Stephen King’s Top 10 Favorite Films Revealed

What Are Stephen King’s Favorite Films?

To discover someone’s favorite movies, you often need to explore their Letterboxd account or engage in a conversation. However, for renowned author Stephen King, a quick glance at his Twitter account suffices.

Recently, King shared a list of films that he adores, creating quite an impressive watchlist.

Let’s delve into it.

Stephen King’s Favorite Movies

Stephen King revealed his top 10 favorite films, notably excluding popular adaptations of his own works, such as Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and Stand By Me.

Here’s his list of favorite movies, presented in no specific order, along with brief descriptions and their directors:

• Sorcerer (1977)
  • Directed by: William Friedkin
  • Logline: In a remote South American town, four outcasts embark on a perilous mission to transport a shipment of highly explosive nitroglycerin through treacherous jungle terrain.
• The Godfather Part II (1974)
  • Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
  • Logline: This film intertwines two narratives: one follows Michael Corleone in the 1950s as he safeguards and expands the family business, while the other traces the early life of his father, Vito Corleone, from his childhood in Sicily to the establishment of his criminal empire in New York City.
• The Getaway (1972)
  • Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
  • Logline: A recently paroled convict and his wife flee after a bank robbery, pursued by both the police and the criminal associates he betrayed.
• Groundhog Day (1993)
  • Directed by: Harold Ramis
  • Logline: A cynical TV weatherman finds himself reliving the same day repeatedly in a small town he despises, compelling him to reevaluate his life and priorities.
• Casablanca (1942)
  • Directed by: Michael Curtiz
  • Logline: During World War II in Casablanca, a cynical American expatriate’s life is disrupted when his former lover and her Resistance leader husband arrive at his nightclub seeking safe passage to America.
• The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
  • Directed by: John Huston
  • Logline: Three down-on-their-luck Americans in 1920s Mexico join forces to prospect for gold, but greed and paranoia soon threaten to dismantle their partnership.
• Jaws (1975)
  • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
  • Logline: When a great white shark terrorizes a small island community, the local police chief, a marine biologist, and a seasoned fisherman set out to hunt it down.
• Mean Streets (1973)
  • Directed by: Martin Scorsese
  • Logline: A small-time hood in New York’s Little Italy struggles to balance his Catholic faith with his criminal lifestyle while trying to keep his reckless best friend out of trouble with loan sharks.
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
  • Logline: After an encounter with a UFO, an Indiana electrical lineman becomes obsessed with uncovering more, leading him on a cross-country journey to a mysterious location where he believes he will make contact.
• Double Indemnity (1944)
  • Directed by: Billy Wilder
  • Logline: An insurance salesman is drawn into a murderous scheme by a seductive housewife who desires to kill her husband and claim a double indemnity insurance policy.

Interestingly, there are few modern films on this list, and it leans heavily towards the 1970s. This era likely holds significant memories for King, as many of these films were released during a pivotal time in his life.

While Spielberg has two entries on the list, the other directors are represented by just one film each.

I take pride in having seen all these films, but perhaps it’s time for a few rewatch sessions.

What are your thoughts on these titles? Do they reveal anything about King himself? Share your opinions in the comments below.