Stephen King is one of the most prolific names in literature, with many of his stories being adapted into terrifying feature films, but there are a number of short films that also expertly adapt his material.
Stephen King adaptations have become so popular that they’re basically their own sub-genre of horror at this point. Not only are classic stories getting straight adaptations or fresh versions that push the material to new places, but there are even programs like Castle Rock that mix and match several of King’s works and characters.
The feature films and television series based on Stephen King’s work get the most attention, but the writer has established a very interesting policy for his short stories. Dubbed his “Dollar Babies,” burgeoning filmmakers can turn any of his short stories (that haven’t been acquired by a studio) into a short film for just $1, provided they don’t commercially distribute it. As flashy and impressive as Doctor Sleep or IT are, there’s something to be said for these low-budget efforts that showcase fresh talent. Here are the best examples of what people have been able to do with Stephen King’s short stories through their short films.
Lawnmower Man: A Suburban Nightmare – James Gonis
King’s “Lawnmower Man” short story from Night Shift gets a lot of flak due to its regrettable ’90s feature film adaptation. However, this short sticks more closely to King’s source material and has a lot of fun with the bizarre story that’s a total ’80s throwback. There have been a number of big names that have tried their hand at adapting King’s “Dollar Babies,” but the coolest thing about this Lawnmower Man short is that it’s written by screenwriter Michael De Luca (In the Mouth of Madness). Gonis and De Luca’s clear talents for the horror genre come through here and his short has turned into one of the more popular adaptations in the “Dollar Babies” circuit. It’s also actually scary.
Gray Matter – Daniel Baas
Stephen King’s “Gray Matter” short from out of Night Shift has become one of his most popular shorts over the years. The story looks at a poor man who gradually begins to mutate into something beyond comprehension. Daniel Baas’ adaptation of the story is slick and disgusting in all of the right ways. He crafts a strong body horror narrative that puts audiences in the perspective of someone whose mind is slipping away. The production values are incredible for an independent short and he doesn’t hold back on the gore. “Gray Matter” was recently adapted for Shudder’s Creepshow anthology series, but Baas’ short still holds up to the professional version.
Strawberry Spring – Doveed Linder
The idea of a twisted version of suburbia or that intense darkness can be lurking under the idyllic American dream is an evergreen idea that has fascinated many people beyond Stephen King. Accordingly, it’s not surprising that King’s “Strawberry Spring” short from Night Shift has become one of the more popular “Dollar Baby” adaptations. Doveed Linder’s take on the material is the most effective of the lot. He had a sizable budget to help bring this eerie fantasy to life and an adept cast that flourished in the roles. Linder also creates that perfect sense of unease and tension that the short story does.
The Boogeyman – Jeff C. Schiro
“The Boogeyman” from Night Shift is an eerie exercise in dread that looks at a stressed father who spills his heart out to his therapist. He opens up about the murders of his children that have taken place over the past few years, with him blaming the “Boogeyman” for these tragedies. It’s a chilling story about paranoia and doubt with one huge ending. Jeff C. Schiro’s short film adaptation is nearly a half hour long, which allows the tension of this story to really breathe. He does an exceptional job with the material and even the music for the short is creepy in all of the right ways.
The Night Waiter – Jack Garrett
“The Night Waiter” out of King’s Night Shift is the ideal kind of short story to adapt into a film. It looks at a young man who’s new to his room service job at a hotel and finds himself rubbing a strange night clerk the wrong way. Equipped with impressive cinematography, performances, and a half hour runtime that lets Walter’s uneasiness build. There are even hints of 1408 and The Shining in Garrett’s adaptation. It’s since been packaged together with John Woodward’s Disciples of the Crow and this is the more memorable of the two adaptations.
I Am The Doorway – Simon Pearce
“I am the Doorway” from King’s Night Shift collection is just such a disturbing and creative story that it’d be a tragedy if no one attempted to bring it to life. Simon Pearce’s short film effectively explores the existential dread that an astronaut who has returned from space experiences when a series of eyes begin to grow in his hand and opens up the possibility of other worlds beyond the norm. If the effects and the paranoia that Arthur feels don’t properly connect then this story simply doesn’t work, but Pearce really rises to the occasion here. This is one of Stephen King’s short stories that could seriously benefit from an expansion that takes these frightening ideas even further.
