THE BOOKS OF STEPHEN KING
I have tried reading some books of Stephen King's #stephenking and I can't get through them. They are way too detailed, drawn out and at times pointless. I seriously wonder how he became such a successful novelist as he has.Don't get me wrong, I think the man is talented..but only in the idea department. But when it comes to writing out the idea, I'm not impressed.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE MOVIES...
If it wasn't for the movies, I wouldn't know who Stephen King is. I absolutely love the movies made of books from Christine, Stand By Me, Misery, Shawshank Redemption, and definitely Carrie. The only movie I didn't care for is It.Now I can add another King novel turned into a movie to my list of likes and that's Gerald's Game.
GERALD'S GAME IS JESSE'S GAME
Gerald and Jessie head to a friend's vacation house in the middle of nowhere to try to save their marriage but adding a little spice to their sex life. But when Gerald dies and Jessie is left handcuffed to the bed, it's Jesse who needs saving. Not just her life, but her mind and definitely her soul.WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE MOVIE
The movie does a great job of setting everything up. I was concerned they were going to spend a lot of time on a sex scene because people think they have to have soft porn in movies to bring in the viewers. Let me tell you, you don't. There was a time when movies indicated something went on without showing something going on and those movies were successful and are not classics. But I digress.As mentioned, I thought a lot of time was going show the unnecessary, but it didn't. It showed enough to set up to provide one of the symbols and I guess you can say, another character in the movie. The handcuffs.
We are introduced to another character in the movie early on which is a stray dog. But what makes the dog an interesting character is he has a collar so he belongs to someone. However, Gerald won't let Jessie get close enough to the dog to find out who it's owners are. This is an interesting fact when you know the rest of the movie.
DELUSIONS OR ILLUSIONS
While Jessie is handcuffed to the bed, she begins having conversations with her dead husband as well as herself. There is also an unwelcome guest that shows up here and there and Jessie begins to wonder if this person is part of her delusion as well. We also have the dog that is there throughout the time of Jessie's delusions or illusions. It depends on how you see it.Through these incidents we learn a lot about Jessie and that the handcuffs are not only physical torments for her but also a symbols of her past, which she has carried her entire life. This isn't something I'm thinking up. It was actually mentioned in the movie by herself to herself during one of her illusions. But the handcuffs were not only a symbol, they were also another character in the movie as was the bed and her slip. But the main symbol in the movie was her being stuck in a place in which she can call out for help all she wants, but no one will hear her.
WHERE I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE MOVIE
Jessie was stuck in the bed for almost two days and not once did she make a bathroom run in the bed. Everyone has to go the bathroom at least once or twice a night, but apparently not Jessie. I know it's only a movie, but this is something that kinda had me scratching my head. However, I was able to let this go rather quickly because the movie itself was so well written and directed it kept you sitting on the edge of your seat and mind constantly trying to solve this enigma we called Jessie's life.IT WOULDN'T BE A STEPHEN KING MOVIE IF...
It wouldn't be a Stephen King movie it there wasn't some disturbing gore scene within the movie. Although brief, it will have you squirming and groaning with pain as you're watching. I personally found this to be a symbol as well. Not the squirming and groaning by the viewer, but what actions Jessie had to take. Desperate times calls for desperate measures.FINAL THOUGHTS
I absolutely loved this movie. I will be watching it a few more times for I feel I will find something new each time I watch it.Everyone on this planet should watch the movie. You don't have to be a Stephen King fan to enjoy the movie. I'm not a fan of his but I love his movie. And as mentioned, this has been added to my favorite King books made into a movie.
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GERALD'S GAME
Starring: Carla Gugino (The Watchmen, Sin City); Bruce Greenwood (Knots Landing, I, Robot, American Dad)
Written By: Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard (based on the Stephen King novel)
Directed By: Mike Flanagan
Release Date: 29 September 2017
Country: United States
Location: Mobile, Alabama
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoe Rating: 91%
Current Streaming on Netflix
TRIVIA
There are a number of references to previous King novels/movies within this movie:- Gerald refers to the stray dog as Cujo
- Gerald says the line: "all things serve the beam" - Dark Towers reference
- Jessie describes a woman looking over a well (a dream she had) - this is a reference to Delores Clairborn
- Jessie describes a man with a bag of bones - Bag of Bones is another Stephen King novel
