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Stephen King at the Movies: A Complete History of the Film and Television Adaptations from the Master of Horror
Surely America’s greatest storyteller, no single author has been adapted more regularly than Stephen King. With 65 existing movies and 30 television shows, and many more to come, the concept of the King adaptation lies at the core of what we understand as Hollywood entertainment, the essence of horror, and the landscape of American life. Illustrated with a fabulous array of familiar and unusual iconography, this is the most comprehensive account of the films and television series adapted from the work of Stephen King ever put together. Every Children of the Corn movie has been accounted for; every remake and reboot wrestled into submission; all the dark recesses of King’s imagination brought out into the light. Including fresh critical analysis, interviews, behind-the-scenes revelations and biographical detail, this is both a King completist’s dream and a must for all movie fans. Here is the chance to delve deep into such terrifying and beloved movies and TV shows as Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, Cujo, Stand By Me, Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and such modern marvels as Castle Rock, Mr. Mercedes, Pet Sematary, It: Chapters One and Two, and Doctor Sleep.
- GenresNonfictionFilmHorror
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2019
12 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Ian Nathan
27 books108 followersIan Nathan is the popular, London-based author of Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-earth, The Coen Brothers: The Filmmakers and their Films, Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, and many other books, many of which have really long titles.
He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.
If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.
He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.
If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 38 reviews
October 13, 2019
"A Good Horror Story, King maintained, is entirely dependent on good characters. 'You don't get scared of monsters' he stated giving one of his favorite maxims 'you get scared for people'"
Here's some trivia: What movie adaptation of his work, had Steven King approach the director with tears in his eyes and say, "This is the best thing that has ever been done with my writing."
The Answer was Stand by Me. I learned a lot of interesting trivial while reading this book. I found this book to be a fun and informative book about the movies and television shows made based on the short stories and novels of Stephen King.
The book details who made the movies, how much he sold the rights for ($1.00 for Misery because he wanted Rob Reiner to directed as Reiner’s adaptation of Stand by Me brought Stephen King to tears). This book also tells Stephen King's reaction to some of the movies/television shows (it's common knowledge he did not care for The Shining at all). The book also tells who directed the movies, who stared in them and how many of them. Also casting choices - Kathy Bates read one sentence for Misery and was hired on the spot and went on to win an Academy Award for the movie; Bruce Willis Suggested Michael Clark Duncan for his role in The Green Mile after working with him on Armageddon.
Another gem of this book is parts that detail where King got the inspiration for many of his books. i.e. the death of his daughter's cat and the family burying it in the backyard was the inspiration for Pet Sematary. You'll have to read the book to learn of the others.
There are a lot of good movies based on his books - Stand by Me, Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and It to name a few. And also, quite a few doozies. But he remains the Author with the most adaptations of his work.
This is a great book for King's "Constant Readers" and film buffs alike. It was a fun fast informative read.
Thank you to the Publisher and Edelweiss who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Here's some trivia: What movie adaptation of his work, had Steven King approach the director with tears in his eyes and say, "This is the best thing that has ever been done with my writing."
The Answer was Stand by Me. I learned a lot of interesting trivial while reading this book. I found this book to be a fun and informative book about the movies and television shows made based on the short stories and novels of Stephen King.
The book details who made the movies, how much he sold the rights for ($1.00 for Misery because he wanted Rob Reiner to directed as Reiner’s adaptation of Stand by Me brought Stephen King to tears). This book also tells Stephen King's reaction to some of the movies/television shows (it's common knowledge he did not care for The Shining at all). The book also tells who directed the movies, who stared in them and how many of them. Also casting choices - Kathy Bates read one sentence for Misery and was hired on the spot and went on to win an Academy Award for the movie; Bruce Willis Suggested Michael Clark Duncan for his role in The Green Mile after working with him on Armageddon.
Another gem of this book is parts that detail where King got the inspiration for many of his books. i.e. the death of his daughter's cat and the family burying it in the backyard was the inspiration for Pet Sematary. You'll have to read the book to learn of the others.
There are a lot of good movies based on his books - Stand by Me, Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and It to name a few. And also, quite a few doozies. But he remains the Author with the most adaptations of his work.
