Stephen Kingpicked three horror movies of his own to take to a desert island - one of which would be sheer misery.Stephen King moviesand books have shaped an entire generation of horror fans, and the author has never been shy about sharing his thoughts on adaptations of his work or pop culture in general.
King famously hates Kubrick’sThe Shining- an opinion that hasn’t dulled in the decades since the movie arrived - and has declared his love for everything fromThe Shawshank RedemptiontoGerald’s Game.King has become a tastemaker on social media too, often recommending books, movies and TV showsto his followers.
In 2011, he took part inthe TCM documentaryA Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King. This saw the author explore the history of big screen horror, from the silent era up to 2000s outings likeSaw. During the closing credits,King offered up his healthy list of “desert island” movies.
King throws out a lot of suggestions for films he’d bring to this hypothetical island - assuming, of course, it had electricity. When specially asked to pick three horror movies based onStephen King’s books,the author’s desert island picks wereMisery,The Dead ZoneandCujo.
None of these are light watches, but they’re all three captured the tones of their source material while translating them to the big screen.Miserywould be the most acclaimed of the trio, with the story following a wounded author who is held captive by an obsessed, homicidal fan who forces him to write her a new book.
Miseryis the only King movie to date that has won an Academy Award too, asKathy Bates took home the statue for her incredible performance. The film is a taut thriller anchored by Bates and co-star James Caan, and despite its stagy concept, it features some wince-inducing horror.
It appeared to be a rite of passage for horror directors to tackle a King film during the 1980s. John Carpenter tookChristine, George A. Romero handledCreepshowwhile David Cronenberg directedThe Dead Zone. This followed Christopher Walken’s schoolteacher, who awakens from a coma with psychic abilities that both save lives but often force him to make tough choices.
The film can be very episodic, but Walken’s touching performance,Cronenberg’s talent for understated dread and the incredible ending seeThe Dead Zoneovercome any faults. King’s final desert island choice is the most interesting, sinceCujois one of the most underrated of King’s adaptationsfrom the 1980s.
This finds a mother and her young son trapped in a boiling-hot car by a rabid dog; to survive, mummy must figure out a way to outsmart their tormentor.Cujocan be a grueling experience - which is exactly what the King book is like. Thankfully, the filmmakers gave the story a happier ending.
King Has Plenty Of Other Movies He’d Want To Take To That Island
King made his name in the genre, but he has plenty of interestsoutsidehorror. In fact,the first two movies King cites are Orson Welles’Citizen KaneandCasablanca, two black and white classics that are a country mile from horror.Citizen Kaneis often labeled the greatest film ever too - which is a hard label to argue against.
When it comes to horror moviesnotbased on his work, King wants to take the originalPsycho- the great granddaddy of the slasher genre -The ExorcistandDawn of the Dead. In the latter case,King wants BOTH versions ofDawn of the Dead, consisting of Romero’s 1978 original and the 2004 remake from Zack Snyder.
Returning to his own work,the non-horror Stephen King movies he wants on his island areThe Shawshank RedemptionandThe Green Mile. Both were helmed by Frank Darabont, with the former regularly topping lists of the best King adaptations despite being a drama, not a horror film.
It’s amazing watching King talk about what movies he’d want to take, because he soon finds himself unable to stop. Once his brain starts turning, he can’t help throwing more and more films on his desert island pile.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Is Stephen King’s Perfect Desert Island Horror
Earlier inA Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King, the author sings the praises ofInvasion of the Body Snatchers. Based on the 1950s sci-fi novel of the same name, this sees a small town being taken over by alien doppelgängers utterly lacking in emotion or humanity.
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The subtext ofInvasion of the Body Snatchers- where individuality is subsumed by a mindless horde - is evergreen, and only seems to get more relevant with each passing decade.That’s why the film has been remade three timestoo, with 1978’sInvasion of the Body Snatchers, 1993’sBody Snatchersand the Nicole Kidman-frontedThe Invasion.
King picked the originalInvasion of the Body Snatchersas his ultimate desert island horror movie- which is high praise indeed. While the film will no doubt be dated to younger viewers, it is still a nightmarish ride.
Some of the biggest shocks still have the power to chill, though the film is somewhat undermined by a studio-imposed happy ending. Some of King’s work has shared themes withInvasion of the Body Snatcherstoo, includingSalem’s LotandThe Tommyknockers. In both cases, these involve small American towns being consumed by a malevolent force that wipes out individuality.
Source:TCM/YouTube
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
Cujo
Cast
Based on the novel by Stephen King, Cujo is a horror film that centers on a St. Bernard that becomes the terror of a local town. When the friendly Cujo is bitten by a bat with rabies, Cujo begins to slowly change into something almost demonic as he begins to viciously attack those around him, leaving a mother and son trapped by an ever-growing threat.
Misery
Based on the Stephen King novel, Misery is a 1990 horror movie centered around fictional writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who gets trapped by his biggest fan, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who tortures him until he rewrites the finale of his famous novels.
The Dead Zone
The Dead Zone is a 1983 horror sci-fi film from David Cronenberg. The film is based on the novel by Stephen King and stars Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, and Tom Skerritt. The film centers on Walken’s character Johnny, who awakens from a coma only to find out he has a new psychic power.
