10 Horror Movies To Remind You To Open The Libraries
As a horror fan, I sometimes wonder if filmmakers know books not written by Stephen King exist. I'm not here to pick on Uncle Stephen or the fans who religiously show up for each adaptation. However, we forget that nerds like me can complain about the movie not being as good as the book without it being the eighth attempt at a thing we have seen a billion times. So, I'm reminding you to open the library and read more stuff. Here are 10 movies based on books you can check out from your local library today!
THE AMITYVILLE HORROR
Any good horror fan knows about the Lutz family moved into a home one year after it was the location of the DeFeo murders. It's one of the 1970s crimes that haunts our genre, psyches, and so forth. However, how many of us have actually read Jay Anson's book that was adapted into a film? Wherever you fall with The Amityville Horror (and the Warrens in general), you're probably a little intrigued about the beginning of this haunted house journey. Which is why I suggest kicking back and seeing if the book that started a franchise eventually led to The Conjuring universe is worth your time.
BATTLE ROYALE
High school kids in Japan are forced by their government to compete in a deadly tournament where they must kill or be killed. Battle Royale is the reason The Hunger Games seemed like child's play to many of us. Koushun Takami's book should be on your to-read list and not just because it's his only published novel. It should be there because dystopian carnage carried by kids is the stuff this genre is made for. It's bloody, vicious, and stressful on page and on screen. I cannot imagine a more upsetting way to kick off autumn than comparing the novel to the movie. You're welcome.
THE EXORCIST
The lives of an actress who is a single mother and her daughter are altered once a demon possesses the child. Everyone knows this storied franchise also started with a terrifying 1970s novel. Yet again, asking how many of us have actually done the homework and read William Peter Blatty's book? If you're a lover of the best possession film in the canon, then maybe this one will chill you to the bone this autumn. I highly recommend reading it before you toss the film adaptation on this Halloween season. Maybe it'll lessen the bite in some of the more upsetting moments.
GHOST STORY
A writer visits a small town after his uncle dies and discovers the death may be linked to a mysterious group of men. Is the Chowder Society a silly name? Absolutely. However, that doesn't stop them from doing evil deeds, and that's lowkey inspiring. This ghostly throwback has vibes for days and was a very pleasant surprise when I stumbled across it a few years ago. The film is fun, but doesn't quite capture Peter Straub's penchant for terror, which is why it's a great reminder to open the library because reading is fundamental.
THE HAUNTING
Strangers with ties to the paranormal are invited to take part in a man's investigation of a house with a chilling history. Shirley Jackson's book has been adapted into a few different mediums. However, the 1963 film is still one of my favorites because it's closest to the source material. I think that's why it works for me. I understand the art and business of adaptations. Still, as a writer, I also love when we stick as closely as possible to the source if we're not sure why people love the thing. We've seen this story a million times, and this version is clearly dated, but it's a fun time. The book is a great gateway into Jackson's work if you're not familiar with what she did for the genre.
THE HOWLING
A reporter and her husband head to a remote mountain village after a severely traumatic experience. They find out the residents aren't just friendly, but also werewolves. 1970s werewolves are still the moment. So, why not check out Gary Brandner's books that kicked off this hairy franchise? Admit it. You want to know if the books are as batshit as the movies because you're human. You also want to know where they diverge for yourself because where did HOWLING II: YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF even come from? We know they didn't get that from the books, so we can't blame that on Brandner, but what was he getting up to in those sequels?
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
Four teens run someone over and agree to dispose of the body and put it behind them. Unfortunately, someone won't let them move on so easily. While this is not my franchise and not what Lois Duncanenvisioned, a lot of people love this movie. Why not take that nostalgia to the library and see if the original version works for you? It's more of a mystery, and almost nobody dies. However, it's very fun seeing where the original four characters started. More importantly, if you've read YA fiction and are unfamiliar with Duncan's work, then it's a quick way to fix that.
JAWS
A great white shark and capitalism terrorize a small seaside community. I said what I said. Peter Benchley's book made sharks scary enough for Hollywood to come knocking. While the movie is important to the genre for so many reasons and is possibly the best shark horror movie many of us will live long enough to see, too many of us forget it's an adaptation. If you're nosy like me, you want to know more about this town and their politics and feuds. You want to know more about the victim's families that barely got screentime. What better way to get answers than to crack open a book and see if your favorite lines were in the source material.
PSYCHO
A young woman on the run with stolen money pulls into the wrong hotel and is never seen again. The smokeshow that was Anthony Perkins became the face of the genre's favorite mama's boy, but only because Robert Bloch was so compelling that it needed a screen adaptation. The Alfred Hitchcock film is a must-watch for many reasons, but don't sleep on the book. It deserves your attention and is especially fun for nerds who like to compare and contrast. Which version is better? Who can say?
STIR OF ECHOES
A skeptic gets his switch flipped and becomes a conduit for a dead girl who wants justice. Richard Matheson's novel became my favorite Kevin Bacon movie. It might also be my favorite David Koepp film even though that feels like blasphemy to write. Stir of Echoes shook me so hard as a kid that I still look at walls in new homes suspiciously. Few medium stories led by men need to exist. However, this one is amazing, and I bet the source material is also wicked. I'm too chicken to track it down, but expect full reports from a lot of you.
I promised 10 movies based on novels not written by Stephen King that you can read today. These are 10 of many. I think as horror fans we should definitely do better about opening the books these movies are based on. Media literacy is a rapidly dying skill and we should each do our part to try to slow that down. Speaking of, if you have a few coins, please consider donating to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Odds are a few of those children's books are going to some future horror authors and filmmakers.
