At this point, Mike Flanagan might be the director currently most associated with Stephen King — right up there with fellow King directors like Frank Darabont and Andy Muschietti. Flanagan’s third King movie (after 2017’s “Gerald’s Game” and 2019’s “Doctor Sleep”) is “The Life of Chuck,” adapted from King’s 2020 novella of the same name, which hits movie theaters nationwide on June 13.
It’s his most touching and least “scary” effort yet — though Flanagan certainly knows how to frighten, with shows like “Midnight Mass” and movies like “Oculus” establishing him as a horror auteur. “Chuck” is sweeping in its encapsulation of the biggest human emotions — fear, sadness, and most of all love — and yet is incredibly intimate as it shows those emotions through the life of an ordinary man, Chuck Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), and his extraordinary impact on the world.
The Bangor Daily News spoke with Flanagan about why he chose Chuck Krantz, what it’s like working with his literary hero Stephen King — Flanagan is adapting King’s “Carrie” and The Dark Tower series both as TV shows — and why he loves Bangor but has no interest in visiting the version of it that’s in King’s books.
You’ve visited Bangor a few times. What have you gotten up to when you’ve been here?
The first time I ever went was to bring “Doctor Sleep” to show Steve at a little theater near his place. And so we watched the movie there together, and I hung out for a couple days. And then I was there again with my wife when they did a live taping of the King Cast [podcast] a couple years back. And so I got to go through town with Eric Vespi and Scott Wampler, and we kind of tore it up for a couple of days. We did the SK Tour. We did the actual touristy, nerdy Stephen King things, which was awesome.
But we also just got to, like, go out to eat and hang out. I got to go to Gerald Winters’ bookstore. And we just wanted to do stuff like go hang out in the [Bangor Public Library] for an afternoon. My wife and I sat there and read books and magazines for three hours, and we just walked around. You know, it’s a beautiful town, and it’s impossible for me to not make it my own Stephen King tour in my head. Because everything you see feels familiar. Flying in, I was like “I’m landing in ‘The Langoliers’!”
“The Life of Chuck” is the latest entry into the pantheon of Stephen King adaptations that aren’t explicitly horror-themed, though there are certainly supernatural elements to it. As a director that’s most known for his horror films, what drew you to this particular story?
The first time I read it was April 2020, which was just a month into the pandemic. And when I started reading it, I felt like I maybe couldn’t finish it because it hit so close to home, with this feeling of dread and anxiety, and this feeling I had — and I think all of us had — that the world was ending outside the window, and who the hell knows what’s going to happen.
So the beginning of the story was really hard for me, to the point that I put it down and wasn’t sure I was going to finish it. I’m so glad I did, because by the end, I was crying. I just adored it. I thought it was one of the most fascinating things that King had ever written. I’d never seen anything like it. It was this story that just didn’t have one solitary ounce of cynicism. It was perfectly, earnestly heartfelt and optimistic. I can count on one hand the number of stories in any form I’ve encountered in my life that I can say that about, that aren’t like maudlin and manipulative, you know?
If there is one, what do you think is the thread that ties something as violent and terrifying as “It” with stories like “The Shawshank Redemption” or “The Life of Chuck”?
If people just associate him with horror, they forget that he is, at his heart, an optimistic, empathetic humanist in all of his writings. [“The Life of Chuck”] to me wasn’t like “What a departure.” It was just like, oh yeah, this is the heart I’ve come to know and love. It’s the same one beating under “Shawshank” or “Stand By Me.” I feel it when I read it. You know, it’s not about the clown, it’s about the kids. It’s about friendship. It’s about loyalty and sacrifice and love.
“Pet Cemetery” is probably the scariest book I’ve ever read in my life. Everything that happens in it happens out of paternal love, and that’s a huge through line with Steve. It’s the full spectrum of human beings, and the stories go based on who the people are. I have always tried to approach the stories I’ve told the same way. I’ve never looked at them as like, “Oh well, this one’s real scary,” and that one’s not. “The Haunting of Hill House” was always about grief. “Midnight Mass” was about faith and recovery. It’s always been about something else.
What is your relationship like with Steve? Do you run stuff by him? Does he give you free rein? What is it like getting to know someone that you grew up idolizing?
It’s still pretty surreal for me. He’s been my literary hero since I was a kid. I’m grateful every day that I met him, and our interactions these days are really fun. You know, he doesn’t really get too involved with the movies. He stays back. He knows what we’re doing. We’re in constant contact about things like, “Oh, what if we cast this person?” and “What do you think of this or that choice?” But time and again, he’s said, “Look, do what you want to do, and I will support you.”
We’re two weeks away from starting production on “Carrie.” When it was on the table as a possible thing, I think Steve’s first reaction was, “Why? Why do that again?” And that was my first reaction, too. The only reason to do it is to do something different with it. And once I gave him all the [ideas for it], he said, “Oh, yeah, no, that’s great.” He’s read all the scripts, he’s approved the cast. He goes through it all. If he has ideas, if he has thoughts, he’ll share them. It’s very special that he isn’t the kind of author who’s going to cling to the wheel while you’re trying to drive. He’ll trust you. Although I do think that the other side of that is, as Stanley Kubrick found out, if he really doesn’t like what you did, he’s not going to be quiet about it either.
I’m gonna hit you with some rapid fire Stephen King questions. Ready?
Oh man, I don’t know! We’ll see!
King character you’d most trust in the final battle against the bad guys?
Stu Redman [from “The Stand”], I think. Although, I mean, if you can get the Losers Club, they have the most fortitude together. That would be pretty great. But, yeah, I, for whatever reason, I immediately loved and trusted Stu. A paragraph into his introduction, it was just, “I’m okay with this guy. I would trust my life to this guy.”
What’s your favorite King short story that doesn’t get as much love or isn’t as well known?
I would say “The Reach” [published in 1985’s “Skeleton Crew”]. That one hits me right in the heart. I love that one. Before this moment, I would have said “The Life of Chuck,” actually.
But yeah, “The Reach” is so beautiful and I never hear it celebrated the way I think it should be.
Which town would you least want to spend a week in: Derry or Castle Rock?
Derry sounds like it’s terrible. For the adults, for the kids. It’s just terrible. No one’s having a good time. Castle Rock seemed like it was pretty great up until a certain point, where it turns. I’d have to go with Castle Rock, anytime. Sign me up. And no thank you on Derry.
Thankfully Derry is only Bangor’s evil, fictional doppelganger.
Evil doppelganger is a great way to describe it. Bangor is lovely. Derry, not so much.
