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While I still have some fun classic sci fi stories to address coming up, I wanted to break off and take a look as well as give props to one of the more prolific yet slept-on horror authors to get adaptations. Stephen King is the all-time number 1 but there are others in the 20th century that could at least eat at the same table as him. For the younger generation, that certainly means R.L. Stine has entered the conversation and maybe we will get to an adaptation video about his recent Fear Street collection but the guy I’m thinking of is a little different. Dean Koontz is often derogatorily referred to as a poor man’s Stephen King but he has sold and made millions while having plenty of his works turned into films. While The Funhouse from Tobe Hooper will certainly be discussed at some point as I...

Stephen King superfans, especially those who have read the books in the "Dark Tower" series (currently being adapted by Mike Flanagan), will be able to tell you that many of the author's stories interconnect in unexpected ways. For instance: in the original novel of King's "It," Dick Halloran from "The Shining" appears and interacts with one of the story's child protagonists. There is a scene in "Wizard and Glass," the fourth "Dark Tower" novel, where the characters visit the plague-ridden reality of King's "The Stand." The character of Father Callahan from "Salem's Lot" becomes one of the main characters of the "Dark Tower" series. There are also several King stories that take place in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. There are many other connections that a deep-cut King reader could add to this list.

In 2018, television honchos Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason decided to take advantage of their...

Presented by Neon’s The Monkey, Bloody Disgusting is celebrating this Friday’s release of Osgood Perkins’ highly anticipated horror with Stephen King Week. Yesterday, Jenn Adams talked King’s creepy critters, and today, Luiz H. C. catalogues his cursed objects.

There’s a classic Family Guy cut-away gag where author Stephen King pitches his 307th horror book to an editor, with the writer coming up with an absurd story about a killer lamp on the spot after looking at the objects on the editor’s desk. While this joke was clearly meant to be a jab at the author’s prolific output, I think most fans would agree that, if the King of Horror ever chose to write a book about a lamp monster, it’d be one hell of a scary lamp!

After all, King’s nearly-six-decade-long career has gifted us with countless examples of seemingly inanimate items that harbor supernatural secrets.

Horror legend Stephen King has written a fair few books over the years. Ever since he burst on the scene with "Carrie" in 1974, he's given fans at least one book nearly every year. Since most of his work has been extremely popular, he's also established himself as a bit of an authority on the horror front -- and isn't shy about commenting about either the genre or his craft as a writer.

Thanks to King's status as a horror luminary and extensive work in many other genres, we've analyzed his work many times before. You may have seen us discuss why King's endings have a reputation for being disappointing, look into his biggest career regret involving (of all things) a forgotten TV commercial, and examine the one Stephen King book that will never get a film adaption due to the author voluntarily scrubbing it from his catalog.

However, in order...

Adaptation is tricky. Change too much, and you've lost the original fans. Stick too closely to the source material, and you miss out on the fun part of adapting one medium into another. Stephen King adaptations in particular can be extra tricky. So much of what works about the writer's work is the specific, King-ian way it's written. For example, his idiosyncratic dialogue makes sense as a literary device; still, it can sometimes sound strange coming out of the mouths of living, breathing actors. His evils can also be quite symbol-heavy in a way that works better as literature; we can believe in a writer haunted by malevolent flocks of sparrows for the length of a horror novel, but the less said about the film version of "The Dark Half," the better.

The fun part about King is that he considers his oeuvre to be a playground for anyone. For decades,...

Warning: This article discusses drugs and violence.

Author Stephen King has written some incredible stories over the years, but some are much better than their movie adaptations. Stephen King’s books and short stories make brilliant films and TV shows, but the King of Horror’s narratives are often so unique and complex that it’s hard for them to be translated to the screen properly. While many of Stephen King’s movies are legendary pieces of cinema, some just don’t hit the mark.

There are several reasons why these adaptations are worse than their book counterparts. Some are simply bad films, some fail to follow their source material properly, and there is even an instance of one tale being adapted so poorly that King’s work can’t be identified. Hopefully, the upcoming Stephen King movie and TV adaptations over the next few years can learn from these mistakes.

Stephen King is prolific, to put it lightly. Even big fans of the horror author haven't read everything he's written, much less seen all the good movies and miniseries that have been based on his work. There are several titles that have been somewhat buried, especially the TV movies and miniseries. Dated as they may be, there is still a lot to enjoy in films and miniseries like Needful Things, The Langoliers, Graveyard Shift, and others. But if you want to find the best movies you may have missed, who better to ask than Stephen King filmmaker extraordinaire Mike Flanagan? He's directed three King adaptations and is working on a fourth, a TV series version of Carrie. When MovieWeb spoke with the charming auteur, he provided his picks for the most underrated Stephen King adaptations.

