What Stephen King Really Thinks About A Quiet Place
The 2018 post-apocalyptic horror movie, A Quiet Place, tells the story of the Abbott family. After an alien invasion, Lee (John Krasinski) and his wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt) attempt to keep their children, Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe), and Beau (Cade Woodward) safe. The family refrains from making any noise, as the bloodthirsty creatures have enhanced hearing abilities. This means they must communicate using American Sign Language and forgo wearing shoes when collecting food from the abandoned grocery store. Unfortunately, the Abbotts' youngest child, Beau, does not understand the severity of the situation and plays with a noisy toy, leading to his demise. About a year after his violent death, the family awaits the arrival of their fourth child. On the day Evelyn gives birth, the Abbotts are attacked by multiple creatures, and Lee makes the heartbreaking decision to sacrifice himself.
The intense film was a commercial and critical success. While this kind of praise helps the reputation of the film, any piece of horror media would love the approval of prolific writer Stephen King. So what does the famed author really think about A Quiet Place?
Stephen King complimented A Quiet Place
In a 2018 Variety article, King complimented the movie's screenplay, written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski.
"The screenplay is INCREDIBLY economical, just 83 pages long. But it's DENSE. What I noticed first when I flipped through it is that it looks more like a short novel than a screenplay," wrote the author. He went on to say he appreciated that the movie rarely used sound as a storytelling technique.
"Like the short French film An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, it's a visual poem. When sound DOES occur in A Quiet Place, it feels like a dash of cold water in the face," asserted the writer. He then listed his favorite visual aspects of the movie, which were the "sand paths for the characters to walk on, sliding barn doors wrapped in foam to keep them from rumbling and a snack display in the grocery store where the family goes for supplies." King revealed he found the last example to be particularly clever, as only "the bags of potato chips remain." While not explicitly stated in the film, the screenplay implies that the snack is too noisy for eating.
John Krasinski responded to Stephen King's review
Stephen King shared similar sentiments in a tweet that he uploaded on April 6, 2018.
"A QUIET PLACE is an extraordinary piece of work. Terrific acting, but the main thing is the SILENCE, and how it makes the camera's eye open wide in a way few movies manage," he wrote.
In an April 2018 interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, John Krasinski, who also directed the film, responded to King's tweet.
"This was mental," asserted the actor. Krasinski also disclosed that the author had privately emailed him about the movie. He then revealed they discussed their mutual love for the Red Sox.
"No, but then he wrote me an email and one of my favorite things was I said 'oh my God you're also the biggest Red Sox fan.' And he said 'if you ever want my tickets' and I was like [pretends to faint] — so yeah that's happening," shared Krasinski.
A Quiet Place Part II will premiere later this year. We are eager to hear King's opinion on the film and if he still feels that Krasinski is deserving of those Red Sox tickets.