Bev Vincent explores ‘Salem’s Lot (2024)

Bev VincentSeptember 27, 2024September 26, 2024Reviews, Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, Bev Vincent, Christine, News from the Dead Zone, Reviews, Stephen King, Stephen King News2 Comments

The Show Begins at Sundown

Back in 2011, Screem magazine commissioned me to write an article about ‘Salem’s Lot and its adaptations. (1) That led me to revisit the 1979 miniseries, starring David Soul, that had so terrorized me at the time. I had just started reading King a couple of months earlier, and two scenes in particular—ones that will be familiar to anyone who’s seen it—haunted me for a long time thereafter. Even though the original miniseries doesn’t stand the test of time—even in 1979, Soul didn’t have the gravitas required of the role and I find the adaptation almost painful to watch now—those scenes do hold up. I would say that the miniseries is better as a memory than as an actuality. I found a lot of flaws in it when I wrote about it for Screem and I doubt I could make myself watch it again today. (2)

Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #235

Bev VincentAugust 5, 2024August 2, 2024Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, Always Holly, Bev Vincent, Columns, Holly, It, mike flanagan, News from the Dead Zone, Stephen King, The Dark Tower, The Institute, The Life of Chuck, The Long Walk, The Monkey, The Running Man, The Shining, The Talisman, Welcome to Derry, You Like It Darker1 Comment

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I last wrote one of these columns (except for a couple of book reviews). I refused to believe it until I verified it three different ways. It’s mind-blowing. Where has the time gone? Oh well, I’m here now and we have a few things to talk about.

No, not hurricanes or the Olympics or the forthcoming election. We’re here to talk about what’s new in the Stephen King Universe, so let’s get to it.
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Bev Vincent explores You Like it Darker by Stephen King

Bev VincentMay 20, 2024May 19, 2024Reviews, Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBag of Bones, Bev Vincent, Cujo, Dreamcatcher, Duma Key, Fair Extension, Flight or Fright, Laurie, News from the Dead Zone, Rattlesnake, Reviews, Revival, Stephen King, Stephen King News, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, The Turbulence Expert, You Like It DarkerLeave a comment

“Lack of belief is the curse of intelligence”

It’s a short story collection. No, it’s a novella collection. No, it’s two…two…two things in one! OK, you have to be really old to get that reference to an old Certs commercial. They don’t even make Certs anymore, I’m displeased to discover.

Anyhow, You Like It Darker is a hybrid of two types of books we’ve come to expect from Stephen King. It’s a collection of the seven short stories published since The Bazaar of Bad Dreams but it also contains five brand-new long works ranging from a novelette (“The Dreamers”) to novellas (“The Answer Man,” “Two Talented Bastids” and “Rattlesnakes”) to a story long enough to be considered a novel by the SFWA and other awards criteria (“Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream”).

Bev Vincent explores Holly by Stephen King

Bev VincentAugust 29, 2023August 21, 2023Reviews, Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBev Vincent, Billy Summers, Carrie, Holly, If it Bleeds, Mr. Mercedes, News from the Dead Zone, Reviews, Stephen King, Stephen King News1 Comment

“No one will believe it really happened”

Stephen King doesn’t hide the identity of the murderers at the center of Holly Gibney’s latest case in the novel that bears her name. In 2012, Emily and Rodney Harris, professors emeritus at Bell College, tricked a colleague named Jorge Castro into helping them resolve a roadside issue. They drugged him and took him to a dungeon in the basement of their presentable home in a respectable part of town.

Why did the elderly Harrises kidnap him, why do they force him to eat something unpalatable, and what are their plans? Since Castro knows the identity of his abductors, it doesn’t seem likely he’ll be released. The popular consensus is that he packed up and left town abruptly, although his lover doesn’t agree.

Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #232

Bev VincentAugust 11, 2023August 11, 2023Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, Bev Vincent, Christine, Columns, Gerald's Game, Holly, It, King on Screen, mike flanagan, News from the Dead Zone, Pet Sematary, Stephen King, The Boogeyman, The Dark Tower, The Life of Chuck, The Long Walk, The Monkey, Welcome to DerryLeave a comment

It’s hot. Oh, so hot. Ever so effing hot. As many of you probably know, I live in Texas. Some years we get by without a single day with a temperature above 100°. This year, we’ve been “blessed” with almost nothing but triple-digit days, with “feels like temps” over 110°. It’s relentless.

