Stephen King's books have been adapted to film or television over 100 times, making
him the all-time "King" of adaptations from a living author's work.
But while some adaptations of his works rank among the most beloved films of all time,
others are hardly worth remembering at all.
To help you parse out the good from the bad, here's a list of the 10 worst and 10 best
Stephen King adaptations so far, not in any particular order, but starting with the ones
that probably don't deserve your time.
Cell
Nine years after appearing together in 1408 — which we'll be talking about much later
— John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson reunited for Cell.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a reunion really worth having.
The plot centers on Clay Riddell, a man who's determined to reunite with his son after a
malevolent electronic signal turns cell phone users into mindless killers.
Along the way, he teams up with train driver Tom McCourt in order to better their chances
of survival.
While the novel was generally well-received for it's technophobic take on the zombie trope,
the movie suffered a far less positive fate.
It stunk.
Graveyard Shift
1990's Graveyard Shift still stands as one of the worst King adaptations.
In a Maine textile mill where a drifter has taken a job, several overnight employees have
died, and the egomaniacal foreman sends the drifter — and others — down into the basement
to investigate.
King's short story didn't translate well to the screen.
The saving grace of the film is a crazy exterminator played by Brad…
"This place is infested."
"That might be the understatement of the year."
...but even that's not enough to save this movie.
Thinner
Despite having excellent source material, Tom Holland's 1990 adaptation of Thinner just
couldn't pull it off.
When an obese and morally bankrupt lawyer Billy Halleck accidentally runs over and kills
a gypsy woman, he uses his court connections to get off the hook.
The woman's elderly father takes revenge by placing a curse upon Halleck, one which soon
has him uncontrollably losing weight to the point of emaciation.
The premise is definitely scary, but the effect falls flat on the big screen — especially
when we're confronted with the actor in a terribly fake latex fat suit that only gets
slightly less hilarious as he sheds the pounds.
Maximum Overdrive
Stephen King himself stepped behind the lens for the 1986 adaptation of his own Maximum
Overdrive.
"It was my first picture as a director, and you know something?
I sort of enjoyed it!"
Others, however, did not.
The movie puts Earth in the tail of a comet, after which once-inert machines suddenly come
to life and go on a murderous rampage against humans.
"Look out!"
[Screaming]
At a truck stop, a bland protagonist played by Emilio Estevez and an odd assortment of
other unremarkable characters settle in to wait out the living trucks that have them
pinned down inside.
While Maximum Overdrive does have a killer soundtrack from AC/DC and a few neat shots
peppered throughout, the movie is still a maximum dud.
Needful Things
Although the novel Needful Things is a favorite among King fans, the 1993 film adaptation
of the story might leave audiences ready to sell their own souls to the Devil just to
get it over with.
Set in Castle Rock, Maine, Needful Things follows a character named Leland Gaunt opening
an antiques store called — you guessed it — Needful Things.
Many of the town's residents soon find their hearts' desires fulfilled by the store's items
— some of which have a distinctly supernatural bent.
But Gaunt's prices are nearly too good to be true.
Rather than heaps of cash, Gaunt just wants the townspeople to play pranks on eachother
… but those small misdeeds end up igniting some intense rivalries, and things turn violent
very quickly.
"We're having fun now."
If that sounds like an intriguing story, that's because it is.
King's written version of Needful Things is certainly worthy of your time.
But the movie's failure to translate the character development of the many players involved renders
this movie a total wash.
At least we got a pretty great Rick and Morty episode out of it:
"A typewriter that generates best-selling murder mysteries, and then makes the murders
happen in real life?
Woooooo!"
"Be quiet."
The Mangler
Tobe Hooper's 1994 adaptation of King's short story The Mangler somehow spawned two sequels,
but the original was not actually very good.
The movie stars Freddie Kreuger actor Robert Englund as sinister laundry-service owner
whose machine has been possessed by a demon that's been activated by the presence of blood...and
over-the-counter antacids.
Yes, really.
The original short story was pretty threadbare to begin with, but the movie completely ignored
the opportunity to make a campy pic that pokes fun at itself.
Instead, we're left with a ridiculous and gory flick that goes on way too long and takes
itself much too seriously.
Riding the Bullet
When King published his 2000 novella Riding the Bullet, it was generally well-received
by critics and made history as the first mass-distributed e-book.
The story follows Alan Parker, a neurotic and depressed college student whose obsession
with worst-case scenarios nearly drives him to suicide.
After receiving news that his mother has had a stroke, Parker decides to hitchhike so he
can reach her before she passes.
But instead of culminating in an exciting thrill ride, the movie renders the journey
completely boring.
Add this to your skip list.
Dreamcatcher
Even Stephen King didn't completely love his 2001 novel Dreamcatcher, but the resulting
movie was even worse.
The film follows four lifelong friends — who have psychic powers, of course — on a winter
hunting trip to upstate Maine.
They soon find themselves caught between invading aliens and the U.S. military forces trying
to contain them.
Thomas Jane, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, and Jason Lee do fine work as the friends,
but Morgan Freeman falls flat as an overzealous commander with ridiculously distracting eyebrows.
What results is an overly long, free-associating mess of a movie that could have been much
better if it'd just stuck to one tone.
The Lawnmower Man
If you're a fan of this short story from King's 1978 collection Night Shift, don't be fooled
by Brett Leonard's 1992 film The Lawnmower Man — it's an adaptation in name only.
Other than the title and a single scene, the movie bears little resemblance to the source
material.
Instead of a nutty little tale about a lawn mowing service gone horribly wrong, the film
steals from the short story Flowers for Algernon and Mary Shelly's Frankenstein for its mish-mashed
plot.
The movie centers on a doctor who chooses a mentally impaired greenskeeper to be the
subject of his experiments in intelligence-boosting via virtual reality and a drug cocktail.
Follow King's lead on this one, and give the lousy story of The Lawnmower Man a hard pass.
The Night Flier
The Night Flier stays fairly true to King's original short story, but that doesn't mean
that this 1997 adaptation is actually a good movie.
Miguel Ferrer plays tabloid reporter Richard Dees, who attempts to hunt down a serial killer
who uses a small aircraft to travel from town to town — leaving a grisly trail of victims
in his wake.
Dees soon finds that this is no ordinary criminal, and must also deal with a competing reporter
who's trying her hardest to steal his scoop.
While the short story's version of Dees was an unlikeable cynic who finds his worldview
shaken, the movie's script and Ferrer's flat performance makes Dees a complete jerk with
no redeeming qualities.
If you decide to watch The Night Flier, you'll probably find yourself rooting for the bad
guys to win before it's all said and done.
Now that we've gotten through the shlock, here are the best Stephen King adaptations
so far.
Carrie
For over 40 years, Brian De Palma's 1976 adaptation of Carrie has remained a classic.
Released just two years after the book's publication, Carrie was the first adaptation of a Stephen
King work, and it's still arguably the best.
Featuring Sissy Spacek in the title role, this supernatural tale sets the hook of suspense
and reels in the viewer without remorse.
Spacek is at turns ethereal and terrifying as Carrie, and Piper Laurie delivers a commanding
performance as her oppressive mother Margaret.
Even though it's a little dated today, the original vision of Carrie still holds up as
a must-watch Stephen King movie.
Stand By Me
Unlike many King adaptations, Stand By Me is more coming-of-age drama than horror.
Based on King's semi-autobiographical short story The Body, it follows four adolescent
boys in a small Oregon town who embark on a journey to find the corpse of a missing
boy.
Thanks to the off-screen friendship forged by actors Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Jerry
O'Connell, and Corey Feldman, the authenticity of the characters' connection was incredibly
real.
Stand By Me remains a classic today, and even those who don't like horror films can enjoy
this Stephen King story.
The Dead Zone
David Cronenberg's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone remains a more accessible
movie than King's more horrific works.
The story focuses on Johnny Smith, a man who wakes up from a coma to discover he has unexplained
psychic powers, and finds himself on a collision course with destiny during a pivotal election.
It's a masterpiece of thrilling and suspenseful storytelling that strings viewers along before
the final climactic scene.
The Shawshank Redemption
Although it registered very little impact in theaters upon its release, director Frank
Darabont's 1994 prison drama The Shawshank Redemption has gone on to become one of the
best-loved films of the last 30 years.
The movie tells the story of two prisoners serving life sentences at the Shawshank State
Penitentiary, who become dear friends despite their difficult circumstances.
Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the lead roles, The Shawshank Redemption is
a gritty tale with a lot of heart and plot points that transcend the generations.
The Shining
"All work and no play" might make Jack a dull boy, but The Shining most certainly isn't
dull.
Stanley Kubrick's 1980 version of The Shining still stands as one of the most beloved King
adaptations, even if the author didn't care for it himself.
The movie follows writer Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and their young son Danny as they
travel to Colorado to become the winter caretakers of the opulent — and haunted — Overlook
Hotel.
Danny's psychic abilities allow him to see the terrifying past of the Overlook, and his
troubled father's inner demons are exploited by the spirits still haunting the hotel.
The tale deviates significantly from the source material, in both characterization and storyline.
Nevertheless, The Shining continues to be a favorite among horror lovers.
Misery
A psychological thriller directed by Rob Reiner about fan obsession gone horribly wrong, 1990's
Misery was a critical and commercial success that launched Kathy Bates' career — and
for good reason.
The plot follows romance author Paul Sheldon as he wakes up from a car accident to find
himself in the care of a superfan named Annie Wilkes.
"You and I were meant to be together forever."
When Wilkes learns that Sheldon has killed off her favorite character in his latest novel,
things start to get grim, and there are some scenes of torment that won't soon be forgotten
or forgiven by fans of this film.
The Green Mile
Director Frank Darabont returned to the King library for another prison drama with 1999's
The Green Mile, starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan.
This flashback film is told from the perspective of Paul Edgecomb, who recounts supernatural
events he experienced as a corrections officer after a very special prisoner arrived on death
row at the Cold Mountain Penitentiary.
It's a soulful and thoughtful movie which will leave most viewers profoundly affected
after the credits roll.
Dolores Claiborne
Kathy Bates returned to the world of Stephen King when she appeared in the 1995 psychological
thriller Dolores Claiborne, based on the novel of the same name and directed by Taylor Hackford.
The film follows the tale of a domestic servant who's accused of murdering her elderly employer.
It's a harrowing and suspenseful tale that will keep audiences guessing until the end.
1408
In the 2007 psychological horror film 1408, John Cusack does what he does best: he plays
a cynic with love problems.
Starring as Mike Enslin, a skeptical author who decides to check into a notoriously haunted
hotel room in order to investigate it, he's joined by Samuel L. Jackson as hotel manager
Gerald Olin.
What follows is a tense and terrifying descent into Enslin's psyche.
Although it's definitely not on the level of The Shining, 1408 is still a satisfying
and scary haunted hotel effort that manages to generate genuine thrills without relying
on bucketfuls of gore.
It
The feature film debut of It smashed all sorts of records on its opening weekend and for
good reason: it's a very decent adaptation of one of King's most prized books.
The 1990 TV mini-series successfully translated the scares of the novel as well, but its budgeted
special effects and bloated acting moments have kept that version from aging well in
the years since.
The new version of It, however, is much sharper and more intense, and also presents the heart
and wit of the novel's characters.
Scary clowns might be a cultural phenomenon that makes Pennywise a timely terror, but
count on this one to be more than just a flash-in-the-pan favorite.
"You'll float too.
You'll float too.
You'll float too, you'll float too, you'll float too!"
Thanks for watching!
Click the Looper icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Plus check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!
For more infomation >> Peugeot 2008 ALLLURE 1.6 eHDI-115pk NAVI TREKHAAK CLIMATE PARKSENSOREN V/A - Duration: 0:59. 
For more infomation >> (AT) Originálna prednáška Bruna Gröninga - Duration: 10:10. 
For more infomation >> Lovelace partners with Ronald McDonald House to help families - Duration: 0:43. 
For more infomation >> Warren Buffett speaks at Purpose Built Communities Conference - Duration: 1:54. 
For more infomation >> Review de Carbon Coco, blanqueamiento natural de dientes! (English Subtitles Available) - Duration: 8:05. 
For more infomation >> Mainly clear, pleasant - Duration: 3:07. 
For more infomation >> (AT) Šokujúce varovanie!!! Každý má strach, keď sa hovorí o týchto udalostiach 2017/2018 - Duration: 1:44:38. 
For more infomation >> Show teaching how to survive disaster scenarios shooting at KCI - Duration: 1:54. 
For more infomation >> JobsNOW: Nursing field offers different paths, great job outlook - Duration: 1:51. 
For more infomation >> Assignment: Education - Could La Crosse schools become neighborhood hubs? - Duration: 4:10. 
For more infomation >> Minecraft - Trung Thu Lên Cung Trăng Kiếm Chú Cụi [Command Block 1.11] - Duration: 21:25. 
For more infomation >> Peugeot 308 1.6 HDI 120pk Allure/ Lederen interieur/ Stoelmassage/ Denon sound/ Panoramadak/ Full le - Duration: 1:00. 
For more infomation >> Volvo V70 2.4D Momentum Navi Leder 17 Inch - Duration: 0:54. 
For more infomation >> Renault Captur 1.2 TCe Intens, Automaat, Nw Model, Navi, Camera, R-link, etc - Duration: 0:59. 
For more infomation >> 仮面ライダービルド 創動 BUILD1 【バンダイ食玩】（cc）"BANDAI CANDYTOY KAMENRIDER BUILD SO-DO BUILD1 review" - Duration: 12:51. 
For more infomation >> Bishop Noel Jones October 1...
For more infomation >> Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TDI BLM Navi airco cruise dec-2012 Specialist VW Polo - Duration: 1:01. 
For more infomation >> BlackList essence of negotiations Tango Clip - Duration: 1:19. 
For more infomation >> O que eles tramam as nem tanto escondidas - Duration: 3:36. 
For more infomation >> 10 exercices qui sont plus efficaces pour brûler la graisse que courir - Santé 365 - Duration: 6:57. 
For more infomation >> Cohn: I'm here for the tax reform - Duration: 1:23. 
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét