Stephen King Loved ‘The Mist’ Changes Because of Its ‘Anti-Hollywood’ Ending

Many Stephen King works have been tailored numerous occasions for the large and small screens, with various levels of success. One adaptation that stands out, nonetheless, is the 2007 movie model of his novella, The Mist. Whereas the film acquired combined opinions from audiences and critics alike, King himself beloved it, significantly as a result of of its “anti-Hollywood” ending.

Director Frank Darabont made some modifications to the Stephen King novella ‘The Mist’

Author/Director Stephen King and Director Frank Sternhagen attend the premiere of “The Mist” on the Ziegfeld Theater November 12, 2007 in New York Metropolis. | Bennett Raglin/WireImage

The Mist is a novella that was initially printed in 1980 as half of King’s “Dark Forces” anthology. It tells the story of a gaggle of individuals trapped in a grocery store when an odd mist descends upon their city, bringing with all of it terrifying creatures. Because the survivors try to carry out in opposition to the beasts, additionally they start to activate one another, with tensions rising as their state of affairs turns into extra determined.

The 2007 movie adaptation, directed by Frank Darabont, deviates from the unique story in some methods. Whereas the fundamental premise stays the identical, the movie provides new characters and modifications the dynamic between them. It additionally encompasses a extra intense and violent ending than the novella, one which King himself didn’t write. 

King ends The Mist with David Drayton probably listening to civilization on the radio and telling his son the phrases: “One of them is Hartford, the other is hope.” 

Alternatively, Darabont’s adaptation finds Drayton and a small group of different survivors in a automotive. As they drive, they see the monsters taking on the world and resolve it’s higher to die than proceed combating. However as soon as Drayton has executed everybody, together with his son, there’s a horrible twist. The military seems and shortly wipes out the monsters, reclaiming the world.

Stephen King beloved ‘The Mist’ modifications as a result of of its ‘anti-Hollywood’ ending

Regardless of the modifications to the unique story, King has been vocal in his admiration for the movie model of The Mist. Specifically, he has praised the film’s ending for being so totally different.

In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, King stated, “When Frank said that he wanted to do the ending that he was going to do, I was totally down with that. I thought that was terrific. And it was so anti-Hollywood — anti-everything, really! It was nihilistic. I liked that.” 

He went on to level out how followers and critics who initially didn’t just like the ending ended up loving it after “getting used to it.”

King’s opinion of the movie’s ending is especially noteworthy as a result of it represents a departure from his typical strategy to storytelling. The writer has typically been criticized for his reliance on “happy endings,” with many of his tales concluding on a be aware of hope or redemption.

Stephen King’s reactions to different diversifications of his work

Whereas The Mist is one of King’s favourite diversifications of his work, it’s not at all the one one. Through the years, King has seen many of his tales delivered to life on display screen, with combined outcomes.

One adaptation that King has been important of is Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 movie The Shining. As per Far Out, King famously disliked the modifications that Kubrick made to the story, significantly in his portrayal of the character of Jack Torrance (performed by Jack Nicolson). The award-winning writer has been vocal in his perception that Kubrick’s model of The Shining lacks his novel’s emotional depth and psychological complexity.

Alternatively, King has praised different diversifications of his work, together with the 1994 miniseries model of The Stand and the 2017 film model of It. In each instances, King has cited the faithfulness of the diversifications to his authentic tales as a key issue of their success.

King’s response to Darabont’s modifications to The Mist is an efficient reminder that an adaptation doesn’t at all times have to remain true to the unique. The unrelenting bleakness of the film’s ending is what makes it so memorable.



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