"You know what jumped immediately to my mind? The Night Flier with Miguel Ferrer is...

Alan Pangborn is one of Stephen Kings most notable characters, but only a few actors have portrayed him. Pangborn is the sheriff of Castle Rock, the fictional town in Maine that is the primary setting of many Stephen King books. Pangborn first appears in 1989s The Dark Half, followed by 1991s Needful Things. Pangborn has been also featured in the novella The Sun Dog, which was one of the stories in Kings anthology Four Past Midnight from 1990. While there is a mention of Pangborn by name in the 1998 book Bag of Bones, the character doesnt actually show up.

Pangborn has popped up in two films, The Dark Half and Needful Things, and one TV show, Castle Rock. However, there is hope that hell come back in one of the other upcoming adaptations of Stephen Kings novels. The straight-laced law enforcement officer has an eventful life in Kings universe. When he is first introduced,...

The Spooky Season is almost here, and Rick and Morty are ready with an anthology of scary stories that introduces a new version of Rick's iconic Portal Gun. The 'Rick or Treat' special sees new character Lil Wigsley (seemingly a parody of Jenna Ortega's Wednesday Addams) attempt to scam Morty with a series of strangely banal horror stories. In this 'Interdimensional Cable'-style special, the horror stories are part of a larger ploy by Rick and his spooky new guest.

In an exclusive preview of Rick and Morty: Rick or Treat Halloween Special #1, Screen Rant can reveal the opening moments of the special, which reveal that Lil Wigsley comes from a dimension only accessible through a new version of Rick's iconic Portal Gun - one that can open a "Dark Portal" and allow Lil Wigsley to step through.

The 64-page comic special is coming September 25 from writer Brockton McKinney (Rick...

Stranger Things is greatly tied to the pop culture of the '70s and '80s, especially horror and sci-fi works of the time. The one icon from these decades that Netflix's hit series is indebted the most to is none other than the King of Horror himself, Stephen King. It's no secret that Matt and Ross Duffer (aka The Duffer Brothers) were greatly influenced by the literary titan. Noteworthy King works include Carrie, It, The Mist, and Stand by Me. That being said, the one King story that Stranger Things arguably owes everything to is Firestarter.

It could even be said that without this novel, the series wouldn't even exist, or it would be very different. This may come as a shock, not just because Firestarter is one of King's most overlooked books, but because its movie adaptations aren't exactly well-regarded. As of this writing, the 1984 Firestarter only...

Before "Salem's Lot" returned to the zeitgeist with a highly-anticipated reboot movie, the Stephen King classic was a miniseries that shook the world. Directed by "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" mastermind Tobe Hooper, the two-part 1979 series was event TV at its spookiest.

The original "Salem's Lot" limited series has never been among the best King adaptations out there, but it holds a unique place in pop culture history thanks to its status as one of the earliest on-screen takes on a King book — plus some truly frightening moments. Several members of the show's sprawling ensemble cast, including David Soul, James Mason, Lance Kerwin, and vamp actor Reggie Nalder, have passed away in the decades since "Salem's Lot" first beamed its way into our collective consciousness. Of the actors who are still with us, several have gone on to award-winning careers in film and television, while others retired or found fulfillment in other careers.

Andy Muschietti's mega-blockbuster adaptation of "It" kicked off a new boom of Stephen King adaptations when it hit theaters in 2017, but if we were in a boom, is it safe to say we've now hit a bust? There are still tons of new King adaptations coming (I'm excited to see Osgood Perkins' take on "The Monkey" and Bryan Fuller's horned-up "Christine" update), but the massive hits have slowed down (remember "Firestarter?"), and one major adaptation, Warner Bros' "'Salem's Lot," is only now coming out after years of sitting on the shelf.

The works of Stephen King will always continue to be rich and entertaining, whether they're dominating the pop cultural zeitgeist or not. But if one title exemplifies the fickleness of the recent King adaptation boom, it's "Castle Rock," a wonderfully complicated, delightfully mysterious King-adjacent series that unceremoniously died on the vine at Hulu despite delivering two great seasons of television.

Rick and Morty has spoofed almost every sitcom trope, but surprisingly has never aired a Halloween episode in over ten years on the air. Despite the show's deep interest in horror and sci-fi, Rick and Morty has yet to take advantage of this with a Halloween special. Season 8 of Rick and Morty presents the opportunity for the series to finally include a Halloween episode, fitting with its history of genre parodies.

Somehow, Rick and Mortys first seven seasons have missed out on one sitcom tradition that most other shows feature early on. Sometimes I think Rick and Morty has referenced, subverted, and played with every sitcom trope and clich in existence. Much like South Park accused The Simpsons of covering every imaginable story years ago, I feel like Rick and Morty has spoofed every element of the sitcom formula. By Rick and Mortys season 7 ending, I couldnt tell where the chaotic show was heading next,...

