‘IT ISN’T JUST A HORROR MOVIE’ A

Stephen King talks about how he views films based on his stories

uthor Stephen King’s books have churned out some of the biggest films in Hollywood. The 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, which is adapted from his novella, titled Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, is rated as one of the best films of all times. The new horror film titled It, which has been receiving rave reviews across the globe, has been adapted from King’s 1986 novel by the same name. In an interview, King explains the secret behind the adaptations, It, and more. Excerpts: Both. I look to see what’s there and what’s not there. But I like movies, so I have a tendency to just kick back in the third row with a box of popcorn and enjoy it. This film really feels like something different and worthwhile. It isn’t just a horror movie; it has resonance. [Director] Andy (Andrés) Muschietti really caught the kids and their friendship. He captured the reality of kids growing up in the ’80s, and I liked that because I raised kids at that particular time. Author Stephen King’s short story, titled Suffer the Little Children, is heading for the big screen. Sean Carter, who is also directing the Bella Thorne-starrer Keep Watching, will write and helm the adaptation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The story is about a teacher who slowly comes to the realisation that her students are not quite what they seem. Andy has the same things going in It as he had in Mama — both movies have a visual lushness. But that visual lushness is always kept under control by the storytelling. The storytelling holds onto the narrative thread completely so that everything else is just thrilling.

PHOTO: MARK LENNIHAN/AP A clown terrorises a group of young people in the film It, based on Stephen King’s book The storytelling [in the film It] holds onto the narrative thread completely so that everything else is just thrilling