Summary
Even thoughStephen Kinghas been crowned ‘The Master of Horror’ (alongside John Carpenter) over the past 50 years of successfully petrifying his readers, the legendary author isn’t averse to being scared himself. Although it’s certainly hard to imagine, especially given that the terrifying booksITandSalem’s Lotwere conjured from his mind, it seems as though there are quite a few films that keep him up at night, and one of them is a supernatural terror that braveStephen Kingdevotees can stream for free.
King is undoubtedly one of the planet’s biggest horror writers, who has sold millions of books across every corner of the globe, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does he capture the darkest parts of readers' imagination and bring them to life in a twisted puppet show, but the Maine native also offers a sense of escapism and nostalgia, while also blending terror with relatable human experiences. Naturally, many directors have flocked to King’s writings to adapt many of his books, with some of themost recent beingThe Life of Chuck,Welcome to Derry,The Long Walk(written under Stephen King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman),The Running Man,and countless others that includeCarrie,which are in currently in development. For those who enjoy King’s movie and TV show recommendations, one starring George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, and Melvyn Douglas should be on your watch list.
Stephen King Counts Supernatural Film The Changeling as a Personal Favorite
As reported byComicBook,Stephen King previously revealed in an essay for the British Film Institute thatThe Changeling, a 1980 supernatural horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, and Melvyn Douglas, terrified the life out of him.King said that due to the simple yet creepy atmosphere of the movie, which didn’t include any gory creatures or in-your-face scare factors, it was more than enough to keep him up at night. “For supernatural horror, I like Peter Medak’s filmThe Changelingstarring George C. Scott in perhaps his last great screen role,” King penned. “There are no monsters bursting from chests; just a child’s ball bouncing down a flight of stairs was enough to scare the daylights out of me.”
For those wondering what the plot ofThe Changelingincludes that scared King so much, it follows the story of John Russell, his wife, and daughter, who all head off on vacation, but before they get to their destination, their car gets stuck in snow. While calling for roadside help at a phone box, John’s wife and daughter are tragically killed by an oncoming truck that smashes into the car. Grieving for their loss, he moves to an old mansion to get away from it all, but soon after moving in, John begins to experience unexplained and terrifying supernatural activities within the walls of the historic house.
Previously,Stephen King said that his number one scariest filmas an adult was watching George A. Romero’s low-budget creation,Night of the Living Dead,while also mentioning that when he was 16 years old, Robert Wise’s 1963 movieThe Hauntingwas the scariest film at the time. However, it’snot only movies that King has a soft spot for, as he lovedFromandSilotoo, calling them both “worth his time.”
As for where King fans can watchThe Changelingand see what all the fuss is about, it is currently streaming on Tubi for free, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel, plus Shudder and Peacock.