There’s been a lot of online chatter over the years concerning the various irregularities of Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment on Seinfeld, from its apparent spatial impossibility, to the bookshelf full of Nintendo games and bootleg VHS porn. But Jerry’s bachelor pad isn’t the only abnormal apartment to be found at 129 West 81st Street.

In addition to the M.C. Escher-like weirdness of Jerry’s place, and the hot tub-equipped code violation nightmare belonging to Kramer, Jerry’s neighbor and nemesis Newman also rented a distinctly bizarre unit.

For starters, fans have noticed that Newman’s apartment, which has been confusingly referred to as both 5E and 5F, at one point had a pet bowl, despite the fact there’s no other reference to him having a pet. Most likely this unseen creature was a cat, considering that Newman has a passionate distaste/homicidal rage for canines.

NBCUniversal...

Quick Links Needful Things Plot and Cast Needful Things Performed Badly at The Box Office Needful Things Found a Second Life with a Cult Following

When it comes to horror, you would be hard-pressed to think of a name more influential than Stephen King, particularly in movie adaptations. With over 350 movies drawing influence from his original works, many projects are loved, and almost equal numbers are despised; for every Shining and Misery, you get a Dreamcatcher and The Lawnmower Man. Still, out of so many films, there are bound to be a few that fall through the cracks, deserving of greater attention but largely forgotten with time.

1993's Needful Things falls into the latter category. The movie was a box office flop and critically panned on release, pushing it to be a side note in the ever-growing list of Stephen King adaptations. However, with time, the movie has found a cult following,...

With the passing of Donald Sutherland, I was looking through his catalogue for stuff I hadn’t seen yet as I like to look at the entire catalogue to find some hidden gems. What I was reminded of while looking was his stellar horror output over the years. Fallen, The Puppet Masters, Don’t Look Now, Virus, the Salem’s Lot TV miniseries, and of course Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors are all fun to great but for my money, his turn in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (watch it Here) and really the movie in general, is his best stuff. After buying the wonderful 4K from Kino Lorber and rewatching it, I’m also ready to crown it as the best San Francisco based horror movie too. While it can feel every bit as long as it’s 1 hour and 55-minute runtime, it uses that slow build tension to...

When someone as big as Stephen King says that they want to write for your show, it just makes sense to let them. The King of Horror has been around now for a long time, and back in the '90s, he was as popular as ever. Some poor adaptations of his work (plus Maximum Overdrive) aside, translating King from the page to the screen has often been a treat, and recent years have shown how faithful adaptations can be done. But did you know that the author once wrote an episode of The X-Files? That's right, Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) were once penned by the King of Horror himself, who managed to pit the latter up against a terrifying talking doll. Season 5's "Chinga" has a certain King-style flare, but the final results may surprise you.

Prepare for horror-filled adventures with new character Lil Wigsley in Rick and Morty Halloween Special #1. Rick will portal in a "gothy-looking girl" to tell Morty horror stories, distracting him from Rick's own terrifying plans. Rick and Morty: Rick or Treat Halloween Special #1 is available from Oni Press September 25.

In a year already rich with treats for Rick and Morty fans, Oni Press is piling on even more with the announcement of Rick and Morty: Rick or Treat Halloween Special #1. The upcoming comic will put a horror spin on the Smith family's adventures, introducing a spooky new character to the franchise's lore.

Rick and Morty: Rick or Treat Halloween Special is a 64-page comic coming to comic stores September 25. The issue will see a new character named 'Lil Wigsley' relating a series of stories to Morty, apparently as part of a plan to distract Morty from Rick's latest scheme. While Rick...

Stephen King intended his novel "Needful Things" to be a comedy, but dark themes took over. Despite some funny moments, Needful Things can't be considered a comedy, as it focuses on horror. Some film adaptations of King's works were unintentionally turned into comedies due to various factors.

Stephen King has rightfully earned the title of King of Horror, which is why its surprising that one of his darkest novels was intended to be a comedy. Stephen King has terrorized generations of readers for decades, becoming the go-to author for those looking for a good dose of scares and suspense. Kings reign in the horror genre began in 1974 with the publication of Carrie, and since then, King has written over 200 short stories and 60 novels, not just exploring horror but also suspense, crime, mystery, fantasy, and even sci-fi, sometimes mixing one or more of these.

The success and popularity of Kings works...

