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Netflix’sMr . Harrigan ’s Phonewas the late Stephen King creative work to receive the movie adaptation discourse , and unfortunately , it has been a miss with the critics and audience . Based onIf It bleed , the revulsion fell scant of capturing the supernatural elements and suspense tonicity from King ’s collection . Unfortunately , it is n’t the only adaptation that failed to live up to King ’s full stories , with others , likeFirestarterandThe Dark Tower , also missing the chump .
However , there are a few Stephen King movies that are good than the books . This does not mean the books were bad because often the literature was great as well . Whether the prison story fromThe Shawshank Redemptionto thrillers like1408 , some adaptations manage to elevate the composition and often turned into minor masterpiece , strain a level even the Master of Horror ’s prose did n’t quite collide with .
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Streaming On HBO Max
The original storey behind this movie wasRita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption , and it was a good chronicle in its own right . However , it is intimately impossible to compare anything with the picture resulting from the report . Directed by Frank Darabont , fans often pertain toThe Shawshank Redemptionas the near Stephen King adaption of all time .
The movie was like no other King adaptation before , and theclearest deterrent example of movies are better than the books . This was n’t horror , although the situation inShawshank Redemptionwas terrible for Andy Dufresne , who end up imprisoned for a crime he never committed . With an uplifting termination and terrific characters throughout , this motion-picture show easily out - surpassed its beginning material .
Stand By Me (1986)
Streaming On Fubo & AMC+
train by Rob Reiner , Stand By Meis a movie that many fan never have intercourse was establish on a Stephen King story . The original story wasThe Bodyand was about a mathematical group of Quaker who hear about a stagnant body and set out to see it . Along the manner , they conduct with obstacles and danger at every turn .
The picture was better than the story for one handsome intellect . The cast of immature player delivered some of the best performance in a coming - of - age story anyone could trust for . River Phoenix , Corey Feldman , Wil Wheaton , and Jerry O’Connell helped make a movie that has stood the test of time as one of King ’s best .
The Green Mile (1999)
Frank Darabont followed up one of the expert prison house flick of all time with another King prison house adaptation , The Green Mile . LikeThe Shawshank Redemption , Darabont saw Oscars recognition for this movie starring Tom Hanks as a death row warden and Michael Clarke - Duncan as a death row con who was impeccant of his crime .
The original book was controversial when released because King sold it as a serial , with a fresh shorter book unloose every month . While now available as one full - length novel , it was different , following along for several months before reaching the determination . However , the film left no one disappointed .
1408 (2007)
Streaming On FUBO & AMC+
1408might be one of the most underappreciated Stephen King adaptations ever made . In a like sensory faculty , the horror movie , starring John Cusack as a extrasensory debunker who encounters real malevolent spirits , also flew past many movie fans when release in 2007 .
The story was a fun one for King , a pocket-sized reading of a taken up hotel idea , but the movie was something different . With Cusack do alone for most of the movie against the unseen ghosts , this was an utilization in terror that the book never arrive at . There are also two termination , and the substitute ending remain superior for paying off the movie ’s flavor .
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Doctor Sleepfaced a difficult project when it come in theaters in 2019.Director Mike Flanagan wanted to achievetwo thing with this moving picture . He desire to create a sequel to both Stephen King’sThe Shiningnovel and to Stanley Kubrick ’s picture show , which differed from the novel in several slipway .
What is most impressive is that Flanagan achieved both end . He paid off the end ofThe Shiningnovel — which did n’t happen in the film — by changingDoctor Sleep ’s conclusion , and with that , helped his picture exceed the new version .
It Chapter 1 (2017)
Streaming On HBO Max & Netflix
The first miniseries adopting Stephen King’sItremains a craze favorite , mostly for Tim Curry ’s performance as Pennywise . However , the remake remains the superior translation both for the horror genre and the act performances , which became one ofthe honorable two - part movies in history .
However , the first movie of the two - partItduology remains the higher-up of the pair , and it outstrip the book for various ground . The book had problematic scenes that the picture dismissed , and the kids regurgitate all run out the roles in the new variant well than anyone could have expected . The Scripture ’s adult scenes remain good than the second movie ’s version , butIt Chapter 1was better than the book overall .
The Dead Zone (1983)
If there is one filmmaker who can take a novel and plough it into something different and amazing , it is David Cronenberg . The Dead Zone , in no way , is the body horror moving-picture show that Cronenberg normally makes . However , the director uses other technique to make a movie that surpassed the novel .
What really helps the flick hit another stratum is Christopher Walken ’s functioning . This was an former King novel and the first to take place in Castle Rock . While the book was a good read , the picture was one of the best early King adaptation and set a template that not many King horror movies reach over the years .
Misery (1990)
Miserywas a personal novel for King , writing a book about an author who found someone else controlling what he could and could n’t spell . Of of course , King had to take it to the extreme and have the ascertain force as a woman who would write out the source ’s foot off to keep him from bequeath .
While the book was excellent , the movie was a eminent point for King horror version . Directed by Rob Reiner with a career - defining functioning by Kathy Bates , Miserymight be the secure King repulsion movie for both quality and keep back the al-Qur’an ’s tone .
The Mist (2007)
Streaming On Netflix
There are a lot of movie fans who disliked Frank Darabont ’s adjustment of Stephen King’sThe Mist . This was an interesting level for King , released as both a novelette and an audiobook , with heavy effects and actors , long before audiobooks became a huge selling point .
However , the one thing that many fans hated about the picture show made it estimable than the book . The termination was one of the mostgut - punching tragic endings in any repulsion movie , and that says a mess . King loved the end , and that final act made it good than the book for its disgraceful revelation , which leave things open - ended for the reader .
The Shining (1980)
In a case wherethe author hated their book ’s film adjustment , Stephen King despised the Stanley Kubrick adaptation ofThe Shining . He hated it so much that he optioned a 2nd version and wrote the book himself . WhileThe Shiningwas a scary - haunted house novel for King , Kubrick ’s motion picture is one of the sound horror movies ever made .
For fans who can get past the change Kubrick made to the story , The Shiningis a masterclass of horror and one that Kubrick used every in of the blind and runtime to tap . It is a terrible adaptation of the book because it hard deviants from the reference material . But it is a capital horror pic for take brat element to the floor by altering Jack ’s discharge , making it a much darker tone than its book vis-a-vis .
NEXT:15 Essential Stephen King Stories Better Than The Movies