This is a great book for King's "Constant Readers" and film buffs alike. It was a fun fast informative read.
Thank you to the Publisher and Edelweiss who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 24, 2020
Many thanks to Palazzo Editions for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
This was so much fun to read. It's definitely a staple for any horror movie fan or Stephen King fan! I'm not joking when I genuinely considered bringing this book with me to the movie theater when I watched It: Chapter Two
This book was full of so much fun trivia and pictures! It was all so fascinating!! My only complaint is that (and this definitely isn't the author's or even the publisher's fault) this book was basically outdated before it came out because Stephen King gets so many new movies.... Oh well.
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December 31, 2019
Salem's Lot way back in 1979 with odd cast of David Soul James Mason ? This why this great book, I had forgotten this.
This not just 'Here's Johnny' or woof woof from Cujo.Here have old photos of King.
But for me it is the Movies that I not seen such as Silver Bullet (1985),Golden Years(1991), The Langoliers (1995), Apt Pupil (1998), Storm of the Century (1999), A Good Marriage(2014) , 11.22.64 (2016) to name but few.
Ian Natilan has included his TV works his none horror. Lot people forget he did Running Man.
Over all this good interesting book on one few post war American writers .
This not just 'Here's Johnny' or woof woof from Cujo.Here have old photos of King.
But for me it is the Movies that I not seen such as Silver Bullet (1985),Golden Years(1991), The Langoliers (1995), Apt Pupil (1998), Storm of the Century (1999), A Good Marriage(2014) , 11.22.64 (2016) to name but few.
Ian Natilan has included his TV works his none horror. Lot people forget he did Running Man.
Over all this good interesting book on one few post war American writers .
November 6, 2019
Charting the filmic output of Stephen King and covering some sixty-five movies and thirty television shows, this is apparently “the most comprehensive account of the films and television series adapted from [his] work…ever put together.”
I grew up reading King, his novels and short stories led me into a lifelong love of the horror genre and I’ve enjoyed several of his films too, so this seemed an ideal read for me, especially since I liked Nathan’s work in Empire magazine. However, having now read it, I’m not entirely sure what it’s purpose is. The blurb promises “fresh critical analysis, interviews, behind-the-scenes revelations and biographical detail”, but I didn’t see much of that at all. Each item has a pitch-line, basic credits and plenty of beautifully reproduced pictures, but the content varies alarmingly (as does the length). If Nathan likes the film (and he includes a handy list telling you his favourites), the film takes up more space (8 pages for “The Shining”, “Shawshank” and “Stand By Me”, for example), whereas the ones he doesn’t have time for (including “Dolan’s Cadillac”, which he clearly loathes), cover one or two. There’s no consistency in what is covered (there’s no fresh critical analysis), the interviews all come from other books/magazines and there’s not a lot of behind-the-scenes revelations that won’t already be known to fans. There’s also a weird editorial glitch, where he mentions characters or actors surnames who haven’t been listed in the limited credits, making the reader feel like they’ve missed something. Hard to recommend, it looks lovely but, as King himself said about “The Shining”, it’s “like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside it”.
I grew up reading King, his novels and short stories led me into a lifelong love of the horror genre and I’ve enjoyed several of his films too, so this seemed an ideal read for me, especially since I liked Nathan’s work in Empire magazine. However, having now read it, I’m not entirely sure what it’s purpose is. The blurb promises “fresh critical analysis, interviews, behind-the-scenes revelations and biographical detail”, but I didn’t see much of that at all. Each item has a pitch-line, basic credits and plenty of beautifully reproduced pictures, but the content varies alarmingly (as does the length). If Nathan likes the film (and he includes a handy list telling you his favourites), the film takes up more space (8 pages for “The Shining”, “Shawshank” and “Stand By Me”, for example), whereas the ones he doesn’t have time for (including “Dolan’s Cadillac”, which he clearly loathes), cover one or two. There’s no consistency in what is covered (there’s no fresh critical analysis), the interviews all come from other books/magazines and there’s not a lot of behind-the-scenes revelations that won’t already be known to fans. There’s also a weird editorial glitch, where he mentions characters or actors surnames who haven’t been listed in the limited credits, making the reader feel like they’ve missed something. Hard to recommend, it looks lovely but, as King himself said about “The Shining”, it’s “like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside it”.