You thought you were okay sitting on the toilet until you read Dreamcatcher. You’d happily walk past a storm drain until you read It. You’d go into a creepy boutique shop before checking Needful Things out of the library. You didn’t even mind checking into Room 217 at a hotel until you read The Shining. More than perhaps any other horror novelist, Stephen King has unnerved our collective imagination with twisted creations that stalk our everyday lives. Demonic cars, rabid dogs, alien domes, possessed caretakers, crazed fans… there’s a Stephen King monster for every day of the year, plus one extra on leap years.

With a back catalogue reaching all the way from the 1970s to now, if you stacked every novel Stephen King had ever published in a teetering pile, it would almost certainly topple over and crush you to death.

That’s before we even...

Some Stephen King movies have fallen short of expectations, with adaptations like Needful Things missing the mark on the original story. Sleepwalkers and Thinner also failed to fully capture the essence of King's storytelling, leaving room for improvement in remakes. Dreamcatcher and The Mangler struggled to engage audiences despite star-studded casts, showcasing the need for better execution.

Stephen King may be the King of Horror writing, but some of the movies adapted from his stories failed to hit the mark, and they deserve another shot at success. Over the decades, the beloved stories of Stephen King have been frequently adapted for TV and film dozens of times. In fact, some of his stories have even received multiple adaptations expanding the original story, or bringing an older story up to date for modern audiences and horror fans to enjoy.

However, with so many of King's stories receiving adaptations over the years,...

Happy Ho ho horrordays! As the jingle bells start to ring and the snow begins to fall, Nightmare on Film Street is gearing up for our spine-chilling annual event – the #12DaysofKrampus Holiday Horror Movie Challenge! Starting December 13th and leading up to the eeriest Christmas Eve you’ve ever experienced, we invite you to join us in watching a new chilly horror movie each day, inspired by our uniquely twisted prompts. Don’t forget to share your screams and scares with us on social media using #12DaysofKrampus and tag us @NightmareonFilmStreet!

Day 1: Misfit Toys

Day 1 is all about those eerie toys that just aren’t right. Think evil dolls, possessed playthings, and toys with a mind of their own. You’ll never look at your childhood teddy the same way again!

Recommended Watches: Child’s Play (1988), M3gan (2022), Dolls (1987) [More]

Day 2: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

All aboard for a journey into terror!

Warning: Spoilers for Rick and Morty season 7, episode 6.

"Rickfending Your Mort" pays homage to Stephen King's Maximum Overdrive and Pet Sematary. The episode explores new ideas for a potential Pet Sematary sequel, suggesting a team of scientists discovering the abilities of the cemetery and delving into the resurrection process. Throughout the series, Rick and Morty frequently reference King's work, from Needful Things to The Shawshank Redemption.

Rick and Morty season 7 adventure "Rickfending your Mort" saw the series pay homage to Stephen King - and accidentally pitching a superior sequel to one of his 2023 movie adaptations. Adult Swim's animated sci-fi series is well-known for its pop culture parodies, from Doctor Who to A Nightmare on Elm Street and everything in between. It also has fun riffling on the clip show format, which first came about with the classic Interdimensional Cable episode "Rixty Minutes" from season 1.

In the years since...

Stephen King praises the extended cut of Needful Things, calling it "amazingly good" and saying it "blew me away." He believes it makes sense of everything the theatrical version missed out on. The extended cut of Needful Things is 191 minutes long and is now available on Blu-ray. It was originally created for a four-hour time slot on TBS in the 1990s. While the extended cut fleshes out characters and situations, some argue that it doesn't improve upon the theatrical cut's uncertain tone. However, with the success of longer-form King adaptations, a longer take on Needful Things could capture the book's gothic thrills and dark humor.

Stephen King praises the recently-resurfaced extended cut of one of his book adaptations, saying “it blew me away.” Released in 1993, the darkly comic horror film Needful Things failed to impress critics, and enjoyed an underwhelming box office run, grossing just $15.2 million. This relatively-maligned, financially-unsuccessful King...

Stranger Things season 1 draws inspiration from Stephen King's Firestarter, with Eleven's storyline having similarities to the novel's father-daughter duo on the run from a shady government agency. Stranger Things tells Firestarter's story better than its official film adaptations, with more effective scares, a stronger focus on the heroine, and a more tangible father-daughter dynamic. Adapting Firestarter has been difficult due to the challenge of creating tension when the powerful heroine can incinerate anyone in her way, but Stranger Things proves it is possible to bring real stakes and suspense to a superhuman young heroine's story.

Stranger Things nailed its horrific homage to a classic Stephen King novel whose own on-screen adaptations have been miserable failures. Since its inception, Stranger Things has drawn influence from many different cinematic and literary sources, from the ‘80s horror films of Wes Craven and John Carpenter to the heartwarming Amblin classics of Steven Spielberg.

