From writing books to producing a television series, best-selling author Stephen King has moved forward in his ways of presenting his stories.
In 1976, audiences caught a sample of King’s style when the horror movie, “Carrie” hit theatres. Since then, the box office has seen approximately 60 films inspired by King’s stories.
King writes about controversial subjects that either attracts and pins readers or repells them for good.
“He gets deep down into people’s dark side and brings it to the surface,” Aaron Bellard said, who has read over a dozen of King’s thrillers. “It brings out their fears.”
The opening of “The Secret Window,” last Friday, gave question to the substance of King’s novels and the films based on them. Currently number two at the box office, bringing in $19 million, the film has proven to be a success.
Although today’s generation is attracted by visual entertainment, several of King’s fans are still found from his printed words.
“I like reading the books since they explain more detail than the movies,” Bellard said. “It [‘The Secret Window’] looks like a good movie, but it doesn’t seem to explain how it comes out.”
Middleton Library has caught sight of the interest students take in King’s novels.
“We have a majority of his big titles,” library associate, Isaac Clark, 27, said. “About half of the Stephen King books we have on the shelves are checked out right now.”
King’s works do not stop with just movies.
“Kingdom Hospital,” a new 15-hour drama on ABC, was co-produced by King. The Wednesday night series tells stories of patients who recieve care from “The Kingdom,” a hospital with a bizarre staff, from a blind security gaurd to a squimish nurse.
Television shows and movies based on his work are somewhat relative, but even other authors have taken King under the microscope. Stories like, “The Gothic World of Stephen King,” or, “Stephen King from A to Z,” are on the shelves written about King, but not written by him.
The future for King is unclear. As long as he keeps writing stories, the movies will follow.
“I would rather see him keep writing, but if people like his movies, I’m sure he can appreciate that,” Bellard said. “The bottom line is, Stephen King is the man.”