Firestarter
Charlene "Charlie" McGee has the amazing ability to start fires with just a glance. Can her psychic power and the love of her father save her from the threatening government agency which wants to destroy her?
Why it matters
A slow-burning blend of supernatural thriller and government paranoia that captures a distinct 1980s Stephen King vibe.
- Drew Barrymore’s youthful intensity anchors the film, offering a rare child-actor performance that carries the psychic horror weight.
- Practical fire effects still crackle with menace, a testament to pre-digital era craftsmanship.
- A Cold War–tinged narrative that taps into anxieties about state power and loss of control, predating the more polished King adaptations of the ’90s.
- For fans of King’s quieter, mood-driven terror rather than jump scares or overt gore—this is atmospheric dread simmering beneath suburban normalcy.
Director
4 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
14
Slow Burn
17
Psychological
43
Supernatural
20
Creature
18
Disturbing
33
Fun Factor
33
Cerebral
28
Survival
50
