After a deadly plague kills most of the world's population, the remaining survivors split into two groups - one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being - to face each o... Read allAfter a deadly plague kills most of the world's population, the remaining survivors split into two groups - one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being - to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.After a deadly plague kills most of the world's population, the remaining survivors split into two groups - one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being - to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.
- Won 2 Primetime Emmys
- 3 wins & 7 nominations total
Featured reviews
Still, I think the character most ruined in the transition from novel to miniseries was Harold Lauder. Harold in the book was one of the most fascinating fictional characters of all time, in my opinion, and in the film they turned him into a stereotypical nerd who, like most "bad" characters, is portrayed entirely unsympathetically. That was so disappointing!
Of course, there were other performances that exceeded expectations. Gary Sinise was a perfect Stu Redman, and Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Ray Walston, Adam Storke, Bill Fagerbakke, and the dreadfully underappreciated Miguel Ferrer, among others, all turned in strong performances.
I suppose I should not have expected perfection - an 1,100 page novel is a hard thing to fit into 6 hours, especially on television with all the unpleasantries that can't be portrayed. And it's not necessarily a bad movie - it's just not quite the same as the book (which I still read at least once yearly). All in all, I'd say it came out as well as it could have under the circumstances - I only wish they'd thought a little harder about some of their casting choices before making them. But bravo to Stephen King for writing the teleplay himself - that alone makes it better. And I will watch this again sometime - after all, it's a way to see Stu, Glen, Larry, Lloyd, Tom Cullen, and all the others come to life outside of the novel.
Not very well casted but what would you expect from a 6-hour B-movie? The second part - the second 3 hours that is - I enjoyed more than the first. I guess it had to do with the thickening of the plot, even knowing the story by at least reading the book 3 times, the long version. Very nice to see a bit of 2 great stars like Kathy Bates and Ed Harris. (both uncredited) Their part might have been longer though, pity. I don't think choosing Jamie Sheridan for the role of RF was bad, but what would you say if a character like Michael Madsen had played this??? Anyway JS reminded me of MM somehow. Another good choice was Gary Sinise as Stu Redman. He made me think of Tom Hanks sometimes, good acting! Something that really bothered me was how Stephen King - who wrote the teleplay - messed up his own story. Rita Blakemoor being omitted is hardly acceptable for the viewers who also read the book, whatever version. (only one reviewer noticed it so far!) It certainly put Larry Underwood in a different situation and some others too, like Lucy Swann. On the other hand - if anyone had to be neglected - King could have left out the Joe-character as he did not add much to the movie. There were also pieces I could not remember from the book. The first one: a meeting between Abagail and Randall Flagg not far from the beginning, where the blood came gushing out of their hands. Another one was the shooting from a window by Julie Laurie when Tom and Nick left her alone. (comments anyone?) 6 out of 10 for this one.
I have read the book and the extended version King released later and would suggest reading the original Stand he released first, then watch this movie.
Forget the 2020 remake even exists, much like 2020, its a dumpster fire.
Did you know
- TriviaFor years it was planned to make this story into a theatrical film, directed by George A. Romero. Stephen King did many drafts to make it of a suitable length for a feature film, and when he couldn't get it short enough they considered breaking it into two separate films before finally letting Rospo Pallenberg write a draft. But before they could make it, King was offered the chance to make this mini-series for television.
- GoofsWhen Nick and Tom first meet Ralph, they are headed in opposite directions, but going to the same place. Nick and Tom get into Ralph's truck and head back the way they came from, yet they are all allegedly headed to Nebraska.
- Quotes
Scientist: [Stu wakes up from a nightmare, sweating, breathing heavily before getting his bearings and sitting up, taking a TV remote and about to turn the TV on when an obviously-infected scientist, Dietz, enters wearing no protection, holding a mysterious object behind his back, and walks up to his bed] Well... how we feelin', Stu?
Stuart Redman: [stares at Dietz, speaking after a couple seconds] Fine.
Scientist: "Fine"... always "Fine"...
[as he monologues the following, the camera pans across a control panel outside of Stu's room, showing a pile of files of people from Arnette, Texas, all of them stamped DECEASED except for Stu's, Geraldo, the guinea pig who'd been acting as a miner's canary for Stu's air, laying dead in his cage, and a deceased scientist next to it, both of them having succumbed to Captain Tripps which has taken the Vermont Center]
Scientist: ... I respect that.
[coughs]
Scientist: All the tests we ran on you... and we never found a single immunity vector, not one.
[brief coughing fit]
Scientist: Come, I'm curious; how would you explain it, Stu?
[cough]
Scientist: Have you been touched, by God?
[slightly more serious coughing fit]
Stuart Redman: [stares at Dietz while cautiously and slowly standing up and turning to face him before gesturing at Dietz's hand behind his back] Watcha got behind your back?
Scientist: [chuckles and puts his other hand behind his back as well, switching the mysterious object to his other hand before showing the empty hand that was holding the object before he starts coughing, Stu begins to slowly approach Dietz, who points the "mysterious object", now revealed to be a gun, at Stu] Ah!
Stuart Redman: [stares nervously at the gun and backs off] I see...
Scientist: Do you?
[line unintelligible]
Scientist: I wonder...
Stuart Redman: [looks to the door, then back to Dietz before nodding towards the door] Where's your buddy, Denninger?
[he begins slowly moving sideways to the door, maintaining eye contact with Dietz, who begins doing the same]
Scientist: Oh... he's dead...
[moves the gun to his other hand]
Scientist: ... they're ALL dead... everyone except for me...
[points to Stu with the gun]
Scientist: ... and thee.
Stuart Redman: And you're here to take care of me, is that it?
Scientist: Hole in one!
[coughing fit]
Stuart Redman: [Shaking his head] Why?
Scientist: "Why?"...
[brief expression of thought before he looks to Stu again, still pointing the gun at him]
Scientist: Because I've decided a chicken-fried piece of crap like you doesn't deserve to live... not with so many good men dyin'.
Stuart Redman: [scoffs, sounding disgusted] Those "good men"... caused this mess.
Scientist: [contemptibly, with a tone and expression of disgust, blowing off what Stu said] Ohhh...
[Stu dramatically points the remote at Dietz and turns the TV on, the static distracting him long enough for Stu to attack, the two men begin fighting each other]
- Alternate versionsThe version most widely seen now on DVD and Blu-ray differs from the original TV broadcast and Worldvision home video release. Among numerous small changes to credits and transitions (for instance removing many of the fades to black for commercial), it also restores explicit footage to two scenes and adds a third altogether.
- The death of Dayna in Randall Flagg's office is more graphic, with Flagg picking up and tossing away her bloodied dead body after she commits suicide by throwing herself onto a jagged glass frame; the original version instead cut to the lobby downstairs, where people look up uneasily upon hearing Flagg roar.
- Nadine and Flagg's "wedding night" is longer, with more reaction shots of Nadine and additional shots of Flagg unzipping his pants and positioning himself.
- A short scene has been added in which Flagg drives back to Las Vegas the next morning, with Nadine (with her hair bleached white) in the passenger seat.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1994)
- SoundtracksBABY CAN U DIG YOUR MAN
Composed by Al Kooper & Stephen King
Performed by Al Kooper
Produced by Al Kooper for Stephen King's "The Stand"
- How many seasons does The Stand have?Powered by Alexa
- Is there an extended/special/directors cut of this movie? Or will there ever be one?
- What is "Captain Trips"?
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