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Desperation
When a sheriff arrests a writer, a family, a couple, and a hitchiker and throws them in a jail cell in the deserted town of Desperation, they must fight for their lives.
Release : | 2006 |
Rating : | 5.2 |
Studio : | Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Television, Sennet Entertainment, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Construction Coordinator, |
Cast : | Tom Skerritt Steven Weber Annabeth Gish Charles Durning Matt Frewer |
Genre : | Fantasy Drama Horror Thriller Mystery |
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Perfect cast and a good story
Good concept, poorly executed.
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Well, this is actually my fav King story. Not that I don't like Shining, Mile, It etc. there's just something about this one, I really like. As with all books, you put your own faces on the characters, which makes it kind of hard to say whether or not, a cast is right or wrong. In this case, I will pick 3 people out. First and foremost, Steven Webber. Not that I have anything agains him, but he bares no resemblance of the Steve Ames in the story. I don't want to get into a lot about it here, it simply makes no point. Read the book, you'll see for yourself. Cynthia Smith. Again, she does not bare any visual resemblance to a girl, that is described as Orphan Annie From Hell. In the book, she comes across as a bit naive, but sharp witted and humorous. Not so much here though. And that's a shame, she's a great character in the book, one eaaily connects with. The last is Tom Billingsly the Vet. He's a lot more edgey in the book than in the movie. I don't know why that switch was made. But that goes for all the characters I've mentioned here.The rest of the cast fits pretty well, Ron Pearlman, should have played a bit more on the false sense of security and kindness Entragian originally uses.The speed of the movie, I don't get. You don't see how the Carvers got there, you don't get the background story of what has happened over the last few days. Only short bits anyway. There's also made changes that generally don't make sense, both in terms of storyline and characters.For what it is, it's an OK piece of made for TV film. But do yourself a favour, read the novel fist.It's one of those
"Stephen King's Desperation" is a fine if somewhat-flawed entry.**SPOILERS**Moving to the Nevada Desert, Mary Jackson, (Annabeth Gish) is arrested by Collie Entragian, (Ron Perlman) a local policeman and hauled off to the town's jail. Meeting up with Ralph, (Matt Frewer) Ellie, (Sylvia Kelegian) and David Carver, (Shane Haboucha) and Tom Billingsley, (Charles Durning) others who have run afoul of the policeman and are kept there in his grasp. Soon afterward, John Marinville, (Tom Skerritt) happens upon the town and is taken hostage as well, allowing for friends Steve Ames, (Steven Weber) and Cynthia Smith, (Kelly Overton) to pick up on what's happening to him. Managing to get away temporarily, they realize that he is the current host of a demonic entity that has played a part in the town's past and has been reawakened and going on a deadly rampage, forcing them to face up to their past fears and take the force head-on to get away from the town alive.The Good News: There was some pretty good stuff in this one. One of the best elements is that the film has a pretty great atmosphere to it that really shines through at times. From the wonderful shots early on of the desert being just empty and desolate to the overhead shots of the simply immense canyon where it takes place and finally the shots of the car traveling through the deserted town featuring all sorts of debris left lying on the ground and the dead bodies littering the streets, it makes for a very isolated feel that is wonderfully captured here and helps to make for a very atmospheric time. Later scenes, such as the harrowing windstorm that practically blows sand through the entire town, allow for even more atmosphere to take over the film and make it all the better. Another good point to this one is the fact that there's a fantastic mystery on display that really makes this one a lot of fun. From the journey through the desert where the discarded bike being found in the bushes off the highway, who's importance was built up nicely, which is segued nicely with their discovery of the town and what's left inside. These scenes are absolutely classic, with there being a lot of good stuff about them. The scenes in the abandoned police station are quite chilling and suspenseful, with the several dead bodies showing up and so many off-screen banging noises make for a good atmosphere during these moments. Even more impressive is the sequence within the supermarket, which has a ton of impressive points. From the abandoned look being fully captured, the scares from the spiders on the phone and the dead body coming to life to make the scare even better. The fact that these scenes are incredibly long and extended, which is afforded due to the length, makes them all the better and that much more fun, as it has time to develop them and give them time, rather than just being thrown out there with nothing that can make them seem fun and exciting but here they can. The finale at the mine is perhaps just as good, due mainly to the emphasis on action and actually making for some fun times. From the car chase through the quarry to the possessed-birds assault and then the main part where they confront each other in the mine itself, with it's fantastic setting and great action, making for some really good parts to it. There's also a rather fun premise here, with the lurking demon coming back, that is part of the simply outstanding sequence where it shows it, from the verbal story to the old-time film that shows everything, this one has a nice back-story that feels really creative. The last plus is the blood and gore, most of which is from the previously-dead bodies but there's still some good stuff here, from the severed arm, gunshot wounds, bleeding facial wounds, a mauled throat and a pick-ax in the chest, among others. These here are the film's good points.The Bad News: There was a few things in this one that didn't work at all. One of the main issues, and what could end up being the major stumbling block for this one for most viewers, is the heavy Christian edict that runs through the end of it. This is really found in the last half, which has the major characters using Christian mythology to defeat a foe claimed to be older than those ideologies, and then there's the fact that it even shows up to begin with. Some of those out there would be completely against this even appearing in the film, and with the severity it uses them in here, makes the most of this angle. It really doesn't need them in there to begin with, it really could've done something else that could've explained those issues with another topic that utilizes the same guidelines to get the same result while taking a road away from religion to get there. The last problem is the fact that, once you think about it afterward, the film doesn't really have any action at all. There's not a whole lot of action in here, but instead it just builds up with nothing but action isn't a part of that. It's not at all boring since there's always something going on, but not all of it's action and can tend to drag at times, especially when it's just the group stuck in jail. These here are what's wrong with the film.The Final Verdict: A rather enjoyable affair, mostly hurt by the religious theme which may not be that detrimental to some overall. Certainly recommended to those who enjoy these kinds of films, a fanatic of the creative cast or the film's idea, while those that are turned off by the flaws should heed caution at best.Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language
I've Read the Book Roundabouts of Twenty or so times, one of my Favorite SK Novels and Am Quite Displeased with both Characters and Ending of movie.Point A. Steve Ames was Described as bluntly 'an 80's Rocker who never got out of it.' He had long hair, otherwise okay, Cynthia was supposed to have Two Colors in her hair, I believe Green and Pink (Could be mistaken though.) Point B: Johnny, Wasn't 'Thin' He was getting a Gut (Too much Booze., Yet, He is an Older (60's) In Decent Shape man.That and Cantak was Released/freed. Just A few days before The 'Travelers' Get to Desperation.So its not as Accurate As people think.My Advice, Read the Book, its Better.
I watched this after I read the novel, which I thought was awesome.The actors I thought were pretty good, especially Ron Pearlman who played the psychopathic cop, Collie Entragian. The special effects and the cinematography were pretty good as well.They kept the film very close to the awesome novel. Until it got to the middle because they cut out some of the most important scenes from the book that they didn't put in the film, for example, in the book they meet another character, hiding in the ruins of the town. They also find much more of the history of the town. They cut out all this in the film, which was disappointing.The ending, I thought I was very disappointed because they fitted bits that were very cheesy, that didn't fit the novel at all.I would rather read the novel first before watching the film. But still I thought it was pretty good.