Stephen King's Storm of the Century. A film that looks at what price will we pay for safety, and an evil that has walked the world for centuries.

 

A review of the mini-series Storm of the Century, a screenplay written by Stephen King.

    I watched this mini-series for the first time just after leaving school. Being from Wales means I was nearing my eighteenth year and enjoying college. It is safe to say it left an impression. I've rewatched it several times since then, and it remains one of those films I can just put on and never get bored of. It is not a light watch, and there are things that you will miss in the first viewing. Like most of King's work, it follows everyday folk dealing with the unexplained and forces beyond their understanding. Unlike a lot of his work, this was not a book at any point. To my surprise, King wrote this screenplay purely for television, and it took me a while to discover that fact. The events unfold on the island of Little Tall off the coast of Maine, an entirely fictional place, by the way. Like many of King's works, it seems that he likes Maine as the setting for his story, and it is one that I am used to reading about over the course of his career. As the title implies, a storm is moving in on the island, and the people there will have far more to endure than just nature's wrath.

    The film opens up with a monologue from our main protagonist, Michael Anderson, a snow-covered town on the screen, as he speaks. He relays to us his philosophy on life and the cost of the events on the island without giving too much detail. The speaker is an older, wiser version of the man we are about to meet, the townsfolk going about their business as the threat of the storm looms closer. But before we can meet our protagonist, our antagonist is introduced. A man by the name of Andre Linoge. His first act is to strike down an old woman as she answers the door to him. This will not be the last death at his hands, though it is the most direct. Making himself comfortable in her house, he waits for others to find him, and we are left to wonder at this cold killing. As Linoge, Colm Feore is chilling, his every word is spoken with a ruthless mockery, and his knowledge of the townsfolk is unsettling. His counterpart is Mike Anderson, played by Tim Daly, and we meet him in the town market as the townsfolk prepare for the storm, buying what groceries they think they'll need. Daly is good at portraying a good, decent man that is caught up in something beyond his comprehension. Daly does a good job at holding his own in light of Feore's performance though the other always remains the center of attention when onscreen. 

    Mike is brought home to deal with a minor dilemma, even as Linoge is discovered, sat comfortably in Martha Clarendon's armchair. Young Davie Hopewell will be sent running from the house, terrified by the seated Linoge. Davie flees to the center of town, running into Robbie Beals, the town manager, as he rushes out to calm the panicked youth. Davie relays his story causing Robbie to go and investigate on his own. As Mike continues to get the town ready for the incoming storm, Robbie wanders into the house where Linoge sits in wait. Here we get a taste of the strange power of Linoge, the stranger telling Robbie of his mother's passing and where he was during it, speaking of things he should not know. Finally, he tells Robbie that his mother waits for him in hell, that she's turned cannibal, and Beals flees the house. Calling for Anderson, Mike being the town constable, Robbie pulls in others to this strange encounter. Throughout it all, Linoge sits in place, waiting for them to arrive, the storm continuing to move in around them, snow falling heavily down as they gather. Arriving at the house, Mike finds Robbie holding his pistol and looking towards the house, a thick blanket of snow covering the ground as they prepare to move in and deal with this threat. Leaving a shaken Beals behind them, Mike and Hatch enter the house and find the body of its deceased owner. They find Linoge in the chair, though neither spots him at first, and he remains calmly seated as they move in. Throughout this encounter, Linoge seems unafraid, though guns are pointed at him. He is calm, his tone lightly mocking, and he acts as if everything is playing out the way it is meant to. There is an air to this man that makes Hatch and Mike deeply uncomfortable, yet he comes with them willingly, putting on the handcuffs and being led out into the storm. As they leave the house, Mike asks the stranger his name, and Linoge answers him, saying little else before they move through the falling snow to their truck. From this moment onwards, things will only get worse for the people of Little Tall.

