Rare is the occasion that aStephen Kingnovel goes out of print. Aside from limited editions and the cut versions ofThe Standand The Gunslinger, it’s happened only once before. That’s a phenomenal achievement for an author who’s been writing as long as he has, but in the case of King, it wasn’t because the book didn’t perform well that it was pulled from the shelves. No, in this case, the writer himself requested its removal because the material was so disturbing it caused mass casualties around the country.
We’re, of course, talking aboutRage, King’s 1977 novel that was penned under the pseudonym Richard Bachman and was later collected inThe Bachman Books omnibus. In 1997, King allowed the book to go out of print after it was found to be in the possession of Michael Carneal, a Kentucky high school student who shot eight of his classmates. This wasn’t the first time the book had beentied to a school shooting, but for King, it was the last straw, and he asked his publisher to remove the novel from publication, which they vehemently agreed to do.
InRage, troubled high school student Charlie Decker has suffered enough personal and academic problems to push him to the brink. Bringing a gun to school, he shoots two teachers and takes his classmates hostage. What follows is an intense standoff with the authorities as Decker manipulates his peers into airing their grievances with one another, society, and the world as a whole. It’s the perfect blend of suspense and adolescent rage that would absolutely make a chilling film adaptation, but, sadly, King will never allow that to happen.
‘Rage’ Would Make a Compelling Film Adaptation
In this day and age where it’s now commonplace for movies to depict kids killing one another either for sport or for fun,Rageseems almost tame by comparison. Yes, the inciting incident involves Decker bringing a gun to school, but the novel is about so much more than that. It actually has something to say about the perils of youth. It’shard being a kid, and King knew that in 1977, just as we all know it today.
That’s whyRagewould make such a compelling movie, because like many of King’s books, it’s timeless in its themes. It’s not about a school shooting per se. It’s about alienation, the fragility of social norms, rebellion, and mob mentality. It draws similar parallels to what we’re seeing in today’s political landscape as people turn on one another and grievances are weaponized, and the whole “Us vs. Them” mentality is becoming more and more prevalent. Decker is like the Pied Piper leading his peers toward his way of thinking, so much so that they actually end up agreeing with their oppressor. Sound familiar to anyone?
Unfortunately, we’re likely to never get a film adaptation ofRagebecause of King’s feelings towards the book. We see his point, of course, as it’s easy for someone to read a novel like that and get an idea in their head if they’re already struggling with their mental health. Still, there’s no denying that it would make a great adaptation in the hands of the right filmmaker, as even now, almost 50 years since its publication,Rageremains just as relevant as it was back in the late 70s.
Stephen King
