The Road

[phrozonfire]

Prior to The Road (which I finished in ONE day. I couldn't put it down), the only book of Corman McCarthy I had read was the crossing, which I despised somewhat.

However, I am glad I gave The Road a shot. It is the most unrelenting, bleakest piece of fiction in ANY entertainment medium I have ever experienced. The connection between Father and Son is so brilliantly woven.
The fact that at every moment, the father worries about being able to kill his son before he is raped and butchered. And I seriously nearly cried when the son expressed the desire to end the suffering.

Also, I'm glad to say the film of the road does not deviate from the book, It replicates the book brilliantly, without surplus or remission (excluding one particular scene which probably would have been impossible to produce on screen, even the mental image is horrific.)

Did you guys enjoy The Road, be it film or book?

Obligatory screenshot

[Entice]

I've never read the book or seen the movie, but I want to now. I've heard about it from a few other people and it seems a bit underrated.

[Sandman99999]

I don't really know how to explain it. Definately not a book one would enjoy reading, I don't know if it's possible for some to like it either...but well, I guess I can say I appreciate it. The part when the Father had to explain to his son how to kill himself in case he got caught was really a gut wrenching part.

Also I like Cormac McCarthy and his crazy mindfuck metaphors.

And if you thought that book was brutal try reading Blood Meridian. Book is crazy as fuck.

[HeavyMetalGuy]

"The road is fuckin hard. It's also really fuckin tough"

[Sandman99999]

At 7/29/11 09:47 PM, ClockworkSpace wrote:

At 7/29/11 09:43 PM, bgraybr wrote: I've never read the book or seen the movie, but I want to now. I've heard about it from a few other people and it seems a bit underrated.

Not at all. The Road is a terrible book, in many ways. I'm sorry but that writer is the most pretentious piece of shit.
It's horribly written, incredibly bland and a bit too easy to follow (in other words the plot is too simple and without twists).

A book/film doesn't need plot twists to be interesting. Just look at M. Knight Shaymalan/however the fuck you spell his name.

[LucasJC]

I'll read it someday.

[phrozonfire]

I see. Topics about porn and boredom are more interesting than amazing pieces of literature.

At 7/29/11 09:43 PM, bgraybr wrote: I've never read the book or seen the movie, but I want to now. I've heard about it from a few other people and it seems a bit underrated.

This is the most unflinchingly brutal film/book in existence, you owe it to yourself to at least experience it.

It's no popcorn movie. It's a thought provoking tale. I can't even explain, it's indescribable.

And if you thought that book was brutal try reading Blood Meridian. Book is crazy as fuck.

That's next on my reading list.

Not at all. The Road is a terrible book, in many ways. I'm sorry but that writer is the most pretentious piece of shit.

This is the exact same way I felt about his book the crossing, but I fail to see how the road is pretentious.

It's horribly written, incredibly bland and a bit too easy to follow (in other words the plot is too simple and without twists).

It's written rather poetically, with beautifully vivid imagery. It's supposed to be easy to follow. Of course there are no fucking twists; any twists would detract from the focus between father and son, and turn it into shite.
That's why the reason for the wasteland is never explained, nor the inhabitants that occupy it.

You obviously wanted to read The Stand, an awesome book in it's own right, but a different genre entirely. Same with Metro 2033/34 and Earth Abides.

[Entice]

I to agree with the OP, a book doesn't have to have plot twists to be interesting. It could highlight the barren, depressing nature of what the book is describing. Though I can see how you'd lose interest in that quickly. The comments about the author are completely irrelevant, I don't care who he is as long as it's a good book.

I'll just have to read it and find out for myself.

[phrozonfire]

It's mostly hailed as a masterful work of literature, but regardless of whether you end of loving it or hating it (highly unlikely), EVERYBODY owes it to themselves to read this book. It's only 300 pages, and easy to absorb.

Be aware the is very, VERY little action. In the book, the father only has 2 bullets, one to kill his son, and the other to end his own life, because the only reason for his existence is to take care of the boy.

His son is literally the tether keeping him alive.

"He knew only that the child was his warrant, if he is not the word of God God never spoke."

[Luke]

it's a beautiful movie, very very touching. you can learn a lot from it if you see the strong message in it. it will teach you a lot about family. it's very important.

i love that flick.

[Allaire]

I enjoyed the book, and the flim. I like post-apocalyptic literature.

but,

the book I am Legend is better.

Not the terrible Will Smith film, I meant the novel.

[phrozonfire]

I understand where you're coming from. When I read The Crossing, I thought: "What the fuck? How could anybody enjoy this piece of shit? The characters seem to exhibit no development or emotion, and the writing is flatter than paris hilton."

And now that same question has been asked of the road. Quite a role reversal. Were it not for this prior experience, I may have attacked you with various insults and accusations of being a philistine.

But I don't know what it is that differentiates this from other turds.
There is an indescribably quality to it.

There is a peculiar mix of dull and poetic imagery, but the juxtaposition of the two creates perfect, vivid imagery.

Random passages can be mysterious, simultaneously cryptic and crystal clear at the same time.
"She was gone and the coldness of it was her final gift."

Perhaps reading more of his works will sway my opinion. Only time will tell.
But I respect your opinion.

Also, damn you for making me use my brain to propose counter-arguments, it is seldom used and I am too tired for this.

[DarkMatter]

I saw it in theaters it was a drag. I knew It was gonna be sad when I heard the word "papa"

[JMCJoe]

I loved 'The Road'. Haven't read the book, but saw the movie. One of the few movies I've seen that really give me the impression that the world is just fucking dead. And the dad is constantly worrying about his son, my dad cried when we watched the movie.

At 7/29/11 10:12 PM, ClockworkSpace wrote:

And when I talk about the way it is written.. please let me know if this isn't the most lethargic, painstaking way of writing you have ever come across

I think the author was trying to give more of the impression that there just wasn't much to talk about. I mean, they aren't talking over dinner at the table or anything. The world is gone, it's depressing, they're depressed. That's how I'd like to interpret it, not so much as the author was lazy.

[phrozonfire]

I've enjoyed this debate. I wish Newgrounders proffered more topical discussion rather than saying their peace and leaving it at that, rarely exercising their seldom used grey flesh nestled betwixt their ears, but I will settle.

I close with a quote. It seems somewhat appropriate, but the mind interprets in different ways. We only see what we want to see.

"Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave."

~

[comicretard]

Never heard of it, but maybe I'll give it a chance.

[funnyhomeboy]

I watched it, and while my dad stated the fact that it was boring and depressing, I told him that not every movie needs to have action, explosions, or a plot twist to be a good movie. Sometimes, you need only to look at the story unfolding and the sheer experience of watching a father and a son trying to find happiness in an otherwise dying world.

I would recommend it to anyone. Just bring a box of tissues and an open mind.

[JMCJoe]

At 7/29/11 10:57 PM, funnyhomeboy wrote: Sometimes, you need only to look at the story unfolding and the sheer experience of watching a father and a son trying to find happiness in an otherwise dying world.

Your name should be smarthomeboy.

Agreed 100%

[Ptero]

PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA PAPA

That being said, it was a pretty good movie. I've been meaning to read some Cormac McCarthy but haven't gotten around to it.

[RydiaLockheart]

I ended up picking up the book after several scenes in the movie were filmed here in town. McCarthy is certainly not light reading. No Country for Old Men was the same way. But he writes a solid story and the books are very satisfying.

[Jackdabomb]

The book reads like a book in the Bible, simplistic but the way it uses certain words can cause people to look into it for a deeper meaning. No doubt children will have to read this in schools ten years from now and figure out what the tarp was a metaphor for.