Happy Birthday, Stephen King!
John Squires
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There are many artists who have been dubbed “masters of horror,” sometimes deservedly and sometimes not so much. Guys like John Carpenter, Wes Craven, and George Romero have more than earned those crowns, so yes, there are indeed many true masters in the horror field. But there’s only one King.
Today we wanted to recognize and celebrate the fact that Stephen King, one of the single most important players in the history of horror, just turned 69 years young. Ever since the publication of his first novel back in 1974, which just so happened to be smash hit Carrie, King has been terrifying audiences on the page as well as screens both big and small, and what makes him more remarkable than any other artist in the game is just how long he’s been spreading ample doses of fear throughout the world.
If you do the math, you’ll realize that Carrie was released over FORTY YEARS AGO, a fact that is downright mind-blowing when you realize that Stephen King is still to this day pumping out brand new horror content at a steady clip. As he always has throughout his career, King is releasing at least one new novel per year, and with feature adaptations of The Dark Tower, Gerald’s Game, and IT headed our way in the very near future, one could argue that the reigning King of Horror is more relevant and important today than he’s ever been.
How’s that for staying power?
So how do you properly celebrate Stephen King’s birthday? Why not plop down on your couch today and read one of his many novels? Or how about watch a mini-series or film that was adapted from one of those stories? Hell, you could even dig back into Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” which is nothing if not a massive love letter to the birthday boy. Take Cujo for a walk. Go for a ride in Christine. Spend a night in the Overlook Hotel with Jack Torrance. The choice is yours, we simply ask that you celebrate King loud and you celebrate him proud today.
Why? Because without Stephen King, horror just isn’t what it is today.
Categorized:News
