It’s day 18 of our K-O-Ween 31 Days of Halloween Feature and today we are taking a look at another movie based on a Stephen King novel. We have covered a few movies based on Stephen King stories. To tell the truth, if you review horror movies it is almost impossible to avoid them. Most horror fans grew up on Stephen King and we all have at least one much loved movie based on one of his novels. Be it The Shining, It, Apt Pupil, Pet Sematary, Carrie, or Christine; Stephen King has a back catalogue like no other.
Today we are going to be taking a look at, what is probably, my personal favourite movie based on a Stephen King Novel – Misery. It could be said that Misery is far more of a thriller than it is a horror but there are definitely some horror elements in there. I think it qualifies and it is such a good movie that I simply can’t not include it.
A Thriller that Never Lets Up
Everyone knows what this movie is about, right? Misery is the story of an obsessed fan and her desire to control the object of her affection. Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) rescues the famous writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) after he crashes his car during a snow storm. What begins as a simple fan taking care of her favourite author. Quickly turns into a nightmare for Sheldon as it becomes clear that Annie Wilkes is actually the superfan from hell.
A simple story in its essence, Misery seeks to keep the viewer on edge throughout. Paul Sheldon is heavily injured and incapable of defending himself in any meaningful way. Totally oblivious to Annie Wilkes’ issues, at first, he doesn’t have any clue what he is in for. This creates an atmosphere of terror as you try to guess what will happen next and how he will inadvertently upset Annie.
Directed by Rob Reiner, Misery never once takes its foot of the gas. The tension could be cut with a knife and never relents for even a minute. Cleverly paced, the movie feels like a series of set pieces designed to test the nerves of the viewer. Presenting us with a completely incapacitated and incapable victim and a violent and sadistic villain, Misery makes you feel every second of Sheldon’s frustration and pain. It is a truly fantastic movie and keeps you glued to the screen throughout.
The Best Stephen King Adaptation?
This is a tough one. There are a whole bunch of fantastic adaptations of Stephen King novels. Outside of the horror genre, it would be impossible not to mention Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption, the latter being one of the best movies of all time. As far as horror based Stephen King novels go, however, I honestly feel as though Misery may be the best. The Shining may have more widespread acclaim but Misery is, in my opinion, far more compelling. I actually find Misery to be a lot more tense and scary, as well.
In the history of horror, there have been many iconic villains. Michael Myers, Norman Bates, Jason Vorhees, Leatherface. All of them are completely iconic. The one that I think might be the most scary of all, however, is Annie Wilkes. Stephen King, with Annie, crafted a character that is honestly deranged, terrifyingly realistic and legitimately scary. She is, in my opinion, his scariest villain. One of the reasons why is because she is so real.
There is no mask here to hide the character. Her presence isn’t indicated by a high pitched theme song. She doesn’t make wise cracks. Annie Wilkes is presented how she is, an obsessed person with homicidal tendencies and a severe case of, what appears to be, Borderline Personality Disorder. A character capable of idolising a person only for a switch to flip and her to unleash a rage the likes of which you rarely see in movies featuring female antagonists.
Into the Fire
Paul Sheldon’s crash left him seriously injured and bedridden. Annie Wilkes “rescued” him but in the absolute loosest sense of the word. We are now presented with a protagonist that can’t really defend himself. This offers up the opportunity to create a mountain of tension as the slightest little thing could set Annie off.
Few movies do such a good job of placing you into the shoes of the character as well as Misery does. You will be genuinely nervous in much the same way as Paul Sheldon would be every time Annie Wilkes enters the room. This isn’t a person who will just shout, she is horribly cruel and incredibly violent. She also has medical knowledge due to being a nurse and has access to drugs. We learn more about her as the movie goes on and the revelations make Paul Sheldon’s situation even more desperate.
This sense of vulnerability in a protagonist is something that few movies manage to do. The fact that Sheldon tries to fight back makes his situation all the more real. He is weak and Annie wants to keep him that way so she can stay with him forever. His attempts to find a way to fight back lead to some of the most white knuckle scenes in horror and thriller history.
Incredible Performances
What can you say about the two stars of Misery that hasn’t already been said? The late James Caan puts on one of his best performances. Nuanced and sympathetic, he feels every part the incapacitated man fighting for his life. A fish out of water who is used to being in control of his life, normally bound by habits and routine. Sheldon is now in a position of submission and pain. Caan does a fantastic job of portraying this and some of his reactions to the things he goes through will legitimately have you wincing along with him.
The highlight, however, has to be Kathy Bates’ Oscar winning performance as Annie Wilkes. Incredibly memorable and impactful throughout, Bates puts on one of the best performances in a horror movie of all time. She is legitimately terrifying and entirely believable when she switches from a sweet, overly enthusiastic fan to a deranged lunatic looking to cause pain. Her ability to switch character type on demand means you are never really sure what she will do next. It helps that Annie Wilkes is a hugely quotable character with some hilarious moments. Her rant regarding the amount of profanity in Sheldon’s new book is absolutely brilliant and perfectly performed by Bates.
The supporting cast is also fantastic. The late Richard Farnsworth’s turn as local sheriff Buster is pitch perfect. He is an immensely likeable character that has you rooting for him to come along and save the day for the entire movie. The dynamic between him and his wife adds a warmth to the movie that would otherwise be missing. I suppose we can’t forget Misery the pig as herself, as well.
Should You Watch Misery?
Any fan of horror movies or thrillers should definitely watch Misery. Potentially the best Stephen King horror novel adaptation ever, Misery is an incredible movie that never once lets up on the tension. Featuring an Oscar winning performance from Kathy Bates, Misery is chilling in its depiction of mental illness and obsession. Wilkes is terrifying, Sheldon is sympathetic and the perfectly paced tension doesn’t offer you a single minute to relax. A brilliant movie and my all time favourite Stephen King adaptation.