The Tommyknockers Dir. John Power W. Lawrence D. Cohen
Network ABC, aired in two parts
In vein of classic horror like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Tommyknockers brought aliens to small town Maine. The spirits of extraterrestrials possess the residents of Haven, causing them to dig up a spaceship. The only member of the town to suspect something is afoot is Jim Gardner (Jimmy Smits) a poet and recovering alcoholic able to see through the aliens plan.
Though largely forgotten, The Tommyknockers still received strong ratings with Part 1 ranking number 4 overall for the week it aired. In the years that have followed, many have viewed the novel and miniseries as a poor relative of Kings other work which featured an alcoholic writer, The Shining. The Tommyknockers miniseries is notable for the tension and scares particularly in its first part, but the wooden acting and rushed special effects hamper the climax and keep the miniseries from attaining any kind of lasting impression. In 2013, it was announced that NBC was developing miniseries of both Ira Levins Rosemarys Baby and The Tommyknockers in the wake of the success of network genre series such as Hannibal and Under the Dome. Agnieszka Hollands Rosemarys Baby premiered on NBC in 2014 to lackluster reviews and poor ratings. Nothing has been heard from The Tommyknockers remake since.
The Stand (1994) Dir. Mick Garris W. Stephen King
Network ABC, aired in four parts
ABC continued its miniseries domination in 1994 with Mick Garris The Stand, based on Kings epic tale of good and evil. When a flu-like plague decimates the worlds population, a handful of survivors are left to carry on with either the saintly Mother Abigail (Ruby Dee) or the demonic Randall Flagg (Jamey Sheridan) in a struggle to control the fate of the world. The Stand is departure from Kings trademark horror (but he likes to keep a demon face in to punctuate certain moments) and a venture into the world of epic fantasy.
The series was a hit, garnering several Emmy nominations and solid reviews. King was able to adapt the novel himself after plans for a feature film version, once again to be helmed by George A. Romero, fell through. Much of Kings massive novel transitions to the screen, with several iconic sequences ably shot by Mick Garris, creating a great companion piece for those already familiar with the novel. The Stand has garnered negative reviews in recent years as websites and bloggers revisit the series (especially in the wake of a feature film in development), highlighting the bombastic, overtly good and evil sensibilities of the piece. Overall, King couldnt bring the nuances of the novel to the television screen. For as much as the film succeeds and is still loved by many, it still seems to collapse under its own ambition and moral weight.
The Langoliers (1995) Dir. Tom Holland W. Tom Holland, Stephen King
Network ABC, aired in two parts
Following The Stand, ABC pulled The Langoliers from Kings novella collection, Four Past Midnight. A group of passengers on an airplane awake to find everyone else has disappeared. After landing the aircraft, they discover that the world has seemingly stopped. There is no wind, food has no taste and theres not another soul to be found. The only thing they do hear is a noise moving closer to them, a group of monstrous creatures intent on humanitys destruction. Following in the tradition of horror royalty at the helm of these series, Tom Holland wrote the teleplay and directed the miniseries following his feature films, Fright Night (1985) and Childs Play (1988).
The premise of the film is truly frightening, waking up with strangers to discover that the rest of the world has been seemingly wiped out. While Holland does build the suspense and tension easily in the opening scenes, the miniseries cannot maintain it. The format works with Kings stories such as It and The Stand because of the massive ensembles, The Langoliers length simply cannot sustain itself with such a contained story. Though the ratings were once again decent, the reviews were mixed, with many critics citing the special effects, over-acting and one-dimensional characters as the miniseries downfall.
Bronson Pinchot as Craig Toomey received the brunt of the