10 Underrated Movies Based On Stephen King Stories

Thinner was released in 1996 and based on the story of the same name, which King published under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. The film tells the tale of Billy Halleck, an arrogant, overweight lawyer who falls victim to a 'gypsy curse' and gradually begins to get thinner and thinner as the dark magic eats him alive. The movie barely broke even at the box office and got plenty of negative reviews, but it does have more than a few redeeming features.

Tom Holland's direction is one of the film's saving graces. Writer and director of the first Child's Play movie, as well as Fright Night and a few other horror classics, Holland has a lot of experience in the genre and his influence helped to produce some memorable body horror scenes and really decent practical effects throughout Thinner. This film is worth watching for the makeup alone.

Joe Mantegna's turn as mob boss Richie Ginelli is another highlight. The film was criticised for featuring a cast filled with eminently detestable characters, including the protagonist, but King's original story suffered the same problem, proving that the film is actually a pretty faithful adaptation.