Frightful Friday: The Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations for Halloween
The work of Stephen King needs no introduction. King has written countless stories that have become critically acclaimed and commercially successful. With this level of success, Hollywood studios have repeatedly tried to adapt these stories to the big screen.
Today, it’s time to look back at some of the best movie adaptations of King’s work. Since we’re officially in October, I will be focusing on his more horror-based works. Additionally, the rankings will be based on how effective they are as movies, rather than how accurately they adapt the original stories. However, I will still discuss whether any major changes were for the better or worse.
NUMBER 4 – DOCTOR SLEEP
Doctor Sleep is interesting in that it is a sequel to both the Shining movie and King’s original work. It mostly follows the story of the Doctor Sleep book until the final act, which was significantly changed to address the issues King notoriously had with the original Shining movie. I would honestly say that it succeeds at satisfying both camps, mainly due to Mike Flanagan’s strong direction.
Flanagan has proven particularly effective with paranormal horror, which is something that shines (no pun intended) in a movie like this. Although it is very hard to follow up a movie with the legacy of The Shining (and while I don’t think Doctor Sleep reaches the same level of perfection), it’s still a worthwhile adaptation and continuation of King’s work.
NUMBER 3 – CARRIE (1976)
While I personally prefer the movies higher up on this ranking, it is important to recognize Carrie’s achievements in the horror movie genre. It was the first King story to get a movie adaptation, with the only major difference between the two being the storytelling format. The movie is more linear, whereas the book is “epistolary” (written through a series of letters or documents).
Carrie is also one of the first horror movies to receive large acclaim at award ceremonies. Sissy Spacek’s widely acclaimed performance as Carrie led to the film being nominated for an Academy Award, which was the second time a horror movie reached this status. Of course, Brian De Palma’s use of practical and visual effects was also considered groundbreaking at the time.
Carrie is a movie every King fan should experience at least once, especially during the Halloween season. King himself has actually said he prefers the movie over the book, which speaks to its quality.
NUMBER 2 – IT (2017)
Few modern King adaptations have been more successful than It (2017). I definitely think It is one of his scariest adaptations, mainly due to Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying performance as Pennywise. I can attest to how frightening I found his take on the character after seeing the movie for the first time in 2019.
In terms of accuracy, the movie did make changes to the story’s timeline, characterizations, and Pennywise himself (with most agreeing that the 1990 miniseries is more book-accurate). Still, the 2017 version features more of the horror and dark tone missing in the 1990 version. 2017 does a great job creating its own identity while still expertly translating the concept of King’s novel to the big screen. It is unfortunate that It Part Two did not continue this momentum.
NUMBER 1 – THE SHINING
An absolute classic of its genre, The Shining consistently remains my favorite Stephen King film adaptation. While King famously disagrees with the changes to his book (primarily the film’s ending), it nevertheless remains one of the most critically acclaimed horror films of all time. Stanley Kubrick’s direction absolutely takes center stage with this film, as it really builds up the slow-burning, psychological dread that culminates in the final maze chase sequence.
Overall, The Shining absolutely deserves the number one spot on this list (even if it did take some creative liberties). If you have to pick one King adaptation to watch for the Halloween season, it should be this movie. After all, sometimes adaptations actually succeed by not following the source material too closely.
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