They Failed the book 100%
Stephen King is my favorite Author.
Dolan's Cadillac was the first story on the Nightmares and Dreamscapes collection which I got on 1993. The story itself was first published from Castle Rock on 1985.
Enough said about origin, the story on the book is still one of my favorites.
Unfortunately the movie is obviously written by someone who never really got dirty with King’s books. What I want to say is, that Jeff Beesley & Richard Dooling apparently only got one story from King to read, to make a quick script and that was it.
What made the book strong was the strong character of Robinson, how he alienated from the rest of the world devoting mentally and physically to his purpose and most important the waiting.
In the movie everything is in a rush. Cinema can bend time, can make you feel 2 minutes like ages, but not this movie. Many times felt that if I had not read the book I would have understood nothing. I would dare to think this was a movie for the readers only but then again, all the unnecessary extras messed it up. The hotel Robinson stays with Elisabeth, the scene when he went to kill Dolan out of the hotel, the scene in the toilets with Dolan, PLEASE! Screen writer forgot to read what he wrote twice.
The only scenes that made me comfortable was when we was working on the road constructions. Also on these scenes they copy the book word by word. This story is about a man who bond with the desert to feed his enemy in.
The story in my opinion should be a one man show, no children in school, no cops, no nothing. He should be alone under the burning sun and flashback to moments of the past or the present while he prepared. Where is Dolan’s house? Where are the teachers mocking Robinson? Instead we take long shots Dolan’s business girls cargo. What the hell with this computer/technology mania in this movie? The camera observing Robinson car when they stuck on the construction detour was just ridiculous!!!
This is Robinsons story, not Dolan’s, don’t let the title fool you Mr Beesley & Mr Richard Dooling!
Ridding the Bullet is a great example of how a King’s book should come on screen. Mick Garris should do this movie and prove the mental impact “Dolan’s Cadillac” can deliver to the viewer as it does to the reader.
I will say it again, the reason this movie fails is because Jeff Beesley & Richard Dooling are not King’s fans by any means.
A Fan would recognize one of the many King’s signature on the book when Robinson look down the covered hole and feel Dolan is behind him, or moments later when he opens the Van rear door (side on the movie) and Dolan attack him.
I was greatly disappointed from this movie. I expected a psychological thriller and I only got a cheap flick which is based on a great short story.
To conclude, Wes Bentley & Christian Slater are actors I enjoy watching. Although they both got what is needed, we all know from the book they needed to be a bit older. I was expecting to see the sunburns on the bolded head of Robinson. I expected to see a more Godfather Dolan. They are both on the wrong age.
If you got the book, don’t take the movie, it will blow it for you.