything is very atmospheric and at a high level. However, if you dig deeper and look at the core of these series, they turn out to be rotten propaganda that does more harm than good to the global community. In the case of Chernobyl, rottenness consisted in outright lies and manipulation of facts in order to convince the viewer that the Soviet system was wrong. It is also used here to promote obscurantism.
The series begins with the mysterious murder of a child. At the crime scene are all the evidence (DNA, fingerprints, video recordings of the killer and witnesses). Everything seems obvious, but suddenly it turns out that the same set of evidence refutes the evidence. All of this shows that the killer was in two places at the same time. The beginning is not bad, but then the series very quickly reveals all the cards and becomes terribly predictable, devoid of any intrigue. Personally, I always knew in a series or two what was going to happen. All the characters always lagged behind me as a spectator and this reduced the degree of interest in general.
But the true urge of the series began in the second half of the season. The fact is that in the series there is a killer who allegedly violates the known laws of physics. And the heroes had enough facts to prove it. And the whole company was divided into those who believed in the existence of this hero, and at the same time in the existence of the supernatural, god, hell, heaven, devils and other nonsense. And those who refused to accept and analyze facts at all, while remaining unbelievers in all obscurantism. Thus, the creators very cleverly demonstrated two sides of the coin: if you are rational and do not believe in fictional characters, then you are stupid, stubborn, unable to analyze new facts and unable to perceive them. On the other hand, obscurantists, on the contrary, are more open to everything new and are able to rationally analyze new contradictory information, and are not squeezed in the clutches of their paradigm.
This is a lie and a lie, in my opinion. For blind faith in something that requires no proof is obscurantism. That is, in the series, all the characters are irrational and believe in all sorts of nonsense, only some analyzed the evidence of the existence of the killer, and others did not. There are no real normal rationalists who are able to perceive everything new, but refuse to believe in false nonsense. Even a black detective who seems to be behaving like an adequate detective, at some point begins to tell stories about El Coco and other heresy. She just looked at the scary pictures on the Internet and concluded that the killer is the monster from the Internet. Where's the logical connection? She's missing. The same macar El Coco can be replaced by leprechaun or Gandalf.
At the heart of science and the rational approach are doubts, as well as the desire to eliminate contradictions. So religion is absurd. Therefore, we are constantly looking for ways to refute current scientific theories. Science is not a paradigm, it is a constant struggle toward truth. Any rational intelligent person, having received irrefutable evidence of the existence of a super-being, will devote all his energies to the study of this being, to his search and so on. And will not, like the main character of the series, rest and pretend that there is no evidence. Because his supernaturalness will end when he is studied. Any unexplained phenomenon sooner or later ceases to be inexplicable after full study. That's the point of science to study. To study what has not yet been studied. That's the point of rationality. At the same time, without evidence, without facts, without verification, data cannot be trusted.
Therefore, I was infuriated by the climactic dialogue of the series, where the main character is asked to stop being rational in order to believe in the existence of the killers & #39;. This is absurd, nonsense and substitution of concepts. On the contrary, he had to be asked to behave rationally, for the evidence of the existence of the murderers & #39; they had on their hands.
As a result, I see that at the head of the HBO are people whose purpose is precisely to fool their viewers so that they deteriorate. They sludge the rational state of the USSR, and in the next series put rationality in an artificially bad light. Popular art, in my opinion, should enlighten. And this is reversed. And unfortunately, people are grooving.
Not the most successful adaptation of not the most successful thing King. But for once it is quite a good series. You always expect something special from King.
At its core, Stranger is a story about faith. The eponymous (and fresh – released in 2018!) novel by Stephen King was received by readers contradictoryly, but still there is something in it: after Mr. Mercedes, the author is addicted to the topic of detectives. In the case of Alien, the real world and the other world mixed. Perhaps the “king of horrors” has been writing about ghosts and demons for so long that he wanted something new. In the teleformat, it played a cruel joke: “Stranger” feels on the one hand “King”, and on the other – more like “True Detective”. Speculative fiction about the ghost and the real crime - that's the balance of "Stranger." The ten-part series from HBO sometimes bends under the attributes of a book source, but the writers accurately understood the material with which they had to work.
Ralph Anderson is a depressed cop from a small town lost in Georgia. He investigates a special case: someone brutally killed a local child. For Anderson, this is almost personal: the detective himself recently lost his own son. Good news: Ralph knows who the killer is. Police arrest Terry Maitland, a schoolteacher, exemplary family man and a pillar of society. The evidence is clear: multiple witnesses, fingerprints, DNA, CCTV footage. However, Terry has a trump card up his sleeve: he was out of town at the time of the crime... and there is evidence for that, too. All this information is fed in a sharp pilot episode that deftly alternates between familiarity with the characters and conflict. By the end of the first series, the audience is confused... well, and then the main plot begins to unwind.
