Buzz
Whether it’s a song, movie, or book, there's always one work that truly speaks to us. We find ourselves watching, reading, or listening to it repeatedly, always in awe of the incredible talent behind it. We envision the pleased artists looking up from their masterpieces, proud of their contribution to society. But often, the stories behind these works are far less idealistic; sometimes, they're even troubling. The dark and violent histories behind these ten influential creations will forever change the way you view them.
10. Sherlock Holmes
If you can name just one literary figure from the 19th century, it’s probably Sherlock Holmes. This legendary detective captured the public’s imagination with his thrilling exploits and extraordinary powers of deduction. Some even argue that he played a role in advancing the field of forensics for real-world investigators. But what could challenge the brilliance of the world’s greatest detective? The answer: his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
In a surprising twist for a writer of such immense fame, Doyle had a strong dislike for his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes. It was, ironically, the immense popularity of Holmes that led to Doyle's animosity. In his early years, Doyle struggled financially, dabbling in writing stories about bizarre topics like carnivorous plants and mummies. He only found widespread fame when he created Holmes, but despite his books’ commercial success, Doyle loathed the work. He considered it cheap and unsatisfying, preferring to focus on historical subjects instead. Nevertheless, the public’s insatiable demand for Holmes forced him to keep writing, and Doyle grew increasingly resentful of the very character who overshadowed his own career.
Desperate to rid himself of the character, Doyle took drastic measures. In ‘The Final Problem,’ he sent Holmes to a dramatic death, sending both Holmes and his nemesis, Moriarty, over a waterfall. Doyle justified the act as self-preservation, claiming, 'If I had not killed him, he would certainly have killed me.' Despite his intense hatred, Doyle ultimately brought Holmes back to life in later stories, continuing to pen tales he could barely tolerate for the rest of his life.
9. Pinkerton
During the 1990s, the alternative rock group Weezer made a significant impact in the music scene. Known for their quirky and carefree attitude, they offered a stark contrast to a music scene that often took itself far too seriously. Their debut album became a major success, but unfortunately, their follow-up album was met with intense criticism and disdain from almost everyone.
Titled Pinkerton, this album marked a complete departure from the more upbeat vibe of Weezer’s previous work. Born out of a period of emotional turmoil in frontman Rivers Cuomo's life, the songs on Pinkerton were raw, exposing his inner struggles. However, fans had anticipated more of the familiar Weezer sound, and they were quick to criticize Cuomo's deeply personal expression. The album was widely rejected, leading a disheartened Cuomo to liken the experience to 'getting really drunk at a party and spilling your guts in front of everyone and feeling incredibly great and cathartic about it, and then waking up the next morning and realizing what a complete fool you made of yourself.'
However, the backlash didn't last long. By the early 2000s, Pinkerton’s emotional depth began to gain appreciation, and fans urged the band to perform songs from the once-ignored album at live concerts. Yet, Cuomo remained less than enthusiastic. His bitterness toward the fickle nature of his fanbase was evident when he remarked in an interview: 'It’s just a sick album, sick in a diseased sort of way. [...] Honestly, I never want to play those songs again; I never want to hear them again.' Despite his feelings, Pinkerton later earned recognition as one of the greatest albums, landing at number 16 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest albums of all time.
8. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
The 1971 film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been a beloved classic among children for years. This is somewhat surprising considering the film's dark themes, especially the mysterious disappearances of several children under suspicious circumstances. Nonetheless, one person wasn’t at all pleased with how the movie was adapted—Roald Dahl himself. In fact, he was furious that the film version toned down many of the sinister elements present in the original story.
The renowned children’s author Roald Dahl was deeply upset with nearly every aspect of how his beloved novel was adapted for the screen. From the casting of Gene Wilder as the eccentric candy maker to the decision to change the title and add musical numbers, Dahl had little admiration for the film. He felt that the movie, which tells the eerie tale of a chocolatier who remains disturbingly indifferent to the accidents involving children, made too many efforts to appear lighthearted and kid-friendly. Dahl was so angered by the sanitizing of his work that he nearly launched a public campaign against the film, appearing in magazines and on TV. Eventually, he cooled down, but his trust in the film industry was irreparably damaged.
