Why Mick Garris week? Because I think Mick Garris is awesome! Like any artist, I don't jump at everything he's done -- but I have enjoyed most of his King related work. I'll state up front that Sleepwalkers didn't work for me. So there, that's out of the way.
Stephen King adaptations by Mick Garris:
- Sleepwalkers (1992)
- The Stand (1994)
- The Shining (1997)
- Riding The Bullet (2004)
- Desperation (2006)
- Bag of Bones (2011)
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| Garris holding Lee Gambin's book "Massacred by Mother Nature" |
What Garris is good at is staying faithful to King's original work. He's doesn't pull any Kubrick's on us. In fact, fans might notice minor changes in the story and think it's a big deal -- such as the way Mike's wife dies in Bag of Bones. However, it's that more minor details are the big deal that really points out just how faithful he usually is to King's work.
I think the strongest of his King movies are The Stand and The Shining. I was surprised to see at Wikipedia that he is an atheist, yet The Stand breaths with faith. This is again a nod to his ability to stay true to the King source over personal conviction. (If wikipedia is right.)
In his introduction to Garris' book A Life In Cinema, Stephen King discusses a couple of problems he had with directors looking to film his work. King says, "The big deal in both cases was that the director didn't want to make the story I wrote."
King also calls Garris his best friend in the business. And then King gives Garris this rare compliment, "This man can write!" Not bad, considering King is not always easy to please. Just get him started on the writing in Twilight!