If it sounds like an unusual detective, it’s because it is, even if “Alien” isn’t actually a detective in the classical sense of the word. Much of what makes the story so intriguing since the first series is the desire to get answers to many of the tangled story questions. And in truth, the series spends quite a lot of time, especially in the first episodes, spinning dark drama. The conflict is shown well, let it smolder, then flare up.
"Stranger" may be too dark and too weird for drama (and generally to be another HBO hit), but the series is perhaps well suited for evening or even midnight viewing. It's creepy but cozy. Neonoir, of course, devoid of the spectacular techniques of “True Detective” and “Sharp Objects”, but still “Alien” marks, rather, a successful year for King’s fans (and this after a difficult 2019 with the controversial “It”. Part 2, In the Tall Grass and Pet Cemetery.
The strength of the miniseries is the acting. Cool Ben Mendelsohn for once plays a positive character and, to be honest, he suits this depressive type. The hero cannot sleep, he cannot stand idly by, he cannot do anything at all until he has solved the problem. Combine this pattern of behavior with the expressive and tired Mendelssohn and his Ralph gets quite real habits. Bill Camp, Mayor Winningham, Julianne Nicholson also cope with their roles.
The series has a very dark and depressing atmosphere - what is needed for an ordinary, at first glance, police story. At the same time, "Alien" has been injected with elements of an existential nightmare that fit perfectly into dimly lit scenes, deliberately slow narratives and a strange sense of threat, only intensifying with each episode. There are, however, moments when the storytelling of "Alien" is too slow, which is why viewing is more tedious than stressful. One way or another, this does not wash away the merits: “Stranger” consists of an intriguing story and an amazing cast, united in a fascinating manner that makes you think. In the end, it is better to believe in the paranormal El Cukuy than in respectable men, for no reason, embarked on the path of murder.
7 out of 10
High-quality film adaptation of the story of "faith"
On the surface, the series is a strong adaptation of the classic King. A typical setting for the author: a provincial city with its own special character of interpersonal relationships. The main villain also feels the writer’s handwriting: it is both a monster and, a little wider, the very personification of evil. The depersonalized * (the change of appearance here emphasizes this), * awakening all the base in others, feeding on our pain and children * (because they are "the most delicious"). *
The whole history is permeated by the theme of faith: in the supernatural, in other people, in their beliefs.
On the one hand, people believe in God, and therefore admit the existence of the unknown, but on the other hand, they are incredibly ossified and unable to accept what is right before their eyes. And only “outsiders” – those who for one reason or another are out of the picture – find the strength to get out of their comfort zone.
The main character, Ralph is a typical cop, with professional stubbornness and idealism. Faced with tragedy in the family, he goes through self-destruction to find the strength to continue to exist. However, they never let go of the loss. Only when confronted with the facts, literally talking to his son, does he begin to change. As a result, it is fundamentally important for him to physically destroy the main villain in order to return the world to its former course.
For much of the story, Ralph confronts not only the villain, but his main ally, Holly. She is an autistic genius who sees the world as a mathematical function. What is happening disturbs the balance of this world, and therefore so captivates her. Holly herself is in a sense an example of the supernatural, and therefore easily accepts the situation. If you have to substitute fantastic variables for a function to converge, Holly is ready for that. A little knocked out of the image of Holly only her affair with a detective, which seems to compensate for her rationality, but does not significantly affect the plot.
Throughout the season, as Ralph and Holly unravel the tangle of the underlying mystery, both characters change in their own ways. Ralph reconciles with the unknown, and Holly finds peace in his company.
Perhaps the greatest number of questions was caused only by the end of the story, it still looked incredibly stupid.
In addition to the plot, it is important to note how the series is made from an artistic point of view. Despite a very slow rhythm (10 episodes – a bit too much for such a story), the authors for the most part managed to keep the tension due to the well-chosen music and anchors at the end of each series. Elegantly executed and camera work: unusual framing and angles, game with depth of field, etc.
Stephen King’s novel “Alien” was published in 2018 and in the same year work began on the television adaptation of the Master’s work. In a short time, the film crew, which included several directors, created a very attractive psychological mystical thriller.
In the small town of Cherokee City (Georgia), a brutal murder of a teenager takes place. All the evidence - traces of blood and saliva, as well as surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts - points to children's baseball coach Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman). The case is entrusted to Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn), who survived a personal tragedy several years ago, approaches the investigation both as a detective and as a father. Despite the incriminating facts, it's not that simple, because Coach Maitland was almost 100 kilometers from the scene of the murder at the very moment it happened. And his innocence is also indicated by the testimony of witnesses and recordings from cameras.
