Books and Nachos

There are some who think no beer is a bad beer, but they haven't read Stephen King's short story "Gray Matter." From the Night Shift collection this tale tells of a man who's bacteria-laden brewski changes him from a a repulsive human being into a repulsive, slime monster. The premise may be crazy, but is the story fun? Arnie lets you know as he continues reading and reviewing all of Stephen King's fiction!

An astronaut returned from Venus believes he has been inhabited by homicidal aliens. These aliens have sprouted eyes on the man's hands, and forced him to kill a local boy. Is the man insane, or is he the doorway for an alien invasion? Find out in "I Am the Doorway", a short story King originally published in 1971 that was collected and reprinted in the Night Shift anthology. Join Arnie now as he reads and reviews this story, continuing his look at all the Night Shift works!

A superflu nicknamed "Captain Tripps" kills most of the people on Earth. This story tells the tale of a small group of survivors. No, this is not Stephen King's The Stand, but rather "Night Surf", a short story King first wrote a decade before that seminal novel. Listen now to find out how the two stories connect, what other Stephen King connections are found, and if "Night Surf" is a story worth reading as Arnie continues his reviews of all the tales from King's Night Shift anthology.

Have you ever worked on your computer, your lawnmower, or your car and felt that the damned machine is out to get you? That perhaps a demonic spirit has taken hold of the device, giving it an evil intent? Put that feeling towards a 30-foot industrial laundry press and the result is "The Mangler", Stephen King's short story about such a machine that "tasted blood and found it liked it." In this Books & Nachos podcast Arnie reviews this short story from King's Night Shift collection. Then hear his, Stuart's, and Jakob's review of "The Mangler" movie adaptation at NowPlayingPodcast.com!

Hall is a drifter who has taken a night job at the Gates Falls mill for the summer. It seems like an easy gig, but with the numerous rats and the annoying foreman it may push Hall too far. Monsters, both human and not, await in Stephen King's 1970 short story "Graveyard Shift", collected in King's Night Shift anthology. Arnie reviews the original short story on this episode of Books & Nachos. Then hear his, Stuart's, and Jakob's review of the "Graveyard Shift" movie adaptation at NowPlayingPodcast.com!

Dick Morrison has to quit smoking. He may not want to quit smoking, but after signing up for the cessation program run by a group of mobsters under the name Quitters, Inc. Dick knows that another cigarette means physical torture for his wife and son. Adapted to film as a memorable part of the Cat's Eye anthology, Arnie reviews the original short story on this episode of Books & Nachos. Then hear his, Stuart's, and Jakob's review of Cat's Eye anthology film, at NowPlayingPodcast.com!

Would you rather go to jail and never again see the woman you love, or walk along a 42nd story ledge that is only five inches wide? That is the choice tennis pro Stan Norris must make in "The Ledge." This Stephen King short story was first published in 1973 and collected in 1978's Night Shift. Join Arnie on this Books & Nachos analysis of the short, then hear his, Stuart's, and Jakob's review of the film adaptation, part of the Cat's Eye anthology film, at NowPlayingPodcast.com!

A man goes to a psychiatrist claiming he killed all three of his children, but not through direct action but rather inaction--failure to stop The Boogeyman. Is the man insane, or is there a monster waiting for him in the closet? This Stephen King short story was first published in 1973 and collected in 1978's Night Shift. Join Arnie on this Books & Nachos analysis of the short, then hear his, Stuart's, and Jakob's review of the "Dollar Baby" film adaptation at NowPlayingPodcast.com

A woman lays in her hospital bed, dying of cancer. Her son, John, sits next to her, a bottle of painkillers in his pocket, thinking of ending her suffering forever. "The Woman in the Room" is a very different type of story than Stephen King's fans would have come to expect when first printed in the 1978 short story collection Night Shift, and it is the tale Arnie is reviewing on this episode of Books & Nachos. Listen to find out if this change of pace is a welcome one, then join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob at NowPlayingPodcast.com as they review Frank Darabont's "Dollar Baby" film adaptation of the story.

