Under The Dome Casting!

CBS is going to make a summer series out of Stephen King's "Under The Dome".  It is a good book with a lot happening.  Luckily it is available in e-book to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome. 

It has a huge cast, but I will focus on the main ones and a few minor ones.



Dale "Barbie" Barbara

Former military, current drifter who is leaving town with a bad taste in his mouth.  He is trapped under the dome and witnesses some bad stuff that sets off the action.  I like Thomas Jane.  I have chosen him for other roles and think he is underutilized.  He is smart, sexy and you can buy him as a former military guy.



Julia Shumway

I think Maura Tierney would be perfect for Julia.  She is scrappy and smart.  I can see her as the owner and writer of a small town paper. 



James "Big Jim" Rennie

From the first appearance of Big Jim the only actor I could imagine was John Goodman.  He is bigger than life.  He can be charming and evil at the same time.  There is a scene in a bunker I can totally see John Goodman killing!




Junior Rennie

Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame.  This character is a thug and a sociopath and the son of a powerful man that has kept him down all his life.   I think this kid can pull it off.



Eric "Rusty" Everett

Rusty has to be a ginger, or his nickname doesn't make sense.  He is almost a doctor, a devoted father and husband.  Kevin McKidd has the doctor thing covered.  He can play smart and I can see him as a hero type.



Linda Everett

Yvonne Strahovski can hold a gun.  As a small town deputy, she needs to be strong, yet vulnerable.  She is a mother of two young girls.  After this season on Dexter, (I never watched Chuck) I can see her going all mama bear on the bad guys.




Andy Sanders

Michael Hitchcock is Andy Sanders.  He is a selectman who is pretty much a puppet until he is tipped over the edge by the incidents that set off the dome.  He goes a little bonkers.  I can see him falling apart under Big Jim. 



Phil "The Chef" Bushey

He's a little old for Chef, but can't you see John Benjamin Hickey mixing up a big batch of crystal meth?

 

Horace

Of course the amazing corgi hero Horace should be played by my amazing corgi Stevie.  He will work for treats. 

There are a lot of other characters.  Too many to name.  Who do you think should play the other characters? 

The Breathing Method - Casting The Movie

The powers in that be Movie Land may have finally heard my prayer!  They are going to finally adapt the final novella in Stephen King's collection "Different Seasons" will be adapted for the big screen.

This is a magical group of stories.



Shawshank Redemption



Stand By Me



Apt Pupil

All the movies were really good.  Apt Pupil was the weakest and still had great performances.  Each story was great. 

Shawshank was the story of Spring and the hope that "springs" eternal.

Apt Pupil was about Summer and corruption of youth. 

Stand By Me, or "The Body" was about Fall and the fall from innocence.  It was also the journey away from childhood and letting go of childish things.

But I have been waiting since I read the book way back in the 80's for the final story to come to film.  It is a Winter story.  It shows us a man in the winter of his life telling a story about winter that changed his life.  (How many times can I say winter in one paragraph, once more I guess)  It is the closest to horror of any of the stories in the collection.  But it is so heartfelt.  There is tragedy and inspiration.  It is a pretty cool story.

So I am going to do those movie makers a favor and cast the main characters for them.  Dear Director person, just call me if you need help getting the minor roles cast.

David

This is a slightly minor character, but he bookends the movie and introduces us the "The Club" where stories are treasured.




It is a small part, but Tom Hanks would be incredible.  His thoughts are all over his face and watching him react to the story told would be magical.  Plus he done King before.

Dr. Emlyn McCarron



Thomas Jane as the innovative doctor.  He can just play smart and believable as a doctor.  He also has to be a little in love with the leading lady.   He has also done King.  (Not a prerequisite I swear!)  But please do not age with make up or CGI, give a senior actor a job with rocking voiceover.

Sandra Stansfield



The pregnant patient.  Emma Stone is the right age and has the determination the character needs.  She is a single woman in the 1930's deciding to keep her unplanned baby.  Stone has an integrity about her that would make this character shine.  

Mrs. Davidson



The doctor's receptionist and nurse is a bit judgemental about young Miss Stansfield.  But she ends up being impressed with her and supporting her in a way I can't write about.  Kathy Bates does more with a look than some actors can do with pages of dialogue.  (OK, she has King cred too, can you say Oscar winner!)

I know that the budget just went up on this film.  What do you think?  Who would you cast?

The Eyes Of The Dragon - My Dream Cast.

The SyFy channel is reportedly making a movie or possibly a miniseries based on the Stephen King book, "The Eyes Of The Dragon".  It is a wonderful book and a great introduction to King's world.  It is really a fairy tale complete with kings, evil magicians and yes, a dragon.  I think it can be a really good miniseries.

I have read this story at least a dozen times and am currently listening to the audio book.  So, I am going to throw my dream cast out there.   Now this is not nor never will be the cast unless they are throwing out some big money.  Face it, a cable channel will never get this cast.  But I will try.

This is the story of two young princes.  During the major happenings of the book, Peter is 16 and ages to 21.  His brother Thomas goes from 11 to 16.  I think unknown but talented young men would work. 

Their father is King Roland.  While his sons are young, he was in his fifties before he married and had children. 





I know I am using Rip Torn's mug shot, but this is how I imagine King Roland.  He tries very hard to be a good king, but doesn't do well.  Thinking too hard gives him a headache and he enjoys great quantities of alcohol which doesn't help.  His mother was Queen for a long time so he was allowed to remain a bachelor for a long time.


For his wife, Sasha, I like Natalie Portman.





She just exudes goodness and sweetness that is essential to Sasha.  The Queen is much younger than her husband and the marriage was arranged to provide an heir to the throne.  She isn't the closest to the King's ear, but makes a gentle impact.   It is key this character is played just right. 

Our old friend Flagg, famous from King's other works, is a big part of this book.  In the miniseries "The Stand" he was played by Jamey Sheridan.





Jamey was little over the top.  I like Christopher  Meloni.





In the book he wears a hood for most of the story.  It is said that he looks to be a normal man in his fifties.  I think he can pull off the evil and the playful sides of Flagg.  He can also pull off the soothing voice he uses for persuasion. 

There is a chief warder who is a little sadistic but ultimately, well I don't want to give too much away, but he gets his butt kicked.  He also gets mistaken for a dwarf.





Has to be my favorite guy who's "kinda funny looking".  Steve Buscemi would rock this. 

There are a lot of other roles out there but the last one I consider critical would be Anders Peyna.  He is a judge that makes a big decision that set a lot of things into motion.  He has to be sharp and fair minded.




This works for me.  Donald Sutherland embodies what I need.  Plus his kid was great in another King adaptation. 

If you haven't read the book please run out and get it.  It is great.   I know my cast will probably not make the cut, although they aren't that pricey.  But I am hopeful for a good adaptation. 

I would love to hear from other fans of the books.  I am open to suggestions for all these roles.  Bring it on!

"Carrie" 1976

"Carrie" 

This is the first published novel by Stephen King.  He had written a few other novels that didn't make it at that point.  He was working as an English teacher and writing in the closet of a trailer.  He started what he thought would be a short story.  He reportedly threw it in the trash and his wife Tabitha pulled it out and encouraged him to keep going. 

As a novel it is interesting.  It is part story and part documentary.   Newspaper clippings and quotes from an investigation are patched in between the narrative. 

The novel examines goes from the point of view of Carrie White, Sue Snell and Chris Hargensen. 

Carrie is tortured at home and school.  She desires nothing more than to feel normal.  Her mother has a hand in the awkwardness.  She has lived in virtual isolation made to believe that her very existence is sinful. 

Sue Snell is the all American future prom queen.  She has her dress hanging in the closet and her perfect football playing boyfriend.    

Chris is also popular but has a cruel streak.  She is the original mean girl.  Something inside her becomes angered by differences.  It makes her feel better to keep others down.  Fifteen years later she would have been one of the "Heathers".   

The movie is a really good adaptation.  It was difficult I am sure because so much takes place inside the characters' heads.  But it really captures high school in a nut shell. 

Girls are really mean in high school.

One thing that never rang true for me in this movie is the shower scene.  Not what happens.  Sissy Spacek is amazing.  Her reaction to her first period is incredible and real.  The rest of the girls starting to spontaneously go crazy and pelt her with feminine hygiene products is realistic. 

But the girls walking around in various states of undress is not.  Don't get me wrong.  There are those girls who don't have a problem with the naked.

But most teenage girls are not proud of their bodies.  Even though it may be the best shape they will ever be in for the rest of their lives.    They are in a constant state of judgement by themselves or others.  One of the first things you master is the art of changing your clothes without ever showing any skin.  Trust me it can be done.  Three years of swimming in gym taught me well.  That and the fact that if you didn't get your hair wet you didn't have to shower. 

The movie is excellent.  It has a powerful emotional core that elevates it beyond the typical horror movie.  Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie were both nominated for Academy Awards. 

There are some things other than the nudity that don't work.  I really don't like William Katt as Tommy.  It is as if he and his friends are there for comic relief.  In the book you get the sense that Tommy falls a little bit in love with Carrie.  Not enough to do anything against Sue.  Just enough to make her feel special.   In the movie he is a little smirky, as if he's in on the joke.

There is a ridulous scene of Tommy and his friends trying on tuxedos that has no place in the film, right down to the goofy fast forward.  It just doesn't fit.  It personally makes me care a little less when Tommy bites it in the movie. 

Also, if you pay attention, I know where Larry the Cable Guy got his signature line.  John Travolta's Billy Nolan is encouraging his friends to kill the pigs for their blood.  At one point he yells "Git R Done!". 

If you get a chance, watch the orginal trailer.  They spell Stephen King's name wrong!  It also gives away almost the entire movie. 

But I do love this movie.  It is one of my favorite adaptations and the ending is incredible.  To get through everything and think it is over then that final shocking scare.  It has been redone many times over and has become a signature of horror movies since.  But "Carrie" did it first and best.

Happy Halloween!

"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?