Long live the King (that would be Stephen)

Forgive your Scream Queen for the cliche, but dictionaries should run Stephen King’s mugshot with their definition of “horror.”

I printed out a list of his filmworks — including theatrical releases and made-for-TV movies and miniseries — and it was six pages long, in a much smaller typeface than you’re reading now.

I’ve read Stephen King since I was a teenager, and those Scream Princess days were long, long ago, and I’m guessing I’ve read at least 80 percent of those works and seen maybe 90 percent of his movie and TV adaptations and originals. My general belief is that one would find reading the novel, novella or short story a more enjoyable experience than watching the movie or TV version.

(I’m not addressing here dramatic movies based on his works such as “Stand by Me,” “The Green Mile” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” Those films absolutely are worth watching.)

Coincidentally or not, I prefer King movies based on more-intimate casts instead of ensemble pieces, especially “The Shining” and “Misery.” I also liked “1408,” which was greatly enhanced by John Cusack’s performance as well as Samuel L. Jackson in the smaller role, and to a lesser extent “Secret Window,” same comment with Johnny Depp and John Turturro.

“Cujo” didn’t do much for me. The novel’s ending is different and, I think, far superior. Cujo himself and the mother and son’s ordeal are richer and more engaging.

Next in my personal queue are what I think of as smaller core casts. “Carrie,” “The Dead Zone,” “Silver Bullet,” “Christine” and “Salem’s Lot.” God bless its little heart, “Dreamcatcher” did scrap and struggle to be better than it ultimately was. “Pet Sematary” was a crushing disappointment, and cutting a minor character from the book meant cutting a scene that I found particularly horrifying.

“The Shining” is my top King film pick, and of course I mean the Stanley Kubrick movie and not the weak TV movie for which King wrote the screenplay (sorry, Stephen). I know our esteemed author was quite cranky about Kubrick’s treatment (I hear he’s mellowed some over the years), but I thought it was great.

The choice of Jack Nicholson for the lead role of Jack Torrance remains controversial among horror movie fans. The heart of the criticism seems to be the notion that Nicholson is too nuts anyway to be taken seriously as someone who goes nuts eventually under the influence of the Overlook. I strongly disagree. I think his performance was perfectly measured throughout the film, including the beginning, when Nicholson maintained the demeanor of a character already close to the edge but who’s actively, and obviously, trying hard to stanch the personality leakage.

Would have helped had he showed a little warmth toward his family in a couple of spots just to better round out the character and for further contrast with Jack Torrance’s free-fall into madness. Little Danny, unfortunately, is reduced to a character who is largely acted upon, although I question if Danny Lloyd had the acting chops if more were demanded of him. And I’ve already ragged on Shelley Duvall, so I won’t subject you to that again.

But “The Shining” oozes fear and dread, and the Overlook is exactly what a haunted house should be.

Before I leave you with some thoughts on various King movies compared with the original written work, here are some upcoming films and miniseries in various stages of production:

“Cell,” which I suspect is going to be yet another pat, pedestrian treatment of a wide-sweeping King novel; “From a Buick 8”; “Bag of Bones’: “The Talisman”; “Children of the Corn” and “Pet Sematary remakes; another “Creepshow”; “Faithful”; and “Dolan’s Cadillac.” Also, a new short story collection, “Just After Sunset,” is due on bookshelves next month.

“Carrie”: One of the few times I prefered the movie’s climax and ending over the novel’s. You gotta love Sissy Spacek, and Piper Laurie as Carrie’s spooky mother.

““The Mist”: The monsters/threats in the story were more far-fetched than in the movie, yet King’s writing persuaded me to buy it. And it’s better.

““The Stand”: The handling of the spiritual aspects were so ham-handed and maudlin in this miniseries.

““Children of the Corn”: Hoo boy, melodrama to spare. The corn kids just made me groan in pain. I hope the remake doesn’t descend into overacting.

““Cat’s Eye”: Mostly forgettable, but the retelling of “Quitters Inc.” was as sharp as the short story, and I really like James Woods as the lead.

““Rose Red”: I didn’t care much for the novel — I thought it was vague and unfocused — but the miniseries is horrendous.

““It”: Like the book, the movie gases on and on.

““Misery”: Kathy Bates is Annie Wilkes. Enough said.

Post your thoughts on your favorite or disappointing King movies below. Here, by the way, is a link to Stephen King’s Web site.