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The top 8 horror movies based on Stephen King’s books

Which is better: the book or the movie? This is a question that causes quite a bit of controversy and even more so when it comes to incredible writers such as Stephen King, well it’s quite a challenge to turn a golden novel into a successful film, although this not impossible.

According to the public’s popular opinion and several websites: these are the best cinematographic adaptations of Stephen King’s horror novels

Carrie (1976)

The first major literary success in Stephen King’s career, and not only because of its chilling story but because of its original narrative built from diaries, interviews and newspaper stories. The adaptation was quite a challenge, but Brian De Palma’s talent did not disappoint the audience. Sissy Spacek did a great job representing the cruelty among the youth, family abuse and of course paranormal events that would lead the horror climax.

Gerald’s Game (2017)

One of the most recent productions based on original King titles, directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood. Stephen King’s original twists the psychological issue to its limits while Flanagan opts for a more romantic or softer version. However, the film succeeds in capturing the dark elements from the original novel through iconography and aesthetics allowing Flanagan to give power and tension to the monologue within the four walls of the room.

Misery (1990)

Misery was not the first novel written by Stephen King, but many of its readers agree that it is a great novel to enter the terrifying world of the American writer. It may not be as twisted and elaborated as compared to other supernatural stories, but it still develops a disturbing plot that involves you in the story. Rob Reiner managed to capture these emotions in an adaptation starring James Caan and Kathy Bates, which was recognized with the Academy Award for its magnificent incarnation of Annie Wilkes, a woman obsessed with a writer and willing to do anything to wrest one last story from him.

The Shining (1980)

Stanley Kubrick’s direction has been reason enough for many to think that The Shining is the best adaptation of Stephen King’s work, but there are always those who think otherwise. However, there is no denying that the film has an enormous technical and narrative quality that has placed it among the great classics of all time. Jack Nicholson inspired thousands of satires, tributes and many nightmares with his character and to the surprise of many, the story continued with the adaptation of Doctor Dream. Was this new project as good as the original film?

The Dead Zone (1983)

It’s fascinating the way Cronenberg decides to show the visions in his adaptation of The Dead Zone; at the touch of the hands, there is a slight alteration of the music, realistic fragments appear and he lets Walken’s frightened eyes do the rest. The aesthetic achievements of The Dead Zone perfectly capture Johnny’s visions. Among the adaptations of King’s fantastic works, The Dead Zone stands out as one of the closest to drama, betting on generating uneasiness with Smith’s prophecies

Pet Sematary (1989)

This zombie cat tragedy shaped one of Stephen King’s best adaptations. The adaptation project was born in the early 1980s when King’s adaptations became popular after the success of ‘Carrie’ and ‘The Shining’. Mary Lambert was well acquainted with the original work, and she showed her devotion to Stephen King’s masterpiece by directing the film and incorporating several original elements from the book. As for the 2019 remake, many criticized this film because it is believed that it gives the impression of being a film focused on purely cosmetic aspects, special effects and so on.

The Mist (2007)

This is one of Stephen King’s most popular stories, although it took about 30 years to be brought to the big screen and this was possible thanks to the work of director Frank Darabont. The Mist takes us into a world dominated by fear of monsters living on the streets and fear of people acting outrageously, in dangerous situations. The story surprises us with an unsettling twist which marks an important change compared to the original story from Stephen King, and for this one characteristic, the film has been praised.

IT (1990 & 2017)

In general, the two adaptations made so far have been well received by audiences. Which one is better? The truth is that each one is magnificent, in its own style. The first adaptation is a modest television production that made great efforts to stay true to Stephen King’s complex text, turning Tim Curry into the devil’s clown. On the other hand, the second adaptation is divided into two parts directed by Andy Muschietti. The good chemistry of the Losers’ Club is used to show that friendship and innocence are the best weapons against pure evil. Although the first chapter shone even brighter than the second, both managed to capture the essence of horror.

The list goes one and one since Stephen King has written at least 96 novels and there have been over 50 cinematographic adaptations and tv series.

Which is your favorite horror movie based on one of Stephen King’s masterpieces?

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