Just started watching The Institute, a series based on the 2019 novel by King. Having enjoyed the novel I was wary of the series, as adaptations of King works are very hit and miss. The very nature of his work makes it difficult to adapt much to the big and little screen.
Some adaptations are true classics in cinematic history. Stanley Kubricks The Shining, which King isn't a great fan of due to the changes made to his story, is a great watch. Shawshank Redemption is highly rated by critics and viewers, while the Green Mile was a box office success.
One film that many see as a stand-out is Stand By Me. Minus a lot of the supernatural horror, the film stars River Pheonix and Will Wheaton and is more of a coming of age drama with a lot of nostalgia.
On the opposite end of the horror spectrum is IT. A more recent adaptation did very well, although many feel the TV mini series was better.
There have been some terrible attempts to cover Kings works. The Dark Tower, starring Idris Elba, was a massive flop. Trying to cover what is a mega series of novels in film is a difficult task, perhaps more suited to a Netflix series.
A lot of Kings more recent novels have been less horror based. 11.22.63, which follows a time traveller tasked with stopping the JFK assassination, was a great read and done pretty well on TV. Under The Dome, another enjoyable read, had a multi-series TV run, which went away from the novel a bit and suffered. The Mr Mercedes series of books was transformed well to the small screen, although hidden away on obscure TV. The Stand and The Mist have been done more than once.
Some series based on King novels but telling different stories - such as Castle Rock, Haven and the upcoming IT and The Shining prequel series - add even more depth to the amount of material available.
What are some of your favourites? I have only scratched the surface with the movies/series I have mentioned.
Stephen King adaptations...
posted on 21/7/25
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin (U2958)
posted 2 hours, 32 minutes ago
https://youtu.be/x_2LpM3gNj8?si=ETW13WHP0ZP5RDE4&t=38
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Christ that is horrific
Have those things eaten the world? Do they land anywhere?
posted on 21/7/25
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 5 hours, 28 minutes ago
Has anyone read Steven Kings book called the Langoliers ?
The book is actually quite good, but the film, although quite accurate to the book, is not done very well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh I've read it and think I watched a bit of the adaptation. Was it not a series?
posted on 21/7/25
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 5 hours, 28 minutes ago
Has anyone read Steven Kings book called the Langoliers ?
The book is actually quite good, but the film, although quite accurate to the book, is not done very well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh I've read it and think I watched a bit of the adaptation. Was it not a series?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Possibly but there’s also a dodgy 80s movie
posted on 21/7/25
comment by Irishred (U2539)
posted 22 seconds ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 5 hours, 28 minutes ago
Has anyone read Steven Kings book called the Langoliers ?
The book is actually quite good, but the film, although quite accurate to the book, is not done very well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh I've read it and think I watched a bit of the adaptation. Was it not a series?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Possibly but there’s also a dodgy 80s movie
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I worse still, that film was in 1995
posted on 21/7/25
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin (U2958)
posted 29 minutes ago
comment by Irishred (U2539)
posted 22 seconds ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 5 hours, 28 minutes ago
Has anyone read Steven Kings book called the Langoliers ?
The book is actually quite good, but the film, although quite accurate to the book, is not done very well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh I've read it and think I watched a bit of the adaptation. Was it not a series?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Possibly but there’s also a dodgy 80s movie
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I worse still, that film was in 1995
----------------------------------------------------------------------
My bad Ji but it had a distinct 80s look
posted on 21/7/25
Think it was a 2 part movie length tv show? Used to be on the Sci-Fi channel a lot.
posted on 22/7/25
Al from Quantum Leap was in it!
posted on 22/7/25
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 7 hours, 42 minutes ago
Al from Quantum Leap was in it!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And I think the big prison guard from The Green Mile
posted on 22/7/25
Watched the first episode of The Institute, last night... Good start, very true to the book, if my memory serves me correctly.
posted on 22/7/25
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin (U2958)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
Watched the first episode of The Institute, last night... Good start, very true to the book, if my memory serves me correctly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent, I'll make a start on it on the plane home from my hols.