The Underrated Stephen King Adaptation With A 92% Rotten Tomatoes Score

Stephen King has dozens and dozens of adaptations of his novels and short stories, but one adaptation with a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score remains a hidden gem. Stephen King’s novels were a success right out of the gate, with his first release, Carrie, becoming a bestseller and then getting turned into a movie just two years later.

King has had several horror novels turned into movies and even more short stories that have made their way to the big screen. He also has adaptations that became award-winning masterpieces, with The Shawshank Redemption considered one of the best movies of all time. However, one 2017 Stephen King movie doesn’t get enough attention.

1922 Is One Of The Best Stephen King Adaptations Ever

From 2017 to 2019, eight different Stephen King adaptations were released. There were five theatrical releases and three released on streaming. Of these movies, It and It Chapter Two easily dominated fans’ attention, even though Doctor Sleep was just as good and is an underrated King adaptation.

The other two theatrical releases were disappointments, with The Dark Tower a critical and commercial flop and Pet Sematary a rehash of a beloved classic. The streaming releases were mainly good, with Gerald’s Game kickstarting Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King journey, In the Tall Grass, a collaboration between King and his son Joe Hill, and 1922, an underrated masterpiece.

Not enough people talk about 1922. Thomas Jane stars as Wilf James, a farmer working his land in Nebraska with his wife Arlette and son Henry. When his wife reveals she is going to sell their land and move to the city, he convinces his son to help him kill her. They toss the body in their well, but soon, Arlette’s spirit seems to return to haunt Wilf.

With a solid cast, including Neil McDonough, Brian d’Arcy James, and Molly Parker, critics praised the film, awarding it a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score. The audience rating was lower, but this is normal for darker horror movies, especially on streaming services. What’s more it had all the makings of a great Stephen King movie, from a chilling atmosphere, to a well-crafted, psychological character arc.

1922 Is A Faithful Stephen King Adaptation

1922 is a highly faithful Stephen King adaptation. Written and directed by Zak Hilditch, an Australian filmmaker who previously made These Final Hours, the film seems loyal to the short story to a fault. However, as one of the better short stories in King’s Full Dark, No Stars, that is not a bad thing, and it made the experience even better.

The story sees Wilf start to lose his mind as the ghost of his wife, as well as numerous rats, begin to torment him. When his son dies after leaving for the big city, Wilf is left alone to face torment in the face of his sins, and it is one of King’s darker endings. While 1922 is different from the short story in pace, it is loyal to the plot.

It’s easily one of the better Stephen King adaptations out there, and its faithfulness to the source material only adds to the reasons why it deserves more love.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

1922

6/10

Release Date

October 20, 2017

Runtime

101minutes

Director

Zak Hilditch

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