Author Stephen King, feeling stifled by Doubleday's mandate that he not publish more than one novel per year, made an agreement where he could publish novels under a pseudonym--Richard Bachman. In 1977 the first book under that assumed name was released -- Rage. Started by King while still in high school, this tale of a teenage gunman taking his class hostage has inspired at least four real-life shooting situations and has been pulled from print. Now Arnie continues his look back at all of King's works with a review of Rage, discussing its impact on real world violence, analyzing King's decision to take on an assumed name, and asking if this book deserves to be kept in King's bibliography.

Spoiler Alert! This podcast discusses many key elements of Frank Miller's Robocop comic series. Despite being a credited writer on Robocop 2 Frank Miller was unhappy with the final product, feeling the film failed to capture his vision. With Robocop 2 being a critical disappointment Miller's original script became a thing of legend. Finally in 2003 Miller gave fans an insight into what could have been with Frank Miller's Robocop--a comic book series based on his original ideas for Robocop 2. How does it compare to the theatrical release, and was Miller's original idea better? Join Arnie and Jakob in this episode of Books & Nachos to find out, then join them at NowPlayingPodcast.com to hear their reviews of all the Robocop films!

Jordan Belfort made headlines in the 1990s, first for his unusual start-up stock trading firm, then for his illegal stock manipulation practices. But that media attention is nothing compared to the spotlight being shone on this white-collar criminal with the release of Martin Scorsese's film The Wolf of Wall Street. Now Stuart in LA has read Belfort's two autobiographies, The Wolf of Wall Street and Catching the Wolf of Wall Street to read the story in the salesman's own words. Hear Stuart's thoughts on the book in this podcast! And join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob at nowplayingpodcast.com to hear their review of the movie adaptation of The Wolf of Wall Street!

Dan Torrance was just five years old when he survived the ghostly attacks of his drunken father at The Overlook Hotel. But for 36 years fans have wondered what happened to Dan, a powerful psychic, after The Shining ended. Now Stephen King answers that question with Doctor Sleep, a book that tells of Dan as a 40 year old recovered alcoholic. When a group of psychic vampires go after a young girl with mental powers Dan has to once again stand up to the powers of darkness.Could any novel live up to readers' memories of The Shining? And if so, does Doctor Sleep deliver those same thrills and drama? Join Arnie as he reviews King's latest novel to find out!And join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob at http://nowplayingpodcast.com to hear their reviews of both the theatrical and TV adaptations of The Shining!

Do you know Stephen King's The Shining? You may think you do--iconography from King's third book litters American pop culture. The Overlook Hotel. Redrum. Jack Torrance, who's always been the caretaker of the hotel. It was King's first bestselling hardcover novel and famously adapted by Stanley Kubrick to film--but if you only know The Shining from the movie you are missing out! King's book is a study of paternal relationships, alcoholism, and the nature of fatherhood. Plus there's also ghosts, murderers, and a little psychic boy. Now, continuing his Stephen King review series Arnie is back with his spoiler-free analysis of King's story of a haunted hotel. Also in this podcast Arnie reviews "Before the Play"--The Shining's rare, uncollected prologue, cut from the final novel. And join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob at nowplayingpodcast.com to hear their reviews of both the movie and TV adaptations of The Shining!

Stephen King's "Jerusalem's Lot" tells the story of Charles Boone and his servant Calvin. In 1850 the two men move to Preacher's Corners, Maine where they stay at a large house left to Charles by his estranged cousin. The townspeople feel the two men must be mad to stay in the haunted mansion, and crazier still to set foot in the nearby ghost town of Jerusalem's Lot. What the two men discover will reveal secrets from Boone's family history as well as the evil that consumed 'Salem's Lot. This short story, first published as the lead tale in Stephen King's Night Shift collection, was sold as an earlier tale from the town of Jerusalem's Lot--the location of King's 'Salem's Lot. The story is now appended to paperback and eBook versions of that bestselling vampire novel. How does it tie into the longer book, and is it required reading for King fans? Listen to Arnie's review to find out in this podcast continuing our Stephen King series! And join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob at nowplayingpodcast.com to hear their reviews of the three 'Salem's Lot TV and movie adaptations!