Misery

Rating:
Summary: Sorry folks, excellent movie, AWFUL DVD
Review: I am simply reviewing the DVD on this one. For such a wonderful film this DVD has NOTHING. And when I say nothing, I mean NOTHING. Oh, a booklet that's a whopping fold-open which doesn't give any information what so ever. I love this film, and it's by far the best Stephen King sceen adaptation ever, but it's a real shame there aren't ANY extras to speak of on this DVD. Special Edition is needed BIG TIME!

Rating:
Summary: Perfect casting - great suspense
Review: Who but Kathy Bates could instill in those few words such drama and horror..."I'm your number one fan." Yeah!! The story of a writer who is so fed up with the hero or heroine of his success that they are killed off is an old one. But how many authors have wrecks and wind up being cared for by a fan obsessed with Misery (the heroine) who demands she return.

Annie rescues the writer (Caan) and lovingly nurses him back to health...almost, that is. She has one little demand - he must return to her the now-dead Misery. And she has ways of making him do her bidding that grow ever more dangerous. What is so impressive about this film is that the writers took their time and let the tension slowly build until we learn that Annie is just another madwoman on a mission.

She beats and coaxes and jostles and tortures and pampers the writer as he begins his odious task. But oh what a surprise when she finally reads the conclusion! A terrific fight and great ending to a movie that remained close to the spirit of the book.
Rent it today.

Rating:
Summary: Halfway decent effort
Review: (Instead of reviewing a film you probably know, I stick to special features of the DVD)

(THIS REFERS TO THE UK VERSION)

Those extras:

Commentary: Fair. Reiner, who I've heard a few times now, really needs to work on this. Far, far too many lapses where he disappears. Another track features an arrogant Goldman bashing directors for having no imagination and praising---hell, overpraising---his writing abilities. At one point he even pauses for a few moments then chimes in, "Sorry, this dialogue is just so well written".

New Interviews: Pretty much picture perfect. Not just Caan, Bates, Reiner, and Goldman, but DP Sonnenfeld, and even Sternhagen. Interesting stories from the set and years later.

Overall: Just those couple of things to get excited about. A lack of behind the scenes stuff, deleted scenes, outtakes, et al, don't make this a must buy unless you just want to own the film.

Rating:
Summary: I Feel Your Pain!
Review: I Feel Your Pain!

Misery is a 1990 suspense drama released by Castle Rock Entertainment, directed by Rob Reiner, with a running time of 107 minutes. Based on a Stephen King novel, this drama is considerably enhanced by the performance of its leads, James Caan (Paul Sheldon) and Kathy Bates (Annie Wilkes).
The tale is really very simple. Paul Sheldon is a successful writer whose career has been made on the back of a series of novels about a 19th century heroine that he is growing weary of, called "Misery." Although she has been the focus of a hugely popular series of novels, Paul wishes to 'retire' the character and focus on writing something more personal. After finishing his latest book, Paul sets out from a Colorado lodge nestled in the Rocky Mountains and begins his drive back to the city during a horrible snowstorm. Let's just say he doesn't make it.
As luck would have it, former nurse Annie Wilkes is passing by and drags him from the wreck. When he comes to, he is in bed being tended to by his 'number one fan' (Annie) in her home. Annie assists Paul in his recuperation, as both legs and an arm are broken as a result of his accident. His gratitude soon turns to concern though, as it become increasingly clear that her love of his Misery novels is far from normal. This unhealthy obsession is only too apparent as she finishes his latest manuscript where Misery dies. To say she becomes outraged would be an understatement. Her rage and insistence that he should rewrite the book leads him to becoming a prisoner in her home.
You would think that a movie centered on two characters in one room wouldn't offer much in the way of excitement, but you need to see this movie! As it becomes quite clear to Paul that help is not on the way, the movie takes on claustrophobic urgency. You find yourself yelling at him, trying to help him escape. As Annie spirals slowly into insanity, things begin to look even bleaker for Paul.
Kathy Bates deservedly took home an Oscar and Golden Globe award for her performance as Annie, and James Caan is wonderful in what must have been a difficult role to play, since he spends most of his time in casts lying in a bed.
Misery is not your typical dramatic movie. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you second-guess whether you would really like to be rescued, in a snowstorm, by a "good Samaritan." I give the movie a 4-star rating and recommend it for all viewers, especially Stephen King fans.

Rating:
Summary: I Feel Your Pain!
Review: I thought this was a great movie. I read the Stephen King novel first, and the movie lived up to my expectations.

Rating:
Summary: Kathy Bates Was Perfect For A Crazed Fan!
Review: Paul Shelden, a successful writer, is suddenly involved in a near-fatal car accident during an intense blizzard in the mountains. Following directly behind him the whole time, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) hurrys and rescues him from the wreck. But instead of taking him to the hospital or calling 911, she takes matters into her own hands and begins caring for her #1 fan in her own home. Things seem normal for Paul at first, but he quickly becomes frightened of Annie's irrational outbursts of anger. As he begins his long recovery, Annie's severe bipolar-like behavior gets violent when she is greatly disappointed with his latest novel. She makes it clear to him that he is to re-write the novel and to never even think about anyone ever finding him. The thoughts of being a prisoner with crazy Annie for the rest of his life leaves him trying to come up with a plan to escape. Although he is physically disabled with two broken legs and an arm, he continuously tries to escape while Annie is out. But things take a terrifying turn when Annie finds out and the violence escalates. Paul now realizes that he is in for a long haul as he tries to re-write his novel the way Annie wants it to be. The movie displays comedy, drama, and suspense which makes it so enjoyable. Annie is so obsessed with Paul she has a candle-lit shrine with pictures of Paul and all of his novels. She even named her pet pig Misery.