    From this moment on I'll give a brief overview of the film, as giving too much information away would possibly ruin a potential viewing by any of you would-be readers of this blog. As Linoge is taken to the town jail, the storm grows worse, and Linoge begins to iterate that if they give him what he wants, then he'll go away. This is something that is repeated throughout the mini-series. Frustratingly, he gives little else away as he is moved into the cell after some drama and strangeness within the market. It is here that we get another hint of this man's unnatural nature, that he is far more than just some random stranger that has come to their town. He has a purpose here, though he does not tell Mike what that is. Linoge just smiles and lets Mike place him in the cell. They believe he is safely held there and draw up a shift to watch over him, several of the townsmen joining Mike and Hatch in keeping watch. It is shown that Linoge's influence can reach further than any of them could imagine. All the while, the storm rages around them, the snow falling down in such intensity that it becomes a blizzard. As the night draws on, two of the men commit suicide, Linoge somehow influencing them to commit the acts, each of them writing notes that state, 'if you give me what I want, then I'll go away.' Mike is investigating the house as this occurs, seeing things within the house that shake him. I enjoy the brief flashes of Linoge's mask slipping, the eyes turning red, the fangs, and the way he moves and talks to those around him. You can feel his contempt for the townsfolk as he speaks of their secrets, seeing only the bad in them, the moments where they let their darker selves influence their choices. More deaths occur as Linoge influences a murder and another suicide. Even from his cell, he is killing the townsfolk with ease.  It isn't long before the storm reaches its peak, and Linoge finally shows them what he is. The tension of these two events leaves the townsfolk shaken and afraid, but he is far from done with them.

    The first night leads into dark dreams, the entire town dreaming the same dream, Linoge showing them what may happen if they don't give them what he wants. He tells them of Roanoke, of the word Croatoan, and the history of that place. He threatens that the same thing will happen to the people of Little Tall. All awake, shaken, and it isn't long before more events begin to occur. The day plays out, and as the Lighthouse is about to be swept away, the townsfolk go out into the storm to watch, something that seemed strange to me even in my first viewing. As they watch, several of them vanish, pulled back by some unseen force, before they all flee back to the town hall, panic overtaking them. From this moment, the series moves quicker, the tension building and strange things happening around the children. Soon we discover what Linoge wants, and this is where the series begins to look at how fear shapes our decisions. This is what works best, the threat of death, against another horrible choice that no one would want to make. This premise works so well, as you have a character that sees this as caving into the bully, capitulating to fear, and allowing evil to live on past what it should be able to. Mike stands alone against Linoge as he puts his case forward, revealing what he is to them and making his demand. As good as his arguments are, Mike is fighting against their fear, and there is little chance that he will succeed in making them see beyond that fear. It is easy to see their reasoning, but they seem to lack the foresight of what they are truly doing. Mike seems the only one to see how inherently wrong one decision is. I won't spoil what that choice and decision are, but this is the moral center of the series and a look at what people will do to ensure their safety. I could spout off about the moralistic dilemma, but I would risk ruining the end of the series.

    This is a good mini-series to watch if you like things by Stephen King. It has King's patented layers of tension and mystery, the evil that is otherworldly and far beyond those that it comes against. For me, it is the performances that carry the series they could have easily have become too camp or overdone. Colm Feore is brilliantly chilling throughout. He has an easy menace to him that is made even more disturbing when he smiles. All the actors do a great job, though the accuracy of the Boston accent varies greatly. Give this a watch if you can, and recommend any others of similar vein if you have any suggestions.

    The series is an easy 4.5 out of 5 for me. Available on youtube for those in any region.

    

Jerusalem's Lot by Stephen King. The short story and a look at the upcoming series Chapelwaite based on it.

 

Jerusalem's Lot and the upcoming Chapelwaite series

    I thought about doing a complete look at 'Salem's Lot after catching the trailer for Chapelwaite. It seemed the wrong choice, considering there is also another adaptation in the works for the novel. Looking at the short story alone made more sense to me. I had to reread it, it had been some time since I had done so and unlike, the full novel, I had only read it once. It came as a bit of a surprise, the trailer, that is. I had heard of the adaptation being in the works, and seeing such a familiar name in the lead piqued my interest. I've enjoyed Adrien Brody in many films, the foremost among them being the Pianist, and having him as the lead fills me with hesitant optimism at the series release. The network behind the series is unknown to me, but there are a great many new streaming services of late, so that is not such a worry, and now I merely have to wait and see what direction they go in. 

    The trailer sets up the premise with Adrien Brody's character reeling from a loss and coming to Jerusalem's Lot with his children in tow. From the outset, an air of menace sits over the trailer, of darkness beyond the edge of sight. We see the house that is so prevalent in the short story and, like that story, the distrust the town's folk have regarding its owners. It appears heightened somewhat in the trailer, our protagonist's family is foreign to the region, and this could be something that would often cause distrust, in some regions, during the era the story is set in. The family dynamic, in general, is a new twist on the story, which is set on the shoulders of the cousin alone as they settled into the house during the short story. It isn't long before we catch glimpses of the vampires lurking in the shadows but how much is 'real' here is open to interpretation as this is the first trailer.  I am left to wonder just how closely they will follow the original story, what changes the studio has in store, and if it will manage to maintain an air of menace throughout. I'm hoping it won't deviate too strongly, but if it does, I hope it will strive to maintain the feel and the intent behind the original short story.

