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Top 10 Stephen King Films of All Time


#10. Carrie

The first Stephen King adaptation to hit the big screen certainly has one of the most memorable finales in all of cinema but the slow build to the final reveal is admittedly pretty grating by today's pacing standards. Especially if you know how things are going to end up, which at this point, who doesn't? But regardless, De Palma crafts an incredibly poignant horror film and brings King's work to the silver screen in explosive fashion.

#9. Pet Sematary

Much like Carrie's slow building eruption into a gonzo ending, Pet Sematary takes a similar path but sprinkles in a little more character and thematic elements to chew on along the way. Not to mention suspense, with the scary as all hell Miko Hughes capping off a pretty brilliant cast. Stay away from the remake though...

#8. The Running Man

Seeing all of the elements of King's dark sense of humor fleshed out into a dystopian future with a Hunger Games style game show is pure 1980's gold. Add in the Schwarzenegger charm and you have a captivating action/thriller that feels like the quirky little brother to Robocop. Who would've guessed the stylistic flare of Stephen King's social commentary and a Schwarzenegger shoot em up would blend so seamlessly?

#7. Christine

The concept of a haunted car seems a little cheesy (and more likely to be a Goosebumps book than a King novel) but in the hands of John Carpenter and anchored by the performance of Keith Gordon, the premise is so much more expansive than what it could have been. Much like most of King's work, the fleshed out characters and themes of growing up and discovering your identity fill this out into a sinister character study and one of King's and Carpenter's most overlooked films.


See where Christine ranks among John Carpenter's Best and Worst films HERE

#6. It

As much as I prefer the time hopping structure of the 90's mini series, as well as Tim Curry's Pennywise (especially the costume design), there's no denying the effectiveness of the 2017 update and it's overall improvement in quality. Lead by breakout star in the making Sophia Lillis, the young ensemble cast is among the best group of young actors you'll see anywhere in modern entertainment. A much more focused coming of age story elevates this past being just the "scary clown movie" and make it not only one of King's most successful flicks to date but also one of his most well rounded.


See where IT ranks in our list of The Top 20 Horror Films of the 2010s

#5. Maximum Overdrive

King might've been coked out of his mind during this production but his only directorial work is still one of my absolute favorite films EVER. It hits all the hallmarks of King's most recognizable traits from the reluctant anti-hero, cartoonishly awesome kills, apocalyptic end of days setting, pitch black social commentary, and a vending machine that pelts a little league coach to death with pop cans. What more could you ask for?! It's total mayhem. Toss in an amazing soundtrack from AC/DC and a Green Goblin semi truck hellbent on destruction and you have one of the best B-movies of all time and I will fight anyone who says otherwise at the Ponderosa Steakhouse off of highway 469.

#4. Creepshow

George A. Romero and Stephen King's homage to classic horror comics is the gold standard for modern horror anthologies. King's short stories and Romero's brilliant direction make for an absolutely legendary pairing and one of the best horror films of the 1980's. There really isn't a weak segment among the five different stories - each highlighting a different strength of the two collaborators. But my personal favorite would probably have to be The Crate. Although it's always shocking to me how Leslie Neilson's dry delivery is just as effective at making him a terrifying sociopath as it is at making him a hilariously dimwitted cop.

#3. The Shawshank Redemption

Nothing exhibits the range of King's abilities as a storyteller quite like Shawshank does. It's considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made and while Frank Darabont does a brilliant job of directing, the beautifully crafted story at the center is what makes it a modern masterpiece. Despite it's triumphant overtones, King's dark sense of humor and cynical voice are still very much in tact here but it also packs the happy ending that most of his other works shy away from and he absolutely nails it. Between this, Pulp Fiction, and Ed Wood - it's still unbelievable to me that Forrest Gump walked away with Best Picture in 1994...

#2. Stand By Me

Much like the first half of IT, Stand by Me captures the experience of being a kid to perfection - without the impending threat of a murderous space clown. Rob Reiner takes the picturesque backdrop of idealized 1950's small town America and injects a much more warts and all presentation that doesn't shy away from the ugliness of being a kid and the pressures that it can include. I've heard people describe the film as a much more grounded and character driven version of the Goonies made for adults but even that seems to belittle how effective a story this really is. There isn't a better film about friendship and adolescence out there thanks to King's ability to create such deep characters with meaningful relationships and wealth of personality.

#1. The Shining

I know King hates this film - but there really isn't a better adaptation of his work. Stanley Kubrick takes a fairly simple story about alcoholism and grows it into a metaphor encompassing the entirety of the modern American family structure. The ancient Indian burial grounds, themes of isolation and paranoia, workaholic father, the neglected son - it all adds to the horror that only Stanley Kubrick can deliver with his meticulously crafted visuals and one of a kind direction. There are so many haunting and iconic moments throughout the picture that it's hard to really appreciate how much craft Kubrick has put into bringing the Overlook Hotel to life in just one viewing. It's a mesmerizing experience and one that has so many subtle layers piled on top of each other that each viewing will leave you with a different highlight. It's an absolute masterpiece.


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