Halloween is drawing nigh and horror books are slowly being opened, as are horror book-to-movie adaptions being watched.
We know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t this just a Top 10 list on Stephen King?” No. Other authors have twisted minds and enjoy writing hair-raising tales from the crypt. Some have created some of the most eerie horror books that inspired some seriously creepy flicks. In fact, some of those books have even been celebrated more than Stephen King’s impressive catalog.
Well, only some of them.
Do you have any ideas about the pried-opened caskets of literature that freaked readers out so much that Hollywood clamored to make the movie? Some of these answers to the Top 10 may surprise you if they’re not already in your sinister collection of holiday toilet reading…or, eh, wherever you prefer to curl up with a blood-curdling book.
Here are the Top 10 Horror Books to Movie Adaptations ever made for your terrifying pleasure.
And P.S. Of course, Stephen King’s name and collection will be plastered on this list. We couldn’t avoid his spine-tingling medulla if we tried. Back to the show…
HM. TIE: Misery (1987, 1990) / Jaws (1974, 1975)
In both of these lovely cringefest movies, many don’t consider them “horror movies.” One is more suspenseful but what Kathy Bates did in that movie was completely horrific. (The “hobbling” scene, anyone?) And the other, the protagonist is a big fish with crooked teeth.
Both Misery (Stephen King) and Jaws (Peter Benchley) terrified readers before the movies brought them to life. Although a strong argument can be made for Jaws as “horror,” Misery is not. Yet, read the books. You’ll see–not horror, but so horrible.
10. Rosemary’s Baby (1967, 1968)
[Author’s Note: One childhood-through-high school nickname of mine was “Rosemary’s Baby.” Hi, mom.)
If you ever wondered where Roman Polanski got the sardonic idea of Satan’s spawn brought into this world “that way,” ask Ira Levin. Polanski’s screenplay is one of the closest book-to-movie adaptations ever made (save, number two on this list). Beneath the evil being birthed, the book is an expose on feminism, a fight to be heard, and the results of a voice being ignored. Oh, don’t worry, there is plenty of evil tension in the book and movie. Her next-door neighbors are Satanists. C’mon!
9. Psycho (1959, 1960)
Alfred Hitchcock gets so much praise and respect in storytelling of the macabre, people forget Psycho was actually a book. Written by Robert Bloch in only six weeks, this is one of those horror books that explore the dark recesses of the human mind.
In 1959, the prattling musings of a mama’s boy and peeping tom were taboo enough. Then, the book gets dark. When Hitchcock read it, he knew he could do better. He did. If you read the book, you know its problems. If you saw the movie, you know it has none.
8. Candyman (1992)
When Tony Todd came on the screen, covered in honey, and crackling his grizzled voice as Candyman, a new legend of horror was born. However, many of those same fans have little clue that Clive Barker had a collection of horror books called “Books of Blood” — one of those called The Forbidden inspired the movie.
To make things even more peculiar and creepy, the ghost of an enslaved man raging havoc across the area where he was captive could be real. In the Chicago Cabrini-Green projects, a man killed an elderly lady, Ruthie Mae McCoy, in a horrific fashion. Many believe she was “haunted” and tortured by an evil spirit, following the many times they ignored her in the first place. So sad this inspired that.
7. It (1986, 1990)
In the Stephen King Pantheon, It possibly rests as the cornerstone. A regaled (and sometimes, reviled) book, It does what people can’t even dream — a child’s fears coming to life and feeding upon them. And then what kind of twisted freak comes up with “Pennywise the Dancing Clown” hiding in a gutter devouring kids as a midnight snack?!
The TV series was horrifying enough. Tim Curry is absolutely disturbing and made “Coulrophobia” a global phenomenon. It was just alarming to watch. Then, in 2017, a duology was for the complete story of the kids from Derry–and the darkest parts of the book were still removed from the movies. That is how raw and unfiltered this book is, and there’s only one way to find out. Happy reading.
6. Frankenstein (1818, 1931)
It’s been two centuries and movies are still being made. From originals to sequels, reboots to prequels, it was Mary Shelley’s book in 1818 that sparked a love affair with horror books. She captivated the world and more than 100 years later, Boris Karloff brought Frankenstein’s Monster to life. Back in 1931, the movie was worth the wait.
Other movies have been made but none have captured Shelley’s work that pushed every boundary and birthed the phrase, “Playing God.” It’s that thought–and Karloff in the mask–that has been a gold standard in horror since.
5. Carrie (1974, 1976)
When you get past the pig blood and avenging telekinesis, Carrie is a horror book of harrowing evil based in the family home. While Carrie’s mother claims the tenets of heaven, she treats her daughter like absolute hell. So does everyone else in her life.
When Carrie comes out of her shell, she cracks anything–and anyone–standing in her way. Is Carrie the enemy or the anti-hero? Only Stephen King would be capable of forcing that question to be asked amid horror and a woman’s scorn, which was showcased in fear by Sissy Spacek. Both are all-time greats.
4. The Silence of the Lambs (1988, 1991)
Before Thomas Harris became Thomas Harris, he wrote a couple of books–one, a prelude and the other, a prequel. But nothing prepared bookworms for the story of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. And, to be fair, it wasn’t known as a must-read horror book, until Jonathan Demme got a hold of it and made the Oscar-dominating movie.
Of course, that made Red Dragon and Hannibal into movies as well, but nothing comes close to how we first met one of the most mesmerizing characters in horror history. Had it not been for Anthony Hopkins, would Silence have ever made a voice? Who knows. And who cares?
3. Dracula (1897, 1931)
Bela Lugosi created the ultimate OG horror character in 1931 when he brought the nocturnal menace, Dracula, to the screen. But it was Abraham “Bram” Stoker who first wrote about Transylvania’s favorite resident in 1897. That story has spawned more than 80 movies, including Nosferatu, which did not have permission to use the name “Dracula” so they changed the character’s name to “Count Orlok.”
One problem with Orlok–he killed victims, not regenerate them into vampires. Once the Stoker estate got involved, Dracula was everywhere. There’s no doubt Twilight, TrueBlood, Buffy, Underworld, or even Blade would not exist had it not been for the supremely bewildering collection of horror books from Bram Stoker and everything Bela Lugosi inspired. Long live the GOAT (like he’s going to die anyway).
2. The Exorcist (1971, 1973)
On a list of horror books and their movie counterparts, one and two can flip-flop but they’ll always be one and two. The Exorcist is the single most important (and damn near freakiest) horror movie ever made. That largely comes from the original book of the same name. On a related note, the book and movie were also written by the same person.
William Peter Blatty wrote the tale of a demonically possessed girl, which was inspired by a real-life exorcism on a boy in 1949. The book scared the literal hell out of people, so when Blatty decided to make a movie, he wasted no time writing the movie adaptation himself.
Then, he was nominated for a Pulitzer and awarded an Oscar–Class. Dismissed.
1. The Shining (1977, 1980)
No one in their right mind would dare question Stephen King when it comes to horror books or movie adaptations, but eh, he got it wrong here. His book is a phenomenal work, and so is Stanley Kubrick‘s movie with Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. Sorry, boss, but it just is.
(And yes, how Stanley Kubrick treated Duvall on set was a horror in real life does not escape us here at GVN.)
Yes, the enigmatic film director took some serious license to the supernatural focus of the book, and that sucked so much considering that’s what “The Shining” was — Danny’s psychic powers. But, if you read King’s book, you know the mental devolving of Jack (Torrance) is a splendid take. Many have argued that the Overlook Hotel malevolent forces were a metaphor for Nicholson’s performance, but King didn’t buy it one bit.
Why? The book is actually a semi-autobiographical take. King was Jack Torrance in that he spiraled out of control because of alcoholism and madness ensued. Removing that from his character is offensive to the brilliant scribe–the devil didn’t make him do it, the hooch did. (Although it’s possible Ol’ Slewfoot could have inspired some of these frightening books.)
Regardless, both are masterworks in their respective genres. Period. Horror books and movies would not be the same without either of them and possibly, neither would horror fans.
Since he saw ‘Dune’ in the $1 movie theater as a kid, this guy has been a lover of geek culture. It wasn’t until he became a professional copywriter, ghostwriter, and speechwriter that he began to write about it (a lot).
From the gravitas of the Sith, the genius of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or the gluttony of today’s comic fan, SPW digs intelligent debate about entertainment. He’s also addicted to listicles, storytelling, useless trivia, and the Oxford comma. And, he prefers his puns intended.