Rating: Summary: Disappointing transfer to the screen, but still a fun film. Review: Although this movie was not near as good as the book was, it did have its moments. The acting could have been so much better, especially the actress who starred as Thad's wife. She was just so unemotional. Her acting was so fake. Timothy Hutton's wasn't, though. He did an excellent job portraying both the clumsy hero, Thad Beaumont, and the terrifying George Stark. There were many times I wished they had put more into the movie. There were many parts in the book that would have looked so good on the silver screen, but they weren't used. I have to say, though, the conclusion was excellent. I thought they weren't going to pull it off, but they did, sparrows and all.
Rating: Summary: About the both-sided mind with human being. Review: Always it was Stephen King¡¯s novels were dealing with weird materials. This film is also one of his works; it makes me confused until it finishes. I could realize who was the killer at the end. At first, I thought, same person with a dual personality made a case, which was a killing, but later it was discovered one of twin brother did it. Timothy Hutton, who makes me confused, played twin brother good. He has a career, which won an Academy Award before, so his acting was recognized as much as his career. Like this, stable performance as well as direction of George A. Romero, these were well in harmony with together. George made generally intellectual and social problem concerning films. In this film, he expressed a slice of human life through twin brother who was born with a dark side. I think he state about a both-sided mind of human being from this film. Finally, good side wins, but human has always two sides and fight to find a right way. Maybe, it is a main theme of this film.
Rating: Summary: Great flick! Review: Contrary to what other reviewers have written, this film is actually great. It's not corny or mindless like many other films of King books (or some of King's books for that matter), it's VERY suspenseful and the ending is really psychedelic. In actual fact, this is one of the handful of S. King films that doesn't pander to the masses. Romero is a serious director and this film shows the substance of both Romero and the story. Imagine if The Stand hadn't been made into a stupid made-for-TV movie and had been done as seriously as this. Highly recommended!
Rating: Summary: I cant belive this! Review: Did the director of this movie even bother to read the book? The book was a lot better and they took out inportant things and added unnessary things. I reccomend that anyone reading this review picks up the book insted of the movie. Frankly this movie gives Stephen King a bad name. I would have have it 1 star, But I cant be that cruel :)
Rating: Summary: The Better Half? Review: Following their underated collaboration on the cult horror film Creepshow, author Stephen King and director George A. Romero came together for The Dark Half. While the film boasts a strong performance from Timothy Hutton, and plenty of "chills and thrills", the presentation of the movie on DVD leaves a lot to be desired. Best selling author and teacher Thad Beaumont (Hutton) hopes to distance himself from his murder novels and from George Stark, the name he has used to anonymously author them. To accomplish this goal, he cooks up a murder of his own: a publicity stunt that should lay Stark to rest forever. But when the people around him are found brutally murdered and his own fingerprints pepper the crime scenes, Beaumont is dumbstruck, until he learns that Stark has taken on a life of his own...and has a gruesome plans to seek revenge against his alter ego. With Beaumont's wife Liz (Amy Madigan) in danger, and Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Michael Rooker) investigating him, he finds himself doubting his very sanity. Romero has fun translating King's novel for the movies. Hutton is superb as a split personality. The film is genuinely creepy. Given the story, I suppose King worked out a lot of his own frustrations over his career, with this work. Like the aforementioned Creepshow, The Dark Half, is underappreciated. While the film is worth a look... The DVD, distributed by MGM, loses my total endorsement, thanks to lackluster so called extras, and little care for the film itself. All you get for your money here is the movie's theatrical trailer and a behind-the-scenes booklet. Normally, this kind of thing wouldn't really bother me, but to add insult, the film is only available in the full-screen format??!! C'mon get with it! The film deserves better. If the film was shot in widescreen, you should have the option to see it that way....It is the 21st century after all. See this underated film--but be advised the DVD is, to put it in a nice way--lacking.
Rating: Summary: Hutton's great Review: Hutton is extremely good in two roles, playing Thad and his evil persona that turned into human form. somewhat of a slow pace, which lags this down a bit, but then the finale when evil Hutton gets ripped apart by all those sparrows that enter into the place is just awesome. there's a lot of evilness to the way Hutton puts it into his character and you can see that when he slices the victims up.
