Under The Dome (tv series)

I love that James M. Cain quote. It comes to mind whenever I hear talk of crap movie adaptations of books or of a band/singer tarnishing their legacy in an ill-considered comeback.

 

On the other hand... King was very outspoken in the 1980s when companies would buy the movie rights to his books and then make horrible movies. Or in the case of Children of the Corn, movies that had nothing to do with the story.

In the above letter, King mentions that the main change the TV producers have made is that the townspeople are going to be under the dome for months, and that's a big deal. My memory is that only 2 or 3 weeks pass in the 1100-page novel. And I also confess, I was thrown by the aside that we may have a completely new explanation for where the dome came from... so it could be terrorists, Russian spies, mad inventors, aliens, a black hole, a radiation leak, or god knows what. (In fact, it could well be punishment from God.)

Sadly, I'm painfully aware of most of my problems.

The biggest problem I have with the TV show's changes so far is that the lead character, Dale "Barbie" Barbara, kills a guy in the first minute of the show. In the book, he's a very honorable, albeit troubled, Iraq War vet working as a cook in a diner, just trying to get by, who hasn't killed anybody when the story begins. Dale is the most moral, stand-up guy in town, for his many issues (including some PTSD from the war). By turning him into a murderer, we lose a lot of sympathy for him, and that bothers me. But... I'll wait to see what they do with the show.

 

But at this point we don't know why he killed the guy, or even IF he was the one who killed him. He could still turn out to be a "good guy".

 

I thought this said, 'Under the Dame' and was about Helen Mirren, Ah well...

 

He BURIES a guy in the first minute of the show. We didn't see the death. He probably killed the guy, but we don't know that for sure. And it may have been self-defense. We've only seen one episode so far and all we know is that he BURIED the husband of the reporter.

Let's sit back, see where it goes and enjoy the ride, eh? I think you've called the novel "awful", so how upset about a change can you reasonably be?

 

Did you listen to Barbie's telephone conversation where he tells his boss he just killed the guy and buried him because the guy tried to change the deal?

I believe I've already said the show is entertaining and I plan to keep watching.

 

The ending of Cujo was impossibly brave if you ask me. I really enjoyed that book. I watched the first episode and enjoyed it immensely. I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the season.

 

Yeah, I heard that. I didn't remember he said he killed him, but I think you're right. I did think it was probable he killed him, but we didn't see the event. He explained that the guy tried to "renogiate agressively", which is why I think Barbie may have killed the guy in self-defense. In any case, I don't think its fair to call the guy a murder or act like he's a villain until we know more about what happened.

 

Killing somebody in self-defense during a crime is still murder. My point is: in the book, Barbie is 100% moral and upstanding. It's disconcerting that they've made him slightly more than a thug.

If I make it through all the episodes of the summer, I'll report back to say whether I think the character needed to be changed from a drifter/transient to a hired thug. And, as I say, the show is very well-shot and well-acted, though some of the effects scenes are real cheesy (IMHO).

 

Sorry if I gave the impression that my comment was directed toward you. It should have directly referenced the King acolytes who cry if a word of their Master's prose is tampered with. You're about as far from an acolyte as could be imagined and there was no intent on my part to imply otherwise. King, I think, operates with the same mindset. I don't know of any other major artist in any medium who is so genuinely pleased if someone makes interpretive or narrative changes that improve the work.

 

I don't see it the same, but I don't want to get into a legal argument over murder versus justifiable homicide or what have you. I still think you're jumping the gun on calling him a thug, but we shall see. And if he does turn out to be some sort of thug, he can still be a great character in this story. Maybe getting some redemption.

 

Barbie would have to be, since he has a major role throughout the book, up through the very final scene. My guess is that in the movie, the doctor tried to kill him first, and he had no choice but to kill him, but even that's a bit of a stretch.

Let me put it to you this way: Indiana Jones wouldn't be as admirable if he routinely killed people for minor reasons. (But then there's Han Solo in the Star Wars bar...)

Man, I thought the ending of the book version of Cujo was horrible. King has given an interesting explanation as to why he allowed a certain character to die (having to do with a member of his family who had a health problem at the time, and he did it as a deliberate sacrifice). This is also one instance where he didn't have a problem with the filmmakers allowing the character to live, because otherwise, I think audiences would've gone berserk.

 

Yeah, having read the book, I never expected that in the movie they'd send Cujo to a trainer who'd be able to domesticate him and make him suitable to be redeployed as a housepet. I wasn't expecting something that wholesome and happy, to be honest. Hit me like a ton of bricks.

 

I almost went insane watching the pilot episode. I am going to try to ignore all of the changes and watch a few more episodes before I give up.

I liked the book for the most part.

 

If anything I try not to compare books and movies for this exact reason. They can never be the same to me, as one is a visual medium, one is merely text describing things, and we build our own ideas of how it looks and seems.

I get why they change things, obviously based on TV needing to be different and more visually engaging and some stuff in a book simply does not play out the same in a visual medium.

The one time I read a book and thought the movie was truly similar and complemented the book was 2001.

 

I think in this case the screenplay for Kubrick came before the book, so Clarke was able to make the book fit the film, as well as explain things.

 

No replys on the second show last night? It was so good you guys are speechless?

 

It's tonight, is it not?

 

They haven't aired episode #2 yet. I think the pilot re-aired last night.

 

My bad
Repost tomorrow.

 

I’ve watched two episodes in a row now which guarantees it will be canceled. Happens every time.

 

Ratings are through the roof (for a summer show) -- CBS is very happy with the series so far.

Second episode aired on Monday. I think they did a decent job with it. They did at least say the Dome was 10 miles across, which I don't remember them saying in the book, and we can see from the groove in the ground it's maybe an inch thick. The mysteries continue to pile up.

 

Water can seep through it? It is 10 miles across.

10 miles is a huge huge area, that would leave a LOT of air to breathe.

As far as the people, I still like the reporter, I hate that teenage kid so bad I want to do what barbie did but keep going!

The fire was cool, but not real enough. It just spread to a car and hedge with NO wind showing?

The tractor pushed the house over like it was rotted through with termites???

It take a LOT more to destroy a house than just pushing a porch column over and then bumping the front corner......YIKES!

I like the two teenage kids trying to figure out details about the dome.

Has promise I think. Decent cinematography, and all that technical stuff it is watchable, with NO shakey cam!

 

Wish that radio station played better music, I know I'd never turn it on even if it was the only radio station.

The dog they found was cute. Bet he could find a way out.

One interesting thing is can you dig under the dome? Does it extend deep into the earth or is just on the surface?
Start digging boys.

 

We already know that one week will be under, one week will be over and one week will be blowing a hole. I'm guessing but doesn't that seem about right for at least 3 shows?