If there is one writer who's indelibly linked to horror, it'd have to be Stephen King.  And when you're as skilled- and prolific a writer as Stephen King, there will inevitably be adaptations of your writing. So, today, I present you my " Top Five Stephen King Adaptations "! 1.  " The Dead Zone " (1983)-  Directed by David Cronenberg, and starring Christopher Walken, this is one of my favorites.  It is a well crafted, and spooky retelling of the story of a man who becomes psychic after an accident, and whose life get entangled with that of a politician who's fated to destroy the world. 2.  " Misery " (1990)-  One of the most faithful adaptations of a story about a writer who meets his "number one fan" after she rescues him from a car accident.  Starring Kathy Bates, and James Caan, director Rob Reiner gives us a slow burning, tale of horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  The sledgehammer scene especially is shudder in...

My introduction to horror literature was via a hard cover edition of " The Shining " by Stephen King.  I feel that one of the first books reviewed during The Corner's relaunch should be by him as well. Mike Noonan, experiencing nightmares about his deceased wife's hometown, moves there to confront his fears at the source.  Soon however, he finds that the nightmares are real... and leading him to face ghosts from his and the town's past... This is one of the tightest, most emotionally intense books written by King.  It's on par with " The Shining" for mood, setting, and scares.  It flows smoothly along- building slowly but inevitably.  Once I began reading, I could not stop- I had to keep going until the end. Even then, I had troubles stopping myself from dwelling on it- especially how it treats the themes of grief, and how even when you've known someone for years- they can still surprise you. The characters are equally well crafted in...

Those of you who read this blog on a semi-regular basis, may be thinking that I've made a mistake in this review's title- especially since I've already done reviews of Stephen King's Novel " The Shining ", and the 1980 Stanley Kubrick version . Well, I'm not wrong, since 1997 saw a TV mini-series based on the novel.  The teleplay was written by Stephen King himself. After alcoholism leads to the loss of his job, Jack Torrance accepts a job as winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel.  Filled with hope for a fresh start, Jack and his family move into the hotel, and begin the process of healing old wounds. Soon, however, the snow starts to fly, and the hotel begins to stalk its occupants in the hopes of making their stay permanent ... After watching Kubrick's version years ago, I'd always felt that " The Shining " would've been better told as a mini-series, since it could incorporate more the themes and scary events from the no...

If you listen to " Film Reviews From the Basement ," on Friday night (07 Oct 2011), you will have heard my verbal review of Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, " The Shining ".  If you're a regular reader of my blog, then you would've read my review of Stephen King's book- which this movie is based on.  To round things out properly, I'm going to do a bit of a recap and expansion of my movie review today... simply because I can. I just want it known right off the bat that I DON'T hate Kubrick's films.  In fact, there are a few that I actually enjoy: " Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb " (1964); " A Clockwork Orange " (1971); and " Full Metal Jacket " (1987) As you can probably guess (if you didn't hear the radio show Friday night) from its absence, " The Shining " is not one of the ones I liked.  Now, before I get lynched by Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nich...

I have a very special place in my heart for this particular book.  I first read it at my Aunt's isolated ranch in Vanderhoof, British Columbia.  Her and my Uncle lived about ten kilometers past the last hydro pole on a dirt road.  The house was essentially a log cabin at the base of a mountain.  I remember her giving me the book one night since she knew I enjoyed reading... and it introduced me to the world of horror. For that, I am forever thankful. Other than the fact that it was my primary experience with the horror genre, there are other reasons I liked it. Jack Torrence, his wife Wendy, and son Danny move into the Overlook Hotel as winter caretakers.  Having lost his job due to alcoholism, Jack hopes to start rebuilding his family's life- and to write a novel during the winter.  Soon, however, Danny and Jack learn that the hotel has a sinister past... and plans for them both... The characters in " The Shining " are very well crafted.  Y...