Silly question on Hearts in Atlantis

[sleeplessdwarf]

I just recently read the book. Lucky for me, I never watched the movie even though Hopkins is one of my favorite actors. I told my wife, who is not big on reading, that we will be watching this movie soon. She wants me to put the audiobook on her phone first, but I do not want to wait to watch. Here is my question for those that have watched the movie. Blind Willie and Hearts in Atlantis are two stories that can stand alone pretty easy, at least to me. Low men however seemed like it would have been a bit more difficult if i did not know the DT background. Does the movie do a decent job of putting the stories together or will i have a wife asking a ton of questions about the low men in yellow coats? I do not do so well with lots of questions during a movie.

On another note, I am trying to talk her into allowing me to shop for a few nice prints to frame and decorate the living room with. I'd like to show her an example like the Dark Tower print that one of you guys framed and put up. It is a colorful print of the tower and even though I have looked at it a dozen times, I can not remember which of you have it in your collection. If you read this, or anyone can think of the one I am talking about, please point me in the right direction. Thanks.

[John_and_Yoko]

The movie is more or less "Low Men in Yellow Coats" bookended by "Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling", making it a flashback film. "Hearts in Atlantis" proper, "Blind Willie", and "Why We're in Vietnam" are nowhere to be found in the film.

Also, the "Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling" part isn't entirely faithful to the book (won't say how), and the DT elements are gone from the "Low Men in Yellow Coats" part. The Low Men are simply FBI agents "recruiting" psychics to help them root out domestic Communists.

[sleeplessdwarf]

Thanks. That sums things up nicely. Is the movie a let down after reading the book? This sounds like one time where I could have enjoyed the movie regardless of reading the book or not.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

The movie was a big letdown to me. I've never watched it again since seeing it at the theater. I just re-read HEARTS IN ATLANTIS in SK GOES TO THE MOVIES and I loved it all over again.

[sleeplessdwarf]

Interesting. I am starting to lean towards giving her the audiobook first. I think it would spark an interest in wanting to read the DT series, and even if I had to let her do all 7 through audiobooks, it would benefit me in the long run if she shared the experience.

[sleeplessdwarf]

Btw, I found the framed print, so that need is off the table. Thanks for the replies on the movie.

[pathoftheturtle]

I'm not surprised that you want to see the movie, but I can't imagine the film creating interest in the book. It is decent, but hardly excellent. If your wife wants the audiobook, I guess I'd recommend that. She's not familiar with SK at all?

[sleeplessdwarf]

I did decide to go the audiobook route and put the movie on hold after reading the replies. She has never read a SK book but she does have some knowledge just due to the fact that I am a life long fan. My wife is not a reader so different things spark her interest. She actually read all of the Twilight series in under two weeks which amazed me since I had never seen her read a book. To me the story sucks but it seems she is not the only woman to enjoy it. I want her to get more involved in books that I like since I now know she is able to enjoy a book, so I have watched a few movies with her, like The Stand, Dolan's Cadillac, and Desperation. I am not a big fan of SK movies, but I held out hope that Hearts in Atlantis would be better than the usual. My real goal is to get her to want to read the DT series, and she is curious enough, that "Low men in yellow coats" would spark an interest, but since I now know the movie is completely different than the book, I went with the audiobook approach. Crossing my fingers and hope she wants to start the series soon.

[Matt]

Too bad you watched those movies with her, they were all horrible (except The Stand I guess, it wasn't horrible).

I would have had her watch Shawshank, The Green Mile, Misery or Stand by Me and a great representation of the man's story telling abilities.

I'd probably add The Mist to that as well, it was really good imo.

[alinda]

agrees with Matt. In any event I hope the plan works.
I think everyone should read this series of course.