Connect with us

News

8 King First Edition Covers vs Film Interpretations

Published

on

Interpretations, interpretations. There are about as many of those as there are opinions. But when you are hired to create the cover art for a novel how much liberty can you take?

Years ago, to judge a book by its cover you simply had to pick it up. Nowadays it’s less of a cover and more of a PNG image next to a button that says download now.

Probably the most influential horror author of the last 40 years, Stephen King has made a career of memorable characters, but sometimes the covers of his books didn’t always match up to the characters in the movies.

Just as directors take certain liberties with who the characters are and what they look like, so too do the artists who create the cover art for the book jacket.

Here are some of his first edition book covers that may or may not have missed the mark when the movies came out. We are only examining the first US printings; there were subsequent releases later for paperbacks which may have gone into more detail as King’s career grew.

And we are also not looking at the text or descriptions of these characters from inside the books: only the first edition covers and the actors and situations that played out on screen.

Cover-to-screen changes are very noticeable on King’s first bestseller, Carrie. On the book, Carrie has auburn curls and brown eyes, a far cry from the now iconic role made famous by Sissy Spacek, with her piercing blues and strawberry blonde hair in the movie.

Carrie: Book published: 1974

Film adaptation releases: 1976 – 2002 (TV movie) – 2013

2002 (TV movie)

2013

The Shining: Book published:  1977

Film adaptation releases: 1980 – 1997 (TV miniseries)

For The Shining, the jacket makes Jack Torrance less of a presence than Kubrick’s vision. Even Wendy looks like a supermodel on the front, not the gangly cowardess depicted by Shelley Duvall in the famous movie.  The 1997 miniseries seemed to have given some reference to the first edition graphic as Steven Weber and Rebecca De Mornay are much closer to the family on the jacket. Even Danny got a bowl cut for the miniseries, looking similar to the one on the book although seemingly much happier. 

1997 (TV miniseries)

The Dead Zone: Book published:  1979

Film adaptation releases: 1983

We can’t see much of Johnny Smith’s visage on this classic novel, Christopher Walken who plays the part in the film has a striking resemblance to the book’s depiction, if only slightly thinner. 

Firestarter: Book published:  1980

Film adaptation releases: 1984

Drew Barrymore seemed the perfect casting choice if producers were taking from the original novel cover. The jacket shows very little of Charlie, but Drew is almost identical to the book illustration in facial features and temperament. 

Cujo: Book published:  1981

Film adaptation releases: 1983

Well, poor Cujo. There’s really nothing an artist would have to interpret here. Large Saint Bernard, snout gnarling in the penumbra. Probably an easy payday for this artist. But later on, another iconic King pet would make a really drastic change from book cover to screen…

Pet Sematary: Book published: 1983

Film adaptation releases: 1989

..and that animal is Church from Pet Sematary. On the book, we see an angry domestic longhair, in the Mary Lambert film it changes to a British short hair, some viewers initially thought Church was a Russian Blue breed.

IT: Book published:  1986

Film adaptation releases: 1990 (TV miniseries)– 2017

This cover is interesting. It shows Georgie’s paper boat anchored near a storm drain with IT’s hand in the latter stages of transformation.

Of course in both film adaptations of the novel, IT is introduced as Pennywise the clown, beckoning below the sewer with Georgie’s boat in hand, but with clown gloves. Not this semi-spoiler art from the first edition cover.

Misery: Book published:  1987

Film adaptation releases: 1990

The difference here is not for characterization, it’s decor. In this great novel from King, Annie Wilkes holds famous romance writer Paul Sheldon hostage in a small room. The cover shows the bed on the left wall and a single window in the center. In the film, the windows multiply and the bed is on the right wall.

Well what do you think? Did the artist doing the first covers get it right the first time or did the directors making the film adaptations do it better? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

 

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Editorial

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week

Published

on

Horror Movies

Welcome to Yay or Nay a weekly mini post about what I think is good and bad news in the horror community written in bite-sized chunks. 

Yay:

Mike Flanagan talking about directing the next chapter in the Exorcist trilogy. That might mean he saw the last one and realized there were two left and if he does anything well it’s draw out a story. 

Yay:

To the announcement of a new IP-based film Mickey Vs Winnie. It’s fun to read comical hot takes from people who haven’t even seen the movie yet.

Nay:

The new Faces of Death reboot gets an R rating. It’s not really fair — Gen-Z should get an unrated version like past generations so they can question their mortality the same as the rest of us did. 

Yay:

Russell Crowe is doing another possession movie. He’s quickly becoming another Nic Cage by saying yes to every script, bringing the magic back to B-movies, and more money into VOD. 

Nay:

Putting The Crow back in theaters for its 30th anniversary. Re-releasing classic movies at the cinema to celebrate a milestone is perfectly fine, but doing so when the lead actor in that film was killed on set due to neglect is a cash grab of the worst kind. 

The Crow
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

Lists

The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

Published

on

The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

News

Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

Published

on

Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors. 

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie. 

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time. 

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.

Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Footwear for Wednesday Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams Skullector doll
Morticia Addams doll shoes
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading