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I have seen this movie dozens of times as well as read the book (again numerous times). I enjoy it every time. It's very engaging as well as thought provoking. The ultimate battle between good and evil. The characters are so well chosen that sometimes it's hard to not think of them as anyone else. This time I watched it with my niece who is scared of any movie that shows the world "ending" but I finally talked her into watching it. She loved it too and now it's one of her favorites. If you have never seen this movie or read the book I would suggest watching the movie first then reading the book. It's easier to picture all the characters that way. But I would definitely suggest doing both!!! Don't forget to look for the Stephen King cameo appearance. He loves to sneek those in his movies. Want a hint, he's the actor that isn't that good at acting but always has a smile. But what he lacks in acting talent he certainly makes up for in writing skills because this movie is amazing. Be prepared though because it is very long. It was originally a 4 part mini-series on TV but now they have it on 2 DVD's but it's at least 3 hours long or more. So you may need to plan to start it early or make it a 2 night movie night. Bottom line, get the movie and watch it, you can never go wrong with Stephen King. And for those of you who normally won't watch scary movies by him, this one isn't like most horror movies so you can watch it and still sleep with the lights off that night. It does have some very gory scenes but nothing you can't handle right? :)Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Based upon the bestseller of the same name by Stephen King, "The Stand," is a chilling depiction of a world where chemical and biological weapons are accidentally released into the public. After "superflu" wipes out more than 90 percent of the earth's population, the survivors fight the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. Featuring strong performances by Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald and Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg in a performance that actually made me like the devil. The film begins when a biological weapon is accidentally exposed to the masses. The viewer watches the decimation of hundreds of people set to Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper," and a powerful sequence that demonstrate the talent of both the director and cinematographer. The screen play was penned by King and follows the novel closely. Of all of the King books that have been filmed, this is one of my favorites (including "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption." From the first scene to the last, this movie captures the book without losing any major events. Although this was made for tv, it is a good movie and an asset to any Stephen King fan.Read full review
Upon purchasing this dvd, I was skeptical of how good it would really turn out to be; mostly due to the fact that I was inexperienced with King's work, Little did I know that I was about to partake upon a journey of masterfully crafted, literary magnificence. The story began in a US Military research facility out in the desolate deserts of the west. Slowly creeping its way through Kansas, Nevada, the Western States, New York, Boulder, Maine, Georgia, Texas, much of New England, and finally plants itself firmly in Boulder and Las Vegas (mostly). This in itself shows the vast knowledge of our home countries many landscapes, cities and diverse populace. Amidst the seemingly endless debacles, roadblocks and stirrings of revolt along the treachorous journey for the weary travelers, there is a man...a dark man who craves the alleigance of all, and feels he must crush all that oppose him. This happens to pose somewhat of a problem for the followers of a person that was to me, the living, breathing embodiment of god. Mother Abigail. It is the job of four men to defeat the dark man, and in the process save the world from the depraved future of rampant malice envisioned by the dark man. In a world where only 1/2 of a percent of the existing population at that time still exists, enveloping the world in a darkness unbeknownst to the people of America. Plague, love, savage hatred, burning envy (Harold), bitter loss, thrilling chases, spine-tingling action, hair-raising suspense, vaunted power, wondrous victory, spicy sex and an apocolyptic air unmatched by any story told (excluding the Bible) are the things in "The Stand" that altered my opinion of King. This is an accomplishment by anyones standards, and should be watched by anyone who has any disposition whatsoever towards good movies. "Thinner" seems almost infinitesimal in comparison to the twisted world of death that King has created in "The Stand". A must buy!Read full review
The Stand is the type of book that all others must compare themselves to. I have read this book 3 times including the unabridged edition. I loved it! It's absolutely the Best Book he has done. It was a completely engrossing from the very first page to the 500+ pages in the book. The TV series movie did a decent job of captivating the book but still no movie can compare to what your imagination does for a book well except for seeing Brad Pitt Shirtless!! SHEWWW! The book started off with realistic charecters interacting wih their daily lives when a plague strikes throwing these charecters into a battle of survival with good over evil. I loved the first 75% of the book with the people surviving the new world they find themselves in but the last 25% got a bit far fetched for me but still held my interest. Some compare this book to his new one named the Cell. The Cell does not compare in quality at all. The Cell could have been the first draft perhaps but after many improvements and enrichments, the Stand would be born!! The Cell is an average Book where the Stand is a superior book!!Read full review
Stephen King did a fantastic job of fitting this to a mini-series format! Certain things were changed (like Rita being dropped and Nadine sort of morphing into both characters for Larry's rebirth in the tunnel), but the essence of the book is completely captured. Jamie Sheridan does a fantastic job as Flagg and no one could have possibly done better as Trashcan Man or Larry Underwood than Matt Frewer and Adam Storke, respectively. I think the teleplay is a work of art in itself. The comedy bits are still there, as is the terror, hope, lonliness, strength, and sheer determination of the characters. I agree that Molly Ringwald did a HORRIBLE job acting this role out, but Gary Sinese, Ruby Dee, Ray Walston, and Jose Ferrer were totally believable as their characters. The ending is very hokey. Sort of unworthy of King (meaning mostly the effects from the time Julie yells "he's got a bomb" to the time you hear Mother Abigail's voiceover saying "come on home, boys".) But the overall mini-series is brilliant and absolutely one of King's very best. Much better than Desperation, which he also did the teleplay for. (you think some of the acting in The Stand was bad, wait til you see that one.) Oh, and Jim Fagerbakker was outstanding in the role of Tom Cullen. Hard to imagine anyone else in that now. "M-o-o-n, that spells hobby". Haha. buy it, you'll love it.Read full review