December 18, 2022
When I saw this said it was a complete history of the film and TV adaptations of Stephen King, I was sceptical.
There really have been some obscure and pretty terrible adaptations over the years. But this book manages to cover them all. All the of spin offs, sequels and remakes are mentioned here.
This book is full of very interesting facts, some of which I was familiar with, and others not so much. I definitely learnt a lot from reading this book.
There are also beautiful glossy photos to accompany the writing, including some cool behind the scenes photos.
If you haven't watched all the adaptations/read the books you may want to skip the ones you've not watched/read yet as there is plenty of spoilers to go around.
Although, I didn't agree with every opinion regarding these adaptations in this book, I generally agreeded with most of what was said.
This book was published in 2019, so some of the later details were incorrect and it obviously misses some of the newer adaptations.
But overall, this is a fantastic guide for any constant reader who wants to learn more about the insane amount of adaptations there have been of King's works.
There really have been some obscure and pretty terrible adaptations over the years. But this book manages to cover them all. All the of spin offs, sequels and remakes are mentioned here.
This book is full of very interesting facts, some of which I was familiar with, and others not so much. I definitely learnt a lot from reading this book.
There are also beautiful glossy photos to accompany the writing, including some cool behind the scenes photos.
If you haven't watched all the adaptations/read the books you may want to skip the ones you've not watched/read yet as there is plenty of spoilers to go around.
Although, I didn't agree with every opinion regarding these adaptations in this book, I generally agreeded with most of what was said.
This book was published in 2019, so some of the later details were incorrect and it obviously misses some of the newer adaptations.
But overall, this is a fantastic guide for any constant reader who wants to learn more about the insane amount of adaptations there have been of King's works.
November 5, 2019
Presents some interesting information and trivia, but there were a lot of errors (basic information like well-known character names were the most glaring) that made this book seem just kind of hastily thrown together.
August 23, 2022
As a longtime Constant Reader (I first got into Stephen King's books in about the mid-'80s, when I was in high school), I found a lot to like about this book. Much of the information contained therein was stuff I already knew, at least on some level, and I had seen most -- not all -- of the movies listed. But there was a lot of trivia, backstory, details about the book business versus the movie business, etc., that made it into just the kind of book I like to read.
As with any book that tries to include an element of criticism, of course there were places where my own opinion diverged from that of Mr. Nathan. Some of the movies that he loved were only so-so in my estimation, and some of my favorites were considered to be dogs (not the Cujo kind) in this book's pages.
I did appreciate the thoroughness of it all. It covers virtually everything put on a screen and bearing Stephen King's name, starting with "Carrie" and continuing up through "Castle Rock" (which was still being broadcast at the time the book was published) and "Doctor Sleep" (which similarly was a forthcoming movie at that point and so has sketchy details about the movie itself. Interestingly, though, the author acknowledges that there seemed to be a kind of resurgence of "King on film" over the past few years before the book was written, and that has only continued with productions like the series for "The Stand" and the forthcoming "The Talisman." I'd be curious whether a few years down the road, Mr. Nathan would be up to publishing a second volume.
As with any book that tries to include an element of criticism, of course there were places where my own opinion diverged from that of Mr. Nathan. Some of the movies that he loved were only so-so in my estimation, and some of my favorites were considered to be dogs (not the Cujo kind) in this book's pages.
I did appreciate the thoroughness of it all. It covers virtually everything put on a screen and bearing Stephen King's name, starting with "Carrie" and continuing up through "Castle Rock" (which was still being broadcast at the time the book was published) and "Doctor Sleep" (which similarly was a forthcoming movie at that point and so has sketchy details about the movie itself. Interestingly, though, the author acknowledges that there seemed to be a kind of resurgence of "King on film" over the past few years before the book was written, and that has only continued with productions like the series for "The Stand" and the forthcoming "The Talisman." I'd be curious whether a few years down the road, Mr. Nathan would be up to publishing a second volume.
