"The Stand" 1994

"The Stand"

This is one of my favorite books.  It is among a few that I read every year.  I can remember my sister giving it to me and starting my love affair with Stephen King that continues to this day.  She threw an old paperback copy at me and told me, "You'll like this one, the whole world dies of a cold."

She was right. 

I read the original novel over and over.  Then the uncut version came out and I was at the bookstore on the day it came out.  I made my husband drive so I could start reading it in the car.  It is long and detailed and most of all felt incredibly real. 

The mini series came out in 1994.  Four nights of King goodness.  As an adaptation, it is both good and bad.

I love Gary Sinise as Stu Redman.  This is the first time I really noticed him.  He would really break out the same year as Lt. Dan Taylor in "Forrest Gump" .  He is the perfect Stu.  You really believe the transition from a good ol' boy that hangs out at the local gas station every night to a leader in a new world.  Plus I can totally understand Frannie falling in love with him on sight.  He does look nice in a pair of blue jeans.  If you haven't seen it, do pick up his version of the classic "Of Mice And Men" with John Malkovich.  He is incredible there too.

I like Molly Ringwald.  I have written about one of my favorites, "The Breakfast Club".  She is completely wrong as Frannie Goldsmith.  She is just so weak.  This may be the issue of the writers for changing her fundamental nature.  She does things in the mini series that Frannie in the book never would have done.  One of the most powerful parts of the book is when Frannie's father dies.  She is grieving and decides that she needs to bury him in his garden.  It is harrowing as she sews him in his burial shroud and tries to respectfully bring his body downstairs and to the back yard. 

She is sweating but determined.  This is a young woman who knows that she was the center of her father's world.  She was a late in life child and after her brother was killed she became more treasured.  In the book, Harold Lauder shows up.  Frannie doesn't tell him what she's doing and sends him away.  She finishes the job alone. 

In the movie there is the singing of "Amazing Grace", strange choice for a Jewish girl.  Then she gets her father half way down the stairs when Harold shows up.  She falls apart and begs him to help her.

WTF!?!?!?!

That is not my Frannie.  I could write a whole post about how they screwed Frannie up, but I won't. 

Speaking of Harold Lauder, this wasn't how I imagined Harold either. 

Corin Nemec was harsh.  I didn't buy his love of Frannie, but then I didn't love her either.  He put on the evil, but it wasn't threatening.  And he didn't have the brashness of youth.  He seemed too old.

Rob Lowe is Nick Andros.  He is great in the role.  He is a little older than the Nick in the book, who was in his early twenties.  And he was a little prettier than I think Nick should have been.  Nick had a rough life, raised in an orphanage and deaf/mute to boot.  But he really exudes the spirit of Nick.  At this point in his career this was a huge departure for Rob Lowe. 

Bill Fagerbakke, or as my husband refers to him "Dobber" is excellent as Tom Cullen.  He really embodies the character as I imagined him.  M-O-O-N that spells good job!

Adam Storke is Larry Underwood.  I am kind of mixed on his performance.  He does a good job but he isn't the Larry of the book.  In the book, Larry is "no nice guy".  He has had a selfish run when his song climbs the charts.  Drugs, alcohol and party friends start him down a spiral until a friend intervenes and sends him home.  His trip home is an escape.  You don't get the back story for Larry in the movie and his role is weaker for it. 

Laura San Giacomo is Nadine Cross.  They really screwed this one up.  First of all by combining her character with the fragile Rita of the novel.  This is wrong.  I understand needing to combine some minor characters, there are dozens of named characters in this book.  But they did it wrong here.  San Giacomo's Nadine is not sympathetic in any way.  And having her start out as a defensive drug addict is off putting. You don't feel her struggle.  The hair is completely wrong.  It looks like she has a skunk trapped on her head.

Ray Walston is Glen Bateman. He is a little older than I imagined.  He is effective and fun.  He seems to be enjoying his adventure through the post apocolypse.  You buy him as an intelligent former professor of psychology.  He is excellent in the scene where he baits Lloyd into killing him in his jail cell. 

Miguel Ferrar is Lloyd Henried.  Did you know he is George Clooney's cousin?  Anyway, he is good as Lloyd.  I would have liked to see him a little hungrier looking.  But he shows the loyalty of a man who, for the first time in his miserable lie, has someone trusting him.  Even if it is the Anti-Christ. 

Jamey Sheridan is Randall Flagg.  I have mixed feelings on this one as well.  In the book they describe Flagg as a man that you wouldn't notice unless he wanted to be noticed.  Jamey plays it up and comes off comical.  He is too large in the part.  When he shows his demon side, it isn't that different.
 

No complaints about the Trashcan Man.  He is good. 

Ruby Dee is excellent as Mother Abigail.  She is feisty and you can buy her as an old woman who has a tough job but is emboldened by her deep faith in God. 

There are so many other characters in this film.  Including Stephen King's larger than usual cameo as Teddy Wiezak.  There are a lot that they don't give any screen time to that I missed.  But I know even a six hour mini series has serious limitations. 

They are working on remaking "The Stand" for the big screen with Ben Affleck as the director.  I almost wish they were doing it as a series on HBO.  It would be interesting to see these characters really fleshed out.  It could easily be a four or five season series with the story really fleshed out.  But that is a dream. 

If you are reading this Mr. Affleck, here is my dream list for the remake. 

I think Ben would be great as Stu Redman.  And since he is the director, he would have a good chance of getting the job.  He has the working class vibe.  He is also realistic as a man who grows when thrown into a new situation.  I can see him in the fight in the plague center.  He also does the love thing really well. 

For Frannie, I would love to see Emma Stone.  I can see her as the Frannie from the book.  She is tough, smart and not afraid to fight for what she wants. 

I want Jonah Hill for Harold Lauder. He has the wonderful akwardness and sarcasm that Harold exudes in the book. . He can play lovesick and I would like to see him show an evil side.  I know he is a little old for the role, but he has a baby face.

OK Ben, here is the role for your good friend, Matt Damon.  He has a great expressiveness and a wonderful smile.  Plus if he isn't talking, he should be nice to look at.  I know that kind of goes against what I said about Rob Lowe being too pretty, but shoot me.  It's my blog.

I like Jason Segal as Tom Cullen.  He is big and kind of goofy.  He has the physicality the role needs.  Maybe it's a subliminal choice, since the original Tom Cullen played his dad on "How I Met Your Mother".  But  I think he would be good.

For Larry Underwood, I am thinking Justin Timberlake.  He has shown he has the acting chops.  I really liked him in "Social Network".  He is hilarious on "Saturday Night Live".  I think he can show the depth the role needs.  

Nadine Cross is tough.  She has to be beautiful and slightly brittle.  In the book she is 37 years old, a teacher and spinster.    This is where Ben can give the wife some work.  I know she doesn't need the help,  but I would love to see it. 

James Garner would be great as Glen Bateman.  He has that sage wit and inate intelligence.  I know he is older too, but I think he would be fantastic. 

For Lloyd, bear with me here but Steve Buscemi.  You buy that he's had this rough life and been in and out of prison.  He can act too.

Randall Flagg as played by Tom Cruise.  He has shown his range with "Tropic Thunder".  In the book he is dark haired and handsome.  But cold.  I think this describes Flagg to a tee. 

For Mother Abigail, I like Cicely Tyson.  She is has that magical vitality.  I would buy her as God's earthly assistant. 

I realize I have cast a very expensive movie and that isn't even including the production and special effects budget.  But that is the dream part of a dream cast.  

Do you agree? 

Disagree? 

Who would you pick?