Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
#26
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Agreed on both counts. The Langoliers story is great. The adaptation wasn't bad, but suffered for the reasons you say (fx & mini-series). I'd love for someone with some talent remake it.
I finally read Tommyknockers and it has some decent ideas in it, but overall it was a mess. The adaptation can't be much worse.
I finally read Tommyknockers and it has some decent ideas in it, but overall it was a mess. The adaptation can't be much worse.
#27
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Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I only read Tommyknockers once when it came out, and my memory was just that it was really long, slow and dull.
#28
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
#29
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Totals so far...
Best:
1. The Shining (6)
2. Stand By Me (5)
3 (tie) Carrie (4)
The Dead Zone (4)
Shawshank Redemption (4)
The Mist (4)
Misery (4)
Worst:
1. Maximum Overdrive (6)
2 (tie) Under The Dome (4)
The Lawnmower Man (4)
4 (tie) The Langoliers (3)
Graveyard Shift (3)
Best:
1. The Shining (6)
2. Stand By Me (5)
3 (tie) Carrie (4)
The Dead Zone (4)
Shawshank Redemption (4)
The Mist (4)
Misery (4)
Worst:
1. Maximum Overdrive (6)
2 (tie) Under The Dome (4)
The Lawnmower Man (4)
4 (tie) The Langoliers (3)
Graveyard Shift (3)
#30
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
The best (so far, too):
Christine
The Shining
Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
The Mist
Night Flier
Carrie
Dead Zone
Mr. Mercedes
Salem's Lot (1979)
Running Man
Pet Sematary
Thinner
The Dark Half
1408
11.22.63
It (tv mini-series)
Firestarter
Christine
The Shining
Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
The Mist
Night Flier
Carrie
Dead Zone
Mr. Mercedes
Salem's Lot (1979)
Running Man
Pet Sematary
Thinner
The Dark Half
1408
11.22.63
It (tv mini-series)
Firestarter
#31
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I second the calls that the Langoliers should get a big screen remake. The TV show was pretty good, but the effects, even at the time, were not great. Good story.
#32
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Thinking about it some more, if movies like Tommyknockers and Dreamcatcher are equally as bad as the novels, would that make them good adaptations?
Just the kind of story Lindleoff and Abrams should tackle.
Just the kind of story Lindleoff and Abrams should tackle.
#33
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
The movie ending just felt like trolling the main character. Yeah, his life sucks now, but at least everyone else can go back to living their lives, because hey, the the US has shit under control. America, fuck yeah!
In the book though, the world as we know it has ceased to exist. That's a scarier thought in my opinion.
It's hard to believe that King prefers that ending to his own.
So with that, are people rating the adaptation or just the movies in general? Hard to think so many that read the Shining think the movie is a "good" adaptation. It may be a great horror flick, but as far as translations go, it's a hot mess.
For me:
BEST
1. Firestarter
2. The Dead Zone
3. Pet Sematary
4. Stand By Me
5. The Shining
His older films hold up really well for me. His newer ones not so much, but that might change with IT.
WORST
1. The Shining TV series-Not scary at all, and some not-so-great casting
2. 1408-The original story was one of King's best short stories. The movie ruined what made the original story so great.
3. The Mist-the effects weren't that great, and the creatures were run of the mill. I couldn't be scared because it was clear that the creatures were just digital effects that didn't mesh well with the live actors. Ending was lame too.
The rest of the film adaptations that I've seen have been pretty good.
#34
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I loved The Tommyknockers as a kid. I don't know how well it would hold up now, but I thought the alien creatures and the tech looked pretty good. Giger-esque in a way.
#35
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Spoiler:
It's been awhile since I read it, but I don't recall that. They holed up in a hotel lobby and it just ends. You never know what's going on beyond the main character's viewpoint.
Last edited by Michael Corvin; 09-13-17 at 04:49 PM.
#36
Senior Member
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Best:
The Stand
Cujo
The Night Flier
The Shining
The Dead Zone
Worst:
Dreamcatcher
The Dark Half
The Shining (1997)
Secret Window
Needful Things
Fred Gwynne is the only thing keeping Pet Sematary from the worst list. It's a terrible movie, but his scenes are enough to put it above the five listed.
The Stand
Cujo
The Night Flier
The Shining
The Dead Zone
Worst:
Dreamcatcher
The Dark Half
The Shining (1997)
Secret Window
Needful Things
Fred Gwynne is the only thing keeping Pet Sematary from the worst list. It's a terrible movie, but his scenes are enough to put it above the five listed.
#37
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I can't believe no one has mentioned Cell yet. Easily one of the worst movies I've seen the past couple years.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cell_2016/
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cell_2016/
#38
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Spoiler:
Damn, I didn't even think of that at the time.
