10 Great Stephen King Adaptations

Stephen King was born on the 21st of September, 1947 in Portland, Maine in the U.S.A. Growing up in the 50s and 60s, King has often showcased his love for Bob Dylan not only through his incredible comments on songs such as "Shelter from the Storm" but also through references in his books (such as the title to his book "From a Buick 8" is a play on the title of the Bob Dylan song "From a Buick 6").

Possibly the greatest horror writer to ever live, we are basically living through a moment of history that others will look back on and think of with fondness. Horror fans everywhere have delighted in his tales and more than often, they have scared us to death. Tons of his books have since been adapted into films, TV shows, Netflix Originals and more with some receiving more than one adaptation. Personally, there are ones I like more than others and so, I'd like to go through the best adaptations of a Stephen King novel.

Your opinions may differ from mine...

10 Great Stephen King Adaptations (in my opinion)

10. Doctor Sleep (2019)

A brilliant movie that I watched in the cinema pretty much on the night it came out (yes, I go to the movies at night). It made a good attempt to continue on from “The Shining” whilst also trying to retain itself as its own movie. More of a fantasy than a horror, this film really tried to tie up the loose ends in a similar way to the book. I would argue, however, the book was far more menacing than the film was. The film felt like more of a love letter to the movie before it.

9. Secret Window (2004)

Johnny Depp did brilliantly in this film, I thought. I know a lot of people did not particularly enjoy this film but it is based on one of my favourite Stephen King short stories “Secret Window, Secret Garden”. I thought that the story was very clever and when I first read it, I had no idea there was a movie about it already (I must have been about twelve so this was only a couple of years after the film had actually come out). A brilliant rainy day movie, I believe.

8. It (2017)

Personally, I prefer the Tim Curry version but this one is good too. I felt that this one was more supernatural than the Tim Curry one - Tim Curry was just terrifying in that film. However, I do feel like this new version pays more attention to atmosphere than the older one. There is far more waiting, far more tension and far more attention paid to timing. All in all, I think this movie is an enjoyable experience though, I have not been frightened by anything apart from a real clown in a very long time.

7. Gerald's Game (2017)

I watched this when everyone was out of the house and I was the only one at home. I put it on and thought ‘hey, I’ve read the book to this, I hope it’s good…’ and then that Sam Cooke song starts to play. It’s almost eerie because no matter how wholesome Sam Cooke is, he isn’t going to be able to save what is about to happen next. Brilliantly made, I thought that this film was a real masterpiece of streaming cinema.

6. Carrie (1976)

The 1976 one is the only one that matters, the newer one could not hold a candle to the terror that the 70s one inflicted. There is something about Sissy Spacek’s performance as Carrie that will always be timeless and ominous - it haunts you after the movie is over. Her stare, the attention she pays to the details of her character and her violent outbursts of rebellion against her mother - they all make for a brilliant movie.

5. 1922 (2017)

I remember watching this on Netflix whilst I was eating my lunch and again, at home by myself. It was one of those movies where you feel like something bad is going to happen from the beginning. There’s a real southern gothic vibe to it, almost like that painting by Grant Wood, “American Gothic”. It is so rural and far out that even the location can give you the shivers. A great mood setter for an unwinding evening.

4. Stand by Me (1986)

Based on the Stephen King story “The Body”, this film was basically one of those films that defines a generation. It was a brilliant movie packed with themes of growing up and self-discovery alongside the terror in the fact that young boys find a dead body. It was a thrill to watch when I was younger and it is still great to watch now.

3. Misery (1990)

Based on the book entitled “Misery” this book became one of those movies that prompted everyone everywhere to give up writing because they didn’t want to end up like James Caan in the movie. Anyways, I find it odd that somebody in Kathy Bates’ shoes would have the same name as me but hey, what are we going to do? I adore this movie and have seen it countless times and it still has the same impact it did back when I watched it for the first time.

2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Obviously, we could not leave out the film that has been called one of the greatest films ever made. A story of a man seeking redemption whilst in prison, I always thought that this had a "Green Mile" feeling to it too. I think people often forget that this is, in fact, a film made from a Stephen King book because it doesn't contain killer clowns or home invasions of the sort. It is truly a wonderful movie.

1. The Shining (1980)

The adaptation of his book that Stephen King himself famously hated - Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining". I have written countless essays and papers and articles about this movie and every time I see it, I still discover something new, something I didn't know before. I feel like the book can still terrify the hell out of you, but really this is the movie that made it famous for generations of people to follow.