‘KING ON SCREEN’ DOCUMENTARY DEEP DIVES INTO THE MASTER OF HORROR STEPHEN KING’S FILM ADAPTATIONS
When you think of Stephen King the first thing that comes to mind is terror and suspense. You might even be like me and instantly get flashes of memories reading his books in bed late at night, wondering if the stories of his you are reading are slight predictions for things, you’re hearing go “bump in the night”. King has always been the “master of suspense” when it comes to the tales he weaves, most known of course are stories like “IT”, “Misery”, or “Pet Sematary”. These tales have provided many of us with fear over the decades since they have been released, but most of all they have left us always wanting more.
Most horror movie fans relate their experiences of Stephen King to the movies they have seen. Such classics like “Creepshow”, “Christine”, “Carrie”, or maybe most of all “The Shining” (we all know the controversy around that movie…well at least we seasoned horror movie fans at least). If you are anything like me, you most likely saw the movies before reading the books. Those movies inspired me a lot, especially to read his books and want to write horror stories of my own. Even though they were based on his books, Stephen King found a way to contribute his particular taste in horror in the screenplays that he has written for the silver screen.
I recently got to check out the Stephen King-focused documentary “King on Screen” from Darkstar Pictures. This movie was directed by Daphné Baiwir and features many actors, as well as directors who were part of his books transitioning to movie theaters and homes across the world. The synopsis is as follows:
“In 1976, Brian de Palma directs “Carrie”, the first novel by Stephen King. Since then, more than 50 directors have adapted the master of horror’s books, in more than 80 films and series, making him the most adapted author alive in the world. What’s so fascinating about him that filmmakers cannot stop adapting his works? “King on Screen” reunites the filmmakers that have adapted Stephen King’s books for cinema and TV, including Frank Darabont (“Shawshank Redemption”, “The Green Mile”, “The Walking Dead”), Tom Holland (“The Langoliers”, “Chucky”), Mick Garris (“The Stand”, “Sleepwalkers”) and Taylor Hackford (“Dolores Claiborne”, “Ray”). It is a movie made for the fans and with the fans, led by an international ambition.
I got to say I honestly am a huge fan of a good horror documentary. Ones like “Crystal Lake Memories” or “Never Sleep Again” have been ones I have very much enjoyed via multiple viewings. This one stands up there with those greats. It was so beautifully made. The director Daphné Baiwir clearly is not only a very talented director but also a fan of Stephen King herself. As the synopsis says, this is clearly a movie made for the fans. It is a love letter to the amazing contribution to the horror juggernaut that is Stephen King. The movies that were made over the years, the TV mini-series, and even the remakes have sat on our shelves for multiple viewings through most of our lives as fans of horror (I know they have on mine).
Within the first 5 minutes of this movie, we are greeted with a multitude of references to Stephen King’s films with so many cameos from the films we have enjoyed. Some of these cameos include Miko Hughes (best known for his portrayal in the Stephen King film as Gage Creed in the theatrical 1989 release of “Pet Sematary” and more recently the fan-made sequel to “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” called “Dylan’s New Nightmare” soon to be released on YouTube at the end of the month), and so many more names that I will leave you horror fans to point out when you view it on your own. If you are like me, you will most likely rewind this intro several times to make sure you will notice all the amazing Easter eggs that are scattered all over the beginning of the movie. Truly it is an amazing sight to see, and it was so much fun to watch everyone come back to pay tribute to the horror legacy that is Stephen King movie adaptations.
Getting a sneak peek, at not only the horror films we all grew up to enjoy but also the many dramatic films that were made from his books (“The Green Mile”, “Hearts in Atlantis” and “The Shawshank Redemption” to name a few) that hit cinemas around the world was truly something that really made the viewing experience an extra flare of enjoyment for me. My favorite part of the non-horror-related films by far is the behind-the-scenes moments/stories for “The Green Mile”, particularly when we get to hear the way Michael Clark Duncan got his role, the love people had for Stephen King when he visited the set, and just that much more of a reason why Tom Hanks is the worldwide treasure that he is.
Jumping back into the horror aspect of the documentary, I really loved the way they highlighted Kathy Bates in her role as Annie Wilkes. You really get to see more in-depth the way she brought this terrifying character to the big screen. Not only that but you hear more about her contributions to another Stephen King film “Dolores Claiborne”, but how she sparked one of the most well-beloved Stephen King film performances that made this movie such the cult classic that “Misery” is today. I very much loved how much the people that worked with Kathy Bates on both of these films truly admired her talents, as much as we all have been of her work for many years. The extra cherry on top of this horrifically sweet tribute was Kathy Bates winning her Oscar for her role in “Misery” and the speech that she gave in winning this. It honestly made me want to see Kathy Bates in another crazy and intense Stephen King role for a movie that has yet to be made or one that she could really make her own.
The horror aspect and admiration of such was even more highlighted by the people who helped to bring his adaptation of his books to the big screen. Every writer and director that was interviewed for this documentary showed true love for the work that Stephen King gave the world and their own experiences with Stephen King’s work in their younger years. You can really tell that not only are these people grateful to have had the chance to highlight Stephen King’s work for the medium of movies, but also that they themselves are real fans of the work that he is done.
Not only that but seeing both sides of original and remakes of Stephen King’s movies (“IT” and “The Shining” for example) really was inspiring to watch. We all go into these movies as fans and sometimes forget the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making these movies that we all take for granted. There is of course the drama behind Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King over the adaptation and how the made-for-TV movie remake made sure not to make the same mistakes. You get even more look at the abuse that actress Shelley Duvall had put upon her by Stanley Kubrick and really how this affected her throughout the years. Eccentric is kind of a low-grade way to explain how Stanley Kubrick ran everything on that set, but this is another piece of the documentary you need to see for yourself.
This documentary also reminded me just how enjoyable both the horror movies and horror novels are from Stephen King. The man is a legend for a reason. They really highlight the way he knows how to develop his characters, the tragedy that falls upon the protagonist of his books or movies, but most of all he developed so many worlds for which fans of his worldwide happily visit multiple times. Not only was this one of the best benefits of the documentary but the way the love and artistic flare of the cinematography of everything in this documentary really made me a big fan of Daphné Baiwir and the work she will provide us in the future.
“King on Screen” from Darkstar Pictures will be available in theaters this Friday, August 11th, and available on VOD, as well as Blu-ray on September 8th. Be sure to keep your eye out for an article coming soon with “King on Screen” director Daphné Baiwir here at Macabre Daily.
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