It is worth noting that HBO as the "author" of the series, pleased once again. The series “Alien” turned out to be incredibly intriguing and tense. Starting from the first minutes of the first series, the murder investigation process captivates the viewer. Despite the seeming simplicity, the case of Frankie Peterson has too many ambiguities and, along with the investigators, the viewer is completely unaware of what is happening.
Many facts of the case look disparate and the characters take a long time not only to compare them, but also to find them. And in order to find a lead where nothing seems to be found, take extra time, as was the case with the camera at the station, as well as with the camera in the bar, which Ralph Anderson carefully watched.
Stephen King, as in many of his works, twists the plot around the murder of a child. Here and “It”, “Stay with me”, “Pet Cemetery”, even in “Green Mile” the main character was accused of murdering children. It is possible that the writer himself deliberately chooses to plot a crime against children in order to add even more emotion and tragedy to his stories. But that's just a guess. There is also a reference to King’s other works. For example, in one of the final episodes you can hear the words about shining souls, which reminds the viewer of both “The Shining” and “Doctor Sleep”, and the film “It”, as well as the statement of the Guy from the series “Castle Rock”.
The murder of Frankie Peterson is a starting point to change the lives of many people – both the family of the boy, the family of the accused in the murder of the coach, and of course those who are engaged in the investigation. The habitual order of people living with the idea that everything can be explained from a rational point of view is turned upside down, because now those things that were believed with difficulty, acquire real features, and the thought takes root in their head: “If there is a place for this, then we can also say that stories about monsters do not exist at all?”
It can be argued that in addition to the main storyline related to the murder of a child, in the “Stranger” (in the series for sure, perhaps in the book – I did not read, but I assume), the theme of the human sixth sense is also spelled out. An inner voice that either warns or warns several characters, including Ralph Anderson, his wife, his co-worker, Holly Gibney, and one of the private investigators talking about the taste of copper in the mouth before something dangerous. In some cases, this sixth sense is actually not your own feeling, but imposed by someone, as if not yourself. Just like in the case of the murder of a boy, the coach seems to have killed him, but the evidence says that it could not have been him.
The camera team that worked on “Alien” tried to make each episode of the series was “sticky” and “sticky” in terms of perception, so that the viewer could feel the impotence that investigators are experiencing, unable to understand the contradictory evidence. A lot of plans are filmed in such a way that some emotions of the characters flow against the background of static objects - this manner, as it were, enhances the effect of indifference of things in relation to people - experiencing and mourning. Particularly revealing for me in this respect was the scene with the dinner of the family in which the boy was killed. The camera of the operator very slowly moves and moves away, so that the viewer is imbued with the same feelings that the characters experience. In many plans, there is a lot of emptiness - the action takes place in one part of the screen, while the other is also occupied by a static object - this technique allows without the use of 3D graphics to achieve the volume of the picture and make the person in the frame the central figure of the episode: in the foreground there is an object, there is a background, and in the center there is a person who is located there as a figure inside a glass ball.
In general, the film crew of “Stranger” worked on a solid “5+”. Speaking of composers, Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurrians tried to make the series’ musical series add additional mysticism and horror to the events taking place on the screen. In some places, instrumental music, and in some places just sounds, “beating” in the ears and including a feeling of nervous tension, bring the level of suspense to the beyond. Sometimes it seems that this mysterious killer steals somewhere in the night and these terrible sounds make him!
Oh-oh, especially goosebumps when Holly Gibney looks at images found online. At this point, the music becomes both frightening and disgusting, and foreshadowing something bad!
We can say that “Stranger” is a mystical continuation of “True Detective”. Its fourth but not official season (as was the case with the unofficial Bond film Never Say Never with Sean Connery). The series is dark and heavy. Most of the characters are weighed down by the consequences of the boy’s murder, which affected too many fates in Cherokee City. The first laugh appears only in the eighth series, which suggests that the characters are close to the end and can afford to show positive emotions. I don’t think I’ll be unfounded if I call Outsider one of the main events of TV 2020. There is something to see, believe me.
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
HBO has long been a giant in serial production, often surpassing Netflix in terms of quality and quality. After all, their TV series are not just entertainment, but full-fledged works of cinema. ' Game of Thrones', ' True Detective', ' Chernobyl'... Now the main adaptation of Stephen King ' Stranger' (The Outsider, 2020).