    The short story is set in a series of letters sent from the new owner to his friend, a man he refers to as Bones, and one or two others. The house is newly inherited, sitting empty for a time, and the owner is settling with only his friend, Calvin, at his side. Being a short story, it unfolds swiftly, the pacing not too fast, but the tension is kept in the monologue, the writer giving us more details on the eerie goings-on within as he spends more time within the confines of the house. A notable detail here is that our writer once spent time in a facility for mental illness, and it is suggested that maybe he has begun to suffer from delusion once more. It is also worth noting that even before the events, it is said by the locals that anyone living in the house must be crazy to do so. This further highlights that there is a fell reputation surrounding the house, and its owner, before our protagonist arrived. I do like the obvious energy of our letter writer at the start, their joy at discovering the entirety of their new property, and how that changes as things begin to spiral. I liked the use of the rats in the walls trope. As a fan of H.P Lovecraft, I've seen this done before, but King uses it well. The story is well written, and there is an element here that can lead you to believe that this is all real, but enough doubt lingers about the sanity of our writer. As a short story saying too much would give away the gist of the story and how it unfolds, that would be a disservice that has yet to read it through. 

    It is a short story contained within my current copy of 'Salem's Lot, a book I highly recommend to any King fan and is worth reading on its own. With this new adaptation on the horizon, I wonder how they will redo 'Salem's Lot, will the two tie in together, or will they be entirely separate entities. Regardless I am tentatively looking forward to it, my interest in the book, and the short story, rekindled in the wake of the trailer's arrival. I hope they manage to capture some of the magic of the short story and, in time, we discover more of what it has in store. I hope you give them both a look and let me know if you're looking forward to this adaptation too.

   

    

A look at Stephen King's IT two iterations on screen, the Movies and the Original Mini-series starring Tim Curry. Two unique takes on the source material.

Stephen King's IT 1990 mini-series Vs the 2017/2019 films.

 

    I love IT. I read the book when I was thirteen in school and saw parts of the original mini-series before that. I had to wait until I was older to watch the whole thing, unfortunately. I was never entirely comfortable with clowns afterwards, and that is in large part thanks to the creepiness of Tim Curry's performance embedded in a youthful psyche. And that is what makes the comparison so difficult for these two particular versions of the same medium. How do you compare something you saw as, pretty much, a child versus that as an adult? Nostalgia makes it difficult as you often find yourself reminded of things from that time and mindset. Now, like I said, the min-series proved creepy. I'd even say there were some scares that were worse than that, but looking back and rewatching it isn't a series that relies on constant jump scares. Pennywise is even less intimidating until he isn't. Maybe it's being a product that is over thirty years old now but there is a quaint atmosphere to the 1990 version, brought on in part by being set in the early sixties. This era seems less harsh than the one that comes after with the worries and dangers in this time seeming almost benign in many ways. Though there are some subtle hints in the portrayals of certain relationships that could hint at something darker behind the scenes. Here we have the children, led by, the gone too soon, Jonathan Brandis with a very young-looking Seth Green and Emily Perkins in the mix. The series sets up the adults and children in a constant back-and-forth. Events play out often in flashbacks as the adult versions are dragged back to the town of Derry on the strength of a promise. Bill is played by The Walton's Richard Thomas, who I will ever see as John-boy, and loved in the Battle Beyond the Stars. Annette O'Toole plays the older Beverly with John Ritter playing the adult Ben. Like in the books, we see these people struggle with a lack of memory regarding their childhoods and the events in Derry, only Mike still remembers Pennywise and anything beyond the promise they made. Pennywise haunts them all as children, appearing to each of them in turn and yet failing to do more than instil a little fear. But even their fears are less dramatic than I remember on the rewatch, smaller somehow, and I wonder how much films have changed for the impact to have lessened such. The presence of Harry Bowers always on their trail, the school bully filled with hate and vitriol seems diminished from memory, with his two cronies always in tow. In many ways, Bowers is set up as a villain as much as Pennywise, though far less frightening in one aspect but a far more realistic concept, a bully being something many children are forced to endure growing up. 