August 16, 2019
Running from Carrie through upcoming film Doctor Sleep, Stephen King at the Movies shows both the good and the bad of movie and tv miniseries adaptations of King’s work. But there are secrets scattered throughout the text.
The Shining as a fugue or an autobiography? The original Pennywise in It was terrifying but was it as iconic as the one used? Was Misery really based on King’s idolization of Bruce Springsteen?
I’ve always wanted to move to Maine. To visit Murder She Wrote’s Cabot Cove in Autumn or King’s Castle Rock in Winter. However, after reading that The Shining’s winter madness was inspired by King’s view of Maine’s excessive snow outside the fledgling author’s trailer, I’m rethinking my plan.
Stephen King at the Movies is a good overview of movies, mini-series, and even single episodes of series featuring King’s writing. It is full of pictures of the actors, scenes, and original movie posters. Perfect for any Stephen King or horror fan. 3 stars.
Thanks to Palazzo Edition and Edelweiss+ for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Shining as a fugue or an autobiography? The original Pennywise in It was terrifying but was it as iconic as the one used? Was Misery really based on King’s idolization of Bruce Springsteen?
I’ve always wanted to move to Maine. To visit Murder She Wrote’s Cabot Cove in Autumn or King’s Castle Rock in Winter. However, after reading that The Shining’s winter madness was inspired by King’s view of Maine’s excessive snow outside the fledgling author’s trailer, I’m rethinking my plan.
Stephen King at the Movies is a good overview of movies, mini-series, and even single episodes of series featuring King’s writing. It is full of pictures of the actors, scenes, and original movie posters. Perfect for any Stephen King or horror fan. 3 stars.
Thanks to Palazzo Edition and Edelweiss+ for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 3, 2019
4.5 out of 5 stars.
An insightful and intriguing look into all the adaptations of the works of Stephen King. Though it can get a little sassy at points, the book really goes into detail of all the works made from Carrie to Doctor Sleep, even including a sidenote of upcoming (or potentially upcoming) adaptations.
There were films in here I've never heard of before so it's given me a nice little list of weirdness to go check out!
An insightful and intriguing look into all the adaptations of the works of Stephen King. Though it can get a little sassy at points, the book really goes into detail of all the works made from Carrie to Doctor Sleep, even including a sidenote of upcoming (or potentially upcoming) adaptations.
There were films in here I've never heard of before so it's given me a nice little list of weirdness to go check out!
June 16, 2021
Being an Avid King Reader and movie watcher, this book was a homerun for me. It had stuff I already knew about and seen but, it had tons of information on many adaptations I haven't seen. It went through EVERY movie, TV Series, Pilot episode, TV movies ....EVERYTHING.
It was stocked with old movie covers, set photos, fun facts regarding directors and actors.
If you are a king fan this is a must read.
It was stocked with old movie covers, set photos, fun facts regarding directors and actors.
If you are a king fan this is a must read.
December 27, 2019
A fun, frivolous easy read to dip in and out of. Gives a good idea of which film and TV adaptations are worth watching and which are not.
September 14, 2020
There are a lot of books about Stephen King movies. This one looks great but lacks the depth and enthusiasm of the others. Scott von Doviak's "Stephen King Films FAQ" (2014) and Simon Brown's "Screening Stephen King" (2018) are worthy alternatives.
May 26, 2024
ReedIII Quick Review: Great pictures and behind the scenes stories make for a delightful read. Thorough treatment of King's work that have been translated to screen published 2019. Excellent pictures and thoughtful opinions. Includes some factual mistakes and needs a more detailed table of contents.
February 24, 2021
I am really blown away by this one! I bought this nice glossy hardcover in the January sales, because it was a little more expensive than a usual book, and I expected to be a nice little “coffee table” sort of book: One that I could keep around and flick through every now and then, but not really sit down and read cover to cover because I expected it to be more style over substance. What I got instead was a fantastically researched and interesting non-fiction book, that has the added bonus of also looking incredible and well-presented.
