MovieChat Forums > Alan Wake (2010) Discussion > Stephen King?

Stephen King?

posted 16 years ago by yoda1138-1
14 replies | jump to latest

Is it just me or does this story reek of Stephen King? I say this because:
1) The main character is a male author.
2) He is recovering form a tragedy, and has relocated.
3) He is fighting inner demons (that might just possibly be real)
4) The story takes place in a small, coastal, town.
5) It's a horror-story (obviously)

If you have read any Stephen King you might have noticed the fact that his main characters are very often male authors, with serious problems (with themselves, and, usually, an external threat). His stories very often takes place in small, "perfect", towns where everything soon goes straight to hell. It's very often located in his home state, Maine. And last, but not least, King's fictional town Castle Rock, is a small, coastal, town - with a lighthouse :)

Does anyone else share my thoughts?

[–] davidman_92 16 years ago

Thought the exact same thing when I saw the first trailer and the second confirmed it, but I love Stephen King, and it looks like an awesome game.

[–] Ulfar_Orn_Kristjansson 15 years ago

It reminded me of Stephen King, too.
Especially the part in trailer 2 with "I'm yer biggest fay-un!"

You'd find that Lady Luck was really a hooker and you were fresh out of cash.

[–] SurvivalHorror 15 years ago

I can see a little of Stephen King in this game. When I see demos and trailers, it reminds me of the tv show Twin Peaks, the movie Darkness Falls, and the books of Dean Koontz (especially the story Phantoms.

[–] from_ember_to_inferno 14 years ago

the creators have said that they were inspired by twin peaks, lost and Stephen King - so your all right

[–] ksduded 14 years ago

the main concept behind the story of bringing back the dead is from Pet Semetry.... again a novel by Stephen King.....

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mcgill_j 14 years ago

I haven't read the book.. only seen the movie, which was.. so-so (but I thought Timothy Hutton was BRILLAINT in it) Stephen King's "The Dark Half" is definitely the story that.. even just the TRAILERS reminded me of.. and even MORE so when I actually played the game.

Just a brief set up. In Dark Half.. the main character is a respected but not very much read high minded author who turns out SERIOUS novels (that no one reads) but under an assumed named writes the exploitive Lexus Machine detective novels (which are very well read, to his secret shame).

In the movie.. his "dark half" actually comes to life when he tries to kill it off in a stunt to reveal his true identity to the world.. which is definitely for a very very long time where I thought the game was heading.. with Alan Wake maybe being a figment of a writer's imagination.. or maybe even being a personality in a writer's head that somehow had killed his wife and created this.. delusion to protect himself.

[–] Jesensky 14 years ago

I think what's great about this game is that they essentially created a video game version of one of those Stephen King miniseries. It's amazing! I wish there were about 20 games just like this one all acting like Stephen King miniseries!!

[–] Banjo_oz 14 years ago

The game really is a "love letter" to King (and also to Twin Peaks)... it contains a LOT of King influences (as mentioned, the writer-hero, the Castle Rock inspired town, etc.)... I love that they had the balls to actually name-check King at the start, making no secret that they were fans.

I agree with the poster that this is the closest we'll ever get (sadly) to a King game... but then, since I've found most TV/movie adaptations of even his greatest books to be average at best (with one or two exceptions), perhaps its best that Alan Wake is a King game in inspiration only?

Either way, it really DID feel like playing a King novel, which made the overall experience even more enjoyable for a fan like me.

[–] rawker86 14 years ago

i agree, the games does have a great stephen king/ darkness falls/ twin peaks feel to it. i think a lot of people would love to see a well done film version of king's dark tower series but, as was previously mentioned, most film adaptations of his books haven't done the books justice. perhaps a video game would be a better medium?

one thing i noticed - the tail number on the police chopper is "1408", which i believe is the title of a king short story about a haunted hotel room. and what does 1+4+0+8 equal? dah dah dum! 13 :D

[–] garbage_day1987 14 years ago

this game made me think of Secret Window and Darkness Falls. watch both movie trailers back to back. they are quite similar.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TheNotChosenOne 13 years ago

I'm your number 1 fan I'm your number 1 fan!

I seen't you rip a mans jawbone off! I SEEN'T IT!

[–] ralo229 9 years ago

It takes inspiration from a Stephen King novel no doubt.