Unsettling stories hold their grip: 6 Stephen King horror movies that stay perfect from start to finish
King’s Stories on Screen
More than 60 movies have been based on Stephen King’s books, and King has worked on many of their screenplays. This group of six is singled out for maintaining its effect from the opening image to the final frame.
The stories draw on both supernatural forces and the dangers people pose to one another. Their filmmakers are praised for bringing unsettling material to the screen with a strong sense of control.
The Dead Zone’s Moral Choice
David Cronenberg directs The Dead Zone, a story that combines the supernatural with questions about human motives. Christopher Walken plays Johnny Smith, who awakens from a long coma with the ability to glimpse a person’s future through touch.
After shaking hands with politician Greg Stillson, played by Martin Sheen, Johnny sees a future of nuclear war and destruction. He decides to put himself at risk to stop Stillson, in a story balancing reflective moments with eerie horror.
Trapped in Gerald’s Game
Mike Flanagan adapts Gerald’s Game as a tense account of isolation and survival. Jessie, played by Carla Gugino, is handcuffed to a bed during a couple’s getaway when her husband Gerard, played by Bruce Greenwood, suffers a heart attack and dies.
With the key beyond reach, Jessie must face thirst, hunger and mounting psychological strain. The story also brings in a frightening figure known as the Moonlight Man, adding to the threats surrounding her.
Key points
- More than 60 films have been based on Stephen King’s books.
- The six featured films span supernatural horror and human threats.
- The Dead Zone follows Johnny Smith’s visions of a catastrophic future.
- Gerald’s Game centers on Jessie’s effort to escape while trapped and alone.