CLASSIC FILM CHOICE

MISERY (1990) 15

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Wednesday, 11.05, Film4 ★★★★★

James Caan stars as the writer who swallows a bitter pill in Rob Reiner’s chilling Stephen King adaptation. Paul Sheldon crashes in the snow on his way to hand over his final manuscript in a bestselling romance series. Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates, above, with Caan as Sheldon), who takes him in and nurses him, is his number one fan – and she doesn’t take kindly to the ending he has written for her favourite character. Showing as one of three King movies on Film4 tonight (2019’s Pet Sematary is at 9pm, with the 1976 version of Carrie at 1.20am), this is one of the best in an ever expanding number of films and TV series based on or inspired by the writer’s work. Look out for Castle Rock (watch on Starzplay via Amazon), which, in series two, explores Annie Wilkes’s back story.