Stephen King needs no introduction. However, some of his films sure do. Although his books have been monstrous successes, there have been many movie adaptations that have not fared quite so well. But it appears that is starting to change. King’s work has been experiencing a cinematic renaissance as of late.

Horror has taken on a new life, and many new studios and directors are starting to remember just how great King’s universe actually is. He has spent over forty years putting things together and is now allowing these new creators to take over. But is this new trend leading to a combined universe?

First, a Look Back

Stephen King has mastered the art of getting people’s attention. His first novel, Carrie, was not only a huge success but was made into a highly successful film in 1976. His novel The Shining is even more famous for its...

On August 27, 1993, Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment continued its expansion into Stephen King’s works with Needful Things. Directed by Fraser C. Heston, the star-studded affair arrived only two years after King published the expansive novel. Screenwriter W.D. Richter took on the Herculean task of adapting the 700 page novel, and what came to fruition is a film as tonally curious as the source material: It’s funny, it’s unsettling, it’s violent, it’s perverse. Simply put, it’s the kind of movie we just don’t get anymore.

For that reason alone, Needful Things has aged quite well. Yet it’s also a great lookin’ film. Heston shoots the hell out of this picture, capitalizing on the crisp Fall foliage across British Columbia, doubling here for King’s fictional Castle Rock, Maine. Because of this, the film looks like a Stephen King novel reads, a key facet...

Stephen King’s imaginative stories have been adapted for the screen hundreds of times, with some proving financially disastrous. The “master of the macabre,” King’s dark sensibility and tireless work ethic have seen him produce 65 novels, five works of non-fiction and more than 200 short stories, many of which have proven bestsellers. This vast body of work has seen frequent adaptations, ranging from major studio productions to self-funded indie projects. In all, the author holds some form of writing credit on more than 300 productions.

The vivid characterization and striking imagery found in King’s work cohere to make the author’s writing feel deeply cinematic. It’s no wonder, then, that so many have attempted to adapt his work. However, the author’s popularity and even the resonance of his work don’t necessarily guarantee commercial success. While many great works of cinema have been produced on the back of King’s writing,...

“America’s two great specialties are demagogues and rock and roll, and we’ve all heard plenty of both in our time…”

The little worker ants of The Losers’ Club are wiggling beneath the lens of your magnifying glass in the first installment of their three-part series on Stephen King‘s Under the Dome. Three parts? Yes, three parts — have you seen the size of this thing? The 1,100-page small-town epic is easily one of the author’s most ambitious books, with King dropping an impenetrable alien dome over the quaint town of Chester’s Mill in his efforts to distill and dissect the intersection of politics and evangelicalism in post-9/11 America.

Join Losers Randall Colburn, Ashley Casseday, Dan Caffrey, and Dan Pfleegor as they unpack the 2009 book’s decades-long history, King’s quotes about its creation, and the fractious political and social climate that influenced its themes. Dick Cheney,...

Stephen King has become one of horror's most prolific writers by blending concepts of monsters and magic into real terrors that stem from humanity's base desires and vices. The Shining was a perfect example of this as it blended supernatural horror with the real horrors that could come from a disease like alcoholism. However, even though King knew his way around a scary story with deep themes, it hadn't stopped him from using those skills to bring humor to his works while maintaining those larger themes and a sense of dread.

Needful Things was a tale set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, a location frequented by many of Stephen King's stories, and centered on a mysterious man named Leland Gaunt. Gaunt visited the town and opened a shop called Needful Things which sold items that visitors were emotionally tied to in some way. However, the price was more than money.

Stephen King’s short story “The Mangler” really shouldn’t work as well as it does. The fifth tale in his first collection, Night Shift, follows an industrial laundry press that somehow becomes possessed by a demon and begins flattening laundry workers like king-sized sheets. First published in a 1972 issue of Cavalier, the story contains the kind of grisly gore and fast scares that would keep readers turning the pages even when running alongside ads for edible panties and sex hotlines. With a gory premise and loose occult references, “The Mangler” may not be the most high-brow story King has ever published, but it is 19 pages of sheer horror perfection. Part urban legend, part splatterpunk lite, the story reads like a procedural cop drama from hell as Detective John Hunton (Ted Levine in the film) tries to stop a series of grisly deaths at the hands (er… gears) of a sinister machine.

The heat is on across King’s Dominion. To cool off, The Losers’ Club put on their shades, put the top down on their 1958 Plymouth Fury convertible, and feel the breeze in Hollywood King. It’s another high-octane news episode that finds Losers Michael Roffman, Justin Gerber, Dan Pfleegor, and Ashley Casseday cycling through the latest Stephen King headlines.