The series impresses primarily with the mystical component of the plot and the gloomy penetrating atmosphere of unknown fear, familiar from the previous adaptations of King. The plot is simple as a school narrative: a child is killed, there is a suspect (school coach) who has been pointed out by irrefutable evidence, including witness statements. The brave investigator immediately takes him into custody (and deliberately does it in public), but later finds out that the suspect himself has the same irrefutable evidence confirming his alibi. The main question, almost became the tagline of the project - how can a person be in two places at the same time?
I will make a reservation right away, I am not a fan of King’s work, and I am not familiar with the literary source and a bunch of film adaptations of other works, so I will evaluate the project based on my own audience experience. Initially, he suggested that the project was worth the attention. An impressive trailer with hints of a full-fledged detective horror (in general, fair advertising!), a decent quality action (within reason), not the first stars, but very familiar and familiar, but, most importantly, talented faces in the frame - Ben Mendelson in the main role of a cop (more used to seeing him as a villain, for example in ' The Dark Knight: The Revival of the Legend'), comedy star Jason Bateman (' Intolerable bosses', 'Trumpy aces,' (although in real, '') and #39; as an artist, #39, '' #39; But special mention deserved Cynthia Erivo ('Nothing good in the hotel El Royal', ' Widows'), very deeply imbued with her heroine - a woman with strangeness, if not of this world, eternal loneliness, not understood by others. She is smart, talented and just like any woman who dreams of being happy. And mysterious. And it was all portrayed by the actress.
The series is really shot very qualitatively and colorfully (with all the darkness and gloom of the picture, the visual turned out to be very juicy and rich). The sticky, sticky atmosphere of a mystical mystery, pleasantly reminiscent of the first season of "True Detective" & #39; plays with the viewer, sometimes turning what is happening into an obvious variation of the recent dilogy & #39; It' (closer to the finale of the tape, the parallels become increasingly obvious). But if you briefly characterize the picture, then ' Stranger' is the King's version ' True Detective', a kind of horror fourth season that came out a little earlier than planned. After all, ' Stranger' has very much in common - a battered cop (this time, without a partner) with his skeletons in the closet takes on the most difficult investigation in his career - the murder of a child (did not remind me of the third season with Mahershala Ali?) - but unlike his colleagues from the brainchild of Pizzolato, does not score on the factually stumped investigation, and with vengeance takes up solving the puzzle, attracting a private detective-Afro-American (hello, newfangled tolerance and political correctness). So here the investigation will not stretch for decades, we will not show old heroes and flashbacks with their youth. Everything is happening here, right now. And after the appearance of the same African-American, the series rises sharply on the rails ' It' - behind the scenes there is a mystical creature, special attention is paid to the fears of the characters, even the finale in the part concerning creates an involuntary association. Although this is a subjective opinion, but the second half of the series is so permeated with this atmosphere that you wait for a dancing toothy clown, and on road signs you look for a turn on Darry.
7.5 out of 10
There is a Mr. King novel ' Stranger' and now decided to shoot a series on it for 10 episodes. It's just the first and finished season or it's going to go away, I don't know. But the book itself was disappointing.
The plot here is very intriguing: a dead disfigured boy (in the books the details are more juicy), suspicion falls on a person, although he was in another place, and even the killer and not a person at all is being pumped up. All the books, or in this case the series, are trying to convince us that this is just a powerful creature that is not clear how to kill at all. But in the last series it turns out that the devil is not as terrible as it is painted. And this is the main disappointment: why do we need all this intrigue, tension, mystery, when everything is so easy and simple? Well, Mr. King here, as usual, started his health, finished his rest. And the writers decided not to bother and only slightly remade ' the great battle' good with evil.
The whole storyline shows us an investigation that's not that interesting. And just sagging in the narrative is enough, and watching all this is simply boring. Of the characters here, perhaps, only Ralph Anderson and Holly Gibney stand out, who are in principle in place and do not spoil lunch. Although in 'Mr. Mercedes' there is also Gibney, only white. Why you decided to change actors is also unclear.
That's all in principle. Seriously, I don't have much to say about the show. It does not have much tension, like a good thriller, and the detective component is broken into a stupid ending. We're being prepared for something dangerous, but in fact, it's a puff. And 10 episodes for such a mediocre narrative is a lot. And only because of the plot do not send the review in a negative color.
I think many will agree that it is quite difficult to meet a movie or series with a fresh, interesting and original idea in our time. Especially if this movie or series develops within the framework of a thriller, detective and horror movie. A pleasant exception for me was the “Stranger” created by Richard Price, which, even at the production stage, created hope for something really interesting. When I started watching, I just couldn’t stop.
The events of this series created by Richard Price develop in a provincial American town. A respectable family man and well-respected school baseball coach Terry Maitland is accused of raping and brutally murdering a young boy. Fingerprints and eyewitness accounts point to him, but according to the CCTV footage, he was 90km away from the crime scene at a seminar with other teachers at the time of the murder. After investigating the murder, Detective Ralph Anderson and private investigator Holly Gibney begin to suspect that something supernatural is involved.
Of course, one of the main advantages of the series is an original, interesting and extremely intriguing story. Given that the main bet of the series is on secrecy around what happened and its investigation, I deliberately did not read the original source of Stephen King, so as not to spoil my interest from watching. This allowed me not to be distracted by any comparisons between the series and the original source, but to plunge headlong into a really interesting and intriguing story, the development of which I watched literally with a sinking heart.
The first two series were certainly the best in terms of both story and narrative. The authors laid a powerful intrigue, the desire to unravel which increased with every minute of watching the series. Not to mention the fact that events are developing on the screen quite dynamically. Already from the third series, the narrative slows down greatly and acquires a more slow and contemplative character, and the detective component begins to slowly replace the mystical. However, the transition from one genre field to another by the authors of the series was successful and the story is firmly held throughout all ten episodes. Unless, disappointing the finale of the series and an extremely simple confrontation with the main villain with such a diligently developing intrigue throughout the season.
Many viewers noted that the atmospheric and narrative series turned out to be very close to the first season of “True Detective” & #39; and the comparisons are quite justified. Similar to the series by Nick Pizzolatto, the authors of this series relied on the most leisurely, slow and contemplative pace of the story. What fits perfectly under the extremely gloomy and as if absorbing you from the inside atmosphere of complete hopelessness, flashing on the horizon of threat and not leaving the feeling of anxiety. What perfectly plays in favor of the series in terms of detective thriller and mysticism.
Ben Mendelssohn can be safely called one of the most talented and unfortunately underrated actors of modern cinema, who is not so removed and in most cases turns out to be ' on the second roles' In this series, he fully demonstrated his acting skills. Squeezing the most out of an extremely sparsely written and cardboard character. Sometimes even without any lines or words pulling your character on the screen. Happily pleased and Cynthia Erivo, which is extremely cold received by many viewers after the recast actress from 'Mr. Mercedes'. In my opinion, Erivo most accurately fell into the image of a strange and immersed heroine. So much so that you truly believe her throughout the season. Damn good and Jason Bateman, which became another evidence that comedy actors make really strong dramatic artists. First in “Ozark”, and then in this series, he demonstrated the strongest game, which can only be applauded standing. It is a pity that there is very little of it in the series. It is impossible not to mention Billy Camp, Yul Vasquez, Paddy Considine, Mark Menchak and other actors, each of whom literally turned and disappeared into his character for me closer to the season finale.
9 out of 10
Stranger is definitely one of the best serial novelties of the year. Without reading Stephen King’s literary source, I cannot judge the quality and accuracy of his film adaptation. However, I can say for sure that the authors of the series managed to create a very atmospheric, insanely intriguing and damn interesting series that I personally watched in one breath. Not only because of an extremely interesting idea and a powerful mystery that you want to solve ahead of time, but also due to the most leisurely, contemplative and mediative atmosphere, which only increases the sense of anxiety and hopelessness necessary for this story.
' Stranger' King's best book of recent times. Not to mention the last decade. A great fusion of detective and mystical thriller. It's a luxury piece. But were the authors able to properly film it?
The main joint is the performer of the role of Holly Gibney. Here in ' Mr. Mercedes' there was a wonderful girl who showed exactly that unusually erudite and extraordinary person, about whom King wrote. HBO took Erivo for a reason. Although it is clear why - by 'Komsomol voucher'. And yes, I'm really making a claim on talent! Madame is deprived of it - it turned out some indistinct PHEV and cardboard character. In conclusion, you can also quote the master about the color of the skin talent. In a word, puncture.
There are no complaints about the rest of the caste. Terry and Ralph were what I imagined. Mendelssohn and Bateman are masters of their craft and play just fine. And the rest of the caste was selected perfectly, except that I imagined Claude Bolton a little different.
Jason is honored for staging the first two episodes – they perfectly capture the spirit of the book and are breathtaking, as are the first 200 pages of the book.
But the subsequent action unfolded in the book, many did not like. People considered the fusion of detective and mysticism inappropriate. But in my humble opinion, this transition came out organic and interesting.
Another thing is that in the series after the key episode, the action slowed down very much and stretched to 8 episodes, when it was good to limit 6, and preferably 4. The final was extremely boring and with a ton of platitudes (especially at the very end).
In addition to the dramatic moves, there were sagging in the atmosphere - the book original is much darker.
If you sum up the results dry - the film adaptation is good, but not worthy. There was not enough piety in relation to the source and the choice of the protagonist was extremely tedious.
Is the book better? Yes!
Most likely fortunately, I haven’t read the book on which The Stranger was made. And maybe for the better, because there are many examples where a book has been read before and the subsequent viewing of TV shows or movies caused only negative emotions. For example, “The Night Watch” or “John Carter.”
So, I don’t read books, I can say that the series is hooked. And yes, I did. I love dark, mystical and leisurely thrillers shot somewhere in the provincial American outback. And yes, all the characters have known each other for a long time. As usual, there is something in the past. In general, there is nothing unusual here, a typical plot of a detective story in a small town. The first series seems to be dynamic on the action, but then begins a leisurely and contemplative film, which I just like. Many general plans, well-chosen colors, good atmospheric color filters. Just sit there and watch. But many shots are directly very slick, nothing superfluous, everything is perfectly sterile and “cinema”.
In general, I first wanted to thank Bateman for the picture, but then I saw how much there was a director and realized that the merit for the atmosphere is most likely from the operator and screenwriters. Bateman in the series is also listed as a producer and actor, but his role, unfortunately, is not at all large. And the one I'm really happy for is Ben Mendelsohn. It is a habit to see him in the roles of negative characters. More recently, I revisited "From Call to Call," which features a highly controversial character. It’s a really good, positive role at last. I was also very happy to see Mayor Winningham, who I remember very well from the videotape films of the early 90s. She very naturally complemented the character of Mendelssohn and, in general, I personally associate with a statistical resident of the American outback. It is also impossible not to mention Cynthia Erivo as Holly Gibney. She had a similar temperamental character in Nothing Good at the Hotel El Royale. I think this character would be a good add-on.
To sum up, the atmospheric and scripted series reminded me of the good old X-Files, with Gibney a la Mulder and Ralph Anderson a la Scully. I’ve watched 8 episodes and I’m looking forward to the 9th and final.
Here I collected only features that played a major role in my perception of this brainchild HBO. So...
The first two episodes are met with an almost verbatim and slightly dry retelling of the first chapters of the novel. Details and branches that were not in the book look quite organic. And then comes the turning point - the third series, the appearance of a new heroine.
Now it has become fashionable to joke about Netflix adaptations that turn canonical heroes upside down. But this is the exact opposite.
'Stranger' King, although an independent story, at the same time continues the series of Mr. Mercedes. After all, it was the events associated with the maniac on the car that formed the character of one of the main characters of the Stranger Holly Gibney.
Netflix shows us the image of a heroine who is very close to the book. She has her own story of becoming a character that stretches through three books/three seasons of the series. Novel ' Stranger' - the final point in the formation of Holly as a strong and independent personality from the small gray lump that she was when she first met us. What does an alien from HBO do? Destroys her past history and presents Holly Gibney as a completely new character with nothing to do with the real Holly. They even changed their skin color. And with it comes the understanding of two things:
(1) King's film adaptation will not be here. It will be ' based on ' but no more;
(2) A real stranger is not a monster in cheap makeup. A real stranger is a woman who has taken a place that is not hers. In this sense, the series reveals the name one hundred percent.
The peculiarity of the novel The King of Horrors is that interest in the plot fades when the detective completely turns into mysticism. And HBO seems to be trying to correct history, but it doesn't get any better. If the series were simply verbatim to show everything written in the novel, it would be an acceptable move. It is not always the best, but it is guaranteed to save the film adaptation from falling into the abyss. And HBOs walk on thin ice, and if the final series does not have a trump card in its sleeve, then all the attempts of the creators to move away from the canon will play in minus.
Of the positive points I can highlight the installation, sound and camera work. Some of the decisions of the people responsible for this look like a bold experiment that played a plus.
Overall, I can’t say I liked the show, but I’ll be waiting for the finale and hoping for the best. If not for a plot trump card, then at least for a beautiful final action. Please. . .
A murderer of children in a minor league uniform is like a maniac in a clown costume!
There are only two Stephen King books on my shelf. "The Shining" and "Alien." I’m not a fan of the King of Horrors, I don’t have anything to compare his latest novel with to say how good or bad it is in relation to the entire King universe. I liked the book. It's small. I think it would make a great mini-series. Therefore, the film adaptation of “Alien” I was looking forward to, and comparisons with “True Detective” did not confuse me at all. You should have. Because in fact, the creators of HBO filmed everything, but not the adaptation of the King’s novel.
