Most Beloved Stephen King Adaptation Isn’t Even a Horror Movie & Holds Up 38 Years Later

Summary:

• Back in 1986, the world saw one of the most worth-watching Stephen King ’s adaptations, focusing on the boys on their search for the dead body.
• It’s giving strong Stranger Things and The Kings of Summer vibes.
• Reddit still can’t get over this nostalgic, yet timeless feature.

The King of Horror’s works have become one of the greatest sources of the filmmakers’ inspiration, as numerous movies and TV titles, based on Stephen King’s novels, brought billions of dollars to the industry. Some of them have even gained worldwide popularity and the golden status and are being discussed and rewatched by fans annually.

These include the 1986 movie with a seemingly straightforward premise. It focuses on four young boys, Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy, hoping to become famous in their hometown by finding a dead body of a stranger accidentally killed in the Oregon woods.

Their journey towards the body, however, offers a bunch of unexpected turns, including the unpleasant encounters and the hostility of the wilderness. As they go further in the forest, they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives.

Thus, this film presents a metaphor of coming of age, as the boys are moving forward towards both their goal and adult life. Despite the presence of a mysterious leit-motif related to the dead body, it turns out to be a drama feature, not a horror one.

The courageous and quite naive main characters, memorably portrayed by Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell, are here reminiscent of the ones of King’s It (2017), the Stranger Things banger series (2017 - …) and such teenage adventure drama, as The Kings of Summer (2013).

Titled Stand by Me after the song by Ben E. King, the film is based on Stephen King's 1982 novella The Body from the Different Seasons collection, this drama managed to become not only one of the best adaptations of the acclaimed author’s works, but one of the most influential movies of the 1980’s, if not of all time.

It’s constantly recalled by Redditors, who admire the movie’s wholesomeness and cite its most iconic lines.

For example, @Plastic_Bullfrog9029 has recently reprised the phrase, which is still relatable: “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”

If you’re looking for a good evening watch from the 1980s that holds up to this day, the choice is obvious.

“The book and movie are both incredible. All 4 actors played their parts perfectly,” concludes @MDC417 about it.

Check out Stand by Me, as it’s available for streaming on Netflix , Hulu and Apple TV+ .