With television shows like Stranger Things receiving so much attention and accolades and the latest film version of It having the biggest horror opening of all time, earning over £9,884,000 across 604 cinemas in the UK and Ireland since it’s release, it’s safe to say that interest in the works of Stephen King is pretty high right now. Apart from The Dark Tower. No doubt every Hollywood studio is sifting through the archives to see what they own the rights to so they can green-light new versions of King’s book asap, but you needn’t wait that long if you’ve seen It and want more of King’s imagination put forth on the big screen, as the Light House Cinema will be spending Halloween season showing film versions of classic King stories.
For decades the books of Stephen King have drawn readers in, hitting them hard emotionally or leaving them too terrified to look over their shoulder. King addresses his fans in his books introductions as ‘Constant Reader’ and this is the name the Light House has adapted for their season of King adaptations, with Dear Constant Reader taking place from Oct 13 – Nov 15. So many of King’s works have been adapted to the big screen, hardly a surprise for such a prolific and popular writer. Some of the most memorable horror imagery of all time by renowned directors such as Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter and Brian De Palma will be on show at the Smithfield cinema and there’s plenty of variety here, with a 35mm showing of the recently and dearly departed Tobe Hooper’s Salem’s Lot and a special black and white showing of Frank Darabont’s version of The Mist for Hollywood Babylon included in the selection. It’s not all horror though, as the likes of The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me show the writer’s range and provide a platform for memorable performances from the likes of Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, Morgan Freeman and more. Sadly, Maximum Overdrive, the first (and last) film to be directed by King himself, seems to be omitted from the programme, but sure you can’t have everything can you? See the full selection of films below and let us know what you’re going to be seeing, our own Dear Constant Readers, at the Light House this October,
Misery Fri 13 Oct, 10.30pm /Sun 15 Oct, 3pm
The Mist Sat 14 Oct, 10.30pm
Salem’s Lot Thur 19 Oct, 8.30pm/Fri 20 Oct, 10.30pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itgqj4okSv8
Pet Semetary Sat 21 Oct, 10.30pm/Sun 22 Oct, 3pm
Christine Sat 28 Oct, 10.30pm
Carrie Mon 30 Oct, 6.30pm (as part of Cinema Book Club)/Fri 3 Nov, 10.30pm
The Shining Tue 31 Oct, 8.30pm
Sun 5 Nov, 3pm/Mon 6 Nov, 6pm
Tue 7 Nov, 8.30pm/Sun 12 Nov, 3pm
Wed 15 Nov, 6.30pm/Sat 18 Nov 3pm
header image by Peter Strain.