After surfing numbly through station after station, looking for something to watch while folding laundry, I heard a familiar line that caught and kept my attention -- "M-O-O-N, that spells...." I hadn't seen Stephen King's "The Stand" in several years, but the next thing I knew the laundry was long folded and I was still sitting in front of the television watching this miniseries that has held up well over time. At a commercial break, I got online to try to find the DVD, but to my dismay, it was out of print. Fortunately, there were several copies on eBay, and I snatched one up post haste! I must confess that I haven't read the book, but the first time I saw this well made mini-series, which is populated with fine actors, it made a strong impression on me. While capturing our modern fears of self-destruction, biological terrorism, and political cover-ups and conspiricies, it also holds up a mirror to our deeper inner angels and demons and dares to entertain us while forcing us to ask some deep philosophical and -- dare I say it -- theological questions. Is humanity divided into simply into those who wear white hats and those who wear black hats? Do we believe in powers beyond us, be they personal or impersonal, that are driving the meta-narrative which we populate? At the same time, we find ourselves taking a real roller coaster ride with the characters that asks simpler questions but feel just as important. Will Stuart escape from being a guinea pig at a government testing facility? Will Franny see through Harold's psuedo-kindness to who he really is? Who will prevail -- Randall Flagg or Mother Abigail? What does M-O-O-N really spell?! While the later half of the movie slows down quite a bit, by the time the viewer gets there you are committed and wanting to see what will happen to the characters. Some might also argue that the ending of show is a bit anti-climatic, but it does leave the viewer asking if it was all worth it. A fair question to ask at the end of any apocalypse. If you've never seen "The Stand," I would recommend you rent before you buy. However, If you are a fan, I would recommend that you purchase this one and add it to your collection before its too late. Its a great opportunity to see Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwold, and so many others really perform well as an ensemble.Read full review
This is one of the best movies ever written and produced. It is very long but well worth the investment of both money and time to see. After an experiment in chemical warfare goes haywire at a military facility, a single soldier and his family escape the base and unknowingly introduce the deadly virus to the masses as they travel from California to a small town in Texas. Within days, the virus spreads accross the country killing with its super flu like symptoms. Soon only a small few survivors are left to make the choice between the influences of good and evil on mortal man as desperately each side mounts up to recreate the population in their own vision. Although meant for entertainment purposes, this has a moral to it and could very likely be the way it may someday happen. A good easy to follow story told in typical Stephen King fashion. I rate it an A+ must see.Read full review
After seeing this movie on television for the first time, I went right out and got the novel so I could read it. I don't know which is better, the book or the movie. This is the ultimate story of good versus evil. Each actor makes you believe in his or her character so deeply they feel like personal friends of yours. I especially loved Gary Sinise's portrayal of good ole boy "Stu Redman" and Molly Ringwald's role as "Franny Goldsmith." The cast is stellar, including such actors as Rob Lowe, Ossie Davis, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, and Ruby Dee. The make up artists did an amazing job turning her into a 100 year old woman. The special effects at times can be cheesy but I recall the first time I saw this movie, I was a bit frightened of "the dark man." I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who likes "world is ending" stories or just a good drama depicting how people relate to each other in unique situations. It might seem a little long, but it is well worth it in the end.Read full review
I used to have a copy of this DVD but it disappeared from my collection, so I was wanting to replace it. I have been looking for this DVD for a couple of years. Unbeknownts to me they no longer make this any longer, and I had a very hard time locating one. I read the book for the first time in the early 90's and instantly fell in love with the story. I reread it about every other year, so when they did the "made for TV' mini series, of course I loved it too. I consider myself LUCKY to have found this on ebay. I paruse ebay regularly looking for those odd items that are hard to find in retail stores.
It is very tough to give this movie an overall grade, since there are many aspects that go so far and above what you would expect from a television miniseries, and in particular what you would expect from a Stephen King television miniseries. On the other hand, there are numerous aspects of this film that not only dissapoint, but drag this film below any comparison to the best of his feature film adaptations. The good: The Casting - Period. While there are one or two choices that fans of the book personally pick out as being inapporpriate for a given character, those involved with the casting of this film did an incredible job. The best acting in this miniseries generally revolve around performances from Gary Sinise (who's next film after "The Stand" was his oscar-nominated performance in "Forrest Gump") to Ray Walston, to Rob Lowe (who now commands some degree of respect as an actor, almost *all* of that respect stemming from turning in a strong performance in a difficult role noone thought he could pull off back in '94) to great supporting performances from Muguel Ferrer and Matt Frewer. There are some notably weak acting performances, however, that kind of stand in stark contrast to the great ones. Molly Ringwald takes first place in this category by a comfortable margin. Corin Nemec follows this up with a shaky acting peformance in what was easily one of the most powerfully-written characters in the original story. What hurts this movie is the simple fact that, while having gobs of screentime that ABC was willing to give King back in the early ninties, this kind of story can *only* be given its due in a creatively less-restricting medium - which would essentially equate to a cable station willing to pump in the kind of money that an epic story like this would take. The commercial breaks are sometimes painfully obvious on dvd, and the fact that the shows tempo has to be built around those commercial breaks. The production values are sometimes startlingly bad (a common chain-link fence providing a threatening barrier for a 1 ton car?) and in particular what hurts this movie from a visual standpoint is the *very* early digital effects - most notably the "morphs" that were oh-so-popular back in the ninties. This movie also suffers from a z-grade awful final 25 minutes - the ending is just terrible in nearly every respect you can imagine. Still, this miniseries took audiences by suprise back in '94 and is still regarded as one of the best miniseries that Stephen King has produced for ABC television.Read full review