From a Buick 8 and the Horror of the Unknown

 

I was going to include this in my watched and read, but decided it deserves its own post.

I finished Stephen King’s From a Buick 8 this week, which was my second time reading it. The setting of the story is Pennsylvania. It is an oral account of a Buick abandoned at a gas station by a mysterious man who randomly disappeared. “Oil’s fine!” The car is towed to a state trooper barracks (Troop D) and stored in Shed B. The story is more about atmosphere than plot. As I wrote in my last post, King does not offer much specificity about where the car came from and why strange things emerge out of it (although I like the idea of it coming from Mid-World).

There is, however, a parallel between the unexpected death of Curtis Wilcox and the mystery of the Buick. Curtis died while on duty. His teen son, Ned, likes to hang around the barracks as a way to be close to his deceased father. State trooper Sandy Dearborn, who does most of the storytelling, believes Ned is looking for answers, just as we are looking for answers that would explain the mystery of the Buick. There are no answers, and that’s where the heart of horror resides in this tale.

Horror is about shattering the order of things, which can take on various forms, such as monsters or creatures. Or as Paul Wells puts it, “In whatever way the monster is conceived and acts . . . it serves to operate as a mode of disruption and breakdown in the status quo” (9). The Buick is unknowable and defies explanation. In a way, the Buick is similar to movies like The Birds (1963) and Jaws (1975), where something unexplainable defies the laws of nature and invades the everyday.  

 

 

But that does not stop Troop D’s curiosity to know and make sense of the Buick. Sandy recounts how they took pictures and videotaped the odd things that came out of the Buick’s trunk. They even dissect a strange-looking bat, an entity that King describes as the Buick giving birth to. In short, they try to make meaning where no meaning is to be had. Even as the troopers carry on with their duties, the Buick continues to haunt them, especially Curtis, who becomes obsessed with figuring out its mystery. Is it a coincidence that the person who killed Curtis was the person who worked at the gas station when they first discovered the Buick? Or is there a direct connection between the two? The answer remains unknown.

King writes in the author’s note that he completed the first draft shortly before his accident in the summer of 1999. For that reason, I try not to look too much into the connection between the two, even though it is hard not to. I think From a Buick 8 is an amazing novel. What the story doesn’t reveal, reveals a lot.

Watched and Read - May 17, 2026

 Here's what I watched and read last week....

 

MOVIES

Against All Odds (1984), directed by Taylor Hackford, is based on the classic film noir, Out of the Past. The film started off on a good note, then petered out. I did not feel the chemistry between Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward. But Richard Widmark, who acted in many film noirs of the past, is worth the watch.

Kedi (2016), directed by Ceyda Torun, is a good documentary about cats that roam the streets in Istanbul. I was surprised that all the cats depicted in the documentary looked well cared for and well-fed. Very cool. Meow.

Lumière! Le Cinema (2025), directed by Thierry Frémaux, is one of the best films I’ve seen in a while. The documentary provides not only a history of the beginnings of moving images but also offers stunning images of France in the late 19th century. Watching this documentary is like being in a time machine. If you love movies, this is a must-watch.

Breathless (1983), directed by Jim McBride. Caught this on the Criterion Channel. This was my second time seeing it. The first was a surreal experience because I didn’t think it was possible that someone could actually adapt Godard’s masterpiece. So on the second viewing, I was prepared, and I really enjoyed it. Richard Gere gives an amazing performance. The visuals are spectacular, especially the surreal traveling matte car scenes. And I love seeing all the real locations in L.A. Tarantino apparently loves the movie, and you can definitely see its influence in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. This is a hidden gem of the 1980s. Just don’t think about Godard’s film when you watch it.

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TV

The first episode of the new season of Welcome to Wrexham is really good and very emotional. Lots of new players this season. The stakes are once again high for Wrexham.

I watched the first episode of Legends, which I very much enjoyed. I’ll watch anything with Steve Coogan. It’s streaming on Netflix.

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BOOKS

I am currently rereading Stephen King’s From a Buick 8. I love the story’s atmosphere. King takes full advantage of his Lovecraft influence and sense of cosmic horror by not explaining what the Buick is, why strange things emerge out of it, or where it came from. I want to think the Buick was once owned by The Stand’s Randall Flagg. Or maybe it’s from Mid-World.

 

Top Ten Stephen King Books

For the past year, I've been reading a lot of Stephen King books. I've been a fan of King over the years. But I guess I recently got the King bug, especially after reading 'Salem's Lot last summer. To this day, I've read almost half of King's novels. There's still so much more to explore, given the amount of books, novellas, and short stories he has published over the years. But I thought it would be fun to list my ten favorite books thus far - no particular ranking.

