It used to be Frank Darabont that adapted a good many of Stephen King’s works to the big screen. Recently, however, director Mike Flanagan has been doing so (or to VOD). His latest came to the big screen early November 2019. It was DOCTOR SLEEP, based off the 2013 novel. And as a reviewed film, it seemed to get a better grade than the book. The tale, book and novel, is a follow up to THE SHINING (movie or book, but in different ways).

Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor), now an adult man, is haunted by the ghosts he saw at the Overlook Hotel as a child. Now living in a small town in New Hampshire, he is employed at an assisted living/hospice care home. Fighting his own demons, he goes to Alcohol Anonymous and now lives a sober life. When he is contacted by an unknown individual through psychic means, he discovers there is a group called the True Knot of predatory people who hunt people with the shining for nefarious reasons.

The film stars Ewan McGregor but also Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat, the leader of the True Knot, in a tour-de-force performance that deserves awards recognition. Unfortunately for all involved, the film was a financial disaster and left theaters quickly. Yet the director was able to meld the movie into a direct sequel to the Stanley Kubrick classic film, THE SHINING (1980) with ease. Dark Discussions takes a look at this latest King adaptation and gives their thoughts.