Mute – Jacqueline Wright
Small-scale storytelling can sometimes resonate even more strongly than sprawling epics, which is exactly what makes King’s “Mute” from Just After Sunset so powerful. The story follows a mute hitchhiker who catches a ride with an extremely chatty driver. The whole thing is a masterpiece in perspective and Jacqueline Wright’s short film captures every aspect of what makes the story so remarkable.
The Woman In The Room – Frank Darabont
Stephen King’s “The Woman in the Room” from Night Shift tells an incredibly human story, but finds a typical Stephen King macabre twist to it all. The story looks at a man’s complicated feelings as he comes to terms with the decision to end his terminally ill mother’s life courtesy of a painkiller overdose. It’s a heavy story, but there’s a lot to explore in it. What’s most interesting about the 1983 adaptation of this story is that it’s done by Frank Darabont. King was so moved by Darabont’s adaptation that he would go on to trust him with feature length adaptations of his work, like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist.
Bike – David Toms
The great thing about Stephen King’s wide berth of subject matter means that he’s found ways to tackle most topics in a creative ways, even mundane everyday actions like exercise. David Toms’ Bike adapts King’s “Stationary Bike” short story from his Just After Sunset collection and it elegantly finds the horror in something so simple. The story looks at a man who becomes a little too obsessed over his latest workout tool, which leads to surprising results. Steve Hope Wynne also does a great job as Bike’s beleaguered protagonist.
Disciples Of The Crow – John Woodward
What’s so interesting about John Woodward’s Disciples of the Crow is that it’s technically the first adaptation of King’s “Children of the Corn” short story from Night Shift, predating the feature film by a year. Disciples of the Crow makes a number of concessions in this truncated version of the story. Many characters are removed or combined together, but the basics of King’s story remain in tact. Woodward’s short looks incredible and evokes serious dread over this unseen force that controls the community’s children. One of the first major “Dollar Babies” to make a big splash, the short used to only be available to Woodward and King, but it’s since found its way to other channels.
The Talisman – Matthieu Ratthe
The Talisman is one of King’s attempts at the fantasy genre as it connects a very emotional story with an unbelievable world full of werewolves and creatures. The Talisman isn’t a short story of Stephen King’s, but Matthieu Ratthe turns the subject matter into a short with an interesting take on the material. Rathr than tell the entire epic story of The Talisman, Ratthe’s short works more as a proof of concept where it just adapts one pivotal scene from King’s novel rather than attempt to cover the whole thing. Ratthe’s short achieves a lot in its brief runtime and most importantly the production values are lovely. It’s clear that there was a love of love involved here and the monsters look as satisfying as anything that came out of the Dark Tower feature film.
The Man In The Black Suit – Nicolas Mariani
Coming from King’s Everything’s Eventual collection, his “The Man in the Black Suit” short story is a haunting boogeyman parable that’s perfect material for a short film. There is some rough acting and production values present, but the short still makes a good impression. Even though there are plenty of factors in Man in the Black Suit that are emblematic of amateur filmmaking, there’s still a considerable amount of passion present here. It’s clear that Mariani understands the themes and purpose of King’s short story and those elements do make it on the screen. This is the opposite of an empty vessel that looks pretty, but says nothing. In spite of how it’s a flawed gem, The Man in the Black Suit still feels like a strong adaptation that does the story justice.
One For The Road – Paul Ward
The biggest claim to fame for King’s “One for the Road” from Night Shift is that it operates as an epilogue and sequel of sorts to Salem’s Lot. One For the Road is a very simple, boiled down story and it feels like the kind of addendum that would show up as a special feature on Salem’s Lot DVD. Paul Ward’s adaptation is far from perfect—the vampire make-up leaves a lot to be desired and the performances are fairly exaggerated when they should be more restrained. That being said, it’s still satisfying to see this piece of Salem’s Lot canon come to life in some respect.
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