Stephen King does not even hide his hatred for Stanley Kubrick’s take on The Shining as the author publicly criticized it for lacking emotional investment. We can’t blame him, though—he looked for the elements that reflected his own personal struggles in the movie and failed to find them.
Stephen King / Credits: CBS News
Thankfully, Mike Flanagan set out to fix things and reconcile Kubrick’s film with King’s novel. Doctor Sleep was not a commercial hit, but over the years, fans have grown to love and appreciate it, and perhaps we could say that the film had finally hit its mark.
Stephen King was happy with Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep after his disappointment with Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining
Stanley Kubrick helmed The Shining in 1980. It made a decent box office run but was plagued with mixed reactions from fans. Perhaps the most striking comment came from Stephen King, who told The Paris Review how much he despised the movie. He described it as “too cold” and “no sense of emotional investment in the family”—which was a tremendous deal for the author.
Related “I was terrified”: An 82-Year-Old Disney Movie is Why Stephen King Writes Horror Books
King revealed that he wrote a screenplay which Kubrick allegedly refused to read. The filmmaker worked with another novelist to create the narrative they wanted to tell, which greatly disappointed the King of Horror.
Mike Flanagan via Netflix / Credits: YouTube
Then, Mike Flanagan entered the picture. He expressed interest in working on Doctor Sleep, which King surprisingly loved. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the writer said he read Flanagan’s script very carefully to avoid repeating history. King is a huge fan of the director’s films, and he’s known him since their collaboration on Gerald’s Game.
So, I read the script very, very carefully and I said to myself, ‘Everything that I ever disliked about the Kubrick version of The Shining is redeemed for me here.’
To hear these words from the author himself must have made Flanagan very proud. He paid respect to Kubrick’s film and King’s book and reconciled them in ways that didn’t compromise the story.
Related Mike Flanagan: “Kubrick was more interested in the madness” on Why ‘Doctor Sleep’ Truly Honored Stephen King After Stanley Kubrick Left Him Frustrated
Doctor Sleep failed to perform at the box office in 2019, grossing only $72 million against a budget of $45 million. As it turned out, it wasn’t the end of the world as it gained traction over the years, with more and more fans discovering this gem and becoming a cult-classic favorite.
Stephen King knew Doctor Sleep would become a sleeper hit
Ewan McGregor in Doctor Sleep / Credits: Warner Bros.
Five years later, Doctor Sleep finally received the love it deserved after Flanagan revealed how King knew it would find success in time. In a now-deleted post, the director wrote (via UPROXX): “After a disappointing opening weekend at the box office, Stephen King predicted time would be kind to Doctor Sleep and I love that it continues to find and build its audience half a decade later.”
He holds the film dear to his heart as it is more than just a sequel but a passion project dedicated to his love for Kubrick and King.
The Shining and Doctor Sleep are currently available to watch on Max.
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