‘Horror’s Greatest’ Recap: ‘Stephen King Adaptations’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

David Dastmalchian in ‘Horror’s Greatest’. (Photo Courtesy of Shudder.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season One Finale of ‘Horror’s Greatest’. To revisit the previous episode, clickhere.
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What’s fascinating about the horror genre, be it in print or on screen, is that it really is quite the exclusive club when it comes to the people that give it life and it makes sense as to why that is the case. After all, the genre really has never known this level of popularity before, and it was oft frowned upon by so many. So, it stands to reason that only a handful of giants would be the ones shepherding its fate, and we of course… thank them for it. Because without their love of the genre, we would not be here talking about it and celebrating it and what’s equally as wild… is that throughout the years of disdain and now success… there is one man who remains a constant in the genre… Stephen King.

For Mister King’s work is a big reason why horror is cool today, and his work is so prolific in print that filmmakers are eager to adapt it and bring it to life, and have been for ages on end, and that’s brought about a bevy of horror films from the true maestro of the genre. But which ones are worth watching? And of course, why is King’s work so popular from an adaptation standpoint? Well as it turns out, the season one finale of Horror’s Greatest on Shudder focused upon just that, and well, we definitely will walk away from ‘Stephen King Adaptations’ with a new appreciation for his work and a list of new stories to watch, since this episode covered so, so many.

Such as the biggest of the big. Like The Shining and Doctor Sleep. Two films that truly blend together the wonder of his work and the fear his stories are able to generate in all of us. Not to mention, this episode made sure to showcase many of his timeless stories. Such as IT. Specifically, the powerhouse two-part adaptation that recently arrived in theaters since that is a magnum opus in its own right. Plus, many, many, many of the cult classics that bear his name were put on display here. To properly educate the audience on the King visual library. Everything from such iconic stories as Cujo, Carrie, and Christine, to the many cult classics that we adore. Such as Salem’s Lot or Thinner.

But what really makes this finale worthwhile, is that goes far beyond just educating old and new horror fans regarding the catalog that Stephen King has brought to the table and mere recommendations. For it really takes the time to look at the impact his films and books have had upon the genre and how important his work has been. Not to mention, it outright breaks down what makes King’s work so powerful and poignant in horror, since he truly is a master of creating stories that are shockingly human, despite what’s happening in the story. Not to mention… he can make stories about rotten people compelling and unique. All of which made it clear, how important his work is to the pop culture landscape as well as horror, and it was wonderful to see this show offer more than a download of his many movies.

Because it is important to understand what makes the master’s work tick, and well… that was a nice way to wrap up season one of this unique show. Since it really did help us to understand why Stephen King and horror are synonymous and how his transcendent works have helped to lower the gates for horror and bring it into the mainstream. For people are eager to see scary stories now, and they are always eager to enjoy a Stephen King story on the small or silver screen. And well, now that we’ve reached the end of season one, the great news… is that we are hours away from the premiere of season two, and all the wondrous lessons it will send our way about what makes this incredible genre, so great. Until next time.

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