Topics include King on Martin Scorsese, the most memorable one-shots in the King film canon, what King’s been streaming lately, bookkeeping quirks, 1997’s The Edge, and expensive first-editions. They also chime in on all the news surrounding Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck, Max’s Welcome to Derry, Needful Things, and more.

Stream the episode below and return next week when the Losers head to the tropics to splish-splash through King’s 2008 novel Duma Key. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts,...

If you've read Bryan Christopher's Catalog From The Beyond or you've listened to our member-exclusive audio commentary, then you know we're fans of Fraser C. Heston's adaptation of Stephen King's Needful Things here at Daily Dead, so it's especially thrilling that Kino Lorber will release the 1993 film on 4K Uhd along with a Blu-ray of the movie's 191-minute TV cut!

On Facebook, Kino Lorber announced a July 25th release date for their new 4K Uhd / Blu-ray of Needful Things. Below, we have a look at the cover art and full list of special features, including a new interview with screenwriter W.D. Richter on the Blu-ray of the TV cut:

From Kino Lorber: "Coming July 25th on 4Kuhd and Blu-ray!

https://kinolorber.com/product/needful-things-4kuhd

https://kinolorber.com/pro.../needful-things-special-edition

Needful Things (1993)

Disc 1 (4Kuhd):

• Brand New Hdr/Dolby Vision Master (Theatrical Cut) – From a 4K Scan...

With The Boogeyman and It prequel series right around the corner, Stephen King has been getting a lot of love on physical media lately. While the famous horror author is better known for The Shining, Firestarter, and Pet Sematary, one of King’s more underrated adaptations, Needful Things, is finally coming to 4K Blu-ray thanks to Kino Lorber. The new edition of this 1993 supernatural thriller will come with both the theatrical version and rare three hour 1996 television cut. This is the first time the film will be receiving a Blu-ray in the United States.

There are two versions of the Stephen King adaptation Needful Things (watch it Here): the 2 hour theatrical cut and a 3 hour version that airs only on TBS and has never gotten a proper home video release. That’s about to change, as Kino Lorber has confirmed that their upcoming 4K Uhd and Blu-ray release of Needful Things, which is set to be released on July 25th, will contain both the theatrical cut and the 191 minute TV cut! Copies of this release can be pre-ordered at This Link. It goes for the price of $26.57 and only ships to the United States and Canada.

Needful Things was directed by Fraser C. Heston (the son of Charlton Heston) from a screenplay by Buckaroo Banzai director / Big Trouble in Little China writer W.D. Richter. Here’s the synopsis: When a creepy older man named Leland Gaunt moves to a small town in Maine...

Kino Lorber Studio Classics has announced today that they’re bringing 1993 Stephen King adaptation Needful Things to Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD, releasing on July 25, 2023.

Of particular note, the 191-minute television cut of Needful Things is being included on a Blu-ray disc, which marks the first time it’s been released on home video here in the States.

IMDb explains, “On May 22, 1996, the TBS network aired a 191-minute extended edition. The extra footage includes more of the citizens of Castle Rock and their lives, namely the character of Cora Rusk, played by Lisa Blount, shown only in passing in the current version.”

Special Features include…

Disc 1 (4Kuhd):

Brand New Hdr/Dolby Vision Master (Theatrical Cut) – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative Audio Commentary by Director Fraser C. Heston, Moderated by Scorpion Releasing’s Walt Olsen 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc Optional English Subtitles

Disc...

Screambox has revealed the new films that are joining the horror streaming service in April, including the 1982 classic Creepshow, Child’s Play doc Living with Chucky, the brand new Japanese remake of Cube, Stephen King masterpiece Needful Things, Aussie-set wild boar horror Razorback, found footage favorite Hell House LLC, and Night of the Living Dead-inspired Screambox Original Shifted.

From the masters of the macabre, George A. Romero and Stephen King’s preeminent horror anthology Creepshow is now streaming on Screambox! After enjoying five jolting tales of terror, viewers can go behind the scenes with the Screambox Exclusive documentary Just Desserts: The Making of Creepshow.

Also joining Screambox today are Needful Things, the 1991 Stephen King adaptation starring Ed Harris (The Abyss) and Max von Sydow (The Exorcist); The Borrower, a sci-fi horror hybrid from Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer director John McNaughton; and Razorback, an ’80s killer boar movie directed by Russell Mulcahy.

Over the years, Stephen King has set his many horror stories in different places, but there are some that appear quite often and have become characters themselves, such as the towns of Derry and Castle Rock, in Maine. The story of Derry’s origins is the reason behind the evil that literally lives in it, but why do so many bad things happen in Castle Rock as well? The fictional town of Castle Rock first appeared in the 1979 novel The Dead Zone, and it has since been used as the primary setting or has simply been casually mentioned in other stories by King.

