Latest news with #StephenKing
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Enjoy three months of Audible free this Prime Day
Do you have an Amazon Prime membership? Are you wondering how to listen to audiobooks free of charge? Then today's your lucky day, because you can now get three months of Amazon Audible membership free with an Amazon Prime subscription. If you love books, plays and listening to the latest podcasts, this is the best audiobook subscription for you. Audible Prime perks include unlimited access to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts and theatre recordings plus Originals – an extensive catalogue of content exclusive to Audible. Membership also includes a download of one bestselling audiobook or new release per month to keep. When choosing from the vast range of free audiobooks for Prime members, the only challenge is where to start? Everyone's talking about Mel Robbins' bestseller The Let Them Theory, in which you can listen to the host of The Mel Robbins Podcast (also available via Audible) share science-backed tips to help form life-changing habits. Or will you go for Stephen King's latest release Never Flinch? King's thrilling new novel reveals intertwining storylines featuring a dynamic cast of characters. Podcasts are a great option when you're on the go and Audible has plenty, from political musings on The Rest Is Politics featuring Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart to investigations into history's defining moments on Dan Snow's History Hit. There's also comedic relief courtesy of Green Wing: Resuscitated, a continuation of the hit TV series 12 years on, with Olivia Colman, Stephen Mangan, Tamsin Greig and Mark Heap all reprising their original roles. The Prime Day Audible deal is free for the first three months, then £8.99 per month thereafter. You can cancel at any time, free of charge. To claim the Audible free trial, visit Audible. Please note that terms and conditions apply and the promotion is subject to availability. Enjoy the world of storytelling with Amazon Audible. FAQs Who is eligible for the three-month Audible free trial? Amazon Prime membership holders are eligible for the Audible trial. What happens after the three-month free period? Unless the trial is cancelled beforehand, your subscription will renew automatically and you will be charged £8.99 each month. If you change your mind about your subscription, you can cancel at any time, free of charge. Promotion terms and conditions apply and, by completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see Audible's Privacy Notice. What exactly do I get with the free trial? The three-month Audible trial comes with the same benefits as a paying member. This includes unlimited access to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Theatre. You can also download one bestselling or new audiobook to keep each month. How do I cancel Audible if I change my mind? You can cancel Audible by visiting 'Account details' on the Audible or Amazon site. From the Audible site, select your username, which will either be behind the hamburger button on the mobile version or at the top of the desktop page. Select 'View membership details', then select 'Cancel membership', scroll to the bottom of the next page and select 'Continue cancelling'. From Amazon, under 'Your account', select 'Your Memberships & Subscriptions'. Under 'Audible membership', select 'Change plan' and then 'Cancel membership'.
Fast Company
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
Why ‘The Shawshank Redemption' is the best movie about investing ever made
The 1994 Frank Darabont film The Shawshank Redemption may be everyone's favorite movie to catch on TNT on a rainy Saturday, but it's not an obvious place to go looking for money lessons. This quiet film is a meditation on the power of hope to change lives—which hardly seems like a message one can expect from financial professionals (ahem). Yet, the story of Andy Dufresne's time in (and spectacular escape from) the Shawshank State Prison provides a blueprint for smart financial choices. And the story of how the film itself gained traction despite a lackluster initial reception can also teach us important money lessons. What we see: a rock hammer and weekly correspondence Following his wrongful conviction for murder, Andy Dufresne arrives at Shawshank to serve two consecutive life sentences. He befriends another lifer, Red, who runs an illicit smuggling business. Andy asks him to procure a rock hammer and a large Rita Hayworth poster. (The movie, of course, springs from the 1982 Stephen King novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.) Andy claims that he wants the rock hammer for carving, and he does indeed create small sculptures with it. But that's not all he uses it for. By the end of the film, we learn that Andy has spent 19 years digging a tunnel through his wall with the hammer, using the poster to cover up his work. Despite the rock hammer being a tiny tool for work of that magnitude, Andy never gives up his slow, diligent, and methodical approach to escaping. Andy is equally methodical in his efforts to improve the decrepit prison library. He sends weekly requests to the Maine state legislature for funds to buy used books. After years of relentless effort, Andy secures a $500 annual appropriation for the prison library, granted by the state 'just to shut him up.' What we learn: be methodical with whatever tools you have Part of what makes Andy Dufresne extraordinary is his ability to take the long view. Most of his fellow inmates lose themselves in dreary thinking about their imprisonment, but Andy sees an investment opportunity. He recognizes time as a tool. He doesn't have freedom in Shawshank, but he can take advantage of time in a way people on the outside can't. By recognizing that time works differently on the inside, Andy is able to use the very punishment he's been given as a way to maintain his hope and persist with projects. Warning: This scene contains coarse language. What we see: confronting Hadley and becoming Randall Stephens A few years into his time at Shawshank, while working with a crew of inmates to tar the prison roofs, Andy overhears Captain Hadley, the brutal and vicious lead guard, complaining about having to pay taxes on a $35,000 inheritance. Andy recklessly approaches Hadley and him if he trusts his wife. Hadley responds to the impudent question by rushing Andy to the edge of the roof to toss him to his death, but Andy saves himself by saying he knows how Hadley can minimize taxes on the inheritance. Andy becomes the unofficial CPA for the prison staff, and as the years pass, Andy also starts helping the warden launder money using his skills with accounting. He also secretly creates a fictitious identity, a businessman named Randall Stephens. When he escapes Shawshank at the film's climax, he steals all of the