So, while the world is melting down, what else should a person do but stay inside, with the A/C turned up high, reading and writing and watching television?
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The Cemetery Dance Interview: Bev Vincent Revisited

Cemetery Dance OnlineMarch 17, 2023March 12, 2023InterviewsBev Vincent, Interviews, Rick Hipson, Stephen King, Stephen King RevisitedLeave a comment

banner graphic that says Cemetery Dance Interviews

I was super pumped to be able to sit down with none other than Stephen King historian and scholar, Bev Vincent, who provided his fantastic historical contribution to Stephen King Revisited Volume 1 from Cemetery Dance. The book is the culmination of author/Cemetery Dance founder Richard Chizmar’s decision to revisit every single Steven King book in order of publication. This first volume discusses King’s work between Carrie and Eyes of the Dragon and includes tons of special guests to go along with Rich’s interpretations from the first time he read each book to his most recent. But of course this conversation is all about Bev Vincent who is kind enough to provide a fascinating glimpse into Stephen King throughout the years. Without further ado, let’s get this ball rolling, shall we?Continue Reading

Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #231

Bev VincentJanuary 24, 2023January 24, 2023Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, Bev Vincent, Columns, Doctor Sleep, Fairy Tale, Flight or Fright, Gerald's Game, Gwendy's Button Box, Holly, It, mike flanagan, News from the Dead Zone, Stephen King, The Boogeyman, The Dark Tower, The Long Walk, Welcome to Derry1 Comment

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and pleasant holiday season. I know a lot of people had travel issues, so I hope none of you are still stuck in an airport somewhere (if you are, Mr. King and I have an anthology to help you pass the time) or trying to track down your luggage.

Will 2023 be a good year? Hard to say, but I know one thing for sure: we have a new King book to look forward to in September and a movie adaptation that has the studio’s confidence.
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Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #230

Bev VincentOctober 3, 2022October 11, 2022Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, Bev Vincent, Chapelwaite, Columns, Cujo, dark tower, Fariy Tale, Flight or Fright, Holly, Mr. Harrigan's Phone, News from the Dead Zone, Rattlesnake, Stephen King, The Boogeyman, The Dark Tower Companion, The Regulators, Welcome to Derry, Willie the Weirdo1 Comment

Time for another Stephen King news update, don’t you think? Recently we saw the publication of King’s latest novel, Fairy Tale, and I have news about the next adaptation, which launches this week. In addition to those items, I’m going to talk about two associational projects, one of which involves yours truly and the other that involves someone from New Brunswick in Canada—and it’s not me!
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Bev Vincent: Documenting the King of Horror

Cemetery Dance OnlineSeptember 12, 2022September 7, 2022Interviews, Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBev Vincent, Interviews, News from the Dead Zone, Stephen King, The Stephen King Illustrated Companion, The Stephen King Ultimate CompanionLeave a comment

cover of The Stephen King Ultimate Companion Bev Vincent is living the life that most Constant Readers can only dream of.

Bev has written volumes documenting Stephen King’s work, from career-spanning books like The Illustrated Stephen King Companion to more focused works like The Dark Tower Companion. He co-edited an anthology with King called Flight or Fright. He gets early copies of King’s books, which he reviews for us here at Cemetery Dance as part of his “News from the Dead Zone” column. And soon he’ll have a new book out: The Stephen King Ultimate Companion: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences.

Recently, I fired off a few questions about this new project, which Bev graciously took the time to answer.Continue Reading

Bev Vincent explores Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Bev VincentSeptember 2, 2022September 1, 2022Reviews, Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBev Vincent, Cujo, dark tower, Fairy Tale, Gunslinger, News from the Dead Zone, Reviews, Stephen King, Stephen King News, The Green Mile, The Talisman2 Comments

“There are other worlds than these”

Traditionally, in stories modeled after the Hero’s Journey, the main character receives a call to action, which he or she initially resists. Take, for example, Bilbo Baggins, who is cajoled out of his comfortable, quiet life to go on an adventure by Gandalf. In Stephen King’s fantasy stories, the characters are self-motivated. No one has to urge Jack Sawyer to light out for the Territories—he has a good reason to embark on a perilous journey. Similarly, Roland Deschain chooses his mission to find and save the Dark Tower, even though it will take him on a wild journey for the rest of his natural days. No one conscripts him. (Although, to be fair, sometimes his characters are yanked into a quest without being given any choice in the matter.)

In Fairy Tale, Charlie McGee[1] Reade also decides for himself to go on a magical adventure although, when he sets out, he has no idea what dangers he will face and what will be asked of him while he attempts to achieve his goal.

Bev Vincent explores Gwendy’s Final Task

Bev VincentFebruary 15, 2022February 25, 2022Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBev Vincent, Gwendy's Button Box, Gwendy's Final Task, Gwendy's Magic Feather, News from the Dead Zone, Nineteen, Reviews, Richard Chizmar, Stephen King, Stephen King News, The StandLeave a comment

“The Tower Is Strong”

There’s a lot going on in Ben Baldwin’s artwork on the cover of the Cemetery Dance edition of Gwendy’s Final Task, coauthored by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. The dominant figure is the enigmatic Richard Farris, who has burdened Gwendy Peterson with custody of a mysterious and dangerous box of buttons on two previous occasions. In the foreground we see an illustration of a town or a city and what looks to be a rocket or a shooting star.

