PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Horror icon Stephen King turns 69 years old on September 21st! What better way to celebrate than by watching one of his films? Netflix has you covered!
Now, admittedly the Stephen King selection this year isn’t great, but odds are you’ll still find something you’ll like. Here’s a look at 7 Stephen King films currently available on Netflix streaming for your viewing pleasure along with select quotes and film commentary from the man himself.
#7. CHILDREN OF THE CORN: GENESIS – Hey, where are you going? Don’t worry, the list gets better! In King’s own words, “I could do without all of the ‘Children of the Corn’ sequels.” No kidding! According to Wikipedia, we are up to TEN of these things! I think this one is #9? It should hold you over until CHILDREN OF THE CORN: RUNAWAY (#10!) comes out in 2017!
#6. STEPHEN KING’S A GOOD MARRIAGE – If you’re like me, you’ll watch anything with Stephen King’s name on it. I first saw this one pop up at the Redbox back in 2014 and that’s why I originally picked it up. It’s based on Stephen King’s novella of the same name from the Full Dark, No Stars story collection. I’ve seen it. It was okay. Certainly better than the ninth CHILDREN OF THE CORN movie anyway. But not as good as…
#5. FIRESTARTER 2: REKINDLED – Charlie McGee returns in this straight to video sequel that revisits King’s classic characters from FIRESTARTER. Marguerite Moreau ably takes over where Drew Barrymore left off in a film that features both Malcolm McDowell and Dennis Hopper! Give this one a chance, it’s not half bad!
#4. DREAMCATCHER – Stephen King called DREAMCATCHER a “train wreck” in a 2007 interview with TIME Magazine. That might be a little harsh for a film with an amazing cast (Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Morgan Freeman) and a 36% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. We haven’t reached greatness on this list yet, but this movie has some truly terrifying stuff in it. You might not want to go anywhere near a bathroom by the time this baby is over.
Now…on to the greatness.
#3. CHILDREN OF THE CORN – I don’t know about you, but every time I drive past a huge corn field, I think of this movie…and it’s 30+ years later! Yes, this movie had a profound effect on me as a kid. Stephen King tells Deadline Hollywood “I actually like the original pretty well. I thought they did a pretty good job on that.” I agree. Linda Hamilton delivers a memorable performance in a low budget film that went on to inspire WAAAAAY too many sequels.
#2. CUJO – “Cujo is a terrific picture.” Stephen King told Nightline in 2007. “You know, that one often gets overlooked.” In a separate interview with Deadline Hollywood he says: “Of the smaller pictures, the best one is probably Cujo, with Dee Wallace.” High praise! In the time before cell phones were the solution to all of life’s horror related problems, Dee Wallace really shines in one of the better adaptations of page to screen. This really is a darn good movie.
And finally…
#1. THE RUNNING MAN – This might be cheating a bit. Stephen King wrote THE RUNNING MAN as Richard Bachman, one of his early pen names. In the story, Ben Richards is an every man. In the film, Ben Richards is…Arnold Schwarzenegger! Of all the films listed, THE RUNNING MAN has the highest critics score (60%) and the highest audience score (61%) on Rotten Tomatoes, which is why it’s #1 on this list. The really scary part? THE RUNNING MAN takes place in 2017…just a few short months away!
There you have it! 7 films to stream in honor of Stephen King’s 69th birthday! And here’s wishing a very happy birthday and many happy returns to Mister @StephenKing!
