Top 5 Stephen King films that will send chills down your spine

Stephen King is known as the undisputed king of horror, from creating magical realms to monsters who have escaped their realm, he has explored every angle of the genre, and created gems for his fans to fawn over. Check out these top 5 film adaptations of his works that will surely make one glance over their shoulder in unease.

The Shining

This Stanley Kubrick classic cannot be missing from any horror lover’s Stephen King binge due to its universal appeal and genre transcendence. Released in 1980, the film stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic who is going to be the winter caretaker of the evil Overlook Hotel. When the living, monstrous hotel decides to prey on Jack, in order to kill and consume his gifted son Danny, the real plot of the film unfolds into calamitous consequences. 

Cell

This 2016 adaptation traces one of King’s most underrated works. Starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, and Isabelle Fuhrman in the titular roles, the film follows the story of an artist, Clay Riddell who is desperate to reach and rescue his son Johnny in a world where a ‘pulse’ has turned every cell phone user into rabid creatures. A haunting commentary on the future of technology and how easy it is to be misused for personal gains by higher authorities, this film does not hold back.

Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary’s 2019 adaptation is not extraordinary, but the story it tells is. Starring Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow, the film tells the story of an ancient burial ground that can resurrect any creature buried in it. Believed to be inhabited by the spirit of a Wendigo, or superior supernatural beings, the burial ground is not as kind as it initially seems, as experienced firsthand by the newly arrived Creed family after their cat Church is run over and their daughter Ellie is inconsolable.

IT

The 2017 adaptation of the film is iconic, especially with Bill Skarsgard’s unforgettable Pennywise. The town of Derry is haunted by an entity that awakens every 27 years to feed on children by manifesting their worst fears and attacking them. Now it is upon the Derry outcasts, Bill, Ben, Richie, Eddie, Stan, and Beverly, to save themselves as well as their town by defeating the seemingly undefeatable ‘IT.’

The Mist

One of the best adaptations of King’s works, The Mist (2007) features an ensemble cast. Tracing the occurrences surrounding the unnatural mist which fills the streets of Bridgton, the survivors of the town grapple with mortal animosity and Lovecraftian monsters hidden within the mist, as they remain huddled within a supermarket, cut off from the rest of the world.