"IT" is coming in less than a week and I went back and took a look at all the flicks I could. It took a while, but now I'm here and I'd like to share with you some of my favorites. Let me know what yours are down at the bottom.
#10 -- Storm of the Century (1999)
Written exclusively for the small screen by King himself, 'Storm of the Century' manages to provide high tension and thrills all with a small budget and a cast of talented actors and crew. An old mysterious man arrives in a coastal town and after that shit starts hitting the fan. I'm not sure why King did not produce this as a novel first, as it's pretty damn good but at least it manages to stray away from the usual problems that plague a television film based on King's work and stands as likely the best TV movie he's been involved with.
#09 -- The Dark Half (1993)
In all honesty, this George Romero adaptation is not as faithful to the novel as many fans would have liked but it still holds up rather well and is one of Romero's last strong efforts. 'The Dark Half' is one of if not my favorite novel by King because it's one I feel is one of his most personal, a dark insight into the man himself as a writer and the idea of himself revealing a darker side and going too far is one of the most engaging ideas for a story I've read and it's inspired me in my writing deeply. Romero's film keeps this theme well enough and the dark visuals for the most part are kept intact. While many of the more philosophical ideas and supernatural themes are somewhat downplayed throughout, I think 'The Dark Half' still manages to come out the other end strong.
#08 --Creepshow (1982)
'Creepshow' is one of the best horror movies in the genre let alone a great Stephen King film. Inspired by 'Tales from the Crypt' comic books from the early 1950's 'Creepshow' takes this inspiration to the extreme from the garish color scheme and even shooting the film with comic panels, special lighting and background effects during a moment of terror or intensity, and the fun camp found in these pulp kiddie books of the time. It's the biggest love letter to those old tales and its all thanks to George A. Romero and Stephen King's brilliant writing and directing. King himself even makes an appearance in my personal favorite segment 'The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill'. If you've never seen 'Creepshow' grab some fast food, some booze, and a group of friends and like the tagline promises 'It's the most fun you'll have being scared'.
#07 -- Needful Things (1996)
A film that I feel deserves much more attention and a lot more love is 'Needful Things'. Not only is it one of my favorite novels, it's inspired pop culture since its publication including an entire episode of 'Rick & Morty'. Ed Harris plays a sheriff in the town of Castle Rock and yes, the town was in fact created by Stephen King. Anyway, things get out of hand in Castle Rock when an elderly man arrives and opens a store named well..'Needful Things' of course. Max Von Sydow does his usual excellent job here as the devilish owner and Harris shows off the beginnings of his eventual award winning career. Throw in some excellent dark humor and the over the top tone of the film and you've got a great black comedy that every King fan should check out.
#06 --The Dead Zone (1983)
It's odd how a lot of fans of David Cronenberg seem to overlook this little gem based on an early novel by King. It may be due to its far less extreme tone when compared to 'Scanners' or 'Videodrome' but I feel 'The Dead Zone' was the first film that showed his range which we now see in films such as 'A History of Violence' and 'Eastern Promises'. For being a story about a man with psychic powers, Cronenberg goes for a subtle and slow burn thriller and delivers and with Christopher Walken's strong performance I consider this film to be a classic. Oh, and be sure to check out the USA Network series with Anthony Michael Hall as it provides a really good time too.
#05 -- Carrie (1976)
Even after 41 years, 'Carrie' holds up surprisingly strong. Brian DePalma has sadly seemed to have vanished from the spotlight, but there's no denying his contribution to the film industry and 'Carrie' is one of his first, but also one of his best. Sissy Spacek deserves all the praise she got at the time as her portrayal of Carrie White has us so drawn into the movie that we can't help but feel for her, even when she becomes violent and a hazard to those around her. Her performance made me like her and want to help her escape from the torment she had to endure. Sadly, we know that is never meant to be and in the end that strong ending is what stays with you and that's great storytelling and great filmmaking.
#04 -- Pet Sematary (1989)
#03 -- The Shining (1980)
"What?! Only number three?! What kind of blasphemy is this?!" you might be saying through your monitor. I didn't say 'Best' did I? I said my favorite and while I love 'The Shining' a lot more than many King fans it's far from a casual watch for me. In fact, this movie can be somewhat of a chore unless you're in the mood for it. Often times I'll find myself putting it on, only to quickly shut it down after about twenty minutes or so. It's a film that requires your full attention, but when it has it man its a hell of an experience and like all of Kubrick's work, there's truly nothing else like it. Yes, I know its not accurate to the novel in many ways, but while the 1999 television remake did follow the novel closer, it was mediocre at best so in the end do you want accuracy? Or do you want excellence? I choose the latter.
#02 -- Secret Window (2004)
The adaptation that sparked my initial interest in all things writing, 'Secret Window' may not be even close to the best but it's strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. Johnny Depp has sadly fallen far off the rails as of late, but before his second wave with the 'Pirates' film series he starred in this small little picture about a depressed and isolated author who becomes harassed by a southern man who claims he plagiarized him, leading to deadly consequences for both. The film has all the best aspects of a Stephen King story and David Keopp's screenplay keeps those strengths intact for the most part. What I really love about 'Secret Window' is the ballsy ending which I won't spoil here but like 'The Mist' it's a much stronger one than the novella's and was a welcome change. If you haven't seen 'Secret Window' in a while or at all I recommend it highly especially if you're a Johnny Depp or Stephen King fan.
#01 -- Misery (1990)
The only Stephen King film to win an Academy Award (Kathy Bates for Best Actress) 'Misery' has director Rob Reiner return after the equally excellent 'Stand By Me' for 'Misery' a top five novel by King as well as my favorite of his films. Kathy Bates deserved every single bit of praise she got and deserved that gold statue as she's absolutely intense here. This is still her strongest role to date and while I love her films, nothing still quite tops this. Even James Caan, who usually plays the heavy in most films does so well here and really against type. You feel for him and really want him to get out of this situation, hopefully with all of his parts intact. William Goldman's screenplay is one of the most accurate to the novel's and brings all the intensity to the silver screen and sits as the final puzzle piece to what I consider not just my favorite Stephen King film, but his absolute best film.
Thanks for reading guys and be sure to check back here for my review of the new film 'IT' this weekend. Keep reading on and be sure to like, comment, or whatever.
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