5) The Mist (2007)
With over 99 books and countless other unpublished work to his name, Stephen King is perhaps one of the most prolific writers in horror. That incessant drive has led many of King’s books to be adapted into comic books, TV shows and so much more. And perhaps one of the best works to come out of these adaptations is Frank Darabont’s The Mist. Sure, while Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining might be considered the darling child of King’s adaptations, Darabont’s effort is perhaps the darkest and most narratively satisfying.
With its singular setting, bleak outlook and disturbing tribe mentality, The Mist comes to resemble Lord of the Flies – if Lord of the Flies was set in a sinister foggy Maine town. Darabont’s film is a fascinating insight into mob mentalities, wherein a group of individuals can begin to drastically change and morph into a monster that is arguably more vicious than the evil that lay outside. And with a reimagined ending (that King himself praised) that’s even more bleak than the novella’s, the film is a brilliantly chilling retelling of King’s 1980s tale.