The world of Stephen King adaptations is a complete minefield, mainly by volume -of adaptations, but also by works published by the writer- but also because not all authors have the same resources to translate those particular worlds into language audiovisual. There are, of course, undeniable classics, which all come to mind. There are also hidden gems, but they can be tricky to find. least of his problems when, as soon as he begins, he is visited by a strange man (John Turturro) who accuses him of having plagiarized one of his stories about him and expects some compensation.

One of them is ‘ The Secret Window ‘, which is not going to be one of those titles that appear immediately in a compilation of the best movies based on his novels. First, because the original story is part of a compilation of short stories called “Four After Midnight”, it is not a reference work. Second, its particular somewhat playful thriller tone has led it to some misunderstanding at a time when the adult thriller was taken for granted. Fortunately, it is time to claim it, now that it is in the Netflix catalog.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

A young girl realizes that she has to stay awake at any cost to avoid the clawed killer who is butchering her friends one by one in their dreams.

Dark Shadows

Rich playboy Barnabas earns the wrath of Angelique, a witch, when he breaks her heart. She turns him into a vampire and buries him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas escapes to settle old scores.

Secret Window: an intricate thriller with a fabulous Johnny Depp

His plot twists will have more or less effect, they could even be described as predictable, but Koepp’s direction is always intricate and playful enough to make the film work. But what really makes it stand out is Johnny Depp, who does some of his best work here.

Not only does it give him an eccentric air that makes this character more than just an accidental protagonist on an adventure he doesn’t want to take. That nuance that it gives helps to sustain the points of the greatest twist in the story.

With these elements, ‘The Secret Window’ becomes the kind of movie that solves a silly afternoon for you, whether you enjoy adult thrillers or if you like Stephen King’s stories for very coffee drinkers. The film knows how to have the best of both, with a very effective narration, a very good craftsman, and bringing out the virtues of the author’s writings, including his sharp humor that shoots even towards its own end. One of the most underrated adaptations of him.