Growing up as a GenX-er, the commercial for the uncut version of this book aired all the time on TV. This was the first book of his I read way back in 1996, and was taken by how much heart and melodrama it had, or what I describe as "horror with heart." It might also be the longest book I have ever read! But never a dull moment. Some of my favorite characters are Trashcan Man, Larry Underwood, and Nick Andros. I also loved Harold Emery Lauder, as tragic as he was.

Next to The Stand, I think 'Salem's Lot is one of King's best novels. There's so much to say about it. For one, the story takes some of the narrative structure from Bram Stoker's masterpiece. Of course, there is a number of scary and suspenseful moments. But what took me by surprise is the small town that King creates for the reader. Early in the book, King describes an entire day and doings of 'Salem's Lot. Knowing that something supernatural is about to take over this town made this section of the book so frightening. In certain ways, 'Salem's Lot is an invasion narrative.

First and foremost, the movie version is one my favorite films. The Shining was what made me go to film school. And like everyone else who loves the film, we all know that King was not a fan of Kubrick's version. I read the book way later in my life, mainly because I was curious about what Kubrick left out from the novel, and why King was not happy about the film version. I think both the film and novel are extraordinary. I have found myself equally scared by both.

This book took me by surprise. It was the first book I read of his during his later years of writing. I felt his writing style was leaner and direct, rather than what Matt Thorne in The Guardian called the "baroque" category of King. I think Rose The Hat is one of King's top villains. And I thought Rebecca Ferguson was amazing in the film. But what struck me about Doctor Sleep was its exploration of alcoholism. This book is not only a sequel to The Shining, it is also a story about recovery. And having read about King's own battles with addiction made this book even more poignant.

I found myself recently reading a lot of 1990s King. Next to Gerald's Game (in terms of graphic horror), it is one of the more gory novels of his. Desperation also demonstrates King's interest in putting a bunch of characters who don't know each other in one setting over a long stretch of time (e.g. Maximum Overdrive). This was a topic I explored in my book Cinema of Confinement. The novel also involves King playing with language, such as Tak! Very cool book.

I am unsure what novel I enjoyed the most out of the series. Perhaps Wolves of the Calla or  The Waste Lands? I was not such a fan of The Drawing of the Three and had stopped reading the series. But after my father died in 2017, I went back to The Dark Tower story. I was in the Hudson Valley and wanted to read something that would take me out of the funk of my father's sudden death. I purchased The Waste Lands and it was everything I expected and more. I think The Dark Tower series is one of King's greatest achievements. I guess that's all I'll say. But I was very much touched by Roland's journey. So glad I stuck with it. I encourage you to read it if you haven't.

I read that King came up with this story when he accidentally slipped and fell down a hill behind a gas station. I was surprised by the tone of the book, where Pennsylvania State Troopers tell their stories of the Buick 8 that they impounded. The Buick 8 is a supernatural vehicle that appears to be a gateway into another world. Again, I loved how the narrative focuses primarily on the barracks and garage were the Buick is kept. I felt that King allows you to ponder the mystery of the car, without explaining too much. It's a strange book that I often think about.

I loved this book and believe it to be in the same vein as Salem's Lot and Needful Things - all about a large cast of characters in a small town dealing with some strange unexplained / supernatural event. The book is very engaging and never slow. It is also a great tale about how leaders can turn into authoritarians. Under the Dome is well worth your time.

I had seen the films The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, and Apt Pupil before reading Different Seasons. This is a great collection of novellas. My favorite might be Apt Pupil. I was surprised by how dark and disturbing the story was, much different than the movie, which I was not such a fan of.

King mentioned that this book was him trying too hard. I think this is an amazing fantasy book about elderly people. I thought the length and pacing of the book reflected the characters - not to be rude about getting old. Maybe more importantly is the book's connection to The Dark Tower and why I enjoyed the book so much. Unlike King's approach to sci-fi, I think he takes his approach to fantasy quite seriously, exploring very intriguing aspects of out of body experiences as well as playing with time and space, which can be traced back to The Dark Tower story, or even Lisey's Story. Insomnia is a slow burn, but I think it is worth checking out.

I would also like to mention King's book On Writing. This book had such a tremendous impact on me as a writer. It inspired me to write with the door closed, and not be afraid to write even when you don't know the entire structure of your story, or even know where your story is heading. Everybody has their own approaches to writing. But for me, I like to discover things about the characters and their situations as I write.

For academic analysis, check out Tony Magistrale's books on King.