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Stephen King ’s work has been adapted into many feature film , but sometimes his write up become telly miniseries , and here ’s how those stack up . As long as there have beenStephen Kingbooks , there have been Stephen King adaptations , and it ’s likely there will uphold to be long after the fabled author himself is no longer among the living . King has a knack for writing tale that connect with people on an extremely personal level , even though most of them are tell through a supernatural lens .
Another thing King is known for is indite really tenacious stories , to the period where many of his shortsighted stories are basically novellas , and his novellas are often the length of many authors ' stock books . King novels likeITandThe Standare genuine door stoppers , running for well over 1000 pages each . With that in mind , it makes stark sensory faculty that these elephantine stories might be better suited to the longer format of a TV miniseries than a theatrical film .
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Without any further fuss , it ’s time to look at King ’s various miniseries , and rank them from worst to honest . First though , a promissory note of illumination . This grade specifically covers projects made in the miniseries format , so made - for - television set stock - duration movies and idiot box serial that range at least one full season are not include .
10. Bag of Bones (2011)
Bag of Bonesaired on the A&E cable length internet in two installing on December 11 and December 12 , 2011 . Based on King ’s 1998 novel of the same name , Bag of Bonesstars Pierce Brosnan as author Mike Noonan , who becomes a widower after his wife is hit by a bus . Mike heads to their lake house , only to find himself sucked into a spiritual secret . Sadly , Bag of Boneswas almost universally pan upon release , even the ordinarily reliable Brosnan , who overacted unrelentingly . Viewers and critics also kick about the odd pace , and often downright tedious nature of the Mick Garris - guide miniseries .
9. The Tommyknockers (1993)
The Tommyknockersaired on ABC in two contribution , on May 9 and 10 , 1993 . It ’s no surprise that it ’s one of the worst Stephen King miniseries , as the author himself views the 1987Tommyknockersbook as one of the bad he ’s ever write . A fib of a small town hem in by manipulative aliens , The Tommyknockershas a few decent moments , and a skilful lead-in performance from Jimmy Smits , but is mostly a flop .
8. The Langoliers (1995)
The Langoliersalso bare on ABC in two parts , on May 14 and 15 , 1995 . Based on the novella of the same name from King’sFour Past Midnightcollection , The Langoliersfeatures performances so hammy and CGI core so bad that it borders on being so bad it ’s good . Standing in the way of that is the fact that this prison term travel story is poorly pace and often dreadfully boring , complete with an anticlimactical conclusion .
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7. Rose Red (2002)
Released in 2002 , and save specifically for the covert by King , Rose Redwas a rating reach when it premiered on ABC , but has since fall out of favor . While it ’s not as bad as its reputation evoke , it ’s certainly not too telling , and feels every bit of its three - part , four - summation hr distance . A evenhandedly standard haunted house story , King really could ’ve used an editor here , as there ’s a lot of uninteresting , at last superfluous material include .
6. Salem’s Lot (2004)
This 2nd attempt at adaptingSalem ’s Lotfor video aired in two parts in June of 2004 on the TNT overseas telegram web . In many mode , this miniseries better on scene of the iconic 1979 variation , but fails to replicate the creepy second that ensured its forerunner a place in horror account . Rob Lowe does fine in the lead , and Rutger Hauer plays a much close to the book Kurt Barlow , butSalem ’s Lot2004 is the definition of being so okay it ’s mediocre .
5. Salem’s Lot (1979)
PuttingSalem ’s Lot1979 , a two - part miniseries that air on CBS , this low on the list might cause some Stephen King buff to balk , but it ’s just not quite as honorable as most citizenry seem to think of it being . Salem ’s Lot1979 unquestionably contains many excellently creepy-crawly and scary here and now , and its Nosferatu - esque Kurt Barlow is a terrifying creation . Unfortunately , when the lamia are n’t wreaking havoc , the relaxation of the miniseries is so glacially paced and boring that sleep might assail the viewer before bloodsuckers do . Hopefully the coming theatrical remake is capable to meliorate on what worked in both prior miniseries .
4. The Shining (1997)
Another ranking that might get some to lift supercilium is puttingThe Shining ’s three - part ABC miniseries remake in the top five , butThe Shining1997is almost the reverse gear ofSalem ’s Lot , in that it does n’t get the credit entry it deserves . It has its own tempo problems at time , and would probably have been well served as a two - parter , but this miniseries is a much more accurate delegacy of King ’s excellent Word . Is it ripe or scarier than Stanley Kubrick ’s iconic 1980 motion picture ? Of course not , but it ’s more than worth follow for King devotee , and boast some truly scary material , outside of terrible CGI hedging animals .
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3. Storm of the Century (1999)
Now begins the ointment of the Stephen King miniseries crop . Another written directly for the screen by King , Storm of the Centuryis unjustly forgotten by many , but makes a strong case for being one of the best Martin Luther King Jr. - related projects to escort . The chronicle focuses on a little island township hassle by both the titular storm and an ancient villain known as Andre Linoge , who look for a child to invoke as his heritor . unrelentingly creepy , and with a sadistic dark streak , Storm of the Centurydoesn’t at all feel its three - part duration , and is catch from first to finish .
2. The Stand (1994)
It ’s meet that King ’s most heroic novel get his longest miniseries adaptation , clock in at four - parts , and over six - hours even sans commercial message . WhileThe Standisn’t perfect , and theupcoming CBS All Access adaptationcould ameliorate on it , what ’s there is still really just , and was at the meter one of the most ambitious television miniseries ever produced . rollick a cast full of placeable face , a grand score , and characters that are well-off to either settle down for or against , The Standis only really strangle by some forged special effects and an occasionally low-spirited - budget looking at .
1. IT (1990)
Topping this ranking is easily the most famousStephen Kingminiseries , the two - part 1990 adaption ofIT.While the 2d part has a lot of problem , the first part is so smashing that it demand to be recognized and treasure . The cast of child Losers ' Club members meet their roles like a baseball glove , the production design and score effortlessly transpose the viewer back to 1960 , and of form , Tim Curry is dead amazing as Pennywise the Clown . Pennywise gets overly goofy in part 2 , but in part 1 , he ’s bone - chilling , even on the few occasion he cracks a put-on . The opening Georgie scene is deservedly celebrated , and everything just click . twosome that with the fact that part 2 is n’t abysmal , it ’s just underwhelming , and one gets the well Stephen King miniseries , if by a sparse margin .
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