But what’s that behind Mr. Farris? Could it be…could it possibly be…the Dark Tower? This image generated a lot of discussion and debate when it was first revealed. The Gallery Books cover for the final book in the Gwendy trilogy puts the question to rest—the central image is the Tower and, in the foreground, a field of red roses.

Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #227

Bev VincentJanuary 31, 2022February 12, 2022Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, A Face in the Crowd, Bev Vincent, Christine, Columns, dark tower, Fariy Tale, Firestarter, Gwendy's Button Box, Gwendy's Final Task, Later, Mr. Harrigan's Phone, News from the Dead Zone, Pet Sematary, Red Screen, Richard Chizmar, Stephen King, The Green Mile, Willie the WeirdoLeave a comment

Happy New Year to all my readers. It’s been a while since my last news update, primarily because there hasn’t been a lot going on in the Stephen King Universe. However, I now have some cool things to talk about, so pull up a chair.
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A Preview of Chapelwaite on Epix by Bev Vincent

Bev VincentAugust 16, 2021August 14, 2021Stephen King News from the Dead Zone'Salem's Lot, Bev Vincent, Chapelwaite, Columns, Glenn Chadbourne, Jerusalem's Lot, News from the Dead Zone, Night Shift, Secretary of Dreams, Stephen King, The StandLeave a comment

Preview: Chapelwaite on Epix

“Blood Calls Blood”

I must confess that when I first heard that Epix was turning Stephen King’s early short story “Jerusalem’s Lot” into a ten-episode TV series, I wasn’t terribly excited. I don’t subscribe to that service, so I planned to give the show a miss. I thought it would turn out to be like the TV series The Mist, which bears little resemblance to the source material beyond the general concept. I’m here to tell you I was wrong, and this show is worth checking out. There is horror a-plenty here if you have plenty of patience for the show’s somewhat measured pace.

Bev Vincent reviews Billy Summers

Bev VincentJuly 30, 2021July 29, 2021Stephen King News from the Dead Zone11/22/63, Bev Vincent, Billy Summers, Cujo, Duma Key, News from, Nineteen, Reviews, Stephen King, Stephen King News, The Colorado Kid, The Dark Tower, The Shining, The StandLeave a comment

“A Garbage Man with a Gun”

The first time Billy Summers killed a man, he was barely twelve. By the time he’s eighteen, he’s a sniper with the Marines in Iraq, where he notches up another two dozen kills. Instead of re-upping, he tries to find work back in the States. One of his former Marine friends asks him to kill someone. Thus begins Billy’s career as an elite hitman. His only condition is that his victims have to be demonstrably bad men. He’s not a sociopath driven to kill — he’s just good with a gun. He can hit targets from an incredible distance and then vanish like Houdini without being identified or caught. Now, at the ripe old age of 44, he’s looking to retire. One last job and he’s done.Continue Reading

A Preview of Lisey’s Story on Apple TV+ by Bev Vincent

Bev VincentJune 3, 2021June 1, 2021Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBag of Bones, Bev Vincent, Columns, Lisey's Story, News from the Dead Zone, Stephen KingLeave a comment

Preview: Lisey’s Story on Apple TV+

“Grief is a Bool hunt”

Lisey’s Story, the Apple TV+ adaptation of Stephen King’s 2006 novel of the same name, begins its eight-episode run on Friday, June 4. The miniseries features a stellar cast, including Julianne Moore as Lisey Landon, Clive Owen as her husband Scott and Joan Allen and Jennifer Jason Leigh as her sisters Amanda and Darla. Rounding out the cast are Ron Cephas Jones as Professor Dashmiel and Dane DeHaan as Jim Dooley. All eight episodes were scripted by King and directed by Pablo Larraín, who previously helmed the bio-pic Jackie.

King frequently cites Lisey’s Story as his favorite of his novels. His general policy towards adaptations of his books and stories is that he is either “all in” or “all out.” In the latter case, he has cast and script approval but he generally leaves the directors and other producers alone. However, he was heavily involved with every facet of the Lisey’s Story adaptation. In the video included below he says, “I thought if someone was going to screw it up, I used to tell my wife that no one was going to screw it up more than me.”

The Show Begins at Sundown

Preview: Chapelwaite on Epix

“Blood Calls Blood”

Preview: Lisey’s Story on Apple TV+

“Grief is a Bool hunt”

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