Tim Robbins names his favourite Stephen King stories
Cinema in the late 20th century would have looked very different without the influence of author Stephen King, who injected a good amount of terror and dramatic flair into the industry. While the Stanley Kubrick movie The Shining became one of his most terrifying tales, it was 1994’s Shawshank Redemption, starring Tim Robbins, which would later become widely recognised as his best work.
Telling the story of two convicts who become friends behind bars and help each other forgive themselves for their crimes, The Shawshank Redemption starred Robbins alongside Morgan Freeman and William Sadler, among others. Despite being Robbins’ most iconic role, his career appeared to slow down after the release of the film, despite having also collaborated with the likes of Robert Altman and the Coen brothers.
Still, Robbins holds The Shawshank Redemption dear, even revealing his love for the selection of short stories by King from which the tale originates. Naming Different Seasons as one of his favourite books from the author, he told Shortlist: “I love Different Seasons, the short story collection that Shawshank was included in, which also included Stand By Me. I first read that around ‘93 when I was about 35. It’s a beautiful film and story. I think it all reminds us of the challenges of childhood and the transition from being a child to being a young adult who has to take responsibility for their actions”.
Another short story in the collection was Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, which was, of course, later adapted into the 1994 movie that made a name of Robbins. Also calling the story a particular favourite, he adds: “With Shawshank it’s particularly satisfying because when people talk to me about it, they talk about how the movie affected them, emotionally, and how it shifted their perspective on life”.
Indeed, it seems like most of King’s tales have been made into movies, and Robbins’ third favourite story from the iconic writer, Misery, has also felt the Hollywood treatment. Written in 1987 and adapted into a movie in 1990, the tale follows an obsessive fan who happens to save her favourite author from a tragic car accident, only to try and force him to change the ending to his forthcoming novel.
“It’s a testament to Stephen King’s talent that he’s able to write these incredibly scary stories that keep you up at night,” Robbins said of Misery, “but he’s also able to write [Shawshank Redemption], a deeply humanistic story about a friendship between two men”.
“I still haven’t recovered from reading The Shining,” Robbins said of his final pick, King’s 1977 novel that was later adapted into Kubrick’s celebrated horror flick starring Jack Nicholson. “It was a terrifying experience but also deeply inspiring,” the actor said of reading the novel, “When you read a book that you eat up deliciously it really personally motivated me to write and motivated me to want to tell stories. I loved Kubrick’s The Shining too, I think it’s a masterful film”.
Take a look at the full list of Tim Robbins’ favourite Stephen King stories below.
Tim Robbins’ favourite Stephen King stories:
- Different Seasons (1982)
- Misery (1987)
- The Shawshank Redemption (1982)
- The Shining (1977)
