Comments on: The Essentials: 5 Great Films Based On Stephen King Novels

By: JD

JD — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

Dolores Claiborne is a good movie, but Misery is better. Any list of the best adaptations would have to include Misery, The Dead Zone, Creepshow, a little film a few people might have heard of called THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, ahem….and some of my personal faves would be Silver Bullet, Christine, and Cujo. There should be adaptations of The Long Walk and Eyes Of the Dragon, and a better and more faithful version of The Running Man….

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

You're not including "Misery" because you have a one director per film policy? Then, sorry, but that's not a list of "essentials." Another horrible omission: "The Dead Zone."

By: rotch

rotch — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

I agree with the list and the logic behind it. Would like to see Tobe Hooper's phenomenal 'Salem's Lot in the honorable mentions, even if it wasn't a theatrical release.

By: Richard Schitz

Richard Schitz — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

Maximum Overdrive is a glaring omission.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

I'm glad you guys included "The Mist." That's got a pulpy nastiness to it that absolutely needed to be included on here. I'm also bummed that "The Dead Zone" didn't make the cut, but glad to see it mentioned at least. I'll also put that one forward as a great horror-ish movie to watch with someone who can't really stomach horror movies.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

I always thought that since Kathy Bates received an oscar for "Misery", than she should get at least two oscars for "Dolores Claiborne". That's how good she is in it. But… not even a nomination, as it it is usually with masterpiece roles.
And the ending of "The Mist" – didn't expect that at all. Wow!

By: Richard Schitz

Richard Schitz — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

The Mist was good up until the ending… Which was awful. The ending in the novella was much, much better.

By: Archer Slyce

Archer Slyce — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

These internet lists are bound to start intense debates about what's missing and what shouldn't be here. I still have to say: kudos for picking Dolores and The Mist !! The only film I would really "miss" here (apart from Misery) is Christine … one of my fav King adaptation and one of my fav from Carpenter (which is a lot to say). Honorable mention on my behalf would go to Cujo.

By: efbrackett

efbrackett — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

Thanks for including The Mist. The B&W version on the blu-ray is glorious.

By: HorrorNazi

HorrorNazi — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

"Boris Karloff's Dracula" really?

By: Huffy

Huffy — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

The Mist being on here is complete bullshit, I'm sorry. That ending is all shock and no substance; it's just cheap emotional manipulation with no real purpose other than to shock the audience into thinking they just witnessed something emotionally profound, not to mention it makes no sense within the film's logic. What preceded it isn't bad but this idea people have that it transcends the horror genre is dumbfounding.

By: LiveFreeOrDieRob

LiveFreeOrDieRob — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

Seriously, including The Mist is just wrong when there are other movies you opted out for weird reasons (one film per director?) Honestly, The Mist would have been tops for me as being classic King and well executed as a movie, to boot. Except for that "gut-punch" ending, which I would actually term "shock-value inspired garbage." That movie is ruined by the ending.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

The dead zone is probably my favorite of all King adaptations. I'll watch Christopher Walken make breakfast though

By: Heidi

Heidi — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:38 +0000

"Dolores Claiborne" was sooooo much better than Misery. As to the Jack Nickelson in "The Shining…meh…even Stephen King was furious what they did with it. I can see why, they slaughtered the book, and it by NO means was better. At ALL. The better version is with the guy who used to be in the tv show "Wings" was SO much better! They did the book right. Jack Nicholson was a VERY poorly devoloped character, but the other guy, WOW…you really could get into his head. You saw where he was coming from, not just that he was going crazy. It was so much more like it was in the book.. And In the end with his boy and graduation…WOW…just WOW. I watch it every halloween…

By: Kilburn Hall Books

Kilburn Hall Books — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

As an author and colleague of Stephen\’s this article doesn\’t do justice to the order of top films based on a Stephen King short story or novel. As an author, having your book turned into a blockbuster Hollywood movie can be the kiss of death. Just ask Stephen king whose early works adapted into film were disasters. The #1 King work adapted to film was not even a novel at all but a short story called The Shawshank Redemption. The casting with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman was perfect. Hard to believe this 7 page short story was turned into such a meaty full-length film. The #2 film adapt was also a short-story called The Green Mile. The casting wasn\’t nearly as good as Shawshank but those who have read Green Mile as a short story are blown away by how the film filled out this short story, Among my other favorite adapts from a King novel were A Secret Garden with Johnny Depp. Sadly, with release of 50 Shades of Grey, one of my favorite King stories has not been adapted for the big screen: Gerald\’s Game which more of a soliloquy would require the acting talents of a really great actress like Susan Sarandon.

By: Edward Copeland

Edward Copeland — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

Not to be a stickler for semantics but "Stand By Me" wasn't based on a novel but the novella "The Body" from King's collection "Different Seasons," which also contained the novellas that were adapted into "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Apt Pupil." "The Mist" also was a novella that was included in the collection of stories "Skeleton Crew." This isn't an argument for or against the films' inclusions, just a plea for more accurate headlines. Change novels to works and you have no problem.

By: John Constantine

John Constantine — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

At the time I saw it I liked Hearts in Atlantis. I don''t know how I'll feel now. Also I liked the miniseries The Stand when I saw it.

All those stupid comments complaining about this and that. Annoying. There's always at least one person who has to complain in articles like this. But I agree that the headline is not accurate. "Works" instead of "novels" and that "The Essentials", although I understand it's a category of articles, sounds more like a "that's the definitive list". But hey, anything to atract the readers 😛

By: Stephen Kahn

Stephen Kahn — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

PET SEMETARY!

By: ro828

ro828 — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

I hated Kubrick's THE SHINING almost as much as King himself did. Nicholson is a great actor but for some reason nobody tried to put a saddle on his horse for this one. The film slid into the crapper during the scene in Denver where Torrance is interviewing for the job watching over the hotel during the winter months. Told what the former caretaker had done, he says that no, he could never do a thing like that. But while his mouth is delivering that line in a straightforward manner, his eyebrows are going up and down like garage doors. It's a "Look how crazy I am!" moment that in Act One that told us things we shouldn't have figured out until the middle of Act Three. The director's attitude was, hell, everybody's read the book and knows what's going to happen so I'll just throw in some blood and guts and four letter words and hope nobody figures out what a turd this movie is.

By: Phillip

Phillip — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

Kubrick's film is superior to the miniseries but it's not as half as powerful as the original novel.

By: Brock

Brock — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

Interesting choice to include the Mist on the "Essential List of Great Stephen King Films" and to leave off The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. I don't agree at all, but I do love all three. All three certainly outshine Dolores Clairborne and Stand By Me. Leaving the long standing #1 rated movie on IMDB off a list of "essential" works is ballsy, to say the least – but certainly not accurate or wise.

By: Brickz

Brickz — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

Cat's eye deserve to be on this list for that pigeon scene alone.

By: Tina

Tina — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

God…Another "Carrie" remake? Give me a break! Enough with these remakes! Carrie has been done and re-done enough. It's bad enough that Seth Grahame Smith also has "It" under consideration. After what he did to "Dark Shadows", I hope Mr. King nixes that idea altogether. If that man has anything to do with that screenplay, a lot of people won't go to it being that DS 2012 or "Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" bombed in the U.S. Doesn't anyone have any original ideas anymore? This marketing to the teens and 'tweens is going the limit and Chloe Moretz's name won't sell a picture.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

"Not the popular favorite that 'Shawshank' is, but we'd pick "The Mist" every time."

Well, you & I are exact opposites, then.

By: Daisy

Daisy — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:29:37 +0000

I am still waiting for a good adaptation of Duma Key. What a book it is