Spoiler:
It's been awhile since I read it, but I don't recall that. They holed up in a hotel lobby and it just ends. You never know what's going on beyond the main character's viewpoint.
I read too, that the original Mist that appeared in some stag magazine was different from the one that appeared in Skeleton Crew. I would like to know what changes he made.
#39
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
The Mist version I read has them in the car driving out of town to see what's out there. They run across the huge creature lumbering past just like in the movie. No suicides or military eliminating the mist like in movie. They just keep going and the mist is still there. The reader doesn't know what they'll find. Similar to end of movie The Birds.
#40
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Interesting. I've read it multiple times, but it's been 20+ years. I only recall the hotel. Might have to read it this weekend.
#41
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Maximum Overdrive seems to be on almost everyone's "worst" list and while I agree it's a really bad movie, I also found it incredibly entertaining as a
bad movie!
Maybe it has to do with the age I was (13 years-old) when it came out in 1986?
bad movie!
Maybe it has to do with the age I was (13 years-old) when it came out in 1986?
#42
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
It may have been the men's magazine version I read. I remember reading Monkey Shines and The Raft in a men's magazine. They were smaller inserts in the middle of the magazine with their own cover that could be removed and kept. Can't remember if The Mist was removable insert. I think it was around 1989-90 when I read it.
#43
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Updated stats:
Best:
1. The Shining (8)
2 (tie). The Dead Zone (6)
Stand By Me (6)
4 (tie). The Mist (4)
Misery (4)
Shawshank Redemption (4)
Carrie (4)
Worst:
1. Maximum Overdrive (6)
2 (tie). The Lawnmower Man (4)
Under The Dome (4)
4 (tie). Graveyard Shift (3)
Needful Things (3)
Langoliers (3)
-Movies that made both "best" and "worst" lists: The Shining, The Mist, Apt Pupil, Pet Semetary, The Stand, Secret Window.
-Votes for best - total movies: 21. Total votes: 55.
-Votes for worst - total movies: 24. Total votes: 49.
-And I guess I'm the only one who likes The Dark Half and Needful Things.
Best:
1. The Shining (8)
2 (tie). The Dead Zone (6)
Stand By Me (6)
4 (tie). The Mist (4)
Misery (4)
Shawshank Redemption (4)
Carrie (4)
Worst:
1. Maximum Overdrive (6)
2 (tie). The Lawnmower Man (4)
Under The Dome (4)
4 (tie). Graveyard Shift (3)
Needful Things (3)
Langoliers (3)
-Movies that made both "best" and "worst" lists: The Shining, The Mist, Apt Pupil, Pet Semetary, The Stand, Secret Window.
-Votes for best - total movies: 21. Total votes: 55.
-Votes for worst - total movies: 24. Total votes: 49.
-And I guess I'm the only one who likes The Dark Half and Needful Things.
Last edited by Fist of Doom; 09-15-17 at 05:37 PM.
#45
DVD Talk Limited Edition
#46
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I mildly enjoyed Needful Things as a movie but it's a pale imitation of the far superior book. That book just wasn't built for a theatrical feature. The dense story and town of characters would have worked better as a mini-series or season. Max von Sydow was very good in it, however.
#47
Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I hope the posters in this thread will join in the Stephen King Sheep Game. After all, you've likely figured out the Sheepiest answer for two questions
#49
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Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
Wikipedia' publication history of The Mist:
Which brings me to realize something: I have never read it. I am familiar with the "radio play" version (which is not mentioned on Wikipedia), but have never actually read it.
The movie's ending was absolutely brilliant. Awful, heartbreaking, and a big f#%k you ... but brilliant.
Even today, that ending can have new interpretation. In this day and age when it seems everything is total doom and gloom, we have a hard time being patient and seeing the big picture. People immediately overreact and jump to extremes ...
It was first published as the first and longest story of the horror anthology Dark Forces in 1980. A slightly edited version was included in King's collection Skeleton Crew (1985). The story is the longest entry in Skeleton Crew and occupies the first 134 pages. To coincide with the theatrical release of the film based on the novella, The Mist was republished as a stand-alone paperback book by Signet on October 2, 2007.
The movie's ending was absolutely brilliant. Awful, heartbreaking, and a big f#%k you ... but brilliant.
Even today, that ending can have new interpretation. In this day and age when it seems everything is total doom and gloom, we have a hard time being patient and seeing the big picture. People immediately overreact and jump to extremes ...
#50
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Re: Name the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Stephen King adaptations.
I can't believe no one has mentioned Cell yet. Easily one of the worst movies I've seen the past couple years.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cell_2016/
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cell_2016/