Being one of the main settings of King’s works, Castle Rock has become the home to some notable characters from King’s universe, such as sheriffs George Bannerman and Alan Pangborn, bully John “Ace” Merrill, and his uncle and loan shark Reginald Marion “Pop” Merrill. Castle...

Stephen King first published "Pet Sematary" in 1983, a time when he — by his own description — was battling addiction. In his 2000 book "On Writing," King speaks frankly about his drinking and substance abuse throughout the '80s, and even claimed to not remember writing his 1982 novel "Cujo." His friends eventually staged an intervention, and King eventually became sober sometime in the late 1980s and has remained so to this day. His first novel after getting clean was "Needful Things" in 1991.

"Pet Sematary" is about a Chicago family — mom, dad, older daughter, younger son, and Church the cat — who move to a...

The post Stephen King Has a Complex Relationship With Pet Sematary appeared first on /Film.

We recorded a new bonus episode of Corpse Club as an exclusive gift for those in our Corpse Club membership system!

Listen as co-hosts Scott Drebit, Bryan Christopher, and Derek Anderson discuss some of their favorite horror movie viewings on the streaming service Tubi, including The Incubus, The Horror Show, Alien: Resurrection, Deadly Blessing, Borderland, and Grave Encounters!

Corpse Club members are being sent an audio file of the new episode, so be sure to check your inbox!

There's more bonus content to come...

As a Corpse Club member, you get access to special bonus content every month! Our previous bonus content includes a Junji Ito/Resident Evil episode, a recent screenings and holiday horrors episode, a Halloween season and movie marathon discussion, an episode on Jordan Peele’s Us, a celebration of Scrooged, an in-depth discussion on Deadpool 2, a reflection on Mandy, a career-spanning interview with Felissa Rose,...

One of the lesser-sung items among umpteen offbeat little ’70s movies was Larry Yust’s “Homebodies.” That 1974 black comedy on the cusp of horror was about a community of frail old retirees who turn out to be surprisingly vigorous — even homicidal — in defending their homes from the callous forces of market-driven “progress.” A similar premise is the starting point for “Bingo Hell,” which alongside “Black as Night” kicks off the second quartet of genre features premiering under the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” umbrella on Amazon Prime. This first full-length solo directorial project for Gigi Saul Guerrero exchanges the Cincinnati grit of “Homebodies” for the hotter palette of a Southern California desert town.

The comedy and horror elements get amped up as well — maybe too much so. In any case, what starts out looking like another caustic commentary on gentrification at the expense of the elderly soon takes a turn into half-baked Stephen King territory,...

Hello! Welcome back to a brand-new installment of... what? Why are you looking at me like that? Oh, I see. You’re judging me, aren’t you? You’re questioning how a supposed lifelong horror fan who’s been writing about the genre for nigh on five years can have never seen one of the cornerstones of ’70s horror.

Look, I get it, but just back off. We all have at least one or two of those shameful blind spots, and this month I finally get to tick this one off the checklist thanks to Valeska Griffiths, who you might know as the Executive Editor of the horror journal Grim, Founder and Editor at Anatomy of a Scream, and a co-host of the Riverdale-centric Milkshakes and Mimosas podcast. Rest assured, Griffiths was just as surprised as you when she found out I’d not seen Brian De Palma’s adaptation...

There are only two months left to go in this truly hellish year and relatively new streaming service HBO Max is trying to make the best of them. While most other streamers recover from Halloween and get prepared for Christmas, HBO Max is using November 2020 to fill out its servers.

Things are pretty light not the new original series front this month with only Industry (Nov. 9) and His Dark Materials season 2 (Nov. 16) making a splash. But the streamer has a couple of notable original films to complement them. Between the World and Me, based on the book by Ta-Nehisi Coates, arrives on Nov. 21 and Melissa McCarthy comedy Superintelligence arrives on Nov. 26. That’s not even to mention two intriguing projects that don’t have dates yet: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Special and The Mystery of Db Cooper.

Thankfully, the real appeal in November 2020 is all the fresh library...

We might be stuck indoors this Halloween weekend, but thankfully, the various major streaming services are on hand to keep us occupied with a monumental mountain of new content heading our way over the next few days. As it’s both the end of the month and the beginning of November, the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video are adding a mix of seasonal movies and TV shows today and tomorrow, and a whole load of freshly licensed titles on Sunday.

First of all, Netflix is dropping five new originals this Friday, October 30th, including a couple of horrors, like The Day of the Lord and His House. Disney Plus, meanwhile, debuts The Mandalorian‘s season 2 premiere today, along with a new episode of The Right Stuff and Nicolas Cage movie The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Elsewhere, on the 31st, HBO Max adds last year’s Black Christmas...

