While Stephen King is the barometer by which horror is measured, the maestro himself remains supremely impressed with a 1967 thriller, especially the actor who plays its sinister villain.
When the celebrated author is not busy reprimanding Warner Bros. or opposing the retirement of a horror legend, King talks about the books, shows, and films he likes. And the latest edition of his favorite of the week includes the memorable psychological horror film, Wait Until Dark, starring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, and Richard Crenna.
To be precise, he is too caught up in Arkin’s phenomenal performance as the menacing criminal Harry Roat Jr. who hunts down the blind Susy Hendrix (Hepburn) to get his hands on a doll holding a massive stash of smuggled heroin.
Anyone who has been fortunate enough to watch the film and Alan Arkin’s spine-chilling portrayal of a heartless man who won’t let anything get in his way will find themselves nodding along with King reminiscing one of the many epic scenes from Wait Until Dark.
The legendary actor, who had been acting since 1957, passed away at the age of 89 on June 29, 2023. His last few roles includes voicing J.D. Salinger in BoJack Horseman, playing Norman Newlander in The Komansky Method, being the voice of Wild Knuckles in Minions: The Rise of Gru, and starring opposite Mark Wahlberg and Winston Duke in Spenser Confidential.
While the Oscar-winning actor is best known as the grumpy, foul-mouthed grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine, King’s tweet above proves that Arkin’s career had been a shining example of exemplary performances from the very beginning