    The first film of the duo is centred entirely on the children, and that works in my opinion. It always you to see the events, now set in the eighties, take place without any of the confusing back and forth that can break up the story. It begins with Georgie's death and the introduction to the new version of Pennywise. And I have to admit there is something deeply disturbing with Skarsgard's portrayal of this monster, the drooling, the wandering eye and the speech pattern are all little notes that separate it from Curry's iteration. The new look to the costume and face paint is somewhat off-putting too, though I think it makes him appear more dangerous from the outset.  Curry's you could mistake for just a clown, I don't get that vibe from Skarsgard's version. It is a creative choice and for the most part, it works. In this film, Pennywise seeks the children out in turn, and the use of their fears is done to far better effect, though the overuse of CGI is rather obvious at times, lessening some of the innate dread. He mocks them and shows little fear of them, but there are hints in the portrayal that speaks to his concern, why can he not seem to finish them off when the chance is presented to him? It takes time for the group to come together, as it does in the book and mini-series alike, and before long we are discovering, through Ben this time, the history of Derry and the dark events that plague its history. I liked that in this version the house of Neibolt street is used, that terrible place where the well lurks beneath and the source of where IT resides. Of note, the scene in Bill's garage plays out with a wonderful creepiness that builds to all-out terror as the children realize that IT has come for them. It is great acting on the part of the children as they panic as the projector continues to flick through image after image until Pennywise's skewed grinning face leers at them from the picture. It is worth noting that in this version Georgie's body has not been found and Bill still holds out hope that his little brother is alive somehow, waiting for him to save him. And Bill is determined to do just that, no matter what it might cost him. In Niebolt street we get another taste of Pennywise attempting to pick them off, separating them, and using their fears to enhance their taste to his inhuman senses. It is as the clown is about to devour Eddie that Bill refuses to believe what is before him, sure that it is all an illusion, and we see Pennywise becoming aware of that change. There is a look on his face and body language that speaks of anger and disbelief, well done by Skarsgard considering the makeup and costume adorning him. In the ensuing fight, Ben is cut, Eddie lays about with a broken arm from his fall, and for the first time, Pennywise is hurt, slinking off into the well as the children seek to get Eddie to safety. It is at that moment that the losers come apart, Eddie was taken away by his mother and then the rest as Bill and Richie square off. For the first time, they make themselves vulnerable to IT. In time Pennywise comes for Beverley but not before convincing Henry Bowers to slay his abusive father and then in turn hunt down the losers for it. It is worth noting that the Henry Bowers of this iteration is far more aggressive and vile than his previous counterpart, ready to shed blood and it is hinted that he could go much further than that. We flash to Beverley with Pennywise and, after a strange little dance, we get to see the deadlights for the first time, Beverley's eyes turning white as she begins to float free of his hands. It is after this event that Bill discovers that she has been taken and together the rest of the losers go into the house on Niebolt street after her. It is here that a crazed Henry is waiting and he goes after Mike, fully intending to kill him. Thankfully Mike survives and charges Henry, sending him tumbling down the well, seemingly to his death. The events unfold with Stan becoming separated and fed on by the crooked woman, Pennywise chased off by the rest of the losers before Bill goes racing off, seeing Georgie for a moment. Here Bill moves on past a floating Bev and hunts down his brother, Georgie coming forth with his arm missing and seemingly alive. Again this whole scene is very different from the mini-series, far more realistic and grim, with the bodies of the dead children floating high above them. In the earlier version, they are in the sewers, in the central crossroads beneath the town and it taunts them with images of pain and loss. Here it plays out with Bill knowing that this is not Georgie and killing him, placing the bolt against his head, and firing. From here on out it becomes a fight between Pennywise and the Losers. A physical brawl that moves back and forth with Pennywise throwing their fears at them as it desperately seeks to survive their assault. It doesn't, slinking back to the opening behind it as it begins to come apart, the children surrounding it before it flips back into the opening, speaking a final word, and vanishing from sight. Only now do the children begin to float down as Bill holds his brother's raincoat and grieves for his lost sibling. 