7. Lolita
Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel Lolita is hailed as one of the finest works of 20th-century literature. However, the controversial nature of the story—detailing the illicit relationship between a middle-aged man and a 12-year-old girl—raises the question of who exactly determines a work's literary value. Despite this, Lolita nearly didn’t make it into the literary canon due to its creator’s volatile temperament.
One evening in the 1950s, Nabokov impulsively decided that the manuscript he had spent years crafting was no longer worth preserving. Perhaps he thought it fell short of his expectations, feared the impact on his reputation, or wanted to stay off government radar. Regardless, he gathered up the pages and set them on fire in his backyard. This destructive impulse wasn’t new—Nabokov had a history of abandoning his work in such dramatic fashion. But his wife, Vera, had saved more than one manuscript from similar fates. She rushed to the scene and rescued the majority of the pages from the flames. Eventually, Nabokov finished Lolita, allowing the world to experience his own conflicted feelings about the work.
6. ‘Pinball Wizard’
Have you ever compromised your own principles just to gain someone else’s approval? If you have, it probably left you feeling utterly awful, like you needed a cleansing shower. Now, imagine the entire world forcing you to revisit that uncomfortable feeling for the rest of your life. Welcome to the world of Pete Townshend.
Pete Townshend, the brilliant songwriter and lead guitarist for The Who, found himself in a tight spot while working on the rock opera Tommy. The project was quickly losing steam, and its fate hinged more and more on a favorable review from influential music journalist Nic Cohn. Cohn’s first response to the album was indifferent, but Townshend, being quick-witted, formulated a strategy to salvage the review. Knowing Cohn’s deep love for pinball, Townshend casually mentioned a pinball-themed song he was considering, and Cohn instantly hailed the project as a masterpiece.
Here’s the catch: no such song existed. Townshend had to hastily throw together whatever lyrics he could think of to create 'Pinball Wizard' for the critic. He later described the song as 'awful, the most clumsy piece of writing I’ve ever done.' He was certain it would fail, but to his surprise, it became one of the band's biggest hits. The unfortunate part? From that point on, he’d constantly be reminded of that song — the one he wrote when he traded his artistic integrity for success. And no amount of soap could ever scrub away that feeling.
5. The NeverEnding Story
In 1984, The NeverEnding Story captivated audiences of all ages with its unique take on the fantasy genre. It gained significant popularity and inspired multiple sequels, yet surprisingly, few are aware that it was originally based on a novel. This is understandable, considering the author’s complete disillusionment with the film adaptation.
Michael Ende, the author of the novel, was enraged when he saw what the filmmakers had done to his work. He felt as though his creation had been transformed into a ‘melodrama of kitsch, commerce, plush, and plastic.’ His frustration was directed at the film company’s prioritization of profit over the story. Although he had sold the rights, Ende disassociated himself from the film by removing his name from the credits.
Rather than letting time heal his wounds, Ende's anger only intensified. Certain scenes, altered for the film, particularly bothered him, and this added fuel to his fury. Determined to stand up for his work, Ende sued the company, insisting these scenes be removed. Despite mounting legal expenses surpassing the amount he received for the rights, Ende persisted in his fight out of honor. However, after a lengthy court battle, the courts ruled in favor of the film company, and Ende had to accept the outcome, although his resentment towards the industry remained.
4. The Work Of Emily Dickinson
If you're familiar with poetry, chances are you've heard the name Emily Dickinson. A true example of posthumous fame, this reclusive American poet saw only eight of her poems published during her lifetime. Like many literary legends, her works were largely overlooked until after her passing. However, had it been up to her, she would have vanished into obscurity after instructing that all her collected works be burned.
