I Read That Movie: Pet Sematary by Stephen King

I  read that movie is a feature where we compare movies or TV series, and the books they're based on.

Title: Pet Sematary

Publisher: Gallery Books

Publishing Date: November 14th, 1983

Pages: 395

Length of Audio: 15 Hours and 41 Minutes

Genre: Horror

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

  

Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestseller Pet Sematary, a classic about evil that exists far beyond the grave—among King’s most iconic and beloved novels.

When Dr. Louis Creed takes a new job and moves his family to the idyllic rural town of Ludlow, Maine, this new beginning seems too good to be true. Despite Ludlow’s tranquility, an undercurrent of danger exists here. Those trucks on the road outside the Creed’s beautiful old home travel by just a little too quickly, for one thing…as is evidenced by the makeshift graveyard in the nearby woods where generations of children have buried their beloved pets. Then there are the warnings to Louis both real and from the depths of his nightmares that he should not venture beyond the borders of this little graveyard where another burial ground lures with seductive promises and ungodly temptations. A blood-chilling truth is hidden there—one more terrifying than death itself, and hideously more powerful. As Louis is about to discover for himself sometimes, dead is better…

Mini review:

What made me read this book: 

I saw the movie and I wanted to read it.

What did I like the most: 
I of course love the story of it. I love the idea of a pet cemetery, especially if it's one where the animals come back alive (Though it's an indian burial ground past the pet sematary in this book.) The idea of it is super creepy and terrifying.

I love the writing as well. I have read three King books now and the other two are newer ones and I really disliked them. But this one is written well. 

What didn't I like: 

It was still kind of slow. The movie is too, it takes forever to get to the BAM of it. But this one is really slow. And I really don't like the characters. Not any of them. Well I do like Jud.

Release Date: April 21st, 1989

Cast: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby
Length: 1 Hour and 43 Minutes

Series: Standalone

After tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.

Mini Review:

Obviously this is comparing the original movie with the book, I need to go see the new movie. I can't wait to see it though.

I had seen this movie years ago and didn't think much of it. I didn't NOT like it, but it was just meh.

I watched it again recently when I won a copy of the book from bookstagram and I knew the new movie was coming out. 

And I of course loved it. It is super creepy and leaves you with a dark empty feeling with everything that happens in it.

It's from the 80's so of course it's a bit cheesy at times. But it was still really well done and really freaky.

Let's compare:

Did I see the movie or read the book first?
I saw the movie first.

Like the movie or the book better?
I like the movie better. It's definitely more scary than the book is. The book was good, but I didn't feel scared, jumpy, or anything at all. Maybe it's because I watched the movie first?

How does it compare?
Very very similar! Honestly the movie didn't really change much from the book at all.

Do the actors match the characters in the book?
Yeah I think so, but again I saw the movie first. So when I listened to the book I saw the characters from the movie in my head.

Major differences?
The biggest difference is in the book Jud has a wife. And in the movie they have a lady who helps them with house stuff. And she was a big part of the movie. 

Fun Facts?
In Stephen King's novel, Judd mentions that a dog went wild in a nearby town and killed several people. This is a reference to the events of Cujo (1983), another novel by King. It is common for characters in King's novels to mention the events of his other novels.

       

I Read That Movie: The Woman in Black

I  read that movie is a feature where we compare movies or TV series, and the books they're based on.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Title: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Publisher: Vintage 

Publishing Date: October 10th, 1983

Pages: 200

Length of Audio: 4 Hours and 36 Minutes

Genre: Classic Gothic Horror

Series: The Woman in Black

Source: Audio

 

Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor in London, is summoned to Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, and to sort through her papers before returning to London. It is here that Kipps first sees the woman in black and begins to gain an impression of the mystery surrounding her. From the funeral he travels to Eel Marsh House and sees the woman again; he also hears the terrifying sounds on the marsh.

Despite Kipps’s experiences he resolves to spend the night at the house and fulfil his professional duty. It is this night at Eel Marsh House that contains the greatest horror for Kipps. Kipps later discovers the reasons behind the hauntings at Eel Marsh House. The book ends with the woman in black exacting a final, terrible revenge.

Mini review:

What made me read this book: 

I saw the movie in theaters with my then boyfriend, years ago. It was a really creepy movie. And one of my friends, who let's me use her audible, had it on audio. So I decided it was time. Oh and it matched a task.

What did I like the most: 

I liked hearing the differences in the book and the movie. The book is, of course, longer. So you get more of a feel for what he went through, and more of a back story.

What didn't I like: 

It was incredibly slow. So so so slow. I found myself day dreaming a lot during it. It wasn't nearly as creepy as the movie either. I felt myself just wanting to hurry up and get it done with.

Release Date: February 3rd, 2012

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Roger Allam, Ciaran Hinds

Series: First in series

A young solicitor travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Mini Review:

This is one of my all time favorite horror movies. Like I said, I saw it years ago, and it scared me just as much watching it now, as it did the first time. The jump scares are real.

Let's compare:
Did I see the movie or read the book first?
I saw the movie first

Like the movie or the book better?
I feel like the movie is so much better. The book didn't feel creepy at all to me, and I tried I really did, to get as immersed into the book as I did the movie. I think with horror there is such a difference on screen, than on pages. 

How does it compare?
There are quite a bit of differences between the movie and the book. But the main story is the same. About a woman who dies, after her son does, and her haunting and killing children.

Do the actors match the characters in the book?
I could not picture the characters in the book. I think that's the hardest part about the book, I couldn't place myself there. I did try picturing Daniel Radcliffe the entire book, but I couldn't even do that.

Major differences?
I can't really go over too many major differences without being huge spoilers. The biggest one I can tell y'all is that at the beginning, he is much older, married, and has children. They ask him to tell a scary story, in which he freaks out, and decides to write down what happened, with the woman in black. Unlike in the movie, he is young, his wife has just died, and it's as it's happening instead of as a story.

Fun Facts?

The original novel by Susan Hill gave rise to a film adaptation by Hammer Horror in 2012, which in turn led to an original sequel which was novelised by a different author. - Found on Goodreads