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Stephen King at the Movies is a chronological exploration of every single Stephen King adaptation ever to grace the screen, starting in 1976 with Carrie, going up until 2019’s Creepshow. There are chapters dedicated to King’s most influential and iconic films such as The Shining, Misery, and Shawshank Redemption, as well as more less known ones, like Rose Red and those awful Children of the Corn sequels. It’s also plainly easy to see how well-researched each adaptation is, as each adaptation’s chapter features narrative such as production details, casting choices, critical reception and even changes between the original text and the adaptation, which I found endlessly interesting. Also, this book is much longer than I expected, and although there are only 221 pages in this volume, it’s because the book itself is actually quite big, and printed on glossy photo paper. I’d estimate if it was published to traditional dimensions it would probably be between 300-400 pages, which is a lot longer than I was expecting!
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I was really pleasantly surprised by this one! I’m definitely going to be recommending it to fans of Stephen King’s books as well as films in general, but really, I think it’s a really interesting non-fiction book that most would find interesting actually.
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Stephen King at the Movies is a chronological exploration of every single Stephen King adaptation ever to grace the screen, starting in 1976 with Carrie, going up until 2019’s Creepshow. There are chapters dedicated to King’s most influential and iconic films such as The Shining, Misery, and Shawshank Redemption, as well as more less known ones, like Rose Red and those awful Children of the Corn sequels. It’s also plainly easy to see how well-researched each adaptation is, as each adaptation’s chapter features narrative such as production details, casting choices, critical reception and even changes between the original text and the adaptation, which I found endlessly interesting. Also, this book is much longer than I expected, and although there are only 221 pages in this volume, it’s because the book itself is actually quite big, and printed on glossy photo paper. I’d estimate if it was published to traditional dimensions it would probably be between 300-400 pages, which is a lot longer than I was expecting!
.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this one! I’m definitely going to be recommending it to fans of Stephen King’s books as well as films in general, but really, I think it’s a really interesting non-fiction book that most would find interesting actually.
February 10, 2020
Ian Nathan’s Stephen King at the Movies is a perfect match for any fan of King’s novels, short stories, or the films and television series inspired by them. Claiming to be “a complete history of the film and television adaptations from the master of horror,” this compendium covers everything from 1976’s Carrie – which you’ll learn has already been remade twice – to 2019’s Doctor Sleep, chronologically giving every movie, mini-series, and TV show its own chapter complete with original poster art, filmmaking credits, photos from the set, and a review that includes making-of factoids as well as King’s own involvement (cameos!) and thoughts on each project.
This book also includes a few added sections I enjoyed as well. For instance, the introduction did a nice job of showcasing King’s career as a writer while at the same time explaining why his writing is so readymade for the silver screen. And, the author includes his own personal ranking of every movie and show in a section called The Final Reckoning. I won’t spoil which project got the top slot, but I have to agree with nearly all of the Children of the Corn sequels being near the bottom of the list.
The only dilemma with this book is that it became outdated the instant it was published. With shows like The Outsider currently airing, and over fifteen King-related projects slated for production, it seems the public demand for all things Stephen King is at an all-time high. But, what’s here in this compilation is outstanding – a film-geek and King-Completist’s dream. We can only hope for updated editions sometime down the road.
This book also includes a few added sections I enjoyed as well. For instance, the introduction did a nice job of showcasing King’s career as a writer while at the same time explaining why his writing is so readymade for the silver screen. And, the author includes his own personal ranking of every movie and show in a section called The Final Reckoning. I won’t spoil which project got the top slot, but I have to agree with nearly all of the Children of the Corn sequels being near the bottom of the list.
The only dilemma with this book is that it became outdated the instant it was published. With shows like The Outsider currently airing, and over fifteen King-related projects slated for production, it seems the public demand for all things Stephen King is at an all-time high. But, what’s here in this compilation is outstanding – a film-geek and King-Completist’s dream. We can only hope for updated editions sometime down the road.
January 3, 2021
4 / 5 for 'Stephen King at the Movies' by Ian Nathan
I've read a few negative reviews of this book, and I honestly don't get them at all. This is a really good book, guiding fans through all of the adaptions of Kings work on TV or at the movies.
