[KING'S CORNER] The Word Processor of the Gods (1984)

The Word Processor of the Gods (Tales from the Darkside) - King's Corner Review

Welcome to King's Corner. A recurring series of reviews based on the film and TV adaptations of Stephen King's novels and collections, reviewed and released in order of the original source material publishing date.

Director: Michael Gornick

Starring: Bruce Davison, Karen Shallo, Jon Shear, Patrick Piccinnini, Bill Cain

Written by: Michael McDowell

Produced by: William Teitler

Cinematography by: Ernest R. Dickerson

Synopsis:

Richard, a struggling writer, receives an upgraded computer from his computer-whiz nephew right before his nephew dies in an accident. This word processor has the power to grant any wish that Richard desires.

Thoughts:

The rapid advancement and implementation of Al in recent years has been astonishing. In a matter of seconds we can now generate an image or video of anything we want. Obviously it is still at the stage where it contains errors or lacks a distinct personality since it is a regurgitation of other people's work. Herein lies the problem with it. With people over-relying on it to give them what they want instantly, they are robbed of creativity and problem solving skills, treating these traits as being redundant. In a way it feels like we are living through a monkey paw analogy where we can get what we want but it comes at a grave price. It is a trope that King has touched upon many times before but one that feels particularly relevant to this subject is his short story, 'Word Processor of the Gods.' 

Originally published in the January 1983 issue of Playboy magazine under the title 'The Word Processor', the story was added with its new title to the 1985 short story collection, 'Skeleton Crew'. In the introduction of that book he states how the idea for the story came to him as he was becoming acclimated to his first Wang computer. A month after getting it, a bout of sickness made him think of the possibilities the "INSERT" and "DELETE" key could have and how a story could escalate from deleting a chair to an entire city. Then he ended up in a place where he considered what would happen if you could delete your partner and replace them with someone else, which forms the basis for the story. 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

It follows writer Richard Hagstrom whose life with his overbearing wife and irritating son has left him stuck in a rut. In the wake of his brother's death (alongside his sister in law Belinda and nephew Jonathan) he receives a belated birthday present in the form of a word processor that was custom made by his nephew before his death. He soon finds out this is no normal word processor as it has the power to create and destroy in a matter of a few keystrokes. 

The story sees King in 'The Twilight Zone' mode so it is no surprise why it was chosen to be adapted as an episode for the horror anthology show, 'Tales from the Darkside'. Created by George A. Romero in the wake of the success of 'Creepshow', the show ran for four seasons and included the work of Harlan Ellison, Clive Barker and Robert Bloch to name a few. Given their partnership on the film, it is no surprise that Romero asked King if he could adapt his short story for the show. Romero added the 'The' to the episode title after it was shot. He would later do it for another of King's stories, 'Sorry, Right Number' which he wrote the teleplay for. 

The episode opens with the camera panning over the kitchen of the Hagstrom family home. It is a mess with rubbish everywhere and dishes piled high in the sink. Lina (Karen Shallo) disregards it and sits at the table before her husband Richard (Bruce Davison) struggles into the house with the DIY word processor his recently deceased nephew made for him. Upstairs his son Seth (Patrick Piccininni) is playing his electric guitar at the maximum volume. Right away we understand the dynamics between the family in how everyone has their own self interests to the detriment of their home. Davison plays the walkover husband well with a reserved and non-confrontational manner that doesn't spiral the second he attains power through his nephew's gift. Shallo plays Lina in a fun cartoon like manner that is so mean spirited you can't help but enjoy it. 

LISTEN TO THE DISSECTION PODCAST

The episode feels like a cross between 'The Twilight Zone' and 'Creepshow' as there is a heightened reality to everything but it isn't as arch as something you would get in the latter. Structurally it doesn't deviate too far from the source material. The barbs Lina tosses at Richard are almost cartoonish and Seth only replies to his father in grunts telling him he'll do what he's asked later. The cruelest example is how Lina forgets Richard's birthday and instead of apologising she says, "Well if you make a wish, wish for some damn money, will you?" It's a solid setup for what transpires with the titular word processor. 

Although the aesthetics of the show are very much of their time (with some nice visual touches thanks to Ernest Roscoe Dickerson's work as cinematographer on the episode), the message it presents about morality surrounding power is as relevant now as it was when the story was first written. In the episode, Richard has the ability to create or delete anything he wants by entering a command into the word processor. Instead of greatly enhancing the life he currently has from a material perspective he chooses to "delete" his current family and bring back his nephew Jonathan and his mother Belinda to be his family instead. Whilst there isn't enough time to fully explore this idea of playing God, it is interesting how it takes the idiom, "be careful what you wish for" and delivers a better life for Richard but one where we don't fully see if it had any negative consequences. All we get is a man incapable of changing his life without the help of a machine. 

It may be a straightforward adaptation of an intriguing short story from Stephen King but given the parameters it has, there is a lot of solid work on display both in front and behind the camera. In a world where we can create and delete whatever we like through a simple prompt the story feels like it has a new lease of life in the age of Al but it is also one that doesn't fully flesh out the big ideas at play. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Joseph McElroy