80’s Horror Flop Is The Only Film Ever Directed By Legendary Horror Writer
If you’re a horror aficionado, you’ve surely taken in your fair share of Stephen King classics. King’s best-selling books such as Carrie, The Shining, Pet Sematary, Misery, Gerald’s Game, and more have served as the basis for beloved horror adaptations, accounting for nearly 400 writing credits on IMDb. Despite King’s prolific body of written work, the acclaimed author has only ever served as the director of one film adaptation. The critically panned film, titled Maximum Overdrive, is currently streaming for free via Tubi, for those interested in checking it out.
Machines Come To Life In Maximum Overdrive
For those who have never heard of Maximum Overdrive before, the 1986 sci-fi horror centers on a gang of machines that have been brought to life by the magnetic pull of a passing rogue comet. As the narrative kicks off, an ATM assaults its customers as they try to make withdrawals, while a group of 18-wheeler trucks start running motorists off the road at a nearby bridge.
Early casualties to the machines include a group of North Carolina residents who are attacked by a vending machine, a steam roller, and a rogue gas pump, which blasts diesel into the awaiting faces of passers-by.
From Stephen King’s Deranged Mind
I know that it sounds like some kind of Asylum parody of the Transformers franchise, but please bear with me. As the narrative of Maximum Overdrive continues, a newlywed couple named Connie and Curtis hunker down and fight off droves of incoming machinated monsters at a local truck stop. Along the way, viewers are treated to a host of wonky special effects, obnoxious performances, and some truly hammed-up situations that could only spring forth from the mind of Stephen King in the 80s.
Don’t Believe The Critics
As stated above, Maximum Overdrive was not received well by critics. Today, the film touts a paltry 14 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been largely forgotten by the viewing public. Personally, I find the movie itself to be a fine watch, if a bit clumsy, though it’s the backstory of the production that really leaves me intrigued.
King Was Under The Influence While Directing
Stephen King has long since admitted that he was deep within the throes of an alcohol and cocaine addiction during his time directing Maximum Overdrive. This, combined with it being his first and only time ever directing a feature film, makes for a host of incredible behind-the-scenes stories.
King is said to have arrived on the lot disheveled and disoriented on the first day of production, resulting in guards for the Embassy Pictures lot refusing to let him onto the property. When asked what production he was working on, King allegedly began rattling off intricate plot details to the guards, without ever directly saying the name of the film.
Other Issues
There were also significant language barriers on the set, as King’s cinematographer Armando Nannuzzi exclusively spoke in his native Italian tongue. For some unknown reason, King believed that Maximum Overdrive‘s gaffer, Jock Brandis, could speak Italian, and tasked him with heading up a wide array of details on the production, which extended far beyond the scope of a gaffer’s normal responsibilities. The beloved author was also said to have blown off work during many days of the production to blast around the lot in a borrowed golf cart and screen movies in a rented-out theater.
Streaming For Free
REVIEW SCORE
So, those interested in catching Maximum Overdrive can stream the film on Tubi today, though you may find that the true story of the film’s production is far more fascinating than the movie itself. As far as the film goes, it’s passable for a schlocky 80’s horror, though it does very little to stand-out from more classic creature features of the time.
