Richard Matheson: I Am Authorial Legend

Sometimes, a storyteller can leave behind a multitude of stories that strike a chord with their audience. Perhaps it is the way of how the story is told that is so striking. Maybe it’s the idea that the story is centered around that is so inspired that people can’t help but take notice. Whatever it may be, a storyteller can grab the attention of people with the narratives that they leave behind. However, sometimes it may seem that while the stories are remembered, the storyteller might not. Sure, some circles will still keep that storyteller in mind, but the general public may lose sight and forget the person who gave them that story. This is a shame, for it is worth remembering the storytellers. By knowing who they are, we can explore their network of narratives beyond just the works that remain in the public eye. That is why I wish to remind readers of a particular author who I feel has fallen out of the public consciousness: Richard Matheson.

For those unfamiliar with Richard Matheson, let me offer a little backstory. Back in 1950, Matheson wrote a short story that was published in “The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction”. It was a story called Born of Man and Woman, about a deformed child chained up in its parents’ basement. Weaving a chilling tale of abuse written from the point of view of the child’s diary entries, it caught people’s attention. From there, he continued to write short stories, but he didn’t limit himself to just that format. He also wrote full-length novels, along with writing scripts for television and movies. In fact, one series that he wrote for was The Twilight Zone, a classic science fiction anthology series for which he adapted several of his own short stories. His work was not just limited to the ’50s and ’60s, however. He kept on writing through the years, until his death on June 23rd, 2013. He left behind a large body of work, covering a wide variety of genres. It’s really impressive the sheer expanse of what he could write. Even more impressive is all the interesting ideas he could come up with for stories.

It almost seemed like there was no genre from with Matheson could approach with an interesting story. For example, plenty can be said of his work with science fiction, whether through short stories like Third from the Sun or in full novels like The Shrinking Man. He delivered horror of all kinds, from short stories like The Likeness of Julie which deliver quick jolts of fear and paranoia to full-length works like Hell House which allow the horror to build and simmer across the pages. He could craft a comedy, such as with stories like The Splendid Source (about a millionaire seeking the origin of dirty jokes) or The Creeping Terror (a parody of horror, presenting a story of Los Angeles spreading across the U.S. and infecting people with self-absorbed attitudes among other symptoms). He could offer romance, such as with the novel Bid Time Return, which concerns a man who travels back in time and falls in love with the subject of a beautiful portrait. Even Westerns were a genre he could find a sharp tale in, such as with his short story The Conqueror, about a city slicker who tries to act the part of a skilled gunman only to face the consequences of it. It’s so striking how much he could tackle with his considerable skill, yet the average person will probably not be familiar with his work. It’s even more incredible when you consider how many films or television shows have been based on his work.

As it was mentioned before, Richard Matheson did work for The Twilight Zone. He adapted a few of his own short stories for the series, some of which would become classic episodes. These include such episodes as Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, about a man who finds a gremlin on the wing of his plane, and Little Girl Lost, about a young girl who slips through a portal to another dimension and her parents’ desperate bid to find her. Of course, this show was not the only avenue in which his writing was brought to the screen. Numerous films have been based on his stories, whether by taking one of his novels and adapting it or expanding on one of his short stories. Bid Time Return was brought to the big screen as Somewhere in Time back in 1980, with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour as its leads. In 1957, The Shrinking Man became a classic sci-fi picture as The Incredible Shrinking Man. Steel, a short story about a struggling manager in a world of robotic boxing, was reimagined back in 2011 as Real Steel with Hugh Jackman starring in the film. In fact, one novel that seems to have gained a particular focus for film is I Am Legend. It tells the tale of Dr. Robert Neville, a scientist living in a world where humanity was been struck by a virus that turns people into vampire-like creatures. He spends his nights researching and looking for a cure, while his days are spent hunting down vampires and killing them. This chilling story has not been adapted to the big screen before, it’s been adapted four times. Whether it is called The Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man, I Am Omega, or simply I Am Legend, all take their core inspiration from Richard Matheson’s novel.

Truly, Matheson’s mark has been left in the world of media thanks to his gripping narratives and fascinating story ideas. Sadly, though the stories may be remembered, I fear that most may not know of the skilled writer behind such stories. I recommend an easy and simply remedy for that: go out and pick up a copy of one of his books. There are plenty of classic novels of his to explore, but for first-time readers of his work I suggest starting with one of his short story collections to sample his writing. I’m sure you’ll find a story from Richard Matheson that grips your attention.

Goosebumps: Viewer, Beware, You’re In for a Fun Watch

Back in the 1990s, a series of books arose that caught the attention of young people everywhere. It was a series known as Goosebumps. Created by R. L. Stine, the series caught so much attention because it was something quite rare: a series of horror books aimed at children. With their striking covers and accessible stories, Goosebumps became a gateway to scares for a younger generation. It also became a pop culture force, with numerous spin-offs within the book series, a TV show, and even video games along with all sorts of merchandise. Though the books themselves may sometimes seem a little cheesy, there’s no denying it left a mark on a generation of young readers. Now, as time has passed, that series has now made its arrival to the big screen. Though it’s not based on any one specific book, the film is a fun mixture of monsters from throughout the series, with the film simply known as Goosebumps.

