Three of Stephen King's most famous horror adaptations are getting the big-screen treatment in one marathon day at the Hoover Public Library this Saturday, when the Library Theatre hosts a one-day festival called All Hail the King from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The lineup includes Pet Sematary, Misery and The Shining, screened back-to-back for an audience intended for ages 17 and older.
According to HooverSun.com, the festival kicks off with the 1989 film Pet Sematary at 10:15 a.m., runs 1 hour and 43 minutes, and carries an R rating. The screenings take place in the Library Theatre, a 250-seat venue at the Hoover Public Library, according to The Library Theatre. The venue is co-sponsored by the City of Hoover and the Friends of the Hoover Public Library.
A Morning Screening Written by King Himself
Pet Sematary holds a distinct place in King's filmography: Mary Lambert directed the 1989 adaptation, and Stephen King wrote its screenplay. The production was shot on location in Maine to preserve the setting of his 1983 source novel, per Wikipedia. Released by Paramount Pictures in April 1989, the film grossed $57.5 million worldwide against a production budget of $11.5 million.
The festival's midday slot belongs to Misery, screening at 1 p.m. and running 1 hour and 47 minutes, also rated R, per the Hoover Sun's report. Rob Reiner's 1990 adaptation earned Kathy Bates the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1991, which remains the only Oscar win for a film based on a Stephen King work, according to Collider. Bates played obsessive fan Annie Wilkes opposite James Caan's Paul Sheldon, and screenwriter William Goldman adapted the script from King's 1987 novel.
Box Office Numbers Behind the Afternoon Feature
Misery grossed $61.3 million worldwide following its theatrical release by Columbia Pictures in November 1990, per Wikipedia. The triple feature as a whole explores themes of death, obsession, isolation and psychological horror running through King's work, the Hoover Sun notes.
Closing out the day is The Shining at 3:15 p.m., the longest film of the festival at 2 hours and 26 minutes and also rated R.
Hoover Public Library was recognized as a national Star Library by Library Journal in 2020, which evaluated more than 5,600 qualifying public library systems nationwide for its ratings, according to Bham Now.
The Saturday festival arrives amid a broader commercial boom for King adaptations on the big screen. More information on the Hoover festival, including ticketing and age-restriction details, is available at events.hooverlibrary.org.
