Entertainment
Stephen King Adaptation Star Says The Author Doesn't Live Up To The Hype
By Douglas Helm
| Published
Everyone is familiar with Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Shining, but there is also the lesser-known 1997 miniseries that starred Steven Weber in the role of Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson in the Kubrick film. Weber appeared on an episode of the Inside of You podcast in 2023, where he recalled a slightly disappointing moment he had with King himself.
In the interview, Weber said, “There was a portion of the book that I couldn’t understand… and I asked [Stephen King] what it meant,” adding, “And I thought, ‘Great, I’ve got a living author downstairs. What does this mean, Steve?’ And basically, he was, like, ‘Yeah, this line is about a bottle of wine, and this is because I was standing over a carpet that had a color that intrigued me, and this — I was drunk.’ And I was, like, ‘Oh. Thanks, Steve.’”
Of course, Weber laughed about the anecdote and went on to say that King is a great guy, but it’s funny to learn that even iconic lines in iconic books don’t always have the most profound meanings behind them.
King’s Prolific Output
King is a highly prolific author with an incredibly consistent output quality despite the number of books he releases. Understandably, his writing style doesn’t necessarily lend itself to poring over each and every line, and moments like this offer a glimpse into how instinctive some parts of his process can be.
The Shining miniseries is an interesting entry in Hollywood history, as it was always going to be compared to the cultural phenomenon that was Kubrick’s adaptation. Famously, Stephen King wasn’t a fan of the Kubrick adaptation, so it wasn’t surprising that he wanted a more faithful version of one of his most iconic novels. King took it upon himself to write the TV miniseries adaptation, which Mick Garris directed.
Stephen King’s version of The Shining aired on ABC in 1997 and was met with fairly decent reviews, with fans of the book appreciating the more faithful adaptation of the source material and the high production values. Steven Weber also brought his own unique flavor to the role of Jack Torrance, and his performance was praised.
Of course, it would never become as big as the Kubrick film, but it’s still worth a watch to see the differences between the two and understand what King wanted out of an on-screen version of The Shining.
More Stephen King Adaptations Are Always In The Works
While Stephen King may not have been satisfied with Kubrick’s version of The Shining, he has had a long and varied relationship with adaptations of his work. There have been a ton of TV shows and movies adapted from his work, and there are always more on the way.
Rather than a fixed number of projects in development, the reality is that King’s catalog is in near-constant rotation in Hollywood, with movie adaptations of The Monkey, The Long Walk, and The Running Man seeing 2025 releases. New films and series, like It: Welcome to Derry are regularly announced, with major filmmakers and showrunners continuing to put their own spin on his stories.
It remains to be seen which of these projects ultimately make it to the screen, but one thing is clear: there is no slowdown when it comes to adapting Stephen King’s work.
Stephen King’s The Shining is currently streaming on Tubi.
Entertainment
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, walk away with an extra $200 — how to claim this free offer
TL;DR: Get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB, unlocked) for $1,199.99 at Amazon and a free $200 gift card bundled in — no trade-in required.
Samsung didn’t ease into its Unpacked event — phones, watches, and smartglasses were all unveiled in one go, which means there’s a lot to sort through if you’re trying to find the one deal that’s actually worth your money.
And here’s one worth grabbing: Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a free $200 gift card — no trade-in, no discount code, just the phone at $1,199.99 with a $200 gift card to use later.
The whole point of a flip phone is the cover screen, and Samsung’s built around that here — FlexWindow lets you handle a range of AI tasks without opening the phone, so quick checks don’t require unfolding it. When you’re shooting photos, you can go hands-free for creative angles, or hold it steady and rely on Super Steady Video to keep the footage smooth.
The Flip 8 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same chip powering the Fold8, which means gaming and multitasking should hold up even on this smaller form factor.
Battery life is built to last through a full day, and when it runs low, Super Fast Charging gets you back up quickly. If you’re switching from an iPhone, Samsung’s made that transfer easier, too — your photos, contacts, alarms, and passwords come with you, and your messages stay encrypted the whole way.
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The gift card isn’t an instant perk, though — Samsung sends an email once it’s ready to claim, and that only happens after the phone ships. The offer ends Aug. 6, so the earlier you pre-order, the safer you are before that window shuts.
Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 before Aug. 6, and the $200 gift card is on its way to you.
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Samsung
Samsung Unpacked
Entertainment
Owalas Back-to-School Sale is live — 20% off bottles, bags, accessories, and more
SAVE 20%: From Aug. 2-8, Owala’s Back-to-School Sale takes 20% off sitewide, including bottles, bags, and accessories.
20% off bottles, bags, and accessories until Aug. 8
Owala’s Back-to-School Sale isn’t just about the bottles you already own — the whole lineup is included, so it’s worth looking beyond the FreeSip.
The sale covers everything from hydration essentials like water bottles and tumblers to insulated bags, totes, and crossbodies, plus accessories like lids, straws, and other add-ons. The original FreeSip is still the bestseller for a reason, and the FreeSip Sway is a solid pick if you want something more cupholder-friendly for the car. If coffee’s more your thing, the SmoothSip Slider is built specifically for hot drinks on the go.
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And if you need something bigger than a bottle, the Sun-Day Tote is a collapsible bag that packs flat yet holds a lot, making it easy to toss in a backpack or bag during the actual back-to-school rush. They’ve also got a few small essentials — a Bottle Boot, cleaning accessories, stickers, and matching pet bowls.
With 20% off sitewide, this is a good time to stock up across categories rather than just grabbing one bottle — especially if you’ve got a household that goes through water bottles, lunch bags, or travel mugs regularly.
Shop Owala’s Back-to-School Sale until Aug. 8 — stock is bound to run out.
Entertainment
Final days to lock in your favorite Microsoft Office apps for life for just $33
TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for $32.97 through Aug. 9 and enjoy Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote, and Teams with a one-time purchase.
$32.97
$219.99
Save $187.02
This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Through Aug. 9, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.
We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.
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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.
No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.
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Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 (reg. $219.99) until Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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