Stephen King Was Surprised Anyone Wanted To Adapt This Horror Story for the Screen

The big picture

• Stephen King was shocked when his 2010 novel 1922 was optioned for a film adaptation.
• The Netflix ones
  1922
  offers a harrowing exploration of guilt and examines toxic masculinity, focusing on haunting imagery.
• The film cleverly expands on the novel, disturbingly blurring the line between reality and nightmares.

2017 was a big year for the author's followers Stephen King. Although adaptations of King's work had been popular for decades, his loyal following were treated to several highly anticipated projects during the twelve-month period. The Dark Tower may have been a financial and critical disappointment, but the first chapter of the this The films were warmly received and became one of the highest-grossing R-rated films of all time. Also, Netflix Gerald's game launched the filmmaker Mike FlanaganKing's interest in King's works before the adaptation Doctor Sleep. Given the abundance of King-related material that was made available, it would have been relatively easy to overlook the 2017 Netflix adaptation. 1922 1922 is a period horror thriller from the director Zak Hilditch which is based on King's 2010 novel of the same name.

The announcement that an adaptation of 1922 was moving forward was not only a surprise to King fans, but also a surprise to the author himself. Unlike other novels, 1922 it focuses almost entirely on the perspective of its main character, making it unclear to the audience what is real and what is part of an extended dream or nightmare. King stated that she was “a little surprised that anyone would want to do it”, but was “glad for the challenge and anxious to see what would come of it”. Luckily, King himself was impressed by the film, announcing it as “a movie I won't get out of my head” that “has this kind of poisonous effect”. He would go on to compare it to Paul Thomas Andersonthe modern masterpiece There will be blood. It may not have received the same attention that this or the dark tower But 1922 is an excellent King adaptation that fits and expands on his source material very well.

What is '1922'?

1922 explores a proud farmer's attempts to grapple with his feelings of guilt after committing a horrific crime. Wilf James (Thomas Jane) is content on his farm in Hemingford, Nebraska, as he does not seek socialization with any neighboring communities. However, Wilf's decisions are undermined by his wife, Arlette (Molly Parker), whose father technically owns their property. While Wilf and Arlette have their quarrels, the tension between them rises when Arlette decides she wants to sell the farm and move to the city, a place Wilf says is only “for fools”. Seeing no other alternative, Wilf enlists the help of his teenage son Hank (Dylan Schmidt) to murder Arlette, dumping her body in a rat-infested well. While this allows the father-son duo to retain ownership of their property, they begin to be haunted by nightmares of the horrific deeds they committed.

1922 is a brilliant examination of the impairing effects of guilt. Although the pursuit by law enforcement eventually emerges as a threat, most of the story hinges on Wilf's inability to live a “normal” life after the murder. It has never been suggested that he felt a particular affinity for Arlette to begin with, as their marriage was one of convenience. However, Wilf cannot get over the fact that he will have to live with this secret for the rest of his life. Hilditch is able to explore this creeping tension using the imagery of rats, which gnaw at Wilf's psyche as the tension builds.

1922 it is also an excellent historical piece that examines a time period when communication was less frequent. Given the few times Wilf is forced to interact with those outside of his farm, there's more room for the film to focus on Jane's excellent, introspective performance. The film is also able to draw a parallel between the importance of being a landowner and Wilf's toxic masculinity. Wilf is not necessarily treated as a “greedy” character, as he has no ambitions beyond owning the farm. However, she believes that the decisions Arlette makes on behalf of her property are somehow emasculating, unlocking a sense of rage she didn't know she was capable of.

How Netflix's '1922' differs from Stephen King's novel

Considering that the original novel is a relatively short 129 pages, the film adaptation of 1922 it had room to expand on elements that were only hinted at in the original material. The 1922 the film spends more time focusing the father-son relationship between Wilf and Hank. Initially, Wilf manages to convince Hank that leaving the farm will break his relationship with his girlfriend, Shannon Cotterie (Kaitlyn Bernard). However, Hank is even more susceptible to guilt than his father, forcing Wilf to go to extra lengths to ensure he remains silent. Hank's instability makes Wilf a more vulnerable character. In addition to feeling guilty for taking his wife's life, Wilf acknowledges that he stole his son's innocence.

Although some of the supporting characters get more screen time, 1922 preserve the inherent ambiguity of the original novel. The novel is written with Wilf's perspective in mind, so it is unclear whether the rat infestation he witnesses is intended to be “real” or just part of an extended nightmare. The film is cleverly framed so that the supernatural scenes are only shown from Wilf's perspective, leaving the viewer to decide for themselves how much of his perspective can be trusted.

How does '1922' compare to other Stephen King adaptations?

King adaptations have become increasingly popular, however 1922 he is not interested in developing a dense mythology or an expansive universe. Many of King's books are set within a multiverse that includes various magical creatures and events, however 1922 it's a stripped-down character drama that offers a more primal aspect of horror. The examination of twisted psychology and the revenge-centered story make the tone much closer to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, especially “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Raven.” However, the success of 1922 managed to surprise King himself and is definitely worth a look for any of his dedicated readers.

1922 is available to stream on Netflix in the United States

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