Despite the quiet, reserved persona she was known for, Dickinson apparently had a more rebellious side. In letters to her sister, Lavinia, she insisted that upon her death, every single one of her writings should be destroyed, including the letters she wrote to make this request. This unexpected and forceful demand from the mild-mannered poet was nothing short of surprising.
Fortunately for future generations of poetry enthusiasts, when Dickinson passed away in 1886 at the age of 55, Lavinia only partially complied with her sister’s final wishes. While she did burn their old correspondence, she couldn’t bear to destroy the 1,700 poems she found and instead dedicated years to getting them published. This proved to be a fortunate decision, as in 1893, The New York Times proclaimed, “Emily Dickinson would soon be known amongst the immortals of English speaking poets.”
3. To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written. Tackling the deeply serious issues of racism and injustice, it has touched the hearts of readers for generations across the globe. However, there was a moment when this powerful story almost made its way into the real world, putting one of the finest literary works of mankind at risk of fading into obscurity.
The version of the novel we know today is the final product of a thorough process of edits and revisions at the hands of Harper Lee’s editor, Tay Hohoff. The original draft, titled Go Set a Watchmen, bears little resemblance to the finished piece, with only the locations and character names remaining unchanged. These constant changes took their toll on Lee, who often found herself in heated debates with Hohoff over the suggested revisions.
On one particularly frustrating occasion, Lee, in a fit of exasperation, threw the entire manuscript out of a window into the snow. Fortunately, Hohoff played the role of a skilled negotiator and managed to convince Lee to prevent the 20th century’s greatest novel from being lost forever in the cold. Lee ultimately pushed through the editing process, completing her legendary work, ensuring that literature classes would include at least one uncomfortable moment of racial tension for generations to come.
2. Mary Poppins
Not many realize that the wildly successful Disney film Mary Poppins was inspired by a series of children’s books written by P.L. Travers. After two decades of persistent pursuit by Walt Disney, the reluctant author eventually gave in due to financial struggles, allowing Disney to bring her cherished stories to the screen. And that’s where the story takes a positive turn.
From the very beginning, the process was a painful one for Travers. She criticized nearly every decision Disney made, from the music to the script. She disapproved of the choice of actors and the inclusion of animated penguins. She even—believe it or not—hated the color red being used in the film. But what bothered her the most was the portrayal of Mary Poppins as too kind. In the books, the character was far more brusque. Her anger became such an issue that Disney nearly chose not to invite her to the premiere, fearing she wouldn’t be able to control herself. In retrospect, perhaps it would have been better if they hadn’t invited her; Travers was seen crying in frustration after the film was shown.
Unfortunately, Travers spent the rest of her life in the shadow of her complicated relationship with the film. Despite earning five percent of the movie’s enormous earnings, she could never emotionally recover from the experience. In a film that brought happiness to generations of children, she could only see failure and regret.
1. ‘Cherry Pie’
Whether you love it or despise it, Warrant's 1990 hit single 'Cherry Pie' stands as the band's most iconic moment. It became one of those divisive songs that had half the population humming, singing, or playing it on repeat, while the other half sought refuge from its relentless presence. Tragically, the band's lead singer Jani Lane found himself among the latter group.
After sending off their freshly finished album to the record label, the band was told none of their tracks had 'hit' potential. They needed something undeniably catchy—and, importantly, profitable. Lane, in frustration, penned the most ridiculous, repetitive, and juvenile song imaginable: 'Cherry Pie.' He never expected the overly sexual anthem to make the cut and wrote it as an insult. But, to his surprise, he was wrong.
Within days, 'Cherry Pie' had completely taken over the album. Once released, its wild success quickly became inseparable from the band's image, particularly Lane's. His unintentional, absurd tribute to vaginas became his unfortunate legacy, branding him forever as the 'Cherry Pie Guy.' In a candid interview with VH1, Lane confessed, 'I could shoot myself in the f—king head for writing that song.' Lane passed away in 2011, but the song’s backfired insult followed him to his grave.
