It’s a fine time to be a horror fan, especially if you’re a Netflix subscriber – but the platform’s newest Stephen King adaptation is one of his least scary tales.
Stephen King‘s name has become synonymous with some of thebest horrorstories ever told. The Shining, Misery, and Carrie all hold a firm place in the hearts of many gorehounds and fright fanatics, and adaptations of The Monkey and The Long Walk are currently on the way.
Netflixis jumping on the King train in September, but if you’re waiting for one of his scarier stories to join the slate ofnew movies, you might just miss one of his best.
Stand By Me, released in 1986, is based on King’s novella The Body, which came out in 1982. Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell, the coming-of-age film has since become regarded as one of the best’80s moviesever made.
Stand By Me has since become such a staple of ’80s cinema, that major TV shows and movies have directly referenced the themes and scenes, including Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Rick and Morty.
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The movie follows the memories of writer Gordon “Gordie” Lachance as he recalls one summer he spent with his best friends, in which they attempted to hunt down a dead body in the Oregon wilderness.
Stand By Me became beloved for its sense of nostalgia and resonance with almost everyone who watched it, and proved to be one of the best adaptations of King’s work.
While rather light fare compared to some of his darker tales of vampires, ghosts, and stalkers, it’s a quintessential watch for any King fan or otherwise.
Jessica Cullen is a TV and Movies Writer on Dexerto’s UK team. She’s previously written for The Digital Fix, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, Slate and more. Aside from being the residential Yellowstone expert, she also loves Westerns, ’90s action movies, and true crime. You can email her here: jessica.cullen@dexerto.com.
