As a hugely prolific author and one of the world’s best-selling writers, it is hardly surprising Stephen King’s stories have been in demand for adaptation since the beginning of his career. I was first introduced to his work via film rather than books when I was about 10 years old and, as a die-hard horror movie fan, saw some of his classic adaptations such as Christine, Cujo and The Dead Zone. I then turned to his books for a further fix and was hooked. Up until recent years, I had read pretty much all his output. although I am not really a fan of his fantasy work, so there are now a few gaps in my consumption of his work.
Given my love of movies, I have also seen almost every adaptation of his work, and I have to say they are hit and miss. Some of the earlier adaptations suffer from budget constraints, while others simply don’t seem to understand the source material at all. As someone who spends their life writing about showbiz and entertainment, including movie reviews, I am well placed to rank these adaptations. I have based this list on faithfulness to the source material – after all, any flick bearing Stephen King’s name should at least resemble the story – and the overall quality of the movie, which is why The Shining doesn’t get a look in. King himself is not a fan and was involved in the production of a 1997 mini-series, which is far more faithful to his work. So, without further ado, here in my opinion, are his nine best adaptations.
9. 1922 (2017)
This Netflix adaptation went under a lot of people’s radars but is a very faitful adaptation of the source material. 1922 was a novella originally published in his book Full Dark, No Stars in 2010.
Thomas Jane stars as Wilf James, a farmer whose wife reveals she is going to sell their land and move to the city. He convinces his son to help him kill her and they toss the body in their well, but soon, her spirit seems to return to haunt Wilf.
With echoes of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Telltale Heart, this stays very loyal to the novella’s plot and atmosphere and. Just like the source material, it maintains the ambiguity of whether the supernatural events are real or a figment of Wilfred’s deteriorating mental state.
(Image: Netflix)
8. The Dead Zone (1983)
Directed by David Cronenberg and starring Christopher Walken, The Dead Zone streamlines King’s plot slightly but adheres to the spirit and overall story of the book.
The psychological thriller sees Walken play Johnny Smith who awakens from a coma caused by a car accident and discovers he has psychic abilities. After shaking the hand of aspiring politician Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen), he sees the danger presented by the his rise to power and resolves to kill him.
It’s a gripping and thrilling rollercoaster of a ride and has aged incredibnly well thanks in no small part ot Walken’s powerful performance.
(Image: Channel 4)
6. Doctor Sleep (2109)
This film had a huge task on its hands. It needed to act as a sequel to the 1980 movie, which veered wildly from the book and was hated by King. However, it also had to stand alone as an adaptation of the sequel book of the same name, published in 2013.
Enter maestro of the macabre, Mike Flanagan, who managed to stay true to the book’s core story while also weaving in elements from Stanley Kubrick’s movie to create a bridge between the two.
The result is a gripping movie featuring a fantastic performance from Ewan McGregor. Also, there is a fabulous cameo from Henry Thomas, aka the little boy from E.T. He has the unenviable task of channelling Jack Nicholson’s performance in the first movie, but he manages it with aplomb. King himself praised the film, saying it “redeemed” the 1980 movie for him.
(Image: Warner Bros. Pictures)