The book itself is beautifully produced, with lots of glossy images, dating from 1976 all the way up to 2019. There's lots of informative text, that give us a good background behind the conception and execution of each of the adapted novels and short stories. There's a basic fact box for each entry, telling us the main stars, screenwriting and directing credits, the year of production etc. These boxes could have been a little better, perhaps including the budget and gross takings for each adaption, but that's just to satisfy my own OCD tendencies.
The text itself is really well researched and well written, including Nathan's thoughts on each and every adaption (which we are free to disagree with via social media) as well as the critical reaction for each entry. As a general rule, larger-named / better-received entries are given 2-6 pages and unsuccessful / poorly made entries are given 1-2 pages. The downright awful (Children of The Corn sequels and The Mangler series) are given half a page at most, deservedly so.
On the negative side, the book could have given a little more info on the nitty-gritty behind each entry, and in my own opinion, the page count should have been higher than just 224 pages, given the huge amount of adaptions that have been made from King's massive back-catalogue.
But, on the whole, this is a really good book - well written and nicely produced.
4 / 5
I've read a few negative reviews of this book, and I honestly don't get them at all. This is a really good book, guiding fans through all of the adaptions of Kings work on TV or at the movies.
The book itself is beautifully produced, with lots of glossy images, dating from 1976 all the way up to 2019. There's lots of informative text, that give us a good background behind the conception and execution of each of the adapted novels and short stories. There's a basic fact box for each entry, telling us the main stars, screenwriting and directing credits, the year of production etc. These boxes could have been a little better, perhaps including the budget and gross takings for each adaption, but that's just to satisfy my own OCD tendencies.
The text itself is really well researched and well written, including Nathan's thoughts on each and every adaption (which we are free to disagree with via social media) as well as the critical reaction for each entry. As a general rule, larger-named / better-received entries are given 2-6 pages and unsuccessful / poorly made entries are given 1-2 pages. The downright awful (Children of The Corn sequels and The Mangler series) are given half a page at most, deservedly so.
On the negative side, the book could have given a little more info on the nitty-gritty behind each entry, and in my own opinion, the page count should have been higher than just 224 pages, given the huge amount of adaptions that have been made from King's massive back-catalogue.
But, on the whole, this is a really good book - well written and nicely produced.
4 / 5
February 22, 2023
Absolutely enjoyable book.
When it comes to horror books i obviously have read King books the most. He is the most famous horror author after all. Even though he isn't my fave i'm always thankful to him for writing "It" book because "It Chapter One" and "It Chapter Two" are my all time fave horror movies.
I knew there were many movies and tv shows based on his books but still wow. Have to say that there were quite few (and completely new to me) that i found really interesting, even more so than some of his most famous works.
Lot of stuff to watch.
When it comes to horror books i obviously have read King books the most. He is the most famous horror author after all. Even though he isn't my fave i'm always thankful to him for writing "It" book because "It Chapter One" and "It Chapter Two" are my all time fave horror movies.
I knew there were many movies and tv shows based on his books but still wow. Have to say that there were quite few (and completely new to me) that i found really interesting, even more so than some of his most famous works.
Lot of stuff to watch.
March 20, 2022
Read-a-long with a complete Stephen King adaptation watch-through. Up to and including Doctor Sleep (2019) where the book finishes, that accounts for:
72 Movies (including TV & straight-to-video movies) - 125 hours
15 TV mini-series - 63 hours
5 TV series - 76 hours
Makes for quite an entertaining tour guide, providing some interesting background and tidbits of information about the very many King adaptations that exist.
72 Movies (including TV & straight-to-video movies) - 125 hours
15 TV mini-series - 63 hours
5 TV series - 76 hours
Makes for quite an entertaining tour guide, providing some interesting background and tidbits of information about the very many King adaptations that exist.
December 24, 2022
A wonderful resource for fan of King and films. It includes photos and a brief synopsis of the films along with some perspectives. Recommended.
