The King & I

'We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.'

Stephen King

Artwork by Michael Parsons

Whenever I'm asked who my favorite author is, I always answer Stephen King.  It's not that King's the best writer out there, or that I've enjoyed all of his books, I haven't.  But King's work became an important part in my life back when I was in Jr. High.  After being terrified after seeing the 1990 mini-series adaptation of IT, mostly thanks to actor Tim Curry, I was hooked on the author's storytelling. 

From then on, it seems I always have a King novel or short story on the go.  This past year along, I've read Later, 1992 and If It Bleeds.  This past summer, I loved and devoured the close to 600 pages of The Institute.  I just started Billy Summers and have a brand new copy of Joyland on my shelves to read next.  I haven't read all of King's books, some of his biggest sellers, like The Dark Tower and The Stand, I have yet to read.  I own them both, and started them both years ago, but they just didn't draw me in.  I know however, I will at some point pick them up and finish them.

I've not loved all of King's books, some I really struggled to finish.  Although I love King's straight horror tales, I tend to be drawn more to the stories focused on human frailties and the sometimes horrific dynamics of human relationships.  I think my favorite King novels have been; Misery, IT, Pet Sematary, Thinner, Rose Madder, Needful Things and The Green Mile.  I was University, and read the Green Novel in sections as it was first released slowly in six separate volumes..

For the most part, I haven't had the same passion for most of the on-screen adaptations of King's work. Most, have been rather disappointing.  I loved the book Thinner, but hated the movie. I also loved the book Needful Things, but barely got through a Blockbuster rental of the film.  In many cases, it's because King's stories are so immense, the time limits of feature films just don't work.  For example, some of my favorite characters and stories in Needful Things were chopped for the big screen version.

Television seems to be a better place for King. As stated, I loved the 1990 mini-series adaptation of  IT.   As far as the big screen goes, I did love Misery, Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption.  I also loved the original Carrie, a movie I saw on TV before going back to read the book.  With Carrie, I actually preferred Brian De Palma's 1976 film version better with the book.

When it comes to my favorite King novel and book, I believe the answer is the same.  I don't know exactly why, but I truly loved both the novel, and the film version of King's Dolores Claiborne. I read the novel first, and loved everything about the story including the tone King set in the first few pages.  Unlike some other adaptations, I felt the Taylor Hackford directed film mirrored the novel's feel and tone from the film's get go.  I also loved the dynamic between mother and daughter played so brilliantly on-screen by Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh.