Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck is based on a Stephen King story, but it’s a far cry from the horror genre that most people associate with the storied author; there are no monsters, no terrors, and only the horrors of everyday life. In many ways, it’s very much not what people might expect from Stephen King — except that King has always been telling more varied stories than his reputation might suggest, and they’ve made some amazing movies in the process. For your consideration, readers: the cinematic non-scary stories of Stephen King.

This is For Your Consideration, in which we try to come to terms with the inescapable fact that, honestly, there’s too much out there to have time to watch, read, or hear everything — by making some suggestions about things that you might have overlooked but would enjoy, anyway. Think of it as recommendations from a well-meaning friend.

Stand By Me: Stephen King does nostalgia and childhood anti-horror

There’s the ghost of a horror story at the heart of ‘The Body,’ the 1982 King novella that was adapted into 1986’s Stand By Me — a boy has gone missing and is presumed dead, and four friends set off to see if they can find the corpse —  but the real meat of the story is the relationship between the four friends, which is wonderfully mundane and true to life… and brought to life by a cast of future all-stars in the form of Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and River Phoenix. (John Cusack and Kiefer Sutherland are also both in the movie, too; it really is packed with talent.) It’s seemingly effortlessly charming, and filled with such specificity that it feels utterly universal. There are a handful of perfect movies, and this is one of them.

Available to stream on Paramount+

The Running Man: Stephen King does sci-fi dystopian action, shamelessly

Originally published under the pen name Richard Bachman, King’s original The Running Man is a sci-fi dystopia as only 1982 could provide — part-media satire, part-thriller, all-potboiler. The 1987 movie adaptation took what little subtlety was in the book (not a lot, to be fair) and threw it out the window entirely with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura placed in high profile roles and an emphasis on action action action above everything else. If that sounds like a criticism, it’s just the opposite: the Running Man movie is a garish wonder, and a classic of the late ‘80s sci-fi blockbuster genre. Does it make a lot of sense? Not entirely, but that’s not the point — it’s a fast-paced science fiction thrill ride that just wants to distract you with pyrotechnics and stunts, and sometimes that’s far more than anyone could ever want.

Available to stream on MGM+

The Shawshank Redemption: Stephen King does prison dramas with humor and heart

Considered by many critics one of King’s finest stories, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a novella about two convicts in Shawshank State Penitentiary who form an unlikely relationship that extends beyond the walls of the prison; the 1994 movie adaptation — which starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, both of whom provide career-best work here — was initially a flop at the box office, but its reputation grew after the fact (fueled in no short part by seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay), and it’s now regarded as perhaps the finest Stephen King movie adaptation, and almost certainly one of the greatest movies of the 1990s. (Also, there’s an argument to be made for this movie indirectly leading to the Walking Dead TV franchise, given that writer/director Frank Darabont would bring that show to the air in 2010. Thanks for that, Mr. King.)

Available to stream on AMC+

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