Stephen Kingis one of the best storytellers of the 20th and 21st centuries, which makes it intriguing to see which movies resonate with him. Many ofStephen King’s best books, includingThe ShiningandIt,have been adapted as movies, and some have even been adapted more than once. He is known for his horror stories, but he is also the author of the novella that was adapted into the hopeful and inspiring movieThe Shawshank Redemption, along with writing the novella that is the source material for the upcoming and heartfeltStephen King movieThe Life of Chuck.
King’s taste in movies is as varied as the wide range of stories that he has writtenover the years. As seen in the bestStephen King book endings, the prolific author knows how to tell and complete a good story, an art form that he recognizes and appreciates in the movies he watches. Over the years, King has shared his thoughts on many movies, and given praise where it is due, thereby providing a snapshot of some of his favorite movies.
10The Hurt Locker
Released In 2009
King ranked his favorite movies of 2009 (viaEntertainment Weekly) andcrownedThe Hurt Lockeras his favorite movie of the year. The 2009 movie received a great deal of critical acclaim and went on to win six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, whose work won her the Academy Award for Best Director, the story revolved around a bomb disposal unit during the Iraq War, with two of its members played by Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie, who at the time were not yet part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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In his rankings, King acknowledged that"bomb disposal is one of the great staples of war movies.“However, he emphasized that"it has never been depicted in such terrifying detail"as it is inThe Hurt Locker. While he may be known for some of his more supernatural and outlandish creations, the mostterrifying Stephen King book momentsare those rooted in horrific human drama and fear.The Hurt Locker’s chilling depiction of bomb disposal, and how quickly it can go sideways, is just as impactful as some of the most memorable scenes King has written.
The Stepfather
Cast
The Stepfather is a thriller directed by Nelson McCormick, starring Dylan Walsh as a seemingly perfect man who becomes a dangerous threat when he insinuates himself into a fractured family. Co-starring Sela Ward and Penn Badgley, the film explores the unsettling dynamics and hidden perils of a blended family, where the stepfather’s charm masks a sinister agenda. This chilling remake underscores the tension and mistrust in familial relationships.
Over the years, King has written his fair share of terrifying characters, which makes it all the more meaningful when he encounters a character he deems to be truly terrifying. In a recommendation shared via theBritish Film Institute, King remarked that"While we’re talking about terrifying men who come from nowhere, there’s The Stepfather, with Terry O’Quinn as the murderous (but charming) psycho looking for a family to love him.“This was 17 years before O’Quinn played John Locke inLost, which became his most well-known role.
Terry O’Quinn won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of John Locke inLost.
O’Quinn’s performance inThe Stepfathermade an impact on King, who wrote about"that classic moment when he goes blank and says, ‘Saaay, who am I this time?’ before bludgeoning his wife with a telephone.“The story of a murderous man who assumes multiple identities in his violent exploits almost feels like the kind of character that King could have written in one of his own stories.The Stepfatherwent on to have several sequels, but none lived up to the 1987 movie, with King recognizing what made it special, and what was never able to be successfully replicated.
The Changeling
The Changeling is a supernatural horror-mystery film by director Peter Medak, released in 1980. A composer named John Russell moves to Seattle, Washington, after his wife and daughter are killed in a tragic car accident, but soon discovers his new residence may have uninvited guests of the otherworldly variety.
FromCarrietoThe Shining, many of King’s books deal with supernatural horror. Having written extensively in this genre, he is able to recognize when a movie does supernatural horror well. As shared with theBritish Film Institute,“For supernatural horror, I like Peter Medak’s film The Changeling, starring George C. Scott in perhaps his last great screen role. There are no monsters bursting from chests; just a child’s ball bouncing down a flight of stairs was enough to scare the daylights out of me.”
The 1980 movie’s story of composer John Russell (George C. Scott) being haunted by a deceased child wasenough to scare King, the master of horror himself. He knows that less is often more when it comes to most kinds of storytelling, but especially in the horror genre.The Changelingdid not need grotesque horror to scare him, as the simple visual of the deceased child’s ball bouncing down the stairs was enough to chill him. His appreciation of Scott’s performance also added another meaningful layer to his enjoyment of the film.
