“Hey Alan! Need to a ride?”

Story: It’s 1969, the Summer Of Love, and art major Alan Parker is obsessed with death. But when his mom is hospitalized and Alan decides to hitchhike to see her? Let’s just say he’ll get an awful lot closer to the real deal…or will he?

Scares and/or Splat Factor: suggested creepiness and the main character’s freak outs. Some blood, but quickly shown and taken away.

Subgenre: Acid Trip Nostalgia Meditations
Year Released: 2004
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Based on the 2000 novella by Stephen King. Not to be confused with King’s Silver Bullet, which was a book-to-film joint as well.

Trick or Treat?: King’s meditation on life, death, good and evil, ends up a muddled mess, probably because writer/director Mick Garris paid too much homage to the novella, without allowing himself the ability to change things for the medium at hand. It’s difficult to distinguish between reality in the story, hallucinations, visions, and memories. Remember kids; there’s a difference between the art form of the novel, and of film. Bending a narrative to the will of the celluloid gods ain’t necessarily a bad thing.

The story and plot are hallucinatory, to the point of confusion. Alan has a sarcastic voice that pops up as a snarky vision of himself, whispering comments only he can hear. King plays this out well on the printed page, but it loses something in this visual media. The acid trippy Jacob’s Ladder does this much better, perhaps due to the firm delimitation between the real world and the mind trips. Which is a shame, because Garris is typically on point with King adaptations; his The Stand is a particular favorite adaptation of mine.

Still, I’m a sucker for Uncle Stevie, and add Greg Nicotero’s wonderful FX? I don’t think I’d watch this one again on my own, but as Bullet is set in October? It makes an acceptable addition to a theme night for the season. I’d sit myself down if someone else wanted to watch with me. What can I say – I’m cool like that.

Score: 2 out of 5 pumpkins.