March 24, 2022
This is a great book filled with all of the Stephen King adaptations out there along with wonderful photographs from each of the chapters. The only problem I have is a lack of a real Table Of Contents for each of the adaptations. There is really no way to open right to page that has a particular movie or show you want to read about without knowing the chronological order that it came out in. Also a list of each of Stephen King's books with each of the adaptations that goes with it would have been a benefit. Besides that, this is a great coffee-table book.
On a side note, at the end of the book the author ranks all of the adaptations in the book and I have to say, he's crazy to think that "Storm of the Century" is the 12th best adaptation. It's even one place above It: Chapter One. Crazy. Also Carrie 2: The Rage no way belongs at the 31st place out of 84. That movie was pure garbage. There are much, much better movies below it in the list. But hey, we all have our own opinions and these little hic-ups don't take away from the book as a whole.
On a side note, at the end of the book the author ranks all of the adaptations in the book and I have to say, he's crazy to think that "Storm of the Century" is the 12th best adaptation. It's even one place above It: Chapter One. Crazy. Also Carrie 2: The Rage no way belongs at the 31st place out of 84. That movie was pure garbage. There are much, much better movies below it in the list. But hey, we all have our own opinions and these little hic-ups don't take away from the book as a whole.
November 6, 2022
I'm always interested in reading books about making movies! And a book about scary movies ("The Shining" remains the scariest movie ever) is especially exciting. Each King movie is reviewed and accompanied by beautiful glossy photos.
But I felt it could have been better... more in-depth, more interesting, more exciting, more *something!?* He also seemed critical of every movie. (Are we sure he's a King fan?) Then the author lost some credibility with me when he wrote about "Shawshank" being filmed at the Mansfield Penitentiary. Nice try, Ian Nathan [two first names?], but it's called Mansfield Reformatory. I loved visiting this incredible, haunting place, so calling it by the wrong name is a pet peeve; and a simple Google search would have clarified.
Although he gained some back with the line "What kind of world is it when a librarian turns out to be evil?" Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
But I felt it could have been better... more in-depth, more interesting, more exciting, more *something!?* He also seemed critical of every movie. (Are we sure he's a King fan?) Then the author lost some credibility with me when he wrote about "Shawshank" being filmed at the Mansfield Penitentiary. Nice try, Ian Nathan [two first names?], but it's called Mansfield Reformatory. I loved visiting this incredible, haunting place, so calling it by the wrong name is a pet peeve; and a simple Google search would have clarified.
Although he gained some back with the line "What kind of world is it when a librarian turns out to be evil?" Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
August 15, 2019
I received this book as an ARC from Palazzo Editions in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in my review are completely my own.
Stephen King is one of the most well-known american writers of our generation and the fact that a lot of his works have been turned into American Blockbusters is amazing feat in itself. The work and dedication that went into putting together these movies and the involvement that had to take place it purely amazing. It was such a refresher to know the role Stephen King played in the making of each of these movies and how involved he got in making sure his stories were brought to life on the screen. Can't wait to see what other books get turned into blockbusters.
We will consider adding this title to our entertainment section of our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
Stephen King is one of the most well-known american writers of our generation and the fact that a lot of his works have been turned into American Blockbusters is amazing feat in itself. The work and dedication that went into putting together these movies and the involvement that had to take place it purely amazing. It was such a refresher to know the role Stephen King played in the making of each of these movies and how involved he got in making sure his stories were brought to life on the screen. Can't wait to see what other books get turned into blockbusters.
We will consider adding this title to our entertainment section of our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
October 23, 2019
This very thorough compilation of every Stephen King adaptation up to 2019 is a delight--I got an ARC, but the binding is lovely and the design divine. It's also packed with neat details about the making of the various productions. It could be more thorough, but it's not billing itself as an in-depth look at anything, so I wasn't disappointed. Ian Nathan has crafted a great survey of what proves to be a very large landscape.
Much of the commentary on these movies is entertaining, too. There are a lot of stinkers in these projects, and Nathan has a snarky comment for every bad choice. I'm not quite sure why he hates Darabont's adaptation of THE MIST so much, though--it's one of my all-time faves. :)
Much of the commentary on these movies is entertaining, too. There are a lot of stinkers in these projects, and Nathan has a snarky comment for every bad choice. I'm not quite sure why he hates Darabont's adaptation of THE MIST so much, though--it's one of my all-time faves. :)
December 30, 2019
Stephen King at the movies is a complete history of the films and television adaptions of the master of horrors novels and short stories from Carrie to Dr sleep. It tells you where the films were made, how they were made and how much it cost to make them. Also who was considered for the roles and who actually got them.