You can argue to the point of blue that loving King is a sign of bad taste, but even I, an independent reader of King’s not most masterpiece novel, discovered his secret – how he manages to keep the world in suspense for almost half a century. Behind the cynical painting of the most base processes of the human body, behind the detailed storyboard of violence, lies the last peacemaker on Earth. His naïve faith in humanity can only be envied. Unable to explain (and who can?) how evil is born in man, he invents an alternate reality. Stranger. Filling a sacred vessel of various kinds with abominations and a cancerous tumor. Most importantly, it doesn’t look hypocritical. King is sincere. You believe and forgive not the most dynamic story. For cantaloupe with worms and movie maniac Holly Gibney, I can forgive King everything.
As you know from the network, directly involved in writing the script King did not take. The image of Holly Gibney on screen came as a surprise to King as it did to anyone who read the book. And if King was well paid to get used to the incarnation of the screen, then I, on the contrary, had to pay money to clasp my teeth to agree with the stiffness of Cynthia Erivo. Holly Gibney can be any color you want, but a cinematic Martian must be. King may have made Holly a movie maniac just to walk through Kubrick’s The Shining again, but I want to thank him for how cleverly he combined the incarnation of evil terrorizing a quiet provincial town with Mexican cinema. Movies about wrestlers fighting with all sorts of dishonesty, really made, but the existence of “Mexican girls wrestling against a monster” I could not confirm. If this film is fiction, it is very believable and original. The scriptwriters of “Alien” considered that such a reference in the aesthetic of “True Detective” would look too thorny, so they replaced it with a dull investigation and an extra link in the chain of victims, thereby weighting the process of watching the series twice.
If you believe one hit, then every mood has its own color. The mood color of "Alien" is green. Not herbaceous green is a symbol of life, but nauseously swampy – the color of stagnation, despondency and decline. The small town of Flint City seems to be drowning in a quagmire of despair. Detective Ralph Anderson is already up to his ears in his own destro. What does he care about the investigation and that the honor of one of his close friends is being questioned? Half of the series Ben Mendelsohn walks with the appearance of a beaten dog, idle on the bed of his dead son, boozes, mutuses random bar visitors and goes to a psychologist. In general, it irritates me wildly and makes me ask the logical question – what does Anderson’s drama have to do with the concept of the novel “Alien” and the investigation of the mysterious case about the inauthenticity of even such obvious evidence as fingerprints and DNA? One gets the feeling that the writers and directors of “Alien” deliberately pull rubber, immerse the viewer in a hopeless limbo that will be more disgusting than any monster. They could arrange a high-quality satire, spreading the El Cuco virus to the media, how cleverly the sources of information sow fear and intolerance in people who are ready to absorb other people’s troubles and suffering with spoons three times a day – morning, afternoon and evening. Instead, they themselves turned into a mythical beast, hoping that the viewer will receive tremendous pleasure from the vision of the bottomless pool of despair, from which I personally, who watched six episodes, do not see a logical, positive way out.
Even if I didn’t read the book, the film adaptation of “Alien” is not able to scare. Where is straw vision and visual transformation? A freak in a hoodie with a hood on his head? Is that all your fear? Jason Bateman and Richard Price are just being bullied. The film adaptation of "Alien" is not capable of captivating. Instead of a chic detective, the screen reigns whining of the central characters and stiffness, designed to be charismatic, the main character. Rescuing that green longing from total flooding is Paddy Considine's play, which is catastrophically short in the first six episodes. Since the focus of the story has shifted to him by this time, only this fact will make me look at the remaining four episodes. Looking at the exalted Ben Mendelssohn, you understand that a fantastic girl cannot count on cantaloupe and declarations of love. For the creators of “Alien,” it didn’t matter. They have their own censorship. Replacing King's literary attacks on Trump with a "bearded anecdote" about Soviet El Cuco Stalin is real art. More specifically, American censorship.
“Throw away all that is impossible, that which remains, and will be the answer, however incredible it may seem.” Sherlock Holmes
The brutal murder of 11-year-old Frank Peterson shocked a small town in the suburbs of Georgia. According to investigators, the maniac was his baseball coach, school teacher Terry Maitland – a very respected person. The evidence is irrefutable - more than 70 fingerprints, five witnesses, CCTV footage. But what made him commit such a crime, and why doesn't he feel like Terry specifically wanted to be arrested? Nobody can believe what is happening, but irrefutable evidence does its own thing, as does the “crowd effect”. So a modest and very successful coach of a local baseball team becomes the object of universal harassment. In time, an alibi will appear, showing that the man was 60 miles away when the boy died. How could Terry be in two different places at the same time? What's not to be trusted? This is only part of a complicated and interesting case. After all, there is still some invisible Alien - a male figure, as if created out of darkness. Constantly being one of the daughters of the killer and diligently trying to say something through her. The same figure literally follows the case on his heels, accompanying the deaths of witnesses one by one. What is this invisible alien and why does no one notice him?
