On Saturday night I watched an oldie but a goodie....Stephen King's Misery

It has been a very long time since I feasted my eyes on this 90's classic. But after coming across it in a '100 films to watch before you die' list I decided to relive the thriller asap. Would you believe it is 22 years old! Admittedly it isn't as chilling as it was back when it was first released as parts are a bit dated now and it doesn't have the pace of contemporary thrillers but Kathy Bates' cock - a - doodie crazy nurse still managed to send shivers down my spine.  Her performance, which won her an oscar is flawless, switching from sweet and innocent to pure evil in a millisecond. Her obsession with fictional writer Paul Sheldon is both realistic and unnerving. Surprisingly the cobbling scene still has the same impact as it did all those years ago. I wanted to turn away when I saw her raising the hammer but had to watch to make sure it was as I remembered. Compared with most horror films involving some sort of torture these days this is small fry but it's Annie's complete disregard to Paul's pleas that makes this scene even more poignant. She truly believes that what she is doing is for Paul's benefit. This is probably James Caan's second best performance after Sonny Corleone. His helplessness is conveyed by his wonderful facial expressions. He is confined to a bed or wheelchair for most of the film and Reiner shoots some of his scenes from the point of view of the trapped writer so you feel his fear the minute Annie charges into the room. Early on, Nice touches of her over excitement making her oblivious to dropping his own urine box on his bed hint at her mental state    The late 80s and early 90s were a haven for edge of your seat thrillers. Some of them don't stand the test of time but I am glad to say this one does. Definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it for a while. Even though it is a tale of fiction, it did highlight the extent fans will go to to be with the object of their obsession and a lot of celebrities probably upped their security, especially when 'The Bodyguard' came out two years later.