The only small thing I noticed that was wrong was that for the Stand by me part the author kept calling a character Terry when the characters name is Teddy. But over all the book is a interesting read.
The only small thing I noticed that was wrong was that for the Stand by me part the author kept calling a character Terry when the characters name is Teddy. But over all the book is a interesting read.
December 20, 2022
Kniha Stephen King ve filmu je spíše jakýmsi sběratelským kouskem. Kouskem, kterým si obohatíte autorovu poličku ve vaší knihovně. Musím ale říct, že nabízí skvělý (dnes sice neúplný) přehled Kingových zfilmovaných děl.
Ke každému filmu je zde několik klíčových informací, doplněných fotkami a občas také autorovým názorem na daný film.
Mnoho z nás ví, že ne každé zpracování bylo vyloženě povedené a autor se to v knize rozhodně nepokouší zatajit.
Kniha se nečetla špatně, ale je to samozřejmě něco jiného, než když čtete příběh.
Pokud máte Kinga rádi a chcete si udělat přehled i ve filmech, rozhodně knížku doporučuji. Navíc je to opravdu pěkný kousek.
Ke každému filmu je zde několik klíčových informací, doplněných fotkami a občas také autorovým názorem na daný film.
Mnoho z nás ví, že ne každé zpracování bylo vyloženě povedené a autor se to v knize rozhodně nepokouší zatajit.
Kniha se nečetla špatně, ale je to samozřejmě něco jiného, než když čtete příběh.
Pokud máte Kinga rádi a chcete si udělat přehled i ve filmech, rozhodně knížku doporučuji. Navíc je to opravdu pěkný kousek.
February 11, 2024
I love Stephen King - in both film and book form. This book was full of interesting little tidbits gathered from King himself as well as the actors and directors who worked on those movies.
However, the reason for the so-so rating was this book was also full of small mistakes that were completely avoidable. There were several instances in which they got character’s names wrong - it’s Teddy in Stand By Me, not Terry, and Ray Brower, not Ray Brewer, for crying out loud.
A good book for a short, entertaining perusal of King’s film work, but I wouldn’t use it as a source for anything.
However, the reason for the so-so rating was this book was also full of small mistakes that were completely avoidable. There were several instances in which they got character’s names wrong - it’s Teddy in Stand By Me, not Terry, and Ray Brower, not Ray Brewer, for crying out loud.
A good book for a short, entertaining perusal of King’s film work, but I wouldn’t use it as a source for anything.
December 29, 2019
The author says that "setting out, my intention was to be as encyclopedic as possible..." and "this is also, I suppose, a biography by stealth."
It's hard to imagine if this would qualify as either. The picture to text ratio makes it more of a book that you'd read at a coffee table while you're waiting for your dentist.
Having said that, I really liked reading about a couple of film adaptations I like - Stand by Me and The Shining (although Mr King would disagree).
It's hard to imagine if this would qualify as either. The picture to text ratio makes it more of a book that you'd read at a coffee table while you're waiting for your dentist.
Having said that, I really liked reading about a couple of film adaptations I like - Stand by Me and The Shining (although Mr King would disagree).
January 1, 2023
Stand By Me is one of my favorite movies so I jumped to that section first. I was utterly dismayed that the author misnamed the Teddy Duchamp character, calling him Terry throughout. How did the editor miss this? How many other errors were made? Just completely unprofessional. I’m spite of that I read a number of the entries and found none of them even vaguely engaging. No new insight. This book is a waste of time. I didn’t finish it.
December 8, 2020
A well written look at all of the film/TV adaptations of the master horror storyteller. It gave me a list of things to see to complete the set (for now). And there is some solid analysis here - lots of critisim too, not just a gushing rave over everything, this looks at the good, (very) bad and (fairly) ugly.
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