Stephen King is not only the master of horror, but also the most beloved author in Hollywood due to the sheer number of adaptations of his work that have been made. King writes quickly and generates ideas that lead to exciting interpretations by engaging filmmakers, primarily because any of his books, novellas, or shorts can be distilled into a simple premise that is easy to market to an audience. While there are certainly a number of terrible King adaptations (including Maximum Overdrive, the only one he directed), even the most disappointing have something to recommend about them. King’s name has become a reliable marketing brand that has endured for over 50 years, and today it might actually be as powerful as that of Marvel, DC, or Star Wars.
No King adaptation has been discussed more than The Shining, the 1980 classic from Stanley Kubrick that has evolved past its initially polarizing reaction to be praised as one of (if not the single) greatest horror films ever made. The Shining features an all-time villainous turn from Jack Nicholson and an ample amount of subtext that has inspired various interpretations and conspiracy theories over the years. The most notable aspect of The Shining’s legacy is that it’s one of the few adaptations that King hated and publicly decried; although there are some films he has praised and others he has remained silent about, The Shining infuriated him because King transformed the character of Jack Torrance from being a sympathetic, tragic figure into an inherently evil one. Despite King’s misgivings, The Shining is now indistinguishable from the version Kubrick imagined; when Mike Flanagan made the adaptation of the novel’s sequel, Doctor Sleep, he had to merge the influences of both King and Kubrick.
The Shining is one of the most celebrated and thoroughly analyzed films of the 20th century, and it speaks to the incredible track record of King adaptations that it is not far and away the best. King’s writing has clearly resonated with certain filmmakers, and The Shining has been outdone only by a select few films that possess deeper emotional qualities and come from a more human place.
3
‘Misery’ (1990)
Image via Columbia Pictures
Misery is among the most personal novels that King ever wrote because it directly relates to his experience as an author dealing with the expectations of a fervent fanbase. King is among the few writers who have dedicated significant time to explaining what his writing process is like, and Misery utilizes specifics he has shared about the creative process and the notion of “writer’s block.” Although the film was intended as an allusion to the anxieties of fame and how it can stifle creativity, it has aged into one that perfectly anticipated the nature of toxic fandom in the Internet age. Fans have become so obsessed with specific creators or properties that they feel they are “owed” something, reacting in extreme ways if their expectations are not met. Anything deemed over-the-top about Misery at its release has become deeply relevant, making it unsurprising that there has never been another attempt to revisit this specific material. While there have been worthy contenders, no other King film has reached this level of intensity.
<em>Misery </em>is the first and only one of King’s adaptations to win an Academy Award, as Kathy Bates’ victory in the Best Actress category also marked a rare occasion where the Oscars awarded a performance in a horror film. There is significant bias against genre stories, with the Oscars traditionally avoiding awarding female performances for characters that are complex, difficult, or outright villainous. However, Bates’ acclaim was too strong to deny her brilliance, turning her into a star overnight. As terrific as Bates is, James Caan also deserves credit for delivering a vulnerable and heartbreaking performance, willing to embrace the brutality of the film’s most infamous scene. Although several other A-list actors were considered for the role—including William Hurt, Warren Beatty, Kevin Kline, Gene Hackman, Robert De Niro, and Michael Douglas—Caan was the only one willing to accept the bleakness of the material and earned a major comeback as a result.
2
‘Stand by Me’ (1986)
Image by Columbia Pictures
Stand by Me is the perfect coming-of-age film, remaining timeless due to its pure capture of children’s maturation moments as they become aware of darkness in the world. The film is based on King’s short story “The Body,” a relatively simple narrative not given much expansion in its final form. It’s a thoughtful adventure story that perfectly captures dynamics between young boys—how they converse with each other and why they are drawn to wild adventures. Although it is very much about masculinity and its barriers on emotion, Stand by Me tells a beautifully crafted story about compassion among children at an age where cynicism hasn’t yet taken root. This is summed up perfectly in its final section involving a flashforward with Richard Dreyfuss, which can be seen as either emotionally cathartic or utterly devastating depending on interpretation.
Stand by Me is another entry in Rob Reiner’s unassailable early canon, a filmmaker who managed to create masterpieces across almost every genre. As a former child actor, Reiner knew how to interact with his young cast and elicited extraordinary performances from them due to his reputation as a remarkably sensitive and kind-hearted filmmaker. Perhaps most moving is lateRiver Phoenix’s, whose real-life death at too young an age further colors his character’s tragic end. Stand by Me not only embodies childhood in a specific era but also serves as inspiration for countless coming-of-age films since its release. Even Stranger Things‘ depiction of wholesome friendship among middle school friends can trace back to the perfection found in Stand by Me.
What Is Your<biggest Horror Nightmare?
Elm Street · Chucky · Scream · The Conjuring
Four horror franchises. Four completely different ways of scaring you. One waits until you fall asleep. One makes sure nobody believes you. One is already in your group of friends. And one is in your house with your family. Answer eight quick questions about how you actually watch horror and find out which nightmare was built for you.
Elm Street(Freddy Krueger)
Chucky(Child’s Play)
Scream(Ghostface)
The Conjuring(The Warren Files)
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span.cq-question-text”>Which horror scene makes you cover your eyes?.
span.cq-question-sub”>Four classic images. One of them is worse than others for you..
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span.cq-question-text”>You are home alone and hear noise. First thought?.
span.cq-question-sub”>Everybody has one. It arrives before you have decided anything..
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<p.
NEXT QUESTION →<label.
section.
<p03
<spanquestion-textWhich horror movie rule would you break first?</spqn.
<spanquestion-subEverybody thinks they would survive Almost nobody actually does./spqn.
