Summary
- Stephen King's praise for Strange Darling as a "clever masterpiece" has me eagerly anticipating this horror film.
- King and filmmaker Mike Flanagan both hint at insane plot twists, adding to the mystery and excitement surrounding the movie.
- The cryptic nature of the trailer and characters, combined with King's endorsement, make Strange Darling a must-see for horror fans.
Stephen King's enthusiastic review of author of Carrie, The Shining, It, and other iconic horror novels, King is a master at creating enduring stories in this genre. Many of his works, including the three aforementioned novels, have become cinematic adaptations, as King's penchant for nail-biting, terrifying suspense in character-driven stories translates well to film and television.
He has also gained a reputation for reviewing other books, films, and television series, with his positive reviews often bringing attention to lesser-known projects. I was particularly appreciative of King's praise for the horror series From, which is one of my favorite shows from the past few years, which gained more widespread interest after he spoke highly of the series during seasons 1 and 2. Given his background as a prolific author who also has excellent taste in others' stories, his brief, but glowing review for Strange Darling has significantly piqued my interest.
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Stephen King Describes Strange Darling As “A Clever Masterpiece”
Strange Darling Transcends Its Premise
Strange Darling tells the story of a one-night stand that takes a disturbing turn when Kyle Gallner's character, credited as the Demon, is revealed to be a serial killer. This forces Willa Fitzgerald's character, credited as the Lady, to fight for her life as she flees her dangerous pursuer. In his review on X (formerly Twitter), King's brief review hails Strange Darling as "really terrific" and even says its trailer is "a clever masterpiece" after watching an advanced screener of the horror film.
If King, the master of horror himself, thinks Strange Darling is a terrific and clever masterpiece, that is enough to convince me that this is a movie worth seeing, and one that needs to be seen in theaters. By itself, I am not convinced the trailer would have caught my attention, partially because it seems too similar to other stories where a romantic relationship or intimate encounter suddenly turns sinister. King's comments about needing to watch the film to understand what the trailer is doing makes it clear that there is far more at play than what is presented here.
Strange Darling Is Poised To Have An Insane Twist
Both Stephen King And Mike Flanagan Are Hinting At This
King's assertion that Strange Darling is "too clever to spoil" further confirms the intentionally deceptive nature of the trailer and teases shocking revelations to come. He is not alone in believing that the movie is made better by knowing little going into it, as renowned horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, who has adapted several of King's works, has a blurb in the trailer stating that it is "subliminally brilliant . . . you must go in blind." A seal of approval from King and Flanagan is highly promising, as is their unified insistence that knowing as little as possible enriches the viewing experience.
Mike Flanagan wrote and directed film adaptations of Stephen King's novels Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, and will also be at the helm of the long-awaited television adaptation of The Dark Tower series.
Even the fact that Fitzgerald and Gallner's characters are simply credited as the Lady and the Demon proves the cryptic nature of the story, as even giving the characters regular names might give away crucial details. I am prepared for one or more momentous plot twists on par with or even superior to some of the all-time great horror movies. Thanks to King, Strangle Darling went from a movie that was barely on my radar to being one of my most anticipated movies still to release in 2024.
Strange Darling
- Release Date
- August 23, 2024
- Runtime
- 96 Minutes
- Director
- JT Mollner
Cast
Willa FitzgeraldThe Lady
Kyle GallnerThe Demon
WHERE TO WATCH
A twisted one-night stand spirals into a deadly game of cat and mouse when a relentless predator chases an injured woman through the Oregon wilderness.
- Writers
- JT Mollner
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