TOP TEN STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS
He's been dubbed the Master of Horror and plenty of his novels and novellas have been adapted into feature films and with the upcoming release of the Stephen King short story adaptation The Mist I thought it was the right time to take a peek at the ten best King adaptations so far.
 |
The Running Man |
I am not sure most people realize The Running Man is an adaptation of a Stephen King story. In fact I first read it in the "Bachman Books", which was a collection of four short stories King wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Also in the collection is "The Long Walk", which Darabont has talked about bringing to theaters, but don't ever count on seeing "Rage" as King himself has pretty much condemned the story and has asked it no longer be published. "Rage" is highly similar to a couple of school shootings, one of which the shooter had a copy of the book in his locker, and the other actually quoted the book saying, "This sure beats algebra, doesn't it?" The story is intense, but giving kids the idea to kill is never good. At least The Running Man never did that.
 |
Carrie |
I have a love/hate relationship with Carrie. Carrie harkens back to a time when director Brian De Palma was still relevant, and bringing us films that shocked and entertained. However, being a rabid King fan I still refer back to the original book being far better than the movie, but in terms of King adaptations this is a worthy entry.
 |
The Dead Zone |
I just saw this movie only three days ago, and I watched it only in anticipation of creating this top ten. I felt it would be highly irresponsible to write a top ten list of Stephen King adaptations without at least seeing the one directed by David Cronenberg. Released back in 1983, before Christopher Walken became a parody of himself, this film has as much going for it as it has against it. In terms of this top ten list it is one of the King books I have not read. The Dead Zone is not a perfect film, and at times I think Walken was terrible for the role, but then there are moments where he completely nails his character. The final act of the film is a bit "ho-hum" and this is easily one of Cronenberg's least gruesome films, despite a nice little scissor to the brain moment.
 |
Pet Sematary |
Here is the film that got me into Stephen King. I saw the trailers on television and begged and begged my mom to let me see it – she wouldn't. However, she would allow me to read the book, but she did say I had to buy it myself… Apparently she considered it "trash" and "garbage." A King fan was born!
I picked up "Pet Sematary," "Cujo" and "The Stand". While "Pet Sematary" is a better book than it was a movie, the moment where Gage slices open Judd's Achilles tendon and then proceeds to slash through his cheeks is priceless filmmaking. Did I mention he then tears the poor old bastard's throat out?
 |
The Shining |
Another King adaptation I am a bit wishy-washy on is Kubrick's The Shining. "The Shining" and "Cujo" are easily my two favorite King novels. Both of them had different effects on my. While "Cujo" actually made me feel like I was witnessing the entire event of a rabid dog chewing up a few folks, "The Shining" legitimately gave me the chills. The moment Danny meets up with that old lady was one of the greatest moments ever written down. Unfortunately the movie didn't have the same effect. Kubrick's adaptation is more of an evaluation of a man gone mad than the terror inspired film King wrote down. Both have their charms, but the book still wins my vote when compared.
what about the Langoliers? The Stand?
I personally thought the Langoliers was terrible and The Stand wasn't much better. As for Stephen King adaptations on television I actually thought Salem's Lot was the most entertaining, probably along with Battleground from the Nightmares and Dreamscapes mini. Oh, and I would also give IT a pass, but even still, on television King just doesn't translate that well…
Wheras it's not the best Stephen King adaptation, it's still one that sticks with me after all of the above mentioned attempts – Stand By Me. I do think you're spot-on with Shawshank, but SBM ranks up there with a damn near page-by-page adaptation of The Body.
For me – Needful Things deserves to be on any list of best King movie adaptations. It was very faithful to the book, and translated very very well to the screen. It was a far better adaptation than Pet Semetary. I also am not a fan of Shawshank so I don't agree there. I think you sell The Stand way short – it held as close to the book as it could, and the tv movie did a more than respectable job of translating the dread and uneasiness of the book.
vhguys, I agree Needful Things stuck to the King story, but that one was also a story I was never all that enamored with. It was interesting and had some good moments, but if I remember correctly wasn't the meat cleaver stuff cut from the film version? I just remember the book being far more violent than the movie… I could be wrong.
yeah, why didnt you put christine on the list? you could've replaced it with the running man, but i guess the running man would be a good thing to read compared to christine eh?
Actually, as far as Christine goes it is one I have never seen and don't have a desire to see. The killer car aspect never appealed to me. I own the book and several people have told me I should give the book a chance, but I just haven't brought myself to read it yet.
Brad – in fact, Needful Things included a great scene with Amanda Plummer and the other actress that reenacted the meat cleaver fight. I don't think they interpreted the book precisely on that scene – but the tone of that fight was one of the best parts of the movie – it was a brilliantly violent fight to the death. Personally, I think it's one of King's best stories – tightly written and with an ending I actually like. But – to each his own…My top ten would include The Stand, Needful Things, Silver Bullet, and Storm of the Century (which – I know wasn't a book but I love that one…it's so creepy)
vhguys, I read the screenplay they published for Storm of the Century, but never watched the TV version, quite frankly I got tired of being letdown by the television adaptations. The screenplay wasn't that bad though. As for Silver Bullet that is another one I actually haven't seen yet. Going through the list of the films adapted from King's novels I was actually shocked at how many there were, and while I haven't seen them all I was shocked how many I had actually seen.
There's another one that I immensely enjoyed, albeit a strained story at times and that was The Apt Pupil. I am admittedly a ginormous Bryan Singer fan, but I really enjoyed the ark between Kurt (Ian McKellan) and Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro) it was a highly entertaining [at least for me] film that easily shouldn't be #1 but IMHO should easily be on the list!
Narrator – you are way off in your summations. Neither "The Running Man" nor "1408" should have made the top ten list of SK Film Adaptations. Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith in "The Dead Zone" gave a fantastic performance. Most of the SK movies have not lived up to his novels but there have been a few exceptions, "The Stand," "Stand By Me," "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption." I missed "Bag of Bones" but the book was frightening. Also loved "The Dreamcatcher" novel while the movie was found wanting. Need I say – This is just the humble opinion of someone who has read and owns all of SK novels and short stories. I have been waiting for "The Mist” to come to the big screen for almost 30 years. Hope I will not be too disappointed. If you have not, please read "Mrs. Todd's Shortcuts” and “Quitters, Inc.” These are both great short stories that I think will make awesome movies.
Hey overton, I am a big fan of King and own pretty much all of his novels and short stories. I quit buying them around the time of From a Buick 8 only because he has started churning them out in what seems like an effort only to cash in rather than write good stories.
However, I agree with you on "Dreamcatcher" I actually liked that book as well, but we had to know it would never translate well over to film… Really imaginative stories never really seem to work onscreen, it is no one's fault really, just some things are always going to be better in someone's head.
I will be interested to hear what you think of "The Mist" and as far as King stories I would like to see on the big screen, "Dolan's Cadillac" is a big one and of course "The Dark Tower" series, but those are probably best left as novels.
This list is spot on. I a King's fan, and Shwashank is my FAVORITE movie of all times.
I'd replace:
Pet Semetary
The Dark Half
with:
Stand By Me
Apt Pupil
I thought that the 2007 version of "The Mist", was actually really good! I can't stand most of the King film adaptations, but the ending of the mist was ledgendary!
Am I the only person who can't stand "The shining" as a film. I utterly adored the book, it literally made my heart race, yet the film is just over the top. And there is too much over acting from everyone!
DOUCHE
SORRY THAT WAS MEANT TOUCHE!