Never watch the other iterations. Just the book and the 1976 movie. That’s all you need.THE MODERN HIDALGO: Entry_089.
Written: Thursday. April 9, 2020.
Another long break since my last journal entry. Not much has changed, but I feel like today’s a good day to update whoever’s tuned in to this journal of mine, of the things I’ve been doing the past few weeks.
I’ve been reading. No surprise there. I finished reading Carrie the other day, and it’s probably gonna earn a spot in my top 10 favorite books video, once a year has past since I’ve uploaded that one last year. Anyway, it was a good read. Ended in a good way. The writing-style was superb, even though being the first published novel from Stephen King. He knocked it out of the park very early on. But that’s maybe because he’s been writing stories even before he got published for his novels. He was already writing short stories for literary magazines at the time (something I’d like to still have at this age, cause all lit mags are digital nowadays).
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But the book didn’t hit me as much as the movie did. The original Carrie movie, I mean. I don’t think I’ll ever be watching any of the other Carrie iterations. The original didn’t really copy every single detail from the book. But it did capture what really mattered in the story — Carrie’s tragic moment.
I’ve been hearing “I never dreamed someone like you would love someone like me” in my head for days now. I even went back to watch the final moments of the 11/22/63 TV series that everybody’s sleeping on over IT, and bawled my eyes out of tears, cause I’m an idiot and a sucker for the “perfect couple who doesn’t end up together” kind of ending. I hate it, but it also hits me in an insane-level. Maybe because I see it as a reflection (or even a presentation) of the unfortunate reality that I’m in. I wouldn’t call myself a crying man, but hell, did tears fall from my eyes.
And Carrie is also sort of that kind of story. It’s weird that I’ve only so far have read two stories from Stephen King that are very similar to each other in terms of story structure. Carrie centered around Telekinesis, and 11/22/63 centered around trying to prevent JFK’s assassination. But both of that never really mattered in the end. What was more valuable and important ended up being the situation of the main character, and the relationships that they spent so much of enjoying in the great scope of their stories, only for it to be taken from them at the very end of it.
I’m almost hesitant now to pick up another King book (which would be Salem’s Lot), cause I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle more pain from these fictional characters. Funny how characters in a story can feel more real than actual people you know in real life. Definitely funny. Which is why I spend more time trapped in pages, rather than being trapped inside of a room filled with actual people.
I’m currently still reading The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, though I’m almost done. It’s a lot. It’s very much like every single idea is being put into the pages. Which makes it more daunting to think of the reality that it’s only the first book of fifteen. I’m already having a hard time following every single backstory from the characters, the world, the places, the magic-systems, etc. It’s too much to take in, but I honestly asked for this, so giving up on it is not an option. Especially when I’ve clearly bought all of the books, before ever assessing the possibility that I might not like it… I do, but it’s just… pure commitment must be needed in order to survive the amount of information being given to you in this series.
What else? Have I talked about the Carrie movie yet? It’s a solid movie. Sissy Spacek really caught my heart, and broke it down just as easily, as well. The moments of her observing the prom and all the people there, and being overwhelmed by it, and Tommy Ross being by her side and telling her that everything’s gonna be okay. And then to the part when they win King and Queen of Prom, to them walking towards the stage in slow motion. And also the part when Tommy takes Carrie in the middle of all the people dancing, so that they could dance. And they kiss for the first time, which was Carrie’s first kiss. It was all so perfect, those fleeting moments. The inevitable and haunting fear and knowledge of what is to come, because you’ve read the book, is what makes these moments so hard to watch. Cause you just don’t want it to end. You simply want time to slow down more, or not move at all, and just stay in that moment, for as long as need be.
In the book, Tommy was starting to fall for Carrie. In the movie, it’s kind of like that, where you don’t know if he’s attracted to her, or if he’s just being a nice guy who’s fulfilling a promise. But I also love that it’s unclear even in the movie. Cause it lands the emotional impact that it needs in that moment. Tommy’s doing this as a promise, but he’s also unsure of what he’s feeling at that moment. I know I’m doing this as a favor, but hell, does Carrie look perfect tonight.
Well… that’s it for this update in my life. We’re still in lock-down, so… not much else to talk about there. My dad’s been doing such random things, like trying to learn how to edit videos, re-watching old VHS tapes of us when we were babies, all the crazy things old people would do in times like these, especially when they feel like their time is fleeting, which it is, cause we can’t do anything about that…
I haven’t been uploading new videos, cause I don’t feel like it right now. I don’t feel like I want to do that again just yet.
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