    The second film takes us to the events of the Adults and I have to admit that, whilst still a good film, it pales in comparison to the first. James McEvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader are all great choices and play the parts brilliantly. I have to admit that, though only in the film briefly, Andy Bean as Stan is the perfect casting, he looks just like a grown-up version of  Wyatt Oleff. They are dragged back by Mike, just like the mini-series, but this version of Mike seems less grounded than the previous version, a man very much haunted by the events of his childhood. This series of events plays out much faster than that of the mini-series and, to me, it seems almost rushed. The losers come together at the Chinese restaurant in but a few scenes. Mike seems off, far too eager for the others' return, and Bill seems unsure as to why he has even returned. It is not long before they are together again and the events play out with Mike filling in the blanks and they find a moment of peace together amid the meal. It does not last long as Pennywise begins to work on them and the meal descends into utter chaos. The effects are well done, and the baby-headed cockroach thing is particularly disturbing, but overall the scene is a little overdone for my liking. Here follows one of the biggest changes as Mike takes Bill back to the library and mentions the Ritual of Chud. Something that is far more important in the book. Here Bill is dosed by Mike and we get some of the histories of Derry and the coming of IT. It is a big change, that shows something of how this entity can be defeated,  though that comes much later. Like the mini-series we get them reliving old terrors as Pennywise visits them as they return to places within Derry, there are several flashbacks that reveal events that we did not see in the first film. We get much more of the events that played out in the book, though altered to suit the film and in a different order. From the get-go we see Bill being pulled away from the rest of the group, a young boy hinted at being Pennywise's next victim and goading Bill with his inability to save Georgie and the coming doom of this boy. Predictably, driven by his guilt, Bill races to save the boy only to watch him being torn apart by a gleeful Pennywise. As these events unfold the rest of the losers struggle with Bowers' return, poor Eddie is stabbed in the face, and in turn, stabs his old bully. Eventually, Bowers will reach his demise as he attempts to kill Mike in the library, Richie doing the deed before the rest of the losers rush in. Quite a change from his demise in the mini-series and Mike's hospitalization. Here we get all the remaining losers going back to Neibolt street and the house there as Bill rushes to confront Pennywise, believing that he is the reason the rest are in danger from this curse. Here we get one of the creepiest displays as the film takes a note right out of the thing, Richie even using the line from the scene of the 1980s classic. Watching spider legs come out from young Stanley's severed head was so familiar and yet done with great effect, given the improvement in special effects. All of these smacks of stalling tactics by Pennywise as the Losers backtrack their way into the sewers and find the remains of the ship and the trapdoor that leads down into the ground below. As a note, this is very different from the 1990 mini-series and the warning by a Pennywise head as it hovers over them and mocks them, warning them to turn back or 'they'll lose their little minds.' Here they descend into where IT originally impacted, under Derry since the beginning, and they quickly set about using the ritual of Chud at Mike's behest. Typically it does not go to plan and we quickly discover that Mike lied to them and that the Native Americans that attempted the ritual all died. Now we get an entirely CGI Pennywise with multiple legs and spikes as he mocks and jeers the terrified losers. That choice loses some of the fear of him, he looks cartoonish and less intimidating to me. The fight plays out with the losers separating and facing old fears before overcoming them and coming back together. Some of these work better than others, Bill facing his guilt over Georgie's death at least progresses the character and allows him to face IT without fear. It is here that Eddie manages to hurt Pennywise as he saves Richie from the deadlights, his belief the deciding factor here. He rushes to Richie's side and the predictable happens, Eddie is stabbed through the chest and waved about before Pennywise tosses his body aside. Bloody, and broken, he tells of choking the leper, of making it small and this feeds into what plays out next. All of this is very different from the spider monster that the adults in the mini-series faced, with only Eddie and Beverley free to fight it, Eddie dying to protect his friends before Bev injures this form. Here it is about the power of their belief, of using Pennywise's power against him, making him small in their minds and reality. Shrinking him down until he is nothing more than a puddle of a head with a tiny body that lays there defenceless before them. His heart is pulled out and together they crush it, killing Pennywise finally. The choices here aren't for everyone but it does play out quite well. With IT's death, the chamber around them falls apart and they are forced to flee, having to leave the slain Eddie behind.  Here is another change as here the end of the film shows that they retain their memories of one another, in the mini-series, the memories faded once IT is slain. I prefer this choice as I felt the previous ending robbed them of everything they had experienced, of the growth of their characters, and the love they have for one another. And here we finally get an explanation for Stan's suicide, something that bugged me even in the book. 

    I will always prefer the original, I can't help it. Nostalgia has a lot to do with it but for me, I just prefer Curry as Pennywise and somehow the story feels tighter somehow. Don't get me wrong, the films are really good and I would recommend watching them. For me, though I will forever be drawn to watching the mini-series if I'm given the choice. Decide for yourselves and give them both a try and if you enjoy them, look for the book. It is quite a read but well worth it. 

Until next time folks.