Dark Horror Tales--Can Stephen King's ROSE MADDER be adapted?

 

Stephen King’s latest books may not be as talked about but that has not caused a dent in the master of horror’s image at all. In fact his previous works are still kept afresh in the minds of the new generation, in the form of adaptations. 

With IT: WELCOME TO DERRY and THE INSTITUTE being granted new seasons, and several of King’s short stories being adapted, it’s a wonder why one of his most important works ROSE MADDER has still not been brought to screen.

Rose Madder was published in 1995 and received mixed reviews. Perhaps the harshest critique came from Stephen King himself, who later mentioned that he regarded the novel as “trying too hard”. 

It all stems from the mixed genres of the book. Rose Madder may start off as a domestic violence thriller, but the second half of the book literally steps into a fantasy world. 

However, that does not explain why Rose Madder hasn’t seen the light of day. The story was in the process of being adapted twice, but both times, the project fell through. 

Could it be budget constraints? Controversial topic?

With AI being widely used in filmmaking and CGI being perfected, that can no longer be an excuse. The story does venture into a dark fantasy world, but the argument that it is difficult to create for the screen does not seem believable. 

Perhaps it is the controversial topic of a law officer subjecting his wife to domestic abuse that is the problem. Over the years, we may have seen several movies about domestic abuse, but few where policemen and detectives were involved. 

So why is it that Rose Madder is the only story that no one seems interested in adapting?

What Rose Madder is about?

The story centers on Rose Daniels, who “wakes” up one day after finding a drop of blood on her bedsheet. This is a woman who has been abused for fourteen years and suffered a miscarriage at the hands of her violently abusive husband, Norman. 

Yet, the single drop of blood reminds her that if she doesn’t leave now, she will not only die by her husband’s hands, but worse, become maimed by him. 

That thought is shocking enough for her to get up and leave the house with her husband’s ATM card. 

Rose starts a new life in Portland and goes by her maiden name, Rosie. She initially works as a chambermaid before receiving an opportunity to work as an audiobook narrator quite by chance. 

Rosie finds love, too, after she meets Bill at a pawn shop where she finds a painting that draws her in. Strangely, no one knows who the artist of the painting is. 

Rosie had simply gone in to sell her engagement ring, only to have it confirmed as a fake and not worth much. The pawnshop owner, Bill, however, lets her exchange her wedding ring for the mysterious painting. 

It’s almost as if the painting changes Rosie’s life. Not only does she find love, but also a new career. 

But the surprises don’t end there. The painting of a woman with her back turned, and on a hill, is actually moving. Later in the story, it turns into a portal, which is basically made of Rosie’s nightmares. 

As Norman draws closer and begins to kill people who helped Rosie escape, she decides she wants to get rid of her husband once and for all. 

The climax takes place inside the painting, where Norman is attacked by the very people he has wronged in the past. A fitting end for an abusive man. 

However, Rosie doesn’t have the happiest ending. She may have married Bill and had a daughter, Pamela, but she still has a lot of rage that she fears will consume her. 

In the end, she remembers the seeds the woman in the painting gave her, and plants them, finally allowing her rage to grow into something more fruitful. 

The story has a lot of symbolism and mythology attached to it. 

The story of Rose Madder may not be able to be condensed into a movie, but if it were a limited series, who wouldn't watch it?

What is stopping the studios from adapting this story about hope and courage?

Rose Madder is much more than a horror or a fantasy story. It’s a story about justice that deserves to be brought to the screen. 

It’s time the studios stop playing it safe with reboots and bring forth an adaptation of a story that needs to get more attention.