The master of horror himself, Stephen King, has given a thumbs up to one of Mike Flanagan’s horror shows.Midnight Massis the third TV series created by Mike Flanagan, who has quietly become one of the icons of modern horror. While most casual fans will knowFlanagan as the brain behind Netflix serieslikeThe Haunting of Hill House,The Haunting of Bly Manor, andThe Midnight Club, he’s also been working for years as a horror filmmaker, with acclaimed movies under his belt, likeHush,Ouija: Origin of Evil, andDoctor Sleep.
Flanagan is up there with Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and Oz Perkins as the face of new horror. It’s an acclaimed cohort, and like any good horror director,Flanagan’s productions are often in deep conversation with the horror that’s come before it. Any director whose work post-dates 1974, when King debuted his first novel,Carrie, owesStephen King and his worka debt of gratitude. If not for direct inspiration, at least for making it clear that disturbing, probing, unknowable horror is a viable and lucrative avenue for creatives. A thumbs up from him is no small thing.
Stephen King Is A Huge Fan Of Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass
King Says Midnight Mass Is Dense And Beautifully Photographed
Stephen King has never been afraid to announce his opinions about TV shows and movies, particularly when it comes to adaptations of his own works, so when he says he likes something, you know he means it. Mike Flanagan can be proud, then, to hear thatKing loves his 2021 horror miniseries,Midnight Mass. King has previously praised Flanagan’s adaptation of King’sDoctor SleepandGerald’s Game, and aboutMidnight Mass, King tweeted,
“MIDNIGHT MASS, on Netflix: Mike Flanagan has created a dense, beautifully photographed terror tale that climbs to a high pitch of horror by the 7th and last episode. I believe it starts in 10 days.”
Midnight Massis an original story from Flanagan, whose most popular works have been adaptations, so it must have been a proud moment for King to see someone with such an interest in his work go on to make something of their own and succeed in doing so.
Midnight Mass Is Heavily Influenced By Stephen King
Mike Flanagan’s Show Shares Similarities With Several King Stories
WhileMidnight Massis not based on a Stephen King story, it is highly influenced by it. For one,it’s probably the best’Salem’s Lotadaptation you’re going to find. There’s obviously quite a bit different between King’s 1975 vampire novel and this TV show, but the themes and atmosphere ofMidnight Massare so closely tied to’Salem’s Lot, it’s hard not to see the similarities. Both involve a protagonist returning to their isolated, failing community, only to find there’s a vampiric horror lurking below, quietly working to convert the town to their demonic doctrine.
There are plenty of otherStephen King references that can be found throughoutMidnight Mass. The Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater) reveal is very similar to the photograph scene at the end ofThe Shining. Riley (Zach Gilford) struggles with alcoholism in the same way as Danny Torrance inDoctor Sleep. Bev Keane’s (Samantha Sloyan) fanaticism can be found in many King characters, like Ms. Carmody inThe Mistand Margaret White inCarrie. A priest with otherworldly powers is also a plot point in King’s 2014 book,Revival.
Mike Flanagan Has Become The Go-To Director For Stephen King Adaptations
Flanagan Has Directed Two Stephen King Adaptations
It’s a good thing Stephen King approves of Mike Flanagan’s work, because the director has become the unofficial banner carrier for Stephen King adaptations. He’s done two of the better-reviewed King adaptations withDoctor Sleep,The Life of Chuck, andGerald’s Game, and notably,Doctor Sleepis a sequel toThe Shining. King famously hated Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of his novel, andFlanagan’s film serves as both a sequel to the movie and the book. It could have gone horribly wrong, at least in King’s eyes.
Midnight Massis the only show that Mike Flanagan has director, writer, editor, executive producer, and creator credits on.
Flanagan’s shows all have that drawn-out aspect of getting to know individuals that King does so well in all his books. The horror often comes from people just as much as it does from monsters and ghosts, and King’s influences on his work are obvious. Hopefully, Flanagan will take on another Stephen King story soon, and hopefully, King approves of it as much as he didMidnight Mass.
