A comment by a fellow blogger Annie in response to my post Thoughts on the Brig recently prompted me to revisit the Wolves of Calla, which is probably my favorite installment of his Dark Tower series. I'd frankly forgotten the number of striking similarities between that book and Lost, especially Seasons 2 and 3. In my estimation, Wolves is right up there with Watchmen as a major influence on the show. Off the top of my head, both works feature:
* Characters in wheelchairs.
* Characters with drug addiction.
* Characters with multiple personalities.
* Kidnapped children.
* References to the Red Sox never winning the World Series.
* References to Fate and loops in time.
* References to music and vibration.
* Strange products (e.g., Apollo Bars) that resemble familiar items but are different.
* Mysterious manufacturers (e.g., Dharma Brand foods) with no discernible place of origin.
* Characters developing psychic powers.
* Large banks of television screens connected to cameras that the bad guys use to surveil the main characters.
* Characters encountering each other a second time in "another life."
I could go on...the parallels are really eerie.
Monday, July 09, 2007
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7 comments:
Interesting. I never have read the Dark Tower series, but I shall. It looks as if the writers decidedly took some hints from this work, and the show is great so why not the series?
I WILL READ
CF
Is there any way to communicate with ye?
Hey BigMouth, did you happen to see the trailer for the new JJ Abrams flick (1-18-08)? What'd you think?
I keep half expecting Randall Flagg to come wandering out of the jungle on the show - or maybe the two kids from "Eyes of the Dragon."
One of the things that made The Dark Tower so great is how the Tower was the intersection of all worlds, not just King's (The Talisman, for example, and our world too from "Hearts in Atlantis"). Not only do I think the writers are heavily influenced by the Tower, but Jack's newspaper clipping really makes me wonder if they've spoken with him about having one of his Tower characters appear on the island in a latter season.
And if the island is passing through multiple timelines or realities, maybe one of the Losties will fine a door on the beach someday. :)
OK, first, a major apology for taking so long to reply. The past two weeks have been brutal workwise, leaving me with too little time for what's important!
CF: After refreshing my recollection, I'm convinced they were inspired at least partly by the Dark Tower series. No coincidence, therefore, that the King himself is a huge fan of Lost. I can recommend the series, but with the following caveat: I'm frankly not such a fan of a few of the books (i.e., Gunslinger, Drawing of the Three, and especially Wizard and Glass). But it's almost worth slogging through the few that don't compel you just to get to Wolves. I almost wish he'd published that one by itself...
BTW, have you read the Stand? Might want to begin with that, which is a stand alone novel, though part of the Dark Tower universe. As for contacting me, my gmail address is bigmouthblog, though I'm admittedly not great about returning e-mails.
Adam: I haven't seen the trailer, but I've heard about it and the film. Sounds pretty cool -- I'll certainly be watching. Some have already speculated that the film takes place in the same universe as Lost. I think that's unlikely but wouldn't put it past JJ to slip in some easter egg nods to the show. I could also see it taking place in an alternate universe linked by the Island, much like King's novels take place in alternate universes linked by the Tower.
Jay: Wow...great catch with the clipping! What if Jacob is our Flag, and the Fourtoes the Crimson King? As for finding a door on the beach, I'd say they already have. Whether the decoy door Sayid found leads anywhere, methinks it was a nod to the King.
One more.... remember in WOTC that Roland knew that Jake's friend's father was the snitch from his glasses? Do you think there's a connection with all the luxuries the Others have been enjoying? Like chicken in the fridge? And cheeseburgers? And fertility research?
Pocket: That's a good one -- on two levels. First, I think you're correct that the luxuries represent some kind of betrayal of the Others' cause. TPTB have certainly hinted in podcasts that Locke might be correct about Ben's cancer being indirectly related to that chicken in the fridge. I actually think Juliet's point about grinding the hamburger meat and rendering the fat for the fries was supposed to underscore that point. The Others apparently have mixed feelings about technology. Second, don't forget that Ben specifically wears very large and prominent spectacles. No coincidence, then, that he may have betrayed the Others' cause by keeping Jacob prisoner.
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