The Hidden Secret To Making A Good Stephen King Adaptation
As one of the most prolific and popular horror writers in the world, Stephen King has a lot of source material for moviemakers to pull from. Over the years there has been a steady stream of television and movie adaptations of King's work, ranging from his biggest and longest works like IT and The Stand to his lesser-known, and short stories like Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption.
Movies like The Shining, IT, and Stand By Me have cemented themselves as great films in their own right, with moments like «Here's Johnny!» and villains like Pennywise becoming part of pop culture. Along with the hits, though, there are also the misses, adaptations that don't hit the mark or are outright bad. With such a wide spectrum of reactions to King adaptations, what is it that makes King's words successfully transition from the page to screen, and what makes them fail?
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In 1976, the adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie hit theaters as the first in a long line of media based on King's writing. Carrie was a huge hit and is still widely regarded as one of the best presentations of King's work on screen. The combination of King's words, director Brian De Palma's expertise in creating atmosphere, and the excellent casting of Sissy Spacek in the titular role made Carrie not only the original and one of the best King adaptations, but one of the best horror movies of all time.
Not only was Carrie the first movie adaptation of King's work, but it was also his first published novel, with a page count of only 199. The page count of Carrie is significant in the stable of King adaptations, as it hints at part of what makes a successful and enduring cinematic King
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