In 1983, a 24-year-old future awesome filmmaker named Frank Darabont got it into his head that he should adapt a Stephen King short story to film. And that's exactly what he did. After writing a letter to King securing his permission (Wikipedia says this was the birth of the "dollar babies", but another dollar baby, "The Boogeyman" came out a year earlier, so I don't know), Darabont set about making his film debut with one of the less assuming stories in King's then-small bibliography."The Woman in the Room" (originally published in King's 1978 collection NIGHT SHIFT as a 14 page story) is about John and his mother. The mother is in the hospital, dying from abdominal cancer, and John is the dutiful son who visits regularly. As the film opens, John is searching the medicine cabinet for painkillers, which he takes to his mother at the hospital, we presume with the intention of euthanizing her. Instead, he gives her aspirin.Later, John, a lawyer, has a meeting with a client who might end up on death row for murder. During the course of their discussion, John asks the prisoner--played wonderfully by Brian Libby, who would go on to become a fixture in Darabont films (Floyd in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and the Biker in THE MIST)--what it felt like when he killed someone. The prisoner replies he didn't feel anything. During and after the war (remember, this was 1983), he got so good at killing, it was just a job to him. Except one time, he recalls. A buddy was badly injured in Vietnam, then given a cordotomy. The prisoner says his buddy saved his life once, and he didn't like seeing him like that. So he killed him. Out of respect.Given this speech, and then suffering a particularly horrifying nightmare that shows John what's in store for his beloved mother, the lawyer finally gains the confidence to help his mother one last time in the only manner he can.THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM is a very short film, about 30 minutes, and even that might be stretching the events of the short story. I've read the story a few times, but it's been at least a decade, so I can't vouch for how closely the film sticks to the source material, but I've read that King considers this his favorite of all the dollar babies. That, of course, could be because of the connection King feels to the story, considering he's said in interviews that, when his own mother was sick, he wished he'd had the nerve to do what John does, if only to end his mother's suffering.As for the movie itself, given a little better quality film stock, you'd never know this was shot by a 24-year-old amateur. Right from the start, Darabont's expertise with a camera is evident. His staging, his movement, the performances he gets from his actors. In fact, my only problem with this movie was in trying to convince myself that Dee Croxton (mother) was 60 years old as she claims. Her make-up job as terminally ill was pretty good, but the old age stuff wasn't working for me. Michael Cornelison (John) was 31 in this movie, and I'd bet money Croxton was around the same age. They looked more like brother and sister. But that's a very small detail that doesn't do enough to ruin my suspension of disbelief because everything else about this one is just about perfect.Early indicators of Darabont's knack for turning Stephen King stories into "heartfelt dramas" are present here, but with that nightmare sequence, it's obvious on which side of the horror line his real allegiance lies. Of all the King stories I've read, this is probably the last one I would peg for being a really good movie, but I think the quality of the finished product is just another testament to how talented Frank Darabont is as a filmmaker.This movie is available in two parts to view on you tube.King on Film: Carrie (1976): http://www.epinions.com/review/mvie_mu- 1003625/content_91443072644 Salem's Lot (1979): http://www.epinions.com/review/mvie_mu- 1040466/content_620198661764 The Shining (1981): http://www.epinions.com/review/mvie_mu- 1018844/content_621040144004 The Boogeyman (1982): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112558/reviews-9 Creepshow (1982): http://www.epinions.com/review/mvie_mu- 1004915/content_161489063556

The film is not very popular among King's screenings. The author said that it is based on his personal experience that took place with his mother. So the tragedy of cancer illness is that the death comes slowly and there is much pain inside the patient. The main character decided to release his mother's constant cancer pain by giving her poison in order she stopped suffering. Later on the horror of murder follows him in his nightmares. He is haunted by his dead mother spirit . Well, not for entertainment at all. Serious and hard to see life story. Another necro realism masterpiece. I would not recommend this for people with strong imaginative nature, as it gives serious thoughts , not those modern day computer effects and funny Gothic monsters.www.myspace.com/neizvestnostlab

The Woman in the Room (1983) was a decent debut for future male weepy film maker Frank Darabont. The future king of chick-flicks-for-guys makes total use of a shoe string budget and directed a surprisingly watchable film. Unlike the other film that was included on the tape, this one follows the original story (found in the short story collection Night Shift).A man is being feeling conflicted over a decision he feels that he must do. His mother is dying of a fatal illness. Everyday he visits he and watches her waste away. The doctors can't do anything for her except kill her pain. But the mother doesn't want to live like this anymore and asks him to help her. Can the good son make his mother's final request come true? What is her final wish? To find out you'll just have to watch THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM!Like I said in the beginning. A nice adaptation that was made on a minuscule budget. Not a masterpiece but a nice short.Recommended for Stephen King film fans.

I bought this film in a 2'nd hand store about 2 years ago and i have only watched it once since then. it is a low tamed collage film that feels very hollow. it is only 30 mins long. it is alright to watch when you have nothing better to do. but i don't agree with the cover when stephen king says that this is the best movie made from my stuff... this story comes from stephen kings book night shift and it is about a man who has to make a choice with his mother who is dying slowly he can help her die or he can watch her die which is killing him???? this comes with two more stories the bogey man and a bouns story. the bogey man is stephen kings as well and is a lot better. all in all it is worth watching once if you are a stephen king fan. (5/10)