Misery



 



Director - Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride)
Starring - James Caan (1941, Elf), Kathy Bates (American Horror Story, Six Feet Under), and Richard Farnsworth (Spartacus, Mighty Joe Young)
Release Date - 1990
Genre - Horror/Thriller
Tagline - "Paul Sheldon used to write for a living.  Now he's writing to stay alive"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 



     Some of you know my backstory while a few of you have picked up bits and pieces from my reviews over the years.  When I was growing up my mom had several mental illnesses and eventually left in July when I was 8.  My dad would leave town for a few nights for work so I spent a lot of time at my step-grandmother's.  She was elderly and would sit around all day watching television.  Especially the Sci-Fi Channel before it rebranded.  We would watch shows like Lexx, Roswell, Red Dwarf, Doctor Who, and any movie that would come on.  One year as Halloween approached she found a channel playing horror movies all day.  I can't remember if it was Sci-Fi but it played some solid ones.  This was the first time I saw the 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King's Misery.  I absolutely loved the film.  In fact, I have owned this masterpiece on DVD and VHS.  When Scream Factory announced the release of the film on blu I had to jump on it!

     The film follows author Paul Sheldon (Caan) who is staying in a hotel up in the mountains during the winter months while he works on his new novel.  When he finishes the novel he takes his car out to town but his car was not made for the thick blanket of snow so he crashes.  A fan finds him and takes him back to home to nurse him back to health.  She is obsessed with the author and his work but she is deeply disturbed.  She lies to him about the snow storm so she can keep him for herself and over time she becomes more and more unhinged until she is ready to kill for Paul and she is unwilling to let him go.

     When I was little I loved Misery but a lot of the things going on in the film went over my head.  I loved how the movie looked and how the story was very unnerving but not overly scary.  As an adult I noticed a lot more with the story which makes it down right chilling.  The acting in this film is fucking perfect.  I can't recall a film where I've said that before and I highly doubt I will ever say it again.  James Caan delivers a stellar performance.  He is a strong lead but you can really feel the pain and discomfort he is going through.  As amazing as Caan is he can not overshadow the real star, Kathy Bates.  She is sweet and innocent at first and then dives off the deep end.  She brings a real monster to life that horror fans will never forget.  The story for this one is a bit of a slow burner but tension continuously builds until it cracks like a whip.  It is very dark and claustrophobic resulting in a very chilling tale that you can feel in your bones.  The fact that this situation can actually happen gives it even more impact on the viewer.  Finally, this one isn't gory but it still has a brutal shotgun kill along with a broken foot gag that you will never forget.  The effects team did a fantastic job.  Overall, Misery is a classic.  It is underappreciated and sometimes overlooked but it is one of the most effective horror thrillers to ever be released.  I can't recommend this film enough and the Scream Factory release is a must.