warden's laundered money by posing as Stephens at the bank and withdrawing all of the ill-gotten gains. What we learn: know when and how to take risks Ignoring the advice of his inmate pals, Andy risks his life to gain leverage with Hadley. The only immediate reward is a case of cold beer for the rooftop work crew. But Andy is thinking longer-term, as he is from the very first moments of Shawshank Redemption. The risky gambit leads to work that better suits his knowledge and intelligence, providing new opportunities. His construction of Randall Stephens is equally risky. He knows that the money he is withdrawing is laundered, that Stephens doesn't exist, and that his absence from his cell has probably already been discovered. Though Andy never broke the law before he went to prison, he does so when inhabiting the Stephens persona he invented. But like the risk of confronting Hadley, pretending to be Stephens is calculated. Andy prepares everything he needs to pull off the ruse ahead of time, using his knowledge and intelligence to mitigate the risk. The lesson? Risk-taking makes sense when we're well-prepared and set up for success. What we see: a box-office bomb becomes universally beloved The Shawshank Redemption famously tanked at the box office, initially earning a measly $16 million against a $25 million budget. Though it was nominated for (and lost) seven academy awards and lauded by critics, the studio had no idea how to market a character study set in a mid-century prison and audiences were apparently confused by the film's (admittedly baffling) title. Then a funny thing happened on the way to certain obscurity: The Shawshank Redemption slowly found its audience. But unlike many other box-office failures that became cult classics, this film didn't just appeal to a niche audience. Over the past 30 years, it has become recognized as one of the best movies ever made and consistently tops IMDB's list of favorite films. Just as Andy diligently works at tunneling through his wall, building the prison library, stealing the warden's laundered money, and making himself indispensable to his best friend Red over a period of nearly two decades, the film showcasing Andy's story also took its time to garner the appreciation it deserves. What we learn: proof of concept can take time We tend to want instant results as a culture, especially when it comes to investing—and Hollywood is one of the worst offenders. If a film doesn't make major bank in its opening weekend, studios may be willing to write it off. Frank Darabont, Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and the rest of the professionals who worked on The Shawshank Redemption believed in it and gave it their all. The lackluster initial reception must have been incredibly disappointing. But the film is much more than its first three months' revenue, as Shawshank 's enduring popularity has proved. Honestly, we need to increase our time horizon for all types of investments, not just Hollywood movies. When it comes to financial investments, quick returns are typically the province of scams (like the warden's money laundering) or luck (which you can't prepare for). Andy's example makes it clear that you should try to invest like the quiet, falsely convicted banker. He does his homework, invests in something he believes in, does as much preparation as possible, recognizes when to take a risk, and uses time to his advantage. For other types of investments, from your own pursuits to building a business, take a page from the success of The Shawshank Redemption. The right combination of diligence and patience remains the most predictable investment strategy. The extended deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is this Friday, June 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Iconic Stephen King novel is being adapted for the THIRD time... and fans aren't happy about it
One of Stephen King's most popular books is getting adapted for the screen for a third time - and fans aren't happy about it. According to Deadline, Doug Liman will direct a theatrical adaptation of King's The Stand. Released in 1978, King's epic post-apocalyptic novel centers on factions of people trying to survive after a deadly pandemic. The lengthy tome was acclaimed by critics and went on to become one of the author's bestselling books. It's been adapted twice before for television, first in 1994 as a four episode miniseries that took home two Emmys. The 1994 version starred Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe, and was written and produced by King himself. It was then revived once again by CBS in 2020 as a nine-episode limited series starring James Marsden, Alexander Skarsgård, Whoopi Goldberg, Amber Heard. Liman's upcoming version will be the first time that The Stand has been adapted theatrically. Fans of the novel have already expressed their frustration with the theatrical version, claiming that a movie isn't enough time to capture the expansive story. 'Unless it's committed to six movies and filmed back to back like Lord of the Rings style I'm not sure there is a reason to make The Stand theatrical,' commented one. 'Multiples movies right? Right? That book CANNOT be told in one film. It simply can't,' wrote another. A third commented, 'Again?! This will be the third attempt. All we want is a Dark Tower series please!' Another wrote, 'I think the scale of The Stand is deserving of the big screen. However, I think it should be a trilogy.' While fans are wary of the big screen adaptation, The Stand appears to be in good hands with Liman directing. Liman was behind some of the most popular action hits of the last few decades, including Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity, Mr & Mrs Smith, and the recent Road House remake with Jake Gyllenhaal. Both Ben Affleck and George A. Romero have attempted to the develop The Stand for the big screen in the past with little luck. Meanwhile, King currently has a number of projects in the works based on his novels. First up is The Institute, which is set to scare viewers when it hits MGM+ next month. The eight-part limited series follows the terrifying story of Luke Ellis, a 12-year-old prodigy whose life is shattered overnight when he's kidnapped and wakes up inside a shadowy facility known only as The Institute. Inside, he meets other children with psychic abilities who are being subjected to disturbing and painful experiments under the watchful eye of the calculating Ms. Sigsby, played by Emmy-winner Mary-Louise Parker. While the children initially believe that they're there to be taught and cared for, they soon discover that the staff at The Institute are trying to weaponize their powers for evil. King's fans were furious earlier this year when Netflix announced it would be making a reboot of his novel Cujo. Amazon Prime also revealed that they're turning his iconic novel Carrie into a series.