As we have just about a week left to go of October, let’s take a look at everything that’s due to arrive on HBO Max in November. It’s a big month for the WarnerMedia streaming service, with countless new movies from their legendary library being added and plenty of fresh originals dropping throughout the following weeks. A few upcoming releases have yet to be dated, but otherwise, here’s the full list of what’s coming to HBO Max next month.

Released November Tba

12 Dates Of Christmas, HBO Max Original Series Premiere

Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show, HBO Max Original Special Premiere

Crazy, Not Insane, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Reunion Special, HBO Max Original Special Premiere

Full Bloom, HBO Max Original Series Premiere

I Hate Suzie, HBO Max Original Series Premiere

The Mystery Of Db Cooper, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Sesame Street,...

With a new month quickly approaching, it’s time to look ahead and see what’s coming to all your favorite streaming services this November. That’s Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and, of course, HBO Max.

Halloween will soon be behind us and given that Christmas isn’t too far off, we’re beginning to see some holiday titles pop up, with all the major platforms getting into the festive spirit. That’ll continue in December as well, of course, but for November, there’s certainly tons on offer for those looking to start the celebrations early.

There’s a lot of other great stuff on the way, too, though, be it classic films, underrated gems, brand new releases and much more, and you can check out the entire lineup, sorted by date, down below. Ready to dive in?

November 1

Netflix

60 Days In: Season 5

A...

After they bring John Carpenter's They Live to 4K Ultra HD this December, the Scream Factory team will release another Carpenter classic, Prince of Darkness, on 4K Ultra HD on January 19th.

Like the upcoming They Live release, the Prince of Darkness 4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray will include the special features from Scream Factory's previous Blu-ray release of the film, and there's a website-only exclusive version that comes with a Sacred Bones record featuring John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies playing music from Prince of Darkness.

Below, we have the official press release with more details, as well as a look at the cover art for the 4K Ultra HD and vinyl:

From the Press Release: Get ready for the ultimate presentation of the heart-pounding supernatural thriller by heralded master of horror director John Carpenter, as the Prince of Darkness Collector’s Edition (4k Uhd/Blu-Ray™) will be...

Get ready for the ultimate presentation of the heart-pounding supernatural thriller by heralded master of horror director John Carpenter, as the Prince of Darkness Collector's Edition (4k Uhd/Blu-Ray) will be released from Scream Factory on January 19th.

Starring Donald Pleasence (Halloween), Jameson Parker (Simon & Simon), Lisa Blount (Needful Things), rock icon Alice Cooper, Victor Wong and Dennis Dun (both from Carpenter's Big Trouble In Little China), Carpenter's Prince of Darkness is about a terrifying battle between mankind and the ultimate evil.

This is the first time the film has been released in 4K Ultra High Definition in North America. Prince of Darkness Collector's Edition (4k Uhd/Blu-Ray) will contain all previous bonus features from the 2013 Scream Factory Collector's Edition Blu-ray release, including interviews with John Carpenter and Alice Cooper, as well as new 7.1 Dolby Atmos audio on both the Uhd and Blu-ray™ discs.

Customers who order directly from ShoutFactory.

If you read Scott Drebit's Drive-In Dust Offs retrospective on Things (1989), then you know it's a horror film that has to be seen to be believed, and as it turns out, the behind-the-scenes story of how it was made has to be heard to be believed, too. As a special treat, Corpse Club co-hosts Scott Drebit and Bryan Christopher were recently joined by Things star/co-writer/editor/producer Barry J. Gillis on a new audio commentary for his wild film!

Corpse Club members were provided early access to this audio commentary, but we're now releasing it to all Daily Dead readers!

The next time you watch Things, you can press "play" and listen as Scott and Bryan talk with special guest Barry J. Gillis about the making of his unforgettable film, from the unpredictable screenplay he wrote with director/co-writer Andrew Jordan to the film’s bizarre ant-like creatures...

Hulu, one of the top streaming services available, has presented an original series called Castle Rock. Taking bits and pieces and nods to iconic horror master Stephen King, this series leans heavily on mystery, sci-fi elements and macabre situations. Castle Rock teeter totters between a mystery viewers need to solve like a puzzle, as well as an eerie existence that clings well after an episode is done. This supernatural drama draws inspiration from classic Stephen King stories such as Needful Things, Shawshank Redemption, The Dead Zone and Rita Hayworth. Like a lot of Stephen King's work, Castle Rock is based in a made-up east coast town in Maine that follows the happening around locals and people that might not belong there.

Related: Castle Rock: 10 Stephen King-Inspired Movies That Overlap With The Show

This show is a must-see, but it's also to be said that when viewers do watch it or re-watch it,...