Night of the Demon
Night of the Demon follows American professor John Holden as he travels to London for a parapsychology conference, only to find his colleague dead under mysterious circumstances. As he investigates, Holden confronts a devil-worshiping cult led by Dr. Julian Karswell, challenging his scientific skepticism.
Some horror stories need to take their time to truly become horrifying and do not fully embrace the defining elements of their genre until the narrative reaches its conclusion. This is something that King appreciated when it came to the 1957 movieNight of the Demon, in whichDr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) investigates the mysterious circumstances surrounding a colleague’s death. The investigation leads to a sinister cult and demonic forces.
Night of the Demonhas garnered a reputation as an all-time great horror movie, and while some of its scares do not fully manifest until the tense ending, it was still enough to win over King.
Via theBritish Film Institute, King stated that"Although it’s old school, I love Jacques Tourneur’s Night of the Demon, a pretty wonderful adaptation of M.R. James’s story, “Casting the Runes”. Tourneur was a disciple of Val Lewton, which means the horror here is pretty understated, until the very end.“Night of the Demonhas garnered a reputation as an all-time great horror movie, and while some of its scares do not fully manifest until the tense ending, it was still enough to win over King.
Village of the Damned
Village of the Damned, directed by John Carpenter, is a supernatural thriller set in a small American town where an alien force impregnates the local women. The resulting children, born with eerie powers and a lack of human empathy, lead to fear and suspicion among the villagers.
Night of the Demonis not the only British horror with science-fiction elements that became a favorite of King’s. He also expressed his enjoyment ofVillage of the Damnedvia theBritish Film Institute. While some may be dismissive of movies shot in black and white, King liked this aspect ofVillage of the Damned. In addition to the cinematography and overall visual aesthetic, King was impressed by George Sanders' performance as the schoolmaster, Gordon Zellaby.
FromStephen King’s “Children of the Corn"short story to Pennywise taking on the form of Georgie Denbrough chanting"You’ll float too"inIt,King’s stories often feature unsettling children. It should come as no surprise thatVillage of the Damned’s creepy children resonated with him, as they would have been a natural fit for many of the stories that King has written. Creepy children and old school horror is unsurprisingly a winning combination in this case.
The Last House on the Left
The Last House on the Left is a 2009 horror thriller about Mari Collingwood, a teen whose visit to town with her friend Paige leads to a terrifying encounter. As her parents vacation at their remote lake house, the events set off an unforgettable and harrowing night.
As per his rankings shared viaEntertainment Weekly,afterThe Hurt Locker,The Last House on the Leftwas King’s favorite movie of 2009. Being a remake of Wes Craven’s 1972The Last House on the Leftdid not have any negative impact on King’s attitude toward the 2009 version. In fact, King declared thatThe Last House on the Leftwas"easily the most brilliant remake of the decade.“He praised the cinematography and the performance ofBreaking Bad’s Aaron Paul.
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The Last House on the Left’s storysees two women kidnapped in what becomes a disturbing turn of events. King liked that"the story makes sense, and, most importantly, Last House‘s moral compass points to true north.“As if this praise was not enough, King concluded his acclaim for the movie by saying that"This film is on par with The Silence of the Lambs.“While the remake’s general reputation never met this bar, King firmly believed that the movie reached such an impressive height.
Billy Elliot
The coming-of-age drama Billy Elliot follows the journey of a young boy who discovers a passion for ballet amidst the coal miner’s strike of the 1980s. Directed by Stephen Daldry and featuring Jamie Bell as the titular Billy, the film explores themes of class, gender, and self-discovery, all set against the backdrop of a working-class community in turmoil.
While many of King’s favorite movies are in the horror or thriller genres, one of his favorite movies does not fall anywhere close to either of these categories. In hisEntertainment Weeklyreview ofKill Bill Vol. 1, King concluded by saying,“Most times the movie turns out to be a stinker, but sometimes you find a real classic like ‘The Way of the Gun,’ ‘Billy Elliot,’ or ‘Mystic River.’ When that happens, I can steal this year’s World Series slogan and put it to even better use: I live for this.”
