--- title: "7 Classic Stephen King Movies You Should Watch ..." description: "The Shining; Carrie; The Green Mile; Misery; Cujo; More ..." url: "https://movies.allwomenstalk.com/classic-stephen-king-movies-you-should-watch/" category: "movies" last_updated: "2026-06-02" --- # 7 Classic Stephen King Movies You Should Watch ... If you have never seen these classic Stephen King movies, you have some catching up to do. When a movie is adapted from a book, there is always a risk that it will fall flat. That didn’t happen with these 7 classic Stephen King movies. Although some of them may stray a bit from the original story, they are all phenomenal movies worth watching. ## 1. The Shining **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-shining/id522395870) The Shining is one of my favorite classic Stephen King movies of all time. Jack Nicholson’s performance as the possessed caretaker of the remote Overlook Hotel is absolutely bone-chilling. Don’t even get me started on those creepy little twins! This 1980 movie is based on the Stephen King novel, although there are significant differences between the book and the movie. There was actually a mini-series remake in 1997, but it was nowhere near as scary as the original movie. ## 2. Carrie **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/carrie/id387099242) Sissy Spacek stars in this 1976 Stephen King classic as Carrie, an outcast teenage girl with telekinesis. Not only is Sissy Spacek fantastic, Piper Laurie is also unforgettable as Carrie’s abusive, religious zealot mother. Even if you haven’t yet seen this movie, you might be familiar with the infamous prom scene where the high school bullies dump pig’s blood over Carrie’s head. Spoiler alert: things do not end well for the bullies. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself rooting for Carrie to take them all down by the end of the movie. ## 3. The Green Mile **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-green-mile/id283270111) Oh, how I love the late Michael Clarke Duncan in this 1999 movie. Duncan plays a death row inmate, John Coffey, who possesses supernatural healing powers. His performance is heart wrenching as the gentle giant wrongfully convicted for raping and killing two little girls in 1935. Tom Hanks also stars as Paul Edgecomb, a Death Row prison guard with a heart. The Green Mile is both sad and suspenseful. ## 4. Misery **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/misery/id297953292) No Stephen King movie list would be complete without mentioning this movie. This 1990 film, starring James Caan and Kathy Bates, is the true definition of a psychological thriller. Poor Paul Sheldon (Caan) wakes up in psychotic Annie Wilkes’ (Bates) house after his car goes off the road in a snowstorm. One particularly terrifying moment in the movie involves Annie hobbling Paul after an escape attempt. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite films with Kathy Bates. ## 5. Cujo **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://goo.gl/DUWoc1) What kid didn’t have nightmares about rabid dogs after seeing this 1983 movie? Cujo, a gentle St. Bernard, is not so lovable after he contracts rabies. Mother and son become trapped in Cujo’s yard when their car breaks down. The only means of escape is to get out of the car and risk being attacked and killed by Cujo. This chilling movie is perfect for any horror fan. ## 6. Dolores Claiborne **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/dolores-claiborne/id297061504) Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh star in this 1995 film adapted from Stephen King’s book of the same name. Dolores (Bates) is accused of murdering her alcoholic, child-molesting husband twenty years earlier. As the movie unfolds, the flashbacks of Dolores’ late husband grow increasingly disturbing. David Strathairn’s performance as Dolores’ husband Joe is utterly sick and compelling. Even though I’ve seen this movie at least three times, the scene of Joe and his daughter on the ferry still completely creeps me out. ## 7. The Shawshank Redemption **On iTunes at:** [itunes.apple.com](https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-shawshank-redemption/id282875479) This is one of those movies that didn’t do so hot at the box office when it premiered, but over the years, it has grown hugely popular. Tim Robbins is Andy Dufresne, a prisoner who is hatching a genius plan of escape. This movie is more of a drama than a typical Stephen King horror thriller, but it is one of those fantastic classic films every fan should see. Morgan Freeman is a fellow inmate and the narrator of Andy’s story. I can’t help it; I’m a sucker for a movie narrated by Morgan Freeman’s buttery smooth voice. This short list of classic movies adapted from Stephen King novels is really just the tip of the iceberg. It was hard to narrow it down, but I think these are my top 7. 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