Screen Geek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
Doug Liman To Direct Feature Film For Stephen King's 'The Stand'
The 1978 novel The Stand from legendary author Stephen King is set to receive its first feature film adaptation. The iconic book, republished as ' The Complete & Uncut Edition ' in 1990, was previously adapted as a live-action miniseries in 1994 and again in 2020. Now The Stand is set to receive the feature film treatment from director Doug Liman. As shared via THR, Paramount Pictures has attached Liman to direct the film which he'll also produce alongside Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek Pictures. At this time, there aren't any writers attached to the project, but they'll certainly have their work cut out for them. The Stand happens to be the longest novel written by King. Many filmmakers have attempted feature film adaptations of The Stand over the years. Ultimately, however, the lengthy material of the book always ended up being adapted for television instead. Major filmmakers previously attached to the title include the likes of George A. Romero and Ben Affleck, and now Liman will have the opportunity to try and finally bring The Stand to the big screen. The Stand is known by fans of King for being his attempt at an epic story in the vein of The Lord of the Rings . However, rather than write a traditional fantasy epic like he later would with The Dark Tower , The Stand takes place in a very real version of the United States. Specifically after a virus, nicknamed Captain Trips, manages to kill off most of the world's population. The survivors later band together into two groups, one good and one bad, and with the bad group being led by none other than Randall Flagg. The character made his debut in The Stand and later became a recurring character throughout King's works, including the Dark Tower series and The Eyes of the Dragon , making The Stand a must-read for any fan eager to understand the inner-workings of the author's growing mythos. Obviously there's a lot to tackle with a feature film adaptation of The Stand , so hopefully we'll have more details regarding this endeavor from director Doug Liman in the near future. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Stephen King's 'The Stand' to be adapted in a film; Filmmaker Doug Liman to take the charge
Stephen King's cult classic book 'The Stand' might be heading to release on the silver screen soon. The literary masterpiece was originally released in 1978 and was revised in 1990 to be a whopping 1153-page book, which would now be translated into a film. About the adaptation According to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Doug Liman , in collaboration with Paramount Pictures and Cross Creek Pictures' Tyler Thompson, are on board to produce the adaptation. The script has not been confirmed yet, but the production houses are making this a priority, moving forward aggressively to happen as soon as possible. The previous projects With the theme of good and evil, the story revolves around a post-apocalyptic world affected by plague, and follows dozens of characters in overlapping storylines running over many years. 'The Stand' was previously adapted into a television miniseries in 1994, starring Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Ruby Dee , and Laura San Giacomo; and was again adapted in 2020, starring James Marsden, Katherine McNamara , Odessa Young, Alexander Skarsgard, Whoopi Goldberg, and Amber Heard . Previously, there were attempts made by various filmmakers to make a movie out of 'The Stand,' including Ben Affleck , Scott Cooper, David Yates, and Josh Boone, but they weren't successful with it. Doug Liman has taken charge this time, and it is said to be a lone film, not a franchise. About filmmaker Doug Liman Doug Liman has previously worked with Tom Cruise in 2014's original sci-fi movie 'Edge of Tomorrow' as well as 'American Made.' Currently, he is working on 'Deeper,' an underwater supernatural thriller, which is said to star Cruise and Ana de Armas . His recent film starred Jake Gyllenhaal, which was a remake of the classic action film, 'Road House,' and became one of the most-watched films on Amazon Prime.
