List by Hollie Horror Pro
Written/Inspired/Adapted by and from Stephen King's Brain
I always feel like I have to defend myself when I say I'm a fan of Stephen King. Like, people think you're shitty if you enjoy reading his books or watching the films based on his work because they, themselves, are so evolved and "true bibliophiles" and if you read Stephen King you're an idiot with no literary taste. This is where I say "Fuck you." Get off your high horse and leave King fans alone. At least I'm reading something other than the internet, that says a lot for me personally. I'm not well-educated when it comes to authors, works of fiction, etc, etc, I have a short spectrum of what I enjoy reading: Stephen King, true crime novels, books about movies, trashy Sookie Stackhouse books, Harry Potter, Lovecraft, occassional Jack Ketchum, Barker and Richard Laymon. I don't really expand on that much because I'm stubborn and I like what I like! Although I once read a Poppy Z. Brite book and when I was done I threw it in the garbage. I've obviously read some classics when I was in high school that I enjoyed but wouldn't go out of my way to read on my own. So, now that I'm done with my little defensive, uneducated, belligerent temper-tantrum let's be done with it.
I wouldn't be signed up for letterboxd and flooding your activity feed with random lists if I didn't love movies. I often give a little nod to Stephen King when it comes to that because the first movie memory I have is of Creepshow 2. I also watched Stephen King adaptations on TV in the early 90s when they originally aired and I started reading his books around that same time and I've read a majority of his work over the years. I LOVE The Dark Tower series so, so much and I will leave it at that and spare you all of the sentimental stuff.
In reading much of his work I've also watched a majority of the films based on King's work. In this list I've included all of the movies and mini-series I've seen. There are still a few missing that I've been meaning to get to: Quicksilver Highway, Bag of Bones, Dolores Claiborne to name a few.
While it's fantastic that Stephen King has Frank Darabondt it's NOT fantastic that he has this red-headed step-child Mick Garris.
I've ranked this list to the best of my ability from favorite to least. I'm ranking the movies on the movies themselves, not the original stories from whence they came (if that was the case Kubrick's Shining would be near the bottom and I would be giving some serious love to The Stand).
If you're still reading at this point, please, share with me your thoughts on these films and how you'd rank them. Are you a fan of his novels and short stories too?
Another horror author I enjoy is Brian Lumley. His Necroscope series in particular. You might like it.
I want to say I've had that author recommended to me before, I will definitely look into his work! I've read some Edward Lee but he's a bit too "goth" for me, like Poppy Z. Brite.
Stephen King's value to literature and film can never be overstated. His writing is concise, impeccably detailed, often hilarious and universal. King's only literary crime is that his books, stories and essays are immensely entertaining and not the slightest bit esoteric.
My mom bought Carrie when it was released so Stephen King was always around when I grew up. I saw the original mini series of Salem's Lot when it aired. I was about 5 and I lived in Connecticut at the time on the second floor of my family's house. So needless to say I was fucking terrified to look out that window when I went to bed. I think the first book I read was Cycle of the Werewolf. It was while I was at summer camp and I can still remember specific passages.
"Misery" is one of my all time favorite books, period. "Pet Sematary" is up there, as is "The Danse Macabre" and "The Stand." I don't like all of it. I cannot do the Dark Tower series, as much as I tried, and I hated "It." I pick up a King book every now and then but the impact he has made on me, and everyone, as a fan of fiction, movies and writing, is immeasurable.
AS far as the movies go.....
My top 10 in no particular order
The Mist - minimalist horror.
Creepshow - wickedly funny and unashamedly gory.
Misery - I always thought this would make a great play. at the very least, it is a sinister dance.
The Dead Zone - Great performance from Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen.
Salem's Lot 1979 - Creepy and has that polluted late '70s look.
Needful Things - Great ensemble
Children of the Corn - Vicious and chilling.
The Running Man - I know it is wildly different from the novella but it's satire is uncomfortably accurate.
Cat's Eye - Very funny and quite mean spirited, for a pg-13 flick. Alan King was such a dick in that film.
I don't know if you caught Riding the Bullet but it is strangely watchable.
And, of course, Silver Bullet. Duh! Sad reminder of both Cory Haim and Gary Busey's talent.
"So needless to say I was fucking terrified to look out that window when I went to bed. " Oh yes, I know I was TERRIFIED of a vampire flying up to and knocking on my window as a child (and adult).
How far have you gotten into the Dark Tower series? I always tell everyone that if it's just the Gunslinger just get through it!! King wrote it when he was about 19 and you can tell, it's very, very different from the rest of the books in the series. For a King fan it's so important to read those books because they tie in SO many other characters from other stories (speaking of Salem's Lot, Pere Callahan is a major character in the DT series).
Just "The Gunslinger." And my mom and my best friend have said the exact same thing. I know it includes tie-ins. And I knew he was 19 when he wrote the first one. I will give it another go.
Just skip the Gunslinger and go straight to The Drawing of the Three!
Dreamcatcher = horrible movie, but it was one of the more entertaining Stephen King books I have read. I love how King can take something from a genre like sci-fi and completely turn it on it's head.
Yeah, I agree, I was really disappointed with the Dreamcatcher adaptation because I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The bathroom fiasco has been burned into my memory.
Cannot like this one enough, I'm a huge Stephen King fan and his work basically introduced me to horror when I was a kid.