Stephen King’s cinematic palate leans toward tense, character‑driven thrillers and stories that linger. In September 2025, he revealed a ten‑film lineup, explicitly excluding works adapted from his own novels. He even notes that Misery and The Shawshank Redemption aren’t part of the slate, and The Shining isn’t among his picks in this round.
His selections span classic era cinema and noir staples, from Casablanca to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Double Indemnity, The Godfather Part II, and Jaws. He also honors Martin Scorsese with a semi‑autobiographical pick in Mean Streets and adds Close Encounters of the Third Kind as his second Spielberg entry for its grand, cinematic scope. Groundhog Day appears as his sole comedy on the list.
Rounding out the set are two surprising choices: Sam Peckinpah’s The Getaway and William Friedkin’s Sorcerer, with Sorcerer perched at the top of the ranking for King.
Sorcerer: a forgotten thriller rediscovered
At the time of its release in 1977, Sorcerer faded at the box office, eclipsed by Star Wars and a shifting movie climate. Friedkin, riding his earlier hits The French Connection and The Exorcist, found himself without traction on several projects and faced questions about the film’s prospects. The star switch from Steve McQueen to Roy Scheider didn’t help the marketing, and the title’s misdirection didn’t help audiences expect supernatural action after The Exorcist. The result was a stumble that helped end a chapter in New Hollywood’s ascent. Decades later, however, Sorcerer has earned a renewed critical reappraisal as a tense, visionary thriller.
Why Sorcerer earns its place among the greats
The film centers on four men who must transport crates packed with dynamite across a perilous jungle terrain to save an oil well. The danger hinges on a fragile bridge, a swollen river, and a violent storm, delivering one of cinema’s most claustrophobic set-pieces. Friedkin’s hands-on, documentary‑leaning approach intensifies every moment, and the sound design drops you right into the tremor of engines, rain, and creaking timber. He shot on real locations in the Caribbean, pushing realism to the limit and even stepping into the water himself during a stunt.
King’s praise for Sorcerer rests on its nerve and audacity—a bleak, white‑knuckle thriller that rewards patience and precision. Once overlooked, Friedkin’s film has earned a place among landmark thrillers for cinephiles who prize craft and tension in equal measure.
Source: Original article