The film is centered around Zach Cooper, a teenager who has moved with his mom from New York City to the small town of Madison, Delaware. Though he is frustrated with this change of scenery, he finds some friendship from a girl next door named Hannah despite the protests of her mysterious and abrasive father (played by Jack Black). When Zach hears the sound of a scream come from Hannah’s home, he heads over to investigate with his friend Champ and fears Hannah may be in trouble at the hands of her dad. When they head over, they discovers two surprising truths: her father is actually author R. L. Stine and all the monsters from his Goosebumps books are real, kept contained within their manuscripts. However, due to a mishap, the manuscripts are opened, freeing such horrors as the Abominable Snowman, villainous lawn gnomes, and a living ventriloquist’s dummy named Slappy. As the monsters wreak havoc in Madison and set their sights on destroying R. L. Stine, our heroes set out in search of a way to recapture all of the monsters back onto the page.

This film actually turned out to be a lot of fun. Firstly, the plot is a clever approach to adapting the series of books to film. Rather than adapting one book or attempting an anthology, this meta approach allows them to pull inspiration from the whole series in terms of plot and in terms of monsters who show up over the course of the film. The performances in the movie also work well, helping to deliver a quick sense of humor along with the thrills. Particularly of note is Jack Black, who not only plays R. L. Stine but also voices Slappy, reimagined here as being Stine’s raging id. Along with that, there are plenty of fun action sequences throughout the movie, such as when our heroes are attacked by a whole horde of villainous lawn gnomes. Helping out these sequences is a fun music score by Danny Elfman, which captures a macabre but playful tone. Now, not everything in this film quite works.

When it comes to the humor, I do feel that the film does get a little too goofy at points. Now, I do understand that this is a family film, but the fact of the matter is that the appeal of the Goosebumps books was that they were horror stories for kids. True, they tended to have humor to go along with the scares, but they did also have attempts at scares. Personally, I would have appreciated if they had found a way to include some scares in this film. Maybe not something major, but moments that could offer a good spine-tingling chill to kids along with the laughs. That way, you have a good mixture of funny and scary, something that would be appropriate for the feel of Goosebumps.

This movie may not be a great film, but for what it is, it’s a delight. It’s a fun, breezy trip, capturing a mix of goofy humor and familiar monsters in what feels like the cinematic equivalent to a carnival dark ride. I think it will make for a good watch for the family this Halloween season, along with maybe striking a chord for nostalgic readers of the original Goosebumps series. In fact, the style and feel of the film overall reminds me of movies from the ’90s like Hocus Pocus or Small Soldiers. I suppose it’s rather fitting, then, that a movie based on a popular series of books from the ’90s should have a similar feel to movies from that time as well. For me, I’d suggest giving Goosebumps a try.

The Challenge of Adaptation: The Spirit or the Letter?

(Hello there, dear readers. I would like to apologize for having not written anything for the past few days. When I wrote my last few entries, I had thought I was past the worst of my cold. To tell the truth, my last few entries felt like weaker ones, like I was held back by something. Most likely the cold threw off my writing. So, I decided to spend this time focusing more fully on conquering my cold, to ensure that I was in the best form to offer you all better work. My apologies for the delays. I will be back to a standard Monday through Friday schedule.)

This past weekend had the bombing of another film based on an established work, this time in the form of Pan. Though its failure is understandable given the quality of the writing and ideas slapped into it, it is sure to spin the wheels once more of the argument against adaptations. There are plenty who bemoan the nature of adaptations in film, who believe that Hollywood these days saturates the theaters with unoriginal works that water down their source material. Now, to me, that is simply not true. For one, there has always been adaptations done on film. Even the earliest days of movies have adapted stories like A Christmas Carol or The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. However, the issue here isn’t how many adaptations there are, it’s how they are done. If no care is taken to the craftmanship of adapting one work to another medium, then the result is an audience that is soured due to a poor representation of a story they like. Flood the market with such terrible representations, and people will naturally grow weary of it. So, the challenge becomes this: how do you ensure that people do not automatically see an adaptation or reimagining as something terrible? To me, the answer lies in determining which is more important to preserve. Namely, the spirit or the letter.

First, let me lay out what I mean. For me, the spirit and the letter are two separate but key parts of any story. The spirit is its heart, the themes and feelings that it conveys through its narrative. The letter is the specific way that it is told, the passages and events that unfold over its course. Both are elements that influence and affect a story and how its audience responds to it. Perhaps it is the feeling that a story evokes, or the ideas that it explores, that causes an audience to latch onto a story. Sometimes, it might be how the story is told, whether the events presented or the method of how the story is offered, that ensures that the story is one remembered. Both elements are key to a story and should be considered when it comes to adapting it, whether as a pure adaptation or as a reimagining of some kind. If I were to pick an element to focus on for an adaptation, however, I believe that it would be worth focusing on the spirit of a work and trying to capture that spirit when translating it to another form. After all, not everything can work as a “one to one” adaptation. Sequences that might be engaging to read in a book or play in a game could be a slog in a film format, or perhaps the way of how a character reacts or feels about a moment is best conveyed from a more interior space than what a movie might offer. True, there are some that can achieve such an approach. Sin City, for example, pretty much just lifts Frank Miller’s graphic novels straight from the page to screen, bringing its pulp thrills in a pure form. Not many adaptations have such a luxury, however, which is why the spirit of a work is more important to pursue.

