Nothing says Halloween movies like horror, and nobody does horror better than the master of the genre himself, Stephen King. Stephen King’s name has become synonymous with horror for decades, and many of the best movies in that genre have been inspired by his work. This list concentrates on the film adaptations from his work that are perfect for Halloween; The Shawshank Redemption is an absolute masterpiece, but most would find that Carrie is more apropos for the scary season.
Carrie
This is the first film adaptation of King’s work, and it is still considered one of the best horror movies of all time. Carrie is a dark tale centered on high school bullying, child abuse, and what happens when a telekinetic teenager is pushed too far.
Cat’s Eye
Written by Stephen King, and starring Drew Barrymore and James Woods, Cat’s Eye is a collection of three stories where the catalyst is a cat.
Children of the Corn
Never have religious children and rows of corn been so creepy! Children of the Corn was considered one of the scariest films of its time, and modern viewers will find it just as thrilling.
Creepshow
When legendary director George A. Romero teamed up with Stephen King for this anthology film, the horror duo didn’t disappoint! The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill is particularly enjoyable in this anthology, as it stars King himself.
Creepshow 2
Though this sequel was not as popular as the original, King’s fans still consider this a classic among horror films.
Graveyard Shift
This is not the most popular of movies adapted from King’s work, but audiences will enjoy this vampire tale for the haunted holiday.
It
While Stephen King enthusiasts anxiously await the new version of this film to hit the big screen in 2017, the original miniseries remains a favorite among fans. Pennywise the Dancing Clown is one of the most terrifying characters in horror history, and Tim Curry does a phenomenal job portraying the killer clown.
Misery
Misery remains one of the best film adaptations of King’s novels. This picture put audiences on the edge of their seat, and had writers dreading ever meeting their No. 1 fan. It garnered a score of 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes , and the site’s Critics Consensus explains why this is one of the best Stephen King movies.
“Elevated by standout performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates, this taut and frightening film is one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.”
The Mist
Halloween brings out the monsters, and The Mist has plenty of them. This is one of the most unique stories of modern time, and King was so impressed by the ending that he considered it a crime for anyone to spoil it.
Needful Things
If Halloween is the Devil’s night, then a horror tale featuring Old Scratch is in order. Fans of the genre found it ironic that Max von Sydow was the heroic priest who faced the Devil in The Exorcist , and in Needful Things he plays the Devil himself.
Pet Sematary
Though most critics don’t like this film written by King, fans of horror movies love it!
The Shining
Stephen King purists tend to reject this film, but it doesn’t change the fact that many critics consider this one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation offers chilling visuals, genuine suspense, and absolute terror.
1408
Stephen King is hard to please when it comes to film adaptations of his work, so it’s very impressive that this movie received his approval. As Moviefone reported, Stephen King was “very pleased” with the film, and also praised John Cusack’s performance.
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From Carrie to 1408 , some of the best horror movies for Halloween are adapted from Stephen King.
[Featured Image by United Artists, Columbia Pictures, and Warner Bros. Television]