The Monkey: Shocking Twists in Stephen King’s Tale You Won’t Believe!

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Summary

  • The Monkey film takes creative liberties with King’s story, changing characters, tone, and setting.
  • The movie transforms a horror story into a black comedy with absurd and gory deaths.
  • Both the story and film explore themes of fear of death and avoiding mortality through absurd actions.

People who thought that “The Monkey” movie would accurately portray the Stephen King story with the same name should have been cautious from the start, given that the film poster depicts the monkey holding drumsticks instead of cymbals as described in the novel. The toy monkey in the story is said to hold two cymbals, while on the movie poster it holds drum sticks with a snare drum in front of its belly.

One could contend that the variety of musical instruments has minimal impact. Whether beating a drum or ringing cymbals, when the monkey begins its performance, people mysteriously meet their end. However, the visual aspect is merely one of several transformations in “The Monkey“. These modifications serve to acclimate viewers for a film that significantly deviates from King’s original narrative. Consequently, the movie presents an innovative interpretation of themes such as tragedy and the apprehension of death.

What Happens in Stephen King’s “The Monkey”?

The outstanding story from the 1980 compilation titled “Skeleton Crew,” named “The Monkey,” revolves around a nervous New England resident named Hal Shalburn. During the process of tidying up his childhood home that he shared with his Uncle Will and Aunt Ida, Hal’s son Petey stumbles upon a toy monkey in the loft. Hal’s abrupt response startles his wife Terry and older son Dennis, intensifying the existing friction caused by Dennis’ teenage rebellion and Hal’s recent professional setbacks.

As a child, Hal reminisces about his initial meetings with the monkey. In his memory, upon discovering the monkey among his father’s possessions, Hal fixes the key and sets it in motion. Coincidentally, this happens just when the monkey strikes its cymbals together, a moment that tragically marked the demise of Hal’s cherished babysitter in an unexpected accident. Shortly after, Hal begins to perceive a link between the monkey’s music and a series of enigmatic deaths, such as those of his best friend, pet dog, and even his mother. Each time Hal attempted to discard the monkey, it miraculously resurfaced, mocking him once more.

Due to Petey holding onto the toy, Hal feels compelled to make significant decisions. His apprehension widens the gap between him and Terry and Dennis, but it strengthens his bond with Petey. Recalling his Uncle Bill’s tale about the ominous depths of Crystal Lake, Hal wraps the monkey in a heavy bag and navigates the lake to discard it. Mysterious powers interfere as he sails, damaging the boat and even endangering Petey on land. Despite these obstacles, Hal successfully tosses the monkey into the abyss.

Towards the end of the tale, a news broadcast speaks of struggling fish populations and possible calamities, hinting at the monkey’s continued existence.

How Does the Movie “The Monkey” Change From the Short Story?

One significant distinction between “The Monkey” and director Osgood Perkins’s film, titled “The Monny,” lies in the portrayal of characters Hal and Bill. In this adaptation, while Bill remains older, the age gap is minimized as they are identical twins, both played by Theo Vonn. They are brought up under a mother who harbors deep cynicism (portrayed by Tatiana Maslany), her resentment towards their absent father (Adam Scott) manifesting in Bill’s persistent bullying of Hal.

Hal and Bill discover a monkey simultaneously, yet Bill seems uninterested while Hal becomes captivated. He tries to activate the toy, but it refuses to function. However, it wasn’t until they were all at a hibachi restaurant with their babysitter, Annie, that something extraordinary happened. The monkey began drumming, causing the chef’s knife to slip, tragically decapitating Annie instead.

In the tale, I’m petrified by the monkey’s power, yet in the film, Bill’s relentless tormenting drives me to the edge. In a fit of rage, I decide to manipulate that monkey, hoping it would eliminate my brother. Unfortunately, the monkey’s drumming triggers a fatal aneurysm in my mother, mirroring the gruesome demise of the dog in the story. Left with no other choice, I move in with Uncle Chip (Perkins), a despicable character unlike the kind and noble father figure from the narrative, who meets an equally peculiar end.

The movie diverges significantly from the original narrative at this point. Instead of depicting Hal as a family man with a tech career, we encounter him as a solitary individual working in retail. Fearing another loss, Hal chooses to isolate himself from his son Petey (Colin O’Brien) and ex-wife Terry (Laura Mennell). He visits Petey just once a year on his birthday, hoping that physical distance will safeguard the child.

After the monkey triggers and eliminates Aunt Ida (Sarah Levy), Hal decides to delve into the matter. And when he finds out that Terry intends to wed her boyfriend (Elijah Wood, delivering a humorous guest appearance) and legally adopt Petey, Hal consents to bring his son on one final journey together as a father.

In the course of the investigation, Hal uncovers the real reason behind the monkey’s reappearance: his sibling Bill, who harbors a deep-seated hatred towards Hal for their shared past tragedy – the death of their mother. The monkey has sent Bill spiraling into madness, causing him to idolize the toy. Believing that possessing the toy ensures immortality, Bill keeps winding up the monkey with the intention of eliminating Hal. However, in a tragic turn of events, Bill ends up murdering almost everyone in town, eventually meeting his own absurd end through an unintentional act.

What is Significant About the Differences Between the Story and the Movie?

The main distinction between King’s narrative and the Perkins movie lies in the tones they adopt. Stephen King portrays Hal’s fear of death in a way that makes him seem real and relatable, even when he encounters an ominous magical toy monkey. In contrast, Perkins transforms The Monkey into a chaotic black comedy, presenting each death as slapstick violence reminiscent of Looney Tunes with an abundance of gore.

Although there may be slight variations in tone, both versions of “The Monkey” share a common theme: the extreme measures people take to evade confronting death. One version employs horror, with Hal hallucinating the toy’s taunting monologues, while another uses gross-out comedy, depicting characters popping like burst balloons. Both versions of the story are hard to forget due to their unique and memorable approaches.

The Monkey is now playing in theaters worldwide.

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2025-02-23 20:24