The spirit of a story is something that can transcend its original medium. Its something that can be captured, whether in its themes or its feelings, and given new life with a different approach. Plenty of movies help to show the power of the spirit, even if they might not always preserve the letter. Frozen, for instance, is based upon Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen yet is so different that it feels like a very loose adaptation of the story. It chooses to have pretty much an entirely new story, with a different set of characters that the narrative follows. The most present thing that does carry over is a female character who has command over snow and ice. However, Frozen still preserves the original fairy tale’s message of the power of love overcoming hate and fear. Another example of a movie preserving the spirit of its source material is Cloud Atlas. Now, the format of the book was like that of a Russian nesting doll. Each story, from its chronologically earliest, would deal out its first half. It was not until the reader reaches the chronologically latest story that they received the whole story at once. From there, the stories go back in time and offer their second halves. Instead of relying on the book’s structure, which would seem to be nearly impossible to capture in a satisfying way on film, the movie instead runs through all of the stories together. In this case, it jumps between them, cutting between moments that are united by action, emotion, or character. That way, it showcases the multiple stories while maintaining the overall work’s theme of extending ourselves beyond a tribe mentality and treating other human beings with dignity and respect. Even Marvel Studios, among the wave of superhero films that has arisen, has demonstrated their skill at capturing the spirit of their characters to film. They have offered movies that feel properly tailored to their characters, capturing the spirit in a close-knit fashion rather than trying to force a certain style upon all of them.

So, why did I specifically mention Pan at the start of this post? Among its flaws, Pan displays a disregard for the spirit of J. M. Barrie’s original play, Peter Pan. It takes the themes of growing up, of the conflict between youth and age, and chucks it all out. It tries to substitute it with a generic Chosen One storyline, the narrative of someone destined to take down some evil. Even if it tries to throw in all sorts of attempts at magic, none of it can hide the fact that it is missing that core spirit. Now, compare that to Hook. For those who have not seen it, Hook is a movie about Peter Banning, a man whose children are kidnapped by Captain Hook and who turns out to be a grown up Peter Pan. Though it is a sequel story made to continue Peter Pan, it still preserves the spirit of the original story. It maintains the conflict of time passing, the youthful magic of Neverland, and the theme of how growing up is not such a bad thing. As such, its heart shines through and offers a fun take on what might happen after the events of the original story. It’s an example of what happens when a storyteller understands the spirit of a story, and offers the right craftsmanship to capture that spirit in a new form or medium.

After all, what is a story, a work, without its spirit? Just a name. Just a face. Just something to be coated on a generic narrative to make a quick buck. Hopefully, Hollywood keeps this in mind and offers more adaptations that have the spirit of a work and not just its name.

An Introduction and a Proposal

Hello there, ladies and gentlemen. I thank you for taking a little time out from all the numerous things the internet can grant you to read this first entry.

Who am I? Well, I suppose we can settle for you knowing me as the Watcher. Why the Watcher? It is I because I enjoy watching movies, television shows, and theatrical performances. Of course, I also read plenty of literature and graphic novels, listen to a lot of music, and play video games. Calling myself the Media Consumer, however, just doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Besides, movies are a specialty of mine. Thus, I am the Watcher.

Now, why am I here, posting a blog in the hope of someone reading? Simple. I, like many folks on the internet, have opinions. For me, my main opinions are about media. We have so many forms of media, all of which serve as methods of storytelling. Stories, that one thing that can be shared across all of humanity. No matter what the medium, no matter what the genre, stories have a way of transporting us to another world. They can allow us to access the life of another person, to gain understanding or insight through its lessons, or even just provide a wonderful escape from our normal world for just a moment. There is always a story to tell.

I want to help you all when it comes to stories. Perhaps I can shed light on works you may not be familiar with, or offer my opinions on current tales or familiar yarns. Maybe I could even talk about the storytellers, offering you a new insight and appreciation for how their stories are told. Either way, I believe that my opinions on media can allow me to give you all a gateway to stories.

Thus, I have for you a proposal. Every Monday through Friday, I will write entries for this blog, covering a variety of things. I can offer reviews, discuss current media-related news, or even just give my thoughts or recommendations on certain subjects. I’ll cover a variety of media, from movies to literature to video games. I’ll give my thoughts on all of them, and I hope that you will read these thoughts. I hope you’ll read these entries and that maybe, just maybe, you might walk away with a desire to revisit an old story, hunt down a new tale you had not seen or considered, or even just weigh my opinions against your own.

So, what do you say? Shall we read on?