Rating: Summary: 1 star = no star Review: I basically am writing this review because one of the other reviewers suggested that, "if you are a serious Stephen King fan and you have to have everything with his name on it, go ahead and buy this movie. Or if you loved the book and want the film adaptation buy it as well." WRRGH! Who can possible give such bad advice? Which fan of Stephen King's work should want to watch or even BUY (???????????) a movie even SK detests. Do you want to know, dear creator of that intelligent piece of advice, why Stephen King's name is put on all the crappy movies made out of his stories? Wanna know? Alright, but you better listen. BECAUSE otherwise these bad movies would not sell at all and that's exactly the point. You know the movie is bad, you even implicated it in your review, so why do you advise people to buy a bad movie? To waste their money on [*] like this when they could spend it on the book instead, or on other books by him or X,000,000 other authors in the whole wide world?! I don't get it.... Who considers himself a fan when he purchases something his idol does not like? That's not even a paradoxon, but absolute NONSENSE! True fans, please listen, don't watch, read this story. PPPLEEAAAAZZZZEE! At least rent it and do not buy it - you certainly will regret having to face that darn waste of money standing on your shelf, eyeing you with a mean smirk that will suddenly appear on the face of that idiot on the cover every time you look at that and curse yourself for buying it (by the way it did not buy it, alright, I do not use this review as a platform for my own personal vox disgustae. If you still - even after having read these lines above carefully - feel the sick urge to waste thirteen bucks, put them in an envelope and send them to me. I'll give you my address.
Rating: Summary: Great Movie! Review: I must say I absolutely loved this movie! Timothy Hutton is one of my favorite actors, and Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, so the movie was perfect! I greatly admire Hutton's ability to play not only the hero, Thad Beaumont, but also the villian, his 'evil twin' George Stark. One scene in particular strikes me. Beaumont, in an effort to discover what Stark's plans are, lets him take over his body, or at least his hand, and askes him questions while Stark writes the answers with Beaumont's hand. Hutton did a wonderful job of acting this scene, making us believe that he was indeed talking to his dark half. Favorite quote in the movie, involves a People Magazine reporter while interviewing Thad Beaumont about his pseudonym George Stark. Reporter: "You'll uh, forgive me for noting, but these behaviors could be interpreted as classic symptoms of schizophrenia." Beaumont: "Yes, I'll forgive you for noting that. I don't think George would, though."
Rating: Summary: Hmmmmm Review: I wouldn't go as far to say this is the worst Steven King remake, but it certainly isn't among the best. The story is rather muddled up (not because the screenwriter has messed with the story, it's just quite strange anyway). Maybe the whole point is to take you to oen place, and drag you away in the other direction, which does work in some films, but you don't really get deep into this film. You can't get in touch with, nevertheless well acted, actors. I do not see the film as a horror film. . . it doesn't really have any elements of suspense or chilling screws in the plot. Maybe I am expecting TOO much from a Steven King remake, but please. If you are going to do a Steven King book at least pick the best one's and make them good (i.e the amazing Carrie, and Shining). Hope you found this helpful. If not. . . too bad. :)
Rating: Summary: Buy the Book and Cross of the Title of the DVD to watch it Review: Many transfers of books to movies are less than perfect. "Misery" by Steven King - great book - poor adaptation on film, but viewable. "The Firm" by John Grisham - could not put the book down - movie: poor ending, but good acting, and enjoyable. "The Dark Half" is by far the weakest book to film I have seen. The book is excellent - descriptive, vivid, horrifying at times, one of King's best. I am not even sure if those who produced the screenplay even read the book - perhaps they picked up Cliff's notes. Anyone who enjoyed this film did not read the book. I did. That's what ruined it for me. If Hollywood wanted to package this with a different title, this incredibly short film may be palatable. Be forewarned: If you've read the novel, and you purchase this movie, you will be putting it up on the secondary market soon!
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