As we referenced on our last pod—Dreamcatcher—adaptations of Stephen King novels range wildly in their quality. Doctor Sleep, fortunately, continues their recent upward trend.
As a sequel to The Shining, Stanley Kubrick's beloved 1980 film, as well as a translation of King's source, it had big shoes to film. It does so more than admirably. Credit to director Mike Flanagan for that seamless combination. Flanagan, a rising star in the horror genre, was handed the reigns to Doctor Sleep after experiencing critical success with another King work (Gerald's Game). It's safe to say that the expectations for this movie were high—particularly after It: Chapter 1 and 2 grossed over $1.1 billion combined at the box office.
Here comes the unfortunate part. Despite glowing reviews (77% on Rotten tomatoes with 317 counted) and the backing of the audience (89%), Doctor Sleep mustered a disappointing $72.3 million on a budget of $55 million, apparently scuttling plans for a sequel.
We, as a pod, can't stress this enough. Watch this movie. In fact, if you've never seen The Shining, watch them both. Doctor Sleep compliments its predecessor perfectly and is a love letter to the world that King created and Kubrick altered. When you see what Flanagan and his team were able to accomplish with this film, there's no doubt you will want to see more of his work.
So sit back, inhale the delicious scent of a Nosferatu Red Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Company like it's Steam, and get lost in a hedge maze! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, Chumpzilla, and Mayor McCheese are doing our best to stave off drinking in a haunted hotel.
This Week’s Segments:
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You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music!
End of Days – Satan’s a Choir Boy Compared to Arnold
8-Bit Christmas – Super Merry-o
Out Cold – Playboy Bunny Slope
Home Sweet Home Alone – Make It Stop
Terminator Genisys – Rotten Member Berries
The Rocketeer – The Antifa Adventurer that isn’t Dr. Jones
Snake Eyes – Crapped Out
The Lone Ranger – Wendigo Hammer
Dune – Spice Up Your Life
Club Dread – Naughty Cal
They Live – All Out of Bubblegum
Event Horizon – Brain Dead Space
Tin Cup – Bland Trap
Ed – Monkey Trouble
Side Out – Sponsored by MetLife
The Program – Place at the Table
Last Man Standing – No, Not the Tim Allen Show
Hudson Hawk – Scat Burglar
Cop Out – Bruce is Too Old for This S**t
The Suicide Squad – Passion Fruit Starfish
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