Stephen King Movie Adaptations

[morebooks4me]

Just wondering how many of you out there typically watch Stephen King's movies after you read the books? I find that I either love them or hate them. It seems that they are either really great blockbusters or total B-rated movies.

I loved The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, Pet Semetary, The Shining, Carrie, Delores Claiborne, Secret Window and 1408.

I hated The Graveyard Shift, Storm of the Century, The Mist, Thinner, Rose Red, and Misery.

What do you guys think of his movies?

[victorian.noire]

I like some of his books, but those that i like are some of my favorite books. i would agree that its either a really big hit, or an epic fail when it comes to adaptations.... i absolutely loved the book 'dreamcatcher' but the movie is painful to watch, but the green mile is one of my favorite books and movies.

at this point, i am hoping that they dont try to make any more of his books into movies unless he writes the screen play. i dont think i could handle any more failure on that front...(though if he did lisey's story, that would be amazing!)

[The Mythwriter]

I've seen The Shining, Rose Red and Storm of the Century, though I've only read The Shining. I didn't particularly care for any of the films, The Shining adaptation disappointed me somewhat. I think I expected too much based on the book. And the others... well they play regularly on late night Sci-Fi channel, what does that tell you?

[StephenKingman]

I loved Misery, The Green Mile, Apt Pupil, The Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me, Carrie, Dolores Claiborne, IT and The Stand. All these films were faithful to the literary adaptation and Misery even won two Oscars. It's tricky to translate the unique sense of dread that King evokes in his novels to the screen but when they got it right, they really got it right.

On the other hand, every author is entitled to a few terrible books and in the case of Stephen King, i HATED The Tommyknockers, both the book and movie. Sluggish pace, confusing storyline and very labored in places, it was definitely his worst book in my opinion and the movie added insult to injury with some woeful acting. The Shining movie left me cold as Kubrick cut at least 50% of the story away and tacked on a very weak ending. Books like Bag of Bones, Pet Cemetery and Christine are also very poor and the films of Pet Cemetery and Christine were lacking.

I was most surprised by how good the tv adaptation of The Stand was. Obviously a 3 hour movie could never do justice to King's 1000+ page tour de force, so the story was split for a mini-series which totalled over 9 hours in length. Some parts of the book had to be trimmed away but by and large, the sense of terror and isolation captured by the book translates perfectly.

Many more stories could still be adapted into movies as King has a huge back collection of literature that would make great movies.

[Woodland Nymph]

I know Stephen King doesn't like it, but I'm obsessed with the movie version of The Shining with Jack Nicholson. I think it's fantastic. I've also loved the movie version of It ever since I was young, although it's quite different from the book.

I'm also a fan of the movie versions of: Carrie, The Green Mile, Misery, 1408, and Stand by Me.

The movie version of Christine is okay. Pet Cemetery used to frighten me as a child, but now I find it slightly on the dull side.

[StephenKingman]

I know Stephen King doesn't like it, but I'm obsessed with the movie version of The Shining with Jack Nicholson. I think it's fantastic. I've also loved the movie version of It ever since I was young, although it's quite different from the book.

It may interest you to know that King authorized a remake of The Shining in 1997 starring Rebecca de Mornay, in a version that much more closely matched the famous book, including the giant hedge animals coming to life and the 'boiler room' ending. King even made a cameo appearance as an orchestra conductor in one of the films fantasy scenes!

It is quite a decent movie, too.

[Moore]

I like the Green mile. It's the best adaptation of the book ever.The film is superb.I ca watch and watch it, but the book seemed a bit boring after the film.

[MrWright]

I liked Misery, The Shining and Carrie - in Dance Macabre, King admits that the film adaptation of Carrie improves on his book. I didn't enjoy the Christine movie although I've never read the book (to be honest, plots about possessed cars don't really do it for me). I agree with the poster who mentioned The Tommyknockers being awful, although I quite enjoyed The Mist.

[Gannon]

I think that "Misery" is by far the best of King's adaptations to the big screen. I almost find it as good as the book. The suspense is intense and both lead actors really do the roles justice.

[MrWright]

If I'm honest I've never actually read Misery (although I have read Carrie and The Shining). Nevertheless I think it is one of the better horror films I've seen. I've heard the book is more bloody though.

[chezblack]

what about Children Of The Corn?

[MrWright]

I've seen the film of Children of the Corn but not actually read the short story. I've heard some critics found the film "distasteful". Not me personally, it was kind of disturbing I suppose, although I don't know how it compares to the story.

[landslide]

Misery, Shawshank, and The Green Mile were great, but 1408 scared the crap out of me. I made the mistake of watching it alone at night in the dark. I kept looking over at the window and had to get up and turn the lights on. I would have been out of that hotel room at the first odd thing.

I still want to see a film version of "The Long Walk" and "The Eyes Of The Dragon"

[morebooks4me]

That's awesome! I love movies that scare the crap out of me!

[MrWright]

1408 started quite well, very suspenseful, particularly the interview scene with Samuel L Jackson. Although as it progressed it got too excessive for my tastes. King's story was more subtle.