Stephen King: His 5 Best On-Screen Stories Set in the Snow (and Where to Stream Them)
From its bleakness and isolation to its undeniable beauty, it’s likely no coincidence that so much of Stephen King’s storytelling is cloaked beneath the snow. His stories and novels, while not usually set entirely during this time of year, almost always take a detour down the frostbitten avenues of winter to stark and startling effect.
To help you endure yet another seemingly endless snow season, I’ve gone ahead and assembled my five favorite frosty Stephen King film and TV adaptations. So settle in and enjoy. These titles are perfectly suited for curling up in front of a cozy fire with hot cocoa as you await the next emotional avalanche to bury us all collectively once more.
“The sun loses its thin grip on the air first, turning it cold, making it remember that winter is coming and winter will be long.”
— Stephen King, ’Salem’s Lot
The Dead Zone
The 1983 adaptation of The Dead Zone, directed by David Cronenberg, is one of the best King films to date. It stars Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith, a schoolteacher who wakes up from a coma with inexplicable psychic abilities. The novel’s grim claustrophobia is depicted well, using winter to its advantage more often than you might remember. And you’ll likely never look at a charming, snow-crested gazebo the same way ever again.
On the DVD release of the film, you can hear Cronenberg describe the unbearably icy conditions he encountered while filming The Dead Zone. The film was shot during an infamous deep freeze in southern Ontario that lasted for weeks on end. This resulted in an ideal environment for the film’s setting, although the cast and crew reportedly found the conditions nearly intolerable.
Stream it now on MGM+
The Shining
One of the most treasured winter-bound horror films of all time is The Shining. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel by Stephen King, The Shining is one of the most discussed and debated adaptations in the history of cinema. King, who famously had little time for this generally unfaithful adaptation, would go on to pen his own version in 1997 with Mick Garris at the helm.
The novel, film, and miniseries all depict a man’s psychological unraveling after a winter storm leaves him and his family isolated and snowed in at a haunted hotel. For Kubrick’s film, some exterior shots were taken at Saint Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island in Glacier National Park in Montana, which is famous for its scenery and chilly panoramas.
Stream it now on Peacock
Misery
Misery is the 1990 cinematic adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name, directed by the late great Rob Reiner and starring Kathy Bates. One of the scariest performances of all time, Bates’ turn as Annie Wilkes won her a Best Actress Oscar, making Misery the only King adaptation to earn that trophy to this day.
Misery follows an author named Paul Sheldon (played by James Caan) in the clutches of an obsessed fan who lives in the snowy, isolated town of Silver Creek, Colorado. She forces the author to write a story she has been desperate to read and goes to great—and violent—lengths to get what she wants. In the novel, the character of Annie famously severs Paul’s foot with an axe. This was changed to an ankle break in the film so audiences could still sympathize with the character’s spiraling mental health.
Stream it now on HBO Max
Dreamcatcher
In 2003, Warner Bros. released a mega-budget adaptation of Dreamcatcher, one of the first novels Stephen King wrote after being injured in an infamous car accident. The science-fiction horror film was directed by Lawrence Kasdan from a screenplay by William Goldman. The film stars King regulars Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis, and Timothy Olyphant as a group of friends who encounter parasitic aliens at a remote hunting lodge.
Both the adaptation and the novel received mixed reviews, and it’s easy to see why. The film is an extremely graphic and bizarre science-fiction exploration of body horror, featuring a particularly gruesome bathroom sequence that won’t soon be forgotten. Say what you will about Dreamcatcher: this fever dream of a movie is a uniquely unhinged winter sleigh ride worth revisiting at least once more.
Stream it now on Plex
Storm of the Century
When a gigantic blizzard cuts off the locals of Little Tall Island, it doesn’t take long for murder and darkness to infiltrate the tight-knit community. While Storm of the Century is not an adaptation of a previous King work, it remains one of the writer’s most tantalizing snowbound stories.
Stephen King wrote Storm of the Century as a miniseries for ABC. The project was directed by Craig R. Bailey and stars Tim Daly, Debrah Farentino, and Dyllan Christopher. While there was no novel prior to the screenplay for Storm of the Century, the script was sold as a mass-market book in February 1999, just a few weeks ahead of its initial broadcast.
The snowy setting of Little Tall Island is one of the best and most socially claustrophobic locations in King history, even giving the events of Under the Dome a run for their money. The chilly atmosphere and stellar performances make this three-parter a perennial winter rewatch. King himself has even stated that the series is a personal favorite.
Stream it now on Hulu
Lastly, what are some of your favorite King film and TV adaptations? Let me know on socials via @joshkorngut. I’m always around to chat about all things Stephen King.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Dread Central in 2022.
Categorized: Editorials News
