Well, here we are. I am still avoiding my review on IT: Chapter 2. Mostly because I still haven't formed an opinion on it. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. Y'all know how it is...Hopefully you don't. I wouldn't wish indecisiveness on anyone.
I couldn't dedicate a week on my blog to American horror without including the GOAT. So, here are my five favorite Stephen King stories. Since most novels/novellas/stories of Stephen King rely on twists and mystery, I won't go into detail of the plots. This is just a list of recommendations. I'm leaving out The Shining, Stand by Me, and IT movies because I think my love for them are redundant at this point!
(movie count: six)
005. Pet Sematary
Quick Mc Friggin' question, do you really want to know how long I looked at the spelling to make sure I spelled it right/wrong? Lol, if you have ever wondered why King chose to spell it that way, it's because it's how a kid would spell it. I can't relate because my kids are smart, but go off.
I really did not like the most recent film adaptation. How many jump scares does a movie need? The answer is like, three. This movie had far too many. The book is much better. It doesn't come across as a long read compared to other things by Stephen King. I listened to the audiobook and it scared TF out of me. It's read by Michael C. Hall, who is most known as Dexter. Remember the ending of Dexter? That's how I feel about the most recent film adaptation's ending.
(movie count: eight Pet Sematary has been adapted twice. There is also a sequel but I have not seen it so I am not counting it)
004. The Green Mile
They say a story is good if you can elicit an emotional response from the reader. I have read this novel twice and seen the movie once. NEVER AGAIN. That's a big deal because Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors. Like, top five for sure. This is his greatest work, I know that's an unpopular opinion. One that I can BARELY back up because I will literally never see this movie again. I'm deadass about to cry thinking of this movie. I'm stressed out!
And y'all know I don't like movies with "magical Negros", because
I dragged tf out of The Help on here even though it's not a horror movie. This is a good movie! It was really amazing to see Michael Clarke Duncan in a more serious role, because I think he was typecast throughout his career.
Congrats, my day is ruined! Hope yours is not!
(movie count nine)
003.Carrie
Yo, I don't talk about the intense bullying I went through, mostly because a lot of it was racial and y'all would not understand. But also, because it seems like most girls went through a time where they were bullied. Some more than others. I wasn't exactly unpopular, so I feel like some people may have had it worse than me because a lot of the bullying felt worse than it probably was because I was also getting bullied (for lack of a better and less sh*t stirring word) at home and online.
I watched Carrie a lot in high school, because I was like...You know what? Points were made. And you know what? Carrie had a better prom than I did so...
What I liked about the book is that a man could tell this kind of story effectively. Let's get one thing clear. A
wise woman once noted that Hell is a teenage girl. And, like the fifth or sixth circle of Hell is needing a tampon and NO one helping you. And most vagina people have been there. That's a unique experience that I was not sure that a man could properly empathize with. After all, the male gaze that plagues a lot of horror was created by males. I think the sheer amount of times this movie has been parodied and paid homage to shows that King knew exactly what he was doing. Women are able to relate. Would we have Jennifer Check, Mandy Lane, or Ginger Fitzgerald without Carrie White? Probably not.
As I get older, the more I appreciate Carrie. I think #culture has determined that Carrie is a villain. which I do not agree with. I think Carrie is a hero in a very, very, broad sense. I don't know if I can properly explain my feelings. But I kind of feel like Carrie was a metaphor for a woman coming into her power and people being threatened by it. Carrie went out on her own terms, not anyone else's. Bad Bitches Only.
(movie count: 11, 12 if television movie is counted. I am not counting it!)
002. Children of the Corn
Well, let's talk about a franchise that did not need a franchise. The first Children of the Corn movie stands alone! It doesn't exactly follow the short story because the story is...short. But both are scary in their own ways. I love seeing things where kids act evil. And these lil assholes were E V I L. As much as I love the movie. I think the ending to the short story is much better. The kids are much more interesting than the adult in my opinion. I wanna know y'all's opinion though. Also, does anyone else think that He Who Walks Behind the Rows is Randall Flagg from The Stand? The Skarsgard/King reign just won't let up! I think The Stand is gonna be good. I hope it can make a list like this on my blog in the future. I am excited to see how Alexander Skarsgard plays Flagg. I love that they chose him because before I got in to the #lore I thougth Randall Flagg and Pennywise were like similar things. I know Dandelo from The Dark Tower series is supposed to be understood as kind of like the same sort of creature. But Randall Flagg reminds me of Pennywise a lot too...Almost like brothers.
(movie count 13. I'm not counting The Stand because it has not been made yet)
001. Castle Rock
Speaking of Bill Istvan Gunther Skarsgard. I think if you can only watch one Stephen King related work this month, I suggest you watch Castle Rock! This show is a love letter to everyone that has enjoyed at least one thing from Stephen King. It doesn't come across a cheesy or anything like that. While it's reminiscent of things we have seen/read/heard before it's mostly an original story. I'm writing this on September thirtieth buy this won't be published until much later. I don't think Bill Skarsgard will be back, but it wold be brazy if he was! I had so many theories about The Kid and I just want more! Not just because of the actor, but I have #questions. I'm also cool with them not being answered. I love a good open ending.
I feel like season two is going to more focused on The Shining and Misery. The first season was mostly like The Shawshank Redemption and Needful Things. With very prominent shout outs to It (2017) and Carrie (1976) with the casting of Sissy Spacek, Baby BIGS, and Chosen Jacobs.
(movie count 16)
Ok, so dassit. I do want to give an honorable mention to The Shawshank Redemption. I didn't include it because it is not a scary/creepy kind of thing. I already put in a movie that wasn't horror adjacent and I felt like putting in two would be over doing it!
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