Rating:
Summary: Stephen King's Back Again
Review: Based on Stephen King's novel, "Misery," this film is frightening and funny at the same time. Sheldon's expressions on his face when Annie flips out is hilarious, but when the lightening strikes and she pops out of nowhere, you go flying out of your seat.

Paul Sheldon(Caan) is a famous novelist. After completing a new book that does not connect with his former series, the "Misery" collection, he goes down a snowy hill. Sheldon loses control and crashes, flipping his car upside down.

He is soon rescued by Annie Wilkes(Bates) who is his number one fan. Sheldon soon finds that Annie is not the nice, caring person he thought at the beginning, but a crazy, psychopathic killer. Now his only goal is to escape the house.

Caan and Bates both delivered a great display of acting. Such odd roles didn't hold them back. A great movie in every aspect.

Rating:
Summary: 1.5 stars
Review: I give it that, because it made me laugh. It was so funny everytime that annoying lady freaked. Me and my friends were laughing our heads off. We were hoping for a good scary movie but in the end all we got was a complete laugh fest. If I wanted a comedy I would have rented Silence of the Lambs. I wanted a horror film. Oh well, at least we got a good laugh.

Rating:
Summary: Above-Average Thriller!
Review: I particularly enjoy one scene in "Misery," in which the crazed fan of a successful author switches from kind, gentle woman to crazy lunatic after she reads his latest novel in his line of Misery books, about an inspirational woman from the 1800s. The fan finds out he has killed her favorite fictional character off. "You dirty birdy!" she yells. Right here lies the strength in "Misery": its ability to take a good novel and turn it into a great film, by deep characters with waves of emotions and excellent lines of dialogue.

Kathy Bates is the crazed fan of James Caan's fluent writer, Paul Sheldon, who has finally ended his Misery series. In the beginning, we see him telling Lauren Bacall that Misery has ruined his life. He has been type-cast, not able to write anything but Misery novels. So he has killed her off in his latest book, and set to work on a new novel, "Untitled" (which, in the novel Misery--the REAL novel--is named "Fast Cars").

Paul retreats to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, writes his new novel with a sense of joy, and checks out of the cabin he is staying in. On the way home to the big city, unproduced novel in hand, he crashes off the edge of a ravine and flips his car. This is credited to both the winter storm and his drunkness from a bottle of Dom Periogne.

He awakens days later to find himself in the care of Annie Wilkes (Bates). Everything is nice and dandy at first. Annie is a nice enough person. She tells him the roads are closed and the telephone lines are down, but she will take him to town when they clear up. She says she has called Paul's agent and has told his agent where he is.

But soon Paul realizes he is trapped in the house with a madwoman. She is nice one second, a lunatic the next. And the best thing about this is how well Kathy Bates carries the character.

I read the novel "Misery" by Stephen King. It is the only book of his I have read that I have enjoyed. (I hate his other work.) And something tells me that King thought of this idea of a writer trapped with a crazy fan because he himself is an author, most likely adorned with letters signed by mad fans every day. But would his fans be crazy enough to kidnap King, abuse him when he's bad, and make him suffer endlessly? The fan, thinking, in the fan's deranged mind, that they are serving God?

So King wrote about this idea, and Rob Reiner turned it into a film a coupl'a years later. I personally enjoy the film a bit more than the novel.

In the book, I imagined Kathy Bates the whole time as Annie Wilkes. Only I didn't imagine Kathy Bates herself, but rather the woman Kathy Bates plays. You see, Kathy Bates doesn't play Kathy Bates here. Kathy Bates plays Annie Wilkes. She steals the show. She completely evelops her character. She easily switches her moods as if there is an on and off switch.

I cannot imagine anyone for the role of Annie other than Kathy Bates herself.

"Misery" is at times humorous, at times amusing, at times scary, and at times truly appalling; but it is always an excellent thriller. Reiner spotted the potential in the book in 1989, and he immediately went to work on the film for a 1990 release. In fact, I can imagine Rob Reiner scrolling through King's novel, fascinated by every page, wanting to turn it into a blockbuster film with big stars and big thrills.

And then I can imagine Rob Reiner at the premiere of "Misery." I can see the credits rolling. And I can see him smiling.

Rating:
Summary: A good one
Review: Paul Sheldon is a very popular writer from his "Misery" Books Series.
It is winter time and he types the very last lines of his latest "Misery" then he celebrates it with a glass of champagne,
and only one cigarette (since he doesn't smoke anymore).
Then he puts the whole work in the bag that carried him the very first book - before he knew whether it's gonna be published or not and makes his way to the publishers driving on the snowy roads,as he feels aesthetic. Within a few minutes, his car tyres slip, as the snow rages down and he has an accident.
A horrible one that left him bleeding in a unconscious state for a while, until a "rescuer saves his life.
When Paul opens his eyes..he gets to see his rescuer who happens to be his number one fan and also a nurse by profession.
Everything seems to be all right for Paul, after the horrible
accident that could have killed him.One day as he was fed by the woman who saved him, he distracted her while they talked and she accidentally spilled the soup in the bed and unconsciously exposed her mental illness by losing control and shouting at
him.Soon she profusely apologized and Paul was comfortable again
but not for so long.
He couldn't ring his presumed sick worried daughter, he couldn't be transfered to a National Hospital - as his number one fan was telling him that the roads are closed from the snow. It is now that Paul and the viewer of the movie gets to
know that he's saved only to go through another "Misery" again...
this time a more horrible one.

I like Stephen King's work a lot and I consider him a genius writer as he is a King of Fictionious Stories. I've seen a lot of
his movies and with the exception of THE GREEN MILE - THE MISERY
was the best movie based on Stephen King's novels.