This Terrible Stephen King Movie Has to be Seen to be Believed (& It’s Not Maximum Overdrive)

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Stephen King is a hugely popular author for a reason – over 60 movies have been made based on his books! Classics like Carrie, Cujo, The Shining, and It are just the beginning. Beyond feature films, there are also miniseries and series adaptations like Mr. Mercedes and The Stand. King has even written screenplays for films like Cat’s Eye, Silver Bullet, and Pet Sematary (1989), as well as miniseries like Lisey’s Story and Rose Red. Interestingly, he’s also created a few original screenplays that weren’t based on any of his previously published stories.

Stephen King’s film work includes tributes like Creepshow, inspired by classic horror comics and his own youth. He also directed Maximum Overdrive, based on his story “Trucks,” a fun but flawed film that’s become a cult favorite. However, his most unusual movie is Sleepwalkers. Unlike his other adaptations or stories inspired by existing works, Sleepwalkers is completely original – a truly bizarre film you have to experience to understand.

A Troubling Relationship Between the Antagonists

Ever heard of werewolves? The movie Sleepwalkers is similar, but about werecats. It follows Charles Brady (played by Brian Krause) and his mother, Mary (Alice Krige, who gives a standout performance). They’re a type of energy vampire, and much more threatening than the one from What We Do in the Shadows. They specifically target young women who have never been intimate, which helps them stay looking young.

These beings usually appear as humans, but they can transform into werecats. They also possess telekinesis and can manipulate people’s minds – for example, they might make a car disappear while someone is driving. However, they have one key weakness: regular housecats. These felines can see through their illusions and will attack when they get the opportunity.

All of this probably sounds strange, and it is! But it’s even stranger to learn that Charles and his mother have a romantic relationship. The movie features a lot of kissing between them, which understandably makes for some very awkward viewing.

A Bunch of Familiar Faces (& One Changing Face You’ll Never Forget)

Everyone remembers the groundbreaking special effects in Terminator 2, but the movie Sleepwalkers came out just a year later and featured some unforgettable CGI of its own – though for very different reasons. The most striking scene involves a police officer transforming into a werecat. This officer plays a key role in the movie’s escalating plot, and his cat is always by his side. When the cat startles the villain, Charles, his face goes through four distinct and unsettling phases of becoming cat-like. It’s a truly strange scene, teetering between scary and unintentionally funny.

When it comes to horror cameos, Sleepwalkers really stands out. After Charles kills a police officer, Stephen King himself appears as a cemetery caretaker, trying to explain to a forensic technician that he’s not responsible for the murder. That technician is played by Tobe Hooper, director of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, who tells King to talk to someone in charge. King’s character then repeats the same explanation to another technician, only to be told the same thing. This time, the tech is none other than Clive Barker, known for Hellraiser.

The movie also features a fantastic cast of familiar faces. Glenn Shadix, known for Beetlejuice, plays a teacher who attempts to blackmail the werecats. Mark Hamill, famous for his role as Luke Skywalker, appears as a sheriff investigating the werecats’ old home – a disturbing scene filled with the bodies of hanged cats. Stu Charno, from Friday the 13th Part 2 and Christine, is a police photographer, and directors John Landis (An American Werewolf in London) and Joe Dante (Gremlins) make cameos as lab technicians.

If you enjoy horror and are looking for a movie to watch this weekend, check out Sleepwalkers. It’s a bit strange and you’ll likely wonder how it even got made, but it’s definitely not a waste of time.

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2026-01-16 23:15