King Dork Seth Gordon

High School Is the Penalty for Transgressions Yet to Be Specified

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (16)

The headline on this one nearly sent my heart into spasms. I’ve known for a while that Frank Portman’s King Dork had been optioned for the big screen by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell. And this morning came word that Seth Gordon is in talks to direct it. I have incredibly mixed feelings on this. First, King Dork is my favorite book of the last five years. It’s the perfect blend of J.D. Salinger, Chuck Klosterman, and Veronica Mars, and it’s just a flat-out phenomenal coming-of-age novel. It’s not great literature, but it’s immensely entertaining, irreverent, smart, and sweet. And though it certainly has some great cinematic potential, I saw what they did to I Love You, Beth Cooper, and I’d hate to have see same thing happen to King Dork.

The good news, however, is that Seth Gordon directed the outstanding documentary, The King of Kong, which explores a couple of guys angling for the Donkey Kong video game record. And it’s far more weird and interesting than it has any right to be. Unfortunately, Gordon also directed Four Christmases, starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. And it sucked Donkey Kong’s balls.

All I’m saying is: Please don’t screw it up, Mr. Gordon.

Incidentally, Frank Portman has a new book, Andromeda Klein, coming out in August.

And here’s King Dork’ synopsis:

Tom Henderson (a.k.a. King Dork, Chi-mo, Hender-fag, and Sheepie) is a typical American high school loser until he discovers the book, The Catcher in the Rye, that will change the world as he knows it. When Tom discovers his deceased father’s copy of the Salinger classic, he finds himself in the middle of several interlocking conspiracies and at least half a dozen mysteries involving dead people, naked people, fake people, ESP, blood, a secret code, guitars, monks, witchcraft, the Bible, girls, the Crusades, a devil head, and rock and roll. And it all looks like it’s just the tip of a very odd iceberg of clues that may very well unravel the puzzle of his father’s death and-oddly-reveal the secret to attracting semihot girls. Being in a band could possibly be the secret to the girl thing-but good luck finding a drummer who can count to four.

If you’re a fan of coming-of-age novels rich in pop-culture and literary allusions, I highly recommend it, especially for anyone who loves or hates Catcher in the Rye.

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Comments

What next? A film adaptation of Are you there God, it's me Margaret?

I must, I must, I must increase my bust...

that may be a different Judy Blume altogether. It has been a while...

Posted by: missh at July 16, 2009 10:55 AM

Hey, Jay suggested I read this book! And I did! And I liked it. Thanks, Jay. I'm not sure how I feel about it being made into a movie, though. The lead will be played by an attractive younger dude, when the protagonist of the book is supposed to be unattractive. That always bothers me.

Posted by: phquaryn at July 16, 2009 10:55 AM

Oh man, I loved this book. I think it has real potential to be a great movie too, as long as they don't fuck with the characters too badly.

Posted by: Julie at July 16, 2009 10:56 AM

I read the title and immediately got it confused with Geek Love. Then I saw Will Ferrell was involved and dropped to my knees asking the heavens, "Why!". Then I realized my mistake. I'll have to read this sometime.

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Posted by: satokofan at July 16, 2009 12:00 PM

Aww, I didn't know you felt that way, Dustin. You're certainly welcome, phquaryn. And it's a better book than "Beth Cooper" to start with, so we can hope. Obviously I can't relate to Chi-Mo's feelings in that basement at that party at all. Not one bit.

Yeah, I hear somebody say "keep on rockin"??? YAAAYUSSS!!

Posted by: Jay at July 16, 2009 12:06 PM

Well, the only good thing about crappy Hollywood adaptations is that they let guys like me to know interesting books that otherwise I wouldn't have heard of (the South American literary environment isn't particularly interested in American coming-of-age stories). I'll try to read the book before the movie is released so I can complain about the changes they made to it.

Posted by: Radlum at July 16, 2009 12:12 PM

The audiobook also includes Frank Portman doing a few of the songs.

Posted by: Jay at July 16, 2009 12:13 PM

Obviously I can't relate to Chi-Mo's feelings in that basement at that party at all. Not one bit.

Oh god. That scene. It was so damned awkward to read, I was blushing in my living room.

Posted by: Julie at July 16, 2009 12:16 PM

I found it more relatably exciting than awkward. But then, you're a girl, aintcha.

Posted by: Jay at July 16, 2009 12:18 PM

That's a fantastic book synopsis. Rarely has a back cover been so intriguing to me!

Posted by: Christian H. at July 16, 2009 2:41 PM

Now, if they cast the kid from Adventureland/The Squid and the Whale (whose name I can't think of) or Michael Cera (who has played instruments in a few movies already and is Hollywood's go-to nerd character), I could see it without it being weird. But I haven't read the book, so I don't know.

That makes me think of how the hell they would make a movie out of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Let's pray to Godtopus they don't try.

P.S. I hope Chuck Klosterman isn't still making that Killing Yourself To Live movie that's actually about the rockstar deaths and not his relationships. Seriously. Fuck that idea.

Posted by: Christian H. at July 16, 2009 2:46 PM

While I read King Dork, I kept picturing Paul Dano as Tom Henderson. But I think he's got to be too old for it now.

Posted by: JH at July 16, 2009 3:33 PM

I keep meaning to read this book. Jay does he do the old MTX "King Dork" song on the audiobook? Because that's easily one of my favorite songs ever, because of it's dorkiness. "You're much more, than MST3K or D&D, yeah!"

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Posted by: william at July 17, 2009 6:20 AM

That makes me think of how the hell they would make a movie out of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Two words: Eddie Murphy. Fat suit. He also plays his entire family.

IT'S GONNA BE AWESOME!

Posted by: SaBrina at July 19, 2009 12:14 PM

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High School Is the Penalty for Transgressions Yet to Be Specified

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