The movie Stephen King compared to “cafeteria mashed potatoes”
With his uncanny ability to unearth the darkest crevices of the human psyche, Stephen King has undoubtedly marked his territory on the horror and thriller literary scene. Over the decades, his stories have terrified, captivated, and lingered in readers’ minds, cementing his status as a literary titan.
No writer, it appears, has ever been as well-suited to adaptation as King. A plethora of productions have become almost as iconic as the novels they’re based on. However, while many adaptations have been hits that have made the writer himself proud, not all have found favour in King’s eyes. He has notably voiced his displeasure about Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining, a film revered by many. But among the adaptations that King took issue with, one particular work stood out: Firestarter.
Based on King’s eponymous novel, the 1984 adaptation Firestarter was directed by Mark L. Lester and starred a young Drew Barrymore as the titular power-wielding child. The verdict from King was less than complimentary. In an interview with American Film in 1986, he remarked, “Firestarter is one of the worst of the bunch, even though in terms of story, it’s very close to the original. But it’s flavourless; it’s like cafeteria mashed potatoes.”
His grievance wasn’t limited to the film’s essence. King elaborated on the baffling choices made in the movie, stating, “There are things that happen in terms of special effects in that movie that make no sense to me whatsoever. Why this kid’s hair blows every time she starts fires is totally beyond my understanding. I never got a satisfactory answer when I saw the rough cut.”
While King’s critique was scathing, he didn’t completely discard the film. He acknowledged the talent of the cast but pointed out some casting missteps. “The movie has great actors, with the exception of the lead, David Keith, who I didn’t feel was very good — my wife said that he has stupid eyes,” he noted.
“The actors were allowed to do pretty much what they wanted to. Martin Sheen, who is a great actor, with no direction and nobody to tell him – and I mean there must have been literally no direction — with nobody to pull him in and say, ‘Stop what you’re doing,’ he reprised Greg Stillson [from The Dead Zone].”
He further added, “That’s all there is; it’s the same character exactly. But Greg Stillson should not be in charge of The Shop [the shadowy government wing in Firestarter]. He’s not the kind of guy who gets that job.”
Fortunately, for fans and King alike, the 2022 remake of Firestarter fared much better in King’s assessment. In a sharp contrast to his earlier critique, King told Vanity Fair, “I think Zac Efron did a wonderful job. It’s a very grown-up part. And he pulled it off.”
