Plaza Classic Film Festival: Misery

Plaza Classic Film Festival: Misery

Director Rob Reiner (who also directed Stand by Me, showing at 7:30 pm Tuesday) brings to life his second Stephen King adaptation. This time the story centers on a famous novelist (James Caan) who, after a car crash during a heavy blizzard, is rescued by an obsessive fan. Kathy Bates (Fried Green Tomatoes, Titanic, The Blind Side) stars as Annie Wilkes in this breakout role that catapulted her place amongst A-list supporting actors. Caan (The Godfather trilogy, Brian’s Song, Elf) plays Victorian romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who looks for ways to escape his imprisonment within Annie’s remote Colorado mountain house. Fun Fact: The famous mallet scene with a bedridden Paul is considerably different from the novel. King considers Misery one of his favorite novel adaptations. Bates won several best actress awards at that year’s Academy, Golden Globe, and New York Film Critics ceremonies. — Jaime Mendez