A true psychological thriller from a man who needs no introduction. Stephen King is a master of his craft. Don’t forget that it is great in the mystical genre. Realizing this, you really expect something inexplicable and mysterious. And it doesn't keep itself waiting. Already from the third series, the usual, albeit confusing at first glance, case, completely overgrown with mystical phenomena, promising an exciting spectacle. Which, I think, will not be released throughout the 10 episodes.
The film adaptation, unlike the original book, has some features. And if in the novel the author with dexterity can get into the head and soul of his character, draw his inner state (in which Stephen King has always been just a master), then in cinema as a genre with this his difficulties. That is why a book always affects the reader more than a movie affects the viewer. I think the directors understood this very well. Why did they resort to their “chips”? Of course, I mean the excellent musical and visual accompaniment that fascinates people on the other side of the screen no less than the masterpiece of the King of horror. The ominous quiet music that literally creeps up to the depths of the subconscious almost does not stop for the entire hour, while each episode takes place. It makes you follow the development of the detective story in detail, be always in suspense and feel the drama of the plot. To feel the internal state of the character helps and reception of slow shooting. For example, in a scene with the mother of a dead boy in the kitchen, destroying everything in a row against the background of harsh classical music.
The creators of the series spare their viewers and do not savor scenes of cruelty. It is only for a few moments that footage of Frank’s disfigured body flashes at the beginning, and the abuse of the alleged accused by other inmates is presented indirectly. However, this effect is even greater, because the viewer does not get what he expects. This is in the spirit of the work itself. Some irrefutable evidence overlaps with others even more irrefutable. And knowing that the author is a true pro not so much in the detective genre as mystical - you already do not know what to expect from the plot next.
Very commendable and cameramanly work. All these parallel shootings from a height, shots from the ground itself, the alternation of large and general plans also sets a good effect when viewing.
In the film, there are several references to other works of S. King, whether it is “Library police” – even before the scene of the arrest, or the comparison of the infamous Terry Maitland with the killer clown from the notorious “It”. Not to mention Holly Gibney, a private agency detective familiar from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy. True, here she is already a black girl with dreadlocks, paranormal properties. But only this is the power to unravel an equally mysterious case.
There are a couple of things that have bothered me. For example, the phrase of the detective at the end of the second series about the bullet, the bill for which was allegedly sent to the relatives of those shot in the USSR under Joseph Stalin. It's actually a Chinese tradition. And the NKVD, as you know, relatives did not report anything about the repressed – they just disappeared once. And what does the USSR have to do here in general - a tribute to the next round of tense relations?
Some interesting points from foreign sources:
- In Spanish-speaking countries, the series is called “The Visitor”.
- In the novel, after searching Terry Maitland's computer, police note that the defendant enjoys watching the Ozark series on Netflix. Jason Bateman, who played Terry Maitland’s “Alien,” plays the main role in this series.
Julianne Nicholson, who played Gloria Maitland, also played Cat Withers in The Storm of the Century (1999), another adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.
- Filming took place in Georgia, Atlanta.
- According to polls of American viewers at the end of January, the series ranked second in popularity.
- Siven King himself was pleased with the series, claiming that he liked the film adaptation even more of the book he wrote himself.
- In an interview with The Hollywood reporter, Andrew Bernstein stated where he drew inspiration, adapting the novel by S. King with Jason Bateman.We tried to do something similar to S. Kubrick’s The Shining. The question is, where does evil come from: Is it inside you, or is it somewhere else? It was something that Jason and I talked about a lot while working together on this project. I'm a big fan of Stanley Kubrick. And so I took as a sample many of his camera decisions, lighting and musical background – his “Shining” (1980) – this is the film that became a huge inspiration for me when working on the series “Stranger”.
According to Richard Price, who prepared the script of the film based on the novel of the same name, originally the character of Holly Gibney was supposed to be Latina. At first she was different to me, and I gave her a very different experience as a coal mining town. Her family was of Hispanic descent, there were a number of scenes where she uses all sorts of Latino expressions and all that. However, at the insistence of Jason Bateman, this role was played by African-English Cynthia Erivo. Although, as you know, in the original novel by Stephen King, Holly is white.
Preparations for the film adaptation were announced in June 2018, when Richard Price began writing a script based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. The shooting process started in early December. In January 2019, the final cast was approved.