Since this was the end of the review, and the review was not aboutBilly Elliotin the first place, he did not elaborate or provide specific details about why he enjoyed the musical adaptation so much. However, it is not difficult to imagine the story’s themes of hopefulness and resilience resonating with him, along with superb music.As grim as King’s stories can be, some of them are also filled with stories of hope and resilience, withRita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemptionbeing one of the most well-known examples.
Mystic River
Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood, unfolds the story of three childhood friends—Jimmy, Dave, and Sean—whose lives are disrupted by a tragic family event. Their bonds are tested as they confront past traumas and navigate the ensuing complexities of crime and justice.
In the sameEntertainment Weeklyreview where he praisedBilly Elliot, King also expressed how much he enjoyed watchingMystic River. While King was deeply dissatisfied withKill Bill: Vol. 1, he usedMystic Riveras an example of a satisfying movie that succeeds in many areas where the Quentin Tarantino movie fails. This begins with the basic elements ofMystic River"building character and telling an actual story,“with King detailing how the movie succeeds at making him invested from the beginning.
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While he discussedKill Bill: Vol. 1and many other movies as being mostly forgettable, he argues thatMystic River"will burn itself into your memory. Twenty years from now, you’ll be able to recall Sean Penn’s terrible cries of grief when he realizes his daughter is dead.“On every level,the 2003 Clint Eastwood-directed movie was a triumph in King’s eyes. It stuck with him to the point that other movies paled in comparison and made him think back to the impact thatMystic Riverhad on him.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a chilling horror film that follows father-and-son coroners who encounter a highly unusual and disturbing autopsy. As they delve deeper into the examination of an unidentified woman’s body found at a crime scene, they uncover increasingly bizarre clues that reveal a dark and terrifying secret. The film masterfully combines supernatural elements with a claustrophobic setting to create a tense and gripping mystery.
One of King’s more recent favorite movies isThe Autopsy of Jane Doe, which he shared a concise, but glowing review for onX(formerly Twitter). He summarized the 2016 supernatural horror movie as"Visceral horror to rival ALIEN and early Cronenberg. Watch it, but not alone.“Much like comparingThe Last House on the Leftremake toThe Silence of the Lambs, itspeaks volumes to compareThe Autopsy of Jane Doeto Ridley Scott’sAlien, an indisputably phenomenal work of science-fiction horror.
It is a great example of how King uses his platform to highlight movies that might otherwise not have had as much exposure.
As if the comparison toAlienis not enough, he also sings the movie’s praises by comparing it to the early works of horror filmmaker David Cronenberg. The mystery surroundingThe Autopsy of Jane Doeis intriguing and King’s recommendation to not watch it alone is the ultimate endorsement of how chilling the story proves to be. It is a great example of how King uses his platform to highlight movies that might otherwise not have had as much exposure.
Duel (1971)
Schindler’s List,Jurassic Park, andJawsare often considered to beSteven Spielberg’s best movies, but King has an unconventional favorite movie from the director’s filmography. Via theBritish Film Institute, King describesDuelas Spielberg’s “most inventive film, and stripped to the core: one man, one truck, one fight to death.“A trucker’s life being threatened by a demonic truck is generally not thought of as one of the best premises behind a Spielberg movie, but it clearly worked for King.
There are, of course, parallels betweenDueland theStephen King bookChristine, whose plot is centered on a car that is possessed.King was not bothered by the fact thatDuelwas a made-for-TV movieand was thoroughly entertained by the movie’s simple and outrageous premise.Duelis the kind of movie that can be easily dismissed, especially when compared to Spielberg’s other works.Stephen King’s high praise is a reminder that easily dismissed movies have their merits and can strike a chord in unexpected ways.
Sources:Entertainment Weekly,British Film Institute,Entertainment Weekly,X/Twitter
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.
