They call him the king of horror, and frankly, it’s easy to see why. Having published 64 novels so far in his lifetime, and with most of them largely focused on the horror genre, the prolific author – who sometimes goes by the pen name Richard Bachman – is not just the written word but A pillar of cinematic horror is experience.
With that in mind, here is a list of the ten best Stephen King horror movies you can watch right now. Let’s join in!
10. Cujo
Image Source: Warner Bros.
While Dogs are often said to be man’s best friend, Cujo, on the other hand, is a man’s best…killer.
Directed by Lewis Teague (Alligator, The Triangle), the 1983 story tells the story of a St. Bernard named Cujo, who manages to fall prey to a strange bat. Once bitten, the poor ol dog’s mind begins to unravel before eventually turning into an angry mutt with a hunger for human blood.
Making matters worse is the fact that a mother and son have arrived to fix their car, but with the car’s alternator on the fritz, they are stuck and stuck in the middle.
recipe for disaster? the inspection. chances of survival? least. A fun watch? you betcha.
9. Langoliers
Image Source: Laurel Entertainment
There was a time in my youth when I was obsessed with The Langoliers. From its likable characters to its arresting story to its genuinely terrifying atmosphere, King’s suspenseful horror-thriller is, at its core, a giant-sized episode of The Twilight Zone that took me seriously when I There was a wee one.
In many ways, 1995’s The Langoliers is typical Stephen King fare: a group of disparate characters from all walks of life are put in a situation that threatens their very existence. In this case, the actors are passengers on an airplane flight that gets a little messy.
Specifically, said passengers wake up to find that most of the plane’s passengers have strangely disappeared without a trace – except for the strange hearing aids, dentures or pacemakers left in their empty seats. How unique!
Clearly, even though it may not be the best Stephen King adaptation on this list, it is my personal favorite, thanks to its sheer simplicity and originality. Highly recommend it!
8. Creepshow
Image Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
Horror anthology collections are pretty much out of the cultural zeitgeist these days, but Creepshow arguably still remains a – if not – Best of the whole bunch. The “Father of the Zombie Film” directed by none other than George A. Romero (you may have heard of him), is a 1982 compilation of five short vignettes written by Creepshow King.
From resurrected corpses rising from your grave to avenge your killer, to a swarm of cockroaches to eat alive the bug-hating recluse, Creepshow has something for everyone you hardened gore-hunter. Have given. Oh, and it stars The Naked Gun’s Leslie Nielsen, Three Men and a Babies’ Ted Danson, and even Stephen King in a few cameos.
7. Doctor Sleep
Image Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
I’ll be honest: At first, I wasn’t immediately taken by Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 2013 novel. However, on repeated viewings, I’ve begun to soften the concept and appreciate what the director of Gerald’s Game (another great King movie that didn’t make the list) managed to do with Doctor Sleep.
The sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s beloved classic (more on that later), Doctor Sleep essentially bridges these two distinct views of the Overlook Hotel with each of their respective creators. Yes, it’s no secret that King wasn’t a fan of Kubrick’s interpretation of his best-selling novel, but Flanagan’s photo respectfully pays tribute to both artisans. Plus, it helps that Ewan McGregor is always a pleasure to watch.
6. Dead Zone
Image Source: Paramount Pictures
Arguably Christopher Walken’s most layered and rich performance in his illustrious career, The Dead Zone is another Twilight Zone-esque thriller. This time the story focuses on a car accident victim who gains easy power to look into the future, and potentially even change its outcome.
Directed by horror savant David Cronenberg, 1983’s The Dead Zone is a tense and terrifying chiller with strong performances from Alien’s Tom Skerritt, Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ Brooke Adams, The Ladykillers’ Herbert Lom and Apocalypse Now’s Martin Sheen.
Interestingly, there is also a modern TV show adaptation of The Dead Zone which is apparently considered quite good as well.
5. This (2017)
Image Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
Frankly, it was a coin toss between the excellent 1990 two-part mini-series version starring Tim Curry, but Andy Muschietti’s terrifying interpretation ultimately led to its carefully constructed scares, witty and engaging cast of actors, its tight script and Highest thanks to the bill. Pennywise’s goofy rendition of Skarsgard that will probably give you nightmares, well, erm… nightmares.
