Stephen King is one of the most prolific horror writers in the world and with this many books come plenty of cinematic and televised adaptations. If you are new to these, where do you start? Which ones are worth your time? Which ones are fun? Which ones are done just the right way? It can be hard to pick the best ones or our favorites, but here are five of the best Stephen King horror adaptations that are at the top for us, including some that may surprise you.
Let’s start in the early days of the King adaptations. This is one that sticks in the mind after having watched it, and traumatized a generation of horror lovers. Carrie White is a high school girl with a beyond over-protective hyper-religious mother. Mistreated by her mom and bullied by her schoolmates (including a pre-Saturday Night Fever John Travolta), she is desperate and soon discovers powers that will help her exact revenge. This adaptation is very 1970s with the wardrobe, hair, acting, settings, and effects, but it’s still one seriously effective film, especially on first watch. While it is dated, it doesn’t matter in the end. The story by King is one that is timeless and still a great film to watch. Sissy Spacek is fantastic as Carrie and director Brian De Palma really brings a well-balanced film to the screen.
A match made in heaven: Stephen King, David Cronenberg, and Christopher Walken. Add to these the names of Tom Skerritt, Martin Sheen, screenwriter Jeffrey Boam, cinematographer Mark Irwin, and a few more to get to a truly well-made film. This is a movie that left a mark on many and with good reason. The story is what attracts some, the direction is what attracts others, and the sci-fi element ties everything up in a nice bow. This one is a film that many often forget as being from either Cronenberg or King, as it doesn’t fall in the styles most are used to for either of them, clearly showing the versatility of both writer and director. Here, the story focuses on a man who discovers he has psychic abilities after coming out of a coma. The film has a great look, makes the most of its cast (Walken really breaks your heart), and really goes for it in terms of bringing a story to the screen that is definitely disturbing. Here, the main attraction is the mix of the talents behind and in front of the screen, but while watching, it becomes clear that the sum of their talent is much higher than in most other films of the same type. This was remade as a pretty decent TV show, but the original is a classic that can’t be beat.
Most people would say The Shining is the best Stephen King adaptation, but not to us. King himself hated Kubrick’s movie, so in deference to the master of horror, we didn’t include it on our list To us, another winter time tale is the best of the best of in terms of King’s cinematic adaptations. Misery is the story of a superfan meeting her favorite author following a car accident and having to take care of him as he convalesces. This story was inspired by King’s more obsessive fans, who he merged into the character of Annie Wilkes. Actress Kathy Bates earned an Oscar for her portrayal of Wilkes, showing that not only fans of King’s work loved this one, but the Academy too, who often shun horror. And, of course, playing the writer, Paul Sheldon, is the late, great James Caan. His work with that of Bates really brings the film home with two powerful performances that bounce off of each other perfectly. Director Rob Reiner who also turned another King story into a classic (Stand by Me) is one of the best directors to ever adapt a King novel.
This adaptation has fans and haters in equal measure. It takes a lot of liberties and some of them make a lot of people unhappy, particularly the changes made to the ending. Even with these changes, The Myst is incredibly effective and truly scary. Yes, there are monsters in the mist, but what is scarier at times are the people the leads get stuck with, some of them ready to do just about anything to insure their own survival, even at the cost of others. This film is an adaptation that has a lot of spirit, some great design, and the adaptation and direction by Frank Darabont is pitch perfect (not a surprise given what he did with The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile). The cast here is incredible with Marcia Gay Harden giving a chilling performance and Thomas Jane proving he can handle himself in horror. This one is a film that sneaks up on you, crawls under your skins, and stays there for a while. Is the horror what is the mist or what is standing next to you?
Possibly the hardest one to come across, this Dollar Baby adaptation is a short film and possibly the most effective Stephen King adaptation ever. Yes, that sounds like an exaggeration. Yes, it’s a short film. BUT, it’s the kind of short film that shows that the shorter format can be incredibly effective make your skin crawl, and then stick with you for days. This one has one single actor on screen for the great majority of its runtime, Gideon Emery, who gives an amazing and mesmerizing performance. Director Billy Hanson shows a mastery in creating a story that never leaves you. It’s been years since I’ve seen this one and it’s still clear as the day i saw it in my mind. This feeling seems to be something shared by most, if not all, who have had the chance to see this short film. For those unaware of the story, a doctor finds himself shipwrecked on an island alone, without resources, without food, maybe without hope. What he does to survive is what is truly shocking here.
We know, some of our choices are not the ones everyone would go for. If you agree or disagree, let us know! What are your favorites? Which film did we forget? Will you check out titles you haven’t seen yet?