<div.
<p.
ANever fall asleep./spqn.
BNever leave it out of your sight./spqn.
CNever answer phone./spqn.
DNever go down basement./spqn.
<p.
NEXT QUESTION →<label.
<p04
<spanquestion-textSomething genuinely frightening happens What do you do?</spqn.
<spanquestion-subNot in film In actual living room tonight./spqn.
<div.
<p.
AConvince myself I imagined whole thing./spqn.
BTell someone brace them not believing me./spqn.
CWork out which person I know could be behind it./spqn.
DGet everybody house into one room./spqn.
NEXT QUESTION →<label.
<p05
<spanquestion-textHow do you actually watch horror film?</spqn.
<spanquestion-subBe honest about this one Nobody checking./spqn.
<div.
<p.
A.Fine during Wide awake at two in morning./spqn.
BShouting at screen nobody listening./spqn.
CCalling twist out loud before lands./spqn.
DThrough my fingers holding on something./spqn.
NEXT QUESTION →<label.
<p06
<spanquestion-textSomebody offers serious money Which do you still refuse?</spqn.
<spanquestion-subAmount does not matter There is one on this list you are not doing./spqn.
<div.p
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-a.for=q6a"AFall asleep room I never been before./spqn.
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-b.for=q6b"BKeep old doll shelf facing my bed./spqn.
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-c.for=q6c"CAnswer every unknown number calls after midnight./spqn.
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-d.for=q6d"DSpend night alone house history./spqn.
NEXT QUESTION →<label.
<p07
<spanquestion-textWhich feeling stays with week after film?</spn.
<spanquestion-subGood horror does not stop credits do.</spn.
<div.p
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-a.for=q7a"ANot wanting turn bedroom light off./spn.
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-b.for=q7b"BNot trusting particular object my house./spn.
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-c.for=q7c"CLooking twice people I known years./spn.
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-d.for=q7d"DFeeling like something came home me./spn.
NEXT QUESTION →<label.
<p08
<spanquestion-textSomething wakes you at 3am What is worst possibility?</spa
<spanquestion-subEight questions this one decides your nightmare.</spa
<div.p
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-a.for=q8a"AThat I still asleep knows it./spa
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-b.for=q8b"BThat thing nobody believed me about here./spa
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-c.for=q8c"CThat somebody key downstairs./spa
<labeloption.btn=q-opt-d.for=q8d"DThat something doorway watching us sleep./spa
<p.labelbtn-nextfor=sR.REVEAL MY NIGHTMARE →<label.
The Lights Just Went Out/span
Your Nightmare Is…< / span
<p.result-intro-textFour franchises completely different ways getting underneath skin This built out your particular fear why works well on you what would leave behind/p.
spanbadge style.background:#B5342A;
spanresult.card.banner.text style.color:#D4645A.A Nightmare on Elm Street · Since 1984/span
p
div.result.card.inner”
span.result.card.title style.background:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff 40%,#D4645A);background.clip:text;-webkit-background.clip:text;-webkit.text.fill.color:transparent;”>Elm Street/span
p.result.card.textYour nightmare does not wait outside door It waits for you close your eyes which going have do eventually because nobody ever won particular argument/p
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<liFreddy horror cruellest idea threat lives one place cannot guard cannot lock cannot avoid forever/li
<liYou are fine during film wide awake two morning Your own head where does damage/li
<liThese films understood exhaustion horror engine kids Elm Street do lose weak They lose tired/li
<liYou can lock every door house You still have sleep/li
spanbadge style.background:#4A86C8;
spanresult.card.banner.text style.color:#7BA9DC.Child’s Play · Chucky · Since 1988/span
div.result.card.inner”
span.result.card.title style.background:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff 40%,#7BA9DC);background.clip:text;-webkit-background.clip:text;-webkit.text.fill.color:transparent;”>Chucky/span
p.result.card.textYour nightmare really doll It face person tell way decide very kindly you imagined all it/p
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<liChucky works precisely because absurd That trap more accurately describe less anybody going believe You/li
<liYou are shouting screen characters not listening You know feeling from real life too/li
<liThe franchise best adults room real obstacle You met those adults/li
<liBy time somebody finally believes will handled most on own/li
spanbadge style.background:#D6D6E0;
spanresult.card.banner.text style.color:#D6D6E0.Scream · Ghostface · Since 1996/span
div.result.card.inner”
span.result.card.title style.background:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff 40%,#D6D6E0);background.clip:text;-webkit-background.clip:text;-webkit.text.fill.color:transparent;”>Scream/span
p.result.card.textYour nightmare has number knows name almost certainly been inside house before worst part already know them/p
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<liScream only one these killer takes mask off turns out somebody party/li
<liYou are person calls twist out loud before lands You watch people same way watch films/li
<liThe franchise made rules horror part plot means survivors ones paying attention You would paying attention/li
<liEverybody suspect including person just offered walk home/li
spanbadge style.background:#6B4E9C;
spanresult.card.banner.text style.color:#9179C2.The Conjuring · The Warren Files · Since 2013/span
div.result.card.inner”
span.result.card.title style.background:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff 40%,#9179C2);background.clip:text;-webkit-background.clip:text;-webkit.text.fill.color:transparent;”>The Conjuring/span
p.result.card.textYour nightmare really about people asleep down hall feeling whatever here interested leaving/p
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<liThe Conjuring films domestic horror house family perfectly ordinary room quietly stops feeling ordinary/li
<liYour instinct get everybody into one room Your fear protective rather personal which rarer sounds/li
<liThis franchise belief weapon People come through ones who not alone refuse be/li
<liWhatever here did not come You came household standing hallway/li