Yes, 2017’s It Chapter One is a surprisingly poignant tale of a spider entangled in a web of insane madness. Oh, and that spider is a terrifying clown who takes the form of your innermost fear and feasts on them like a predatory pig in a trough.
While the 2019 sequel is nowhere near as bad as some say, the first part stands tall as one of the prolific horror writer’s best film adaptations of all time.
4. Grief
Image Source: Columbia Pictures
“I’m your number one fan.” For those lucky enough to have seen Rob Reiner’s 1990 realistic psychological thriller, that handful of words will surely send a shred of your spine.
Starring James Caan as The Godfather’s famed novelist and Titanic actress Kathy Bates as an unhinged fan in an Oscar-winning performance, Misery tells a creepy believable tale of celebrity, survival, isolation, and psychosis.
When Paul Sheldon (Cain) crashes his car in a snowstorm, he is “saved” by his biggest fan, Annie Wilkes (Bates). The madness and hammer-to-hand violence soon unfold in a story that King claims was inspired by his fantasy’s real-life response to his fantasy novel, The Eyes of the Dragon, which fans largely dismissed due to its lack of horror. Had done it. Surprise, eh?
3. Mist
Image Source: Dimension Films
Whether you watch horror movies for simple cathartic entertainment or to uncover the deepest and darkest layers of our collective social consciousness (or maybe – like me – it’s a combination of both), one thing that undoubtedly deserves a good ol’ look. The reason is not the ‘fashionable horror flick is this: to reach a clean, sweetly sweet happy ending. Frank Darabont’s faithful film adaptation of The Mist takes a lot of this idea and runs with it. Like, hopelessly dark, blood-soaked hills and beyond.
It’s depressing, oppressive, but what’s impressive is that there hasn’t been a film ending that struck a home with me like The Mist. Released back in 2007, the fact that nothing tops her teeth-clunking gut-punch ending is one hell of a feat.
In fact, Darabont’s very unshakeable vision of the increasingly alienating normal people as a result of paranormal fear is – on the surface – a “turn your mind off” kind of monster jerk, but implying the experience is just one. It would be a big mistake. Amidst its shedding, leathery appendages hide some interesting social observations on everyday humans and how they behave during times of extreme distress.
2. Carey (1976)
Image Source: United Artists
It’s impossible not to feel sorry for Carrie. Her mother is a psychic religious maniac, her friends are a *Sholay group of bullies who are more interested in making her a part of their cruel jokes, and her school’s teaching staff doesn’t even remember her first name. Yes, life is tough for poor ol’ Carrie. And it ultimately makes the final blood-splattered ending all the more amusing to watch.
Starring Sissy Spacek in a career-defining, Oscar-nominated performance alongside a young John Travolta, Carrie is a psychological and supernatural horror picture that sheds light on bullying, family abuse and neglect, and teenage anger.
Directed by acclaimed helmsman Brian De Palma, Carrie can be a daunting watch, largely because of how awful most of the characters behave. But the really terrifying thing is that, deep down, we all know that people can really be the worst, and Carrie is a loud and uncomfortable reminder of that simple fact.
1. The Shining
Image Source: Warner Bros.
After a box-office hit with Barry Lyndon, legendary director Stanley Kubrick pretty much rode his film adaptation of King’s best-selling novel. While King was famously lukewarm on Kubrick’s interpretation of his source material, it’s safe to say that the film has turned out to be something special: It’s King’s best film adaptation—whether he likes it or not.
At its core, The Shining is a deeply disturbing piece of psychological horror that revels in the openness of its metaphor; It’s replete with poetic symbolism, and a mind-blowingly cold, stark depiction of a haunted, isolated hotel in the middle of winter is pretty disturbing stuff.
To this add an unprecedented twist to a batshit crazy Jack Nicholson (who advertised many of his iconic lines), one of the most memorable and phenomenal cinematography in the genre, a skillfully crafted score that resonates with ominous dread and imagery. Will be with you long after the credits roll, and you’re left with a show-stopping masterpiece that helped cement Kubrick’s storied reputation as one of the finest auteurs in Hollywood. No small feat, really!
Featured Image Source: Dimension Films
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