This question is often asked and you can see countless lists online that swear they are the definite ones, the final verdict that would once and for all settle this matter of great importance. This is what this article is. Just kidding, are you insane?
Nobody can say for certain which film based on a Stephen King novel or story is the best or even makes up the top 10. After all, there have been 44 Stephen King film adaptations, and by the look of it.
They are only going to grow in the next few decades as the author is still publishing one or two novels a year! So far, King has published 64 novels, 19 screenplays, and over two hundred short stories, so the competition is fierce. He is the styled king (pun not intended) of horror.
Below you can find the 6 Stephen King horror movies we think are the best. The only thing our list pertains to are our own personal tastes, not even Stephen King’s (we’ll talk more about that later), so make what you want from it.
Cujo
If your kids are constantly nagging you about getting them a puppy, show them Cujo (1983). Just beware the therapist bills later. Cujo is a classic 1980’s horror that shows the gruelling fate of a mother and a son trapped in a car as they’re being attacked by a rabid dog.
The film was not critically appraised at the time, and that was mostly due to the divergences it made to King’s novel, which made the characters less human whose motives were less understandable. However, the film is still very effective in scaring the living hell out of us and its simplicity is another bonus.
Children of the Corn
It doesn’t take long to realise that something is rotten in the state of Nebraska. Children of the Corn (1984) is terrifying from the very start, and we partially blame the kids for that. Creepy kids in horrors are enough to make everyone’s skin crawl.
The film is based on King’s short story of the same name and the author even penned the original script, which gave more background to the cult and the revolution, but it was subsequently changed to make the film read more as a slasher.
Firestarter
Firestarter (1984) is another kid-centred work of King, but with a much less creepy kid. Charlie and her parents all have supernatural abilities (Charlie – control of heat and fire, Vicky – mind reading, Andy – controlling people’s behaviour) as a result of a secret government experiment gone wrong. What ensues is a David vs Goliath story, but we’re not sure which is which.
King was likely inspired by the declassification of documents relating to MKUltra, a secret project that had participants take hallucinogens (sometimes unknowingly) to test the powers and limits of the mind. This 1984 adaptation truthfully captures the spirit of the original.
The Shining
The Shining (1980) is Stanley Kubrick at his best, but is it Stephen King at his best? Not according to the author. King’s dissatisfaction with the adaptation of his novel is so notorious that it deserves its own adaptation. He even said that it was the only adaptation he truly hated.
King disliked the casting of Jack Nicholson and his acting, because they revealed the plot twist at the very beginning. He also disliked Wendy in the film and how she seemed to be helpless. Nevertheless, he praised Kubrick and his artistry, just not his adaptation skills.
Misery
Let’s do a complete 180 and talk about one of King’s favourite adaptations of his work – Misery (1990). Misery is a cautionary tale for writers of romance novels and any novels really. It’s probably a nightmare King has had in the past. The film is classified as thriller, not horror, but we’re not sure we can fully agree.
Misery is a two-people-in-a-room novel and film and it does brilliantly with less. The acting is superb and the tension leaves you on the edge of the seat. It still is the only Stephen King adaptation to win an Oscar (Kathy Bates, Best Actress, 1991).
Carrie
It’s only natural to end this list with the first Stephen King adaptation based on his very first novel – Carrie (1976). Brian De Palma’s take on the novel is inspiring and perhaps exactly how most of us imagine a Stephen King adaptation on screen.
The characters are fleshed out, the narrative is gradually enfolded until the climax that none of us are ready for each time we rewatch it. We can write a whole article about the acting performances that won nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
King was also pleased with the adaptation and thought that despite the fact that the film is dated now, it is still a pretty good film. “De Palma 1, Kubrick 0” – Stephen King, probably.