What King's "Authorized: the Shining" SHOULD Have Done

Rating: 9/10 (15 November 2007)

This movie was as surprise from start to finish. I was not highly anticipating a work based on Stephen King, and adapted by Larry Karaszewski, whose dubious "credits" seem to lie flat on the page, as well as the screen. King's works are bastardized enough. I really saw no point to this new exercise in adulteration.
I can say I am happy a fan brought me a copy of the DVD. I was bowled over. The innovatives were quite creative, and the work itself held a great fascination beneath the seeming infectious insanity if a house gone mad.
I might find this an opportune time to interject that I may not have bought the execution of this work, without the beautifully tragic performance of John Cusak. He was this film's Jack Nicholson, and he pulled it off brilliantly.
All in all? Stephen King likes a haunted house, and quite frankly, I highly enjoy haunted houses via King. 1408 is like the Shining on a steroid overdrive, and I highly recommend it. This is a GREAT Friday/Saturday night movie.
It rates an 8.8/10 from...
the Fiend :.