Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations Part II 1-5
by Ashish Thomas
Dark Tower Movie reviews have been less than stellar, it seems more Stephen King movies are closer to Dark Tower than the Shining. It seems that phenomenal Stephen King adaptations are rare we look at the 10 Best. Part I of the article with 6-10 is here
5. Christine
A Kid by the name of Arnold “Arnie” Cunningham with his friend Dennis Guilder on the way home from home see a 1958 Plymouth Fury parked behind a house. The Owner Ronald D LeBay a man with a back brace sells the car to Arnold for 250 dollars. Unfortunately for Arnie, the Car is possessed, and Arnie becomes obsessed with the Car. As Arnie continued to change becoming more obsessed and possessed the car becomes sentient and starts fixing itself and dangerous. Eventually, the Car kills Arnie and continues to stalk Dennis and Arnie’s Ex Girlfriend.
A horror movie classic among horror fans it’s truly horrifying from the amazing John Carpenter.
4. Stand By Me
Stand by Me is based on the short story The Body from the collection Different Seasons.
Stand by Me tells the story of 4 boys Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio as they set out to see the body of a boy named Ray Brower who disappeared from Chamberlain Maine. The boys go on an adventure of a lifetime as they try to find the body and come to grips of living with abusive families in Castle Rock, Maine
In an Interview with Rolling Stone Stephen King said
When it came to a question about what he considers the best big-screen adaptation of one of his books, King didn’t hesitate.
“Probably ‘Stand By Me,'” King said. “I thought it was true to the book, and because it had the emotional gradient of the story. It was moving. I think I scared … (director) Rob Reiner. He showed it to me in the screening room at the Beverly Hills Hotel. … And you have to remember that the movie was made on a shoestring. It was supposed to be one of those things that opened in six theaters and then maybe disappeared. And instead, it went viral. When the movie was over, I hugged him because I was moved to tears, because it was so autobiographical.”
He continued: “But ‘Stand By Me,’ ‘Shawshank Redemption,’ ‘Green Mile’ are all really great ones. ‘Misery’ is a great film. ‘Delores Claiborne’ is a really, really good film. ‘Cujo’ is terrific.”
The Cast features a who’s who of famous actors early in their careers (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell)
Another Classic movie directed by Rob Reiner.
3. Carrie
Carrie tells the story of Carrie White, a girl who is bullied and considered a misfit is developing telekinetic powers to get revenge on the people who tormented her.
One of the most favorite scenes in horror movie history is in this film. The original is still truly terrifying horror classic starring Sissy Spacek directed by Brian De Palma. The remake is not as great as the original. Fun fact about the many original actors were auditioning for Carrie auditioned for Star Wars A New Hope. Amy Irving who was cast in Carrie was almost cast as Princess Leia (Source the Wrap)
2. Misery
Misery tells the story of Paul Sheldon, the author of popular author of Victorian Romance Novels starring Misery Chastain. He just finished writing a new book when on an impulse decides to drive to LA from his hotel in Colorado. Unfortunately for Paul he has an accident and is rescued by Annie Wilkes. Annie is a fan who ends up taking care of Paul helping him recover from his injuries. Although Annie appears altruistic, she is Paul’s number one fan who wants Paul to write a new Misery novel or else he will never leave. Annie is deranged and forces Paul to write a new Misery novel. In the course of events, Annie kills a state trooper and Maims Paul. Paul finishes the manuscript but knows that if he gives it to her, she will kill him. So he devises a plan and can fight her off. Annie dies from the fight, and Paul lives on.
Misery is a horror film and frightened me as a kid from writing. Shit, I should stop writing or Annie might get….
1. Shawshank Redemption
Shawshank Redemption is based on the book Rita Heyward and Shawshank Redemption.
It tells the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) a man convicted of killing his wife and her lover. Andy is sentenced to two life sentences at Shawshank Penitentiary. At the prison, Andy befriends another inmate Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman) serving a life sentence become friends. Andy is subject to beating from the gang the sisters in prison. Red procures for Andy a rock hammer and a poster of Rita Heyward more on that later.
Over the course of events the prison Guard and Warden find out Andy is good with Finances, and Andy works for the Warden in his money laundering scheme as Randall Stephens. Andy is placed by the warden to work in the Prison library to assist an elderly inmate.
Red and Andy’s friendship grows a man named Tommy Williams comes to the prison Andy, and Red help him pass his GED. Tommy tells Andy and Red he was wrongfully convicted. Andy tells the warden who doesn’t listen and has Tommy killed.
Andy is released from solitary confinement after two months and tells Red of his dream of living in Zihuatanejo, a Mexican coastal town. Red feels Andy is being unrealistic but promises Andy that if he is ever released, he will visit a specific hayfield near Buxton, Maine, and retrieve a package Andy buried there. He worries about Andy’s well-being, especially when he learns Andy asked another inmate to supply him with six feet of Rope.
Andy escapes the prison retrieves the money from the Money laundering scheme as Randall Stephens and turns the Warden and the prison officers in for money laundering.
After 43 years Red is released retrieves the package which contains money and a letter. Red and Andy reunite after Red goes to Zihuatanejo Mexico.
One of three Stephen King films directed by Frank Darabont. (The Green Mile, The Mist, and The Shawshank Redemption)
Stephen King on Shawshank Redemption
When I first saw it, I realized he’d made not just one of the best movies ever done from my work, but a potential movie classic. That turned out to be the case, but he continued working almost up to the moment the film was released.
“I hate Tim [Robbins’s] makeup,” he fretted as we watched the last scene. “It looks too liquid, or something. I need to fix that.”
“Frank,” I said, “people aren’t going to notice the makeup because they’ll be crying.”
Frank is mostly right, but that time I was. He’s gone on to make other great films, two from my work, I’m happy to say, but Shawshank is its own thing–an American icon–, and I’m delighted to have been a part of it.
So that’s our list of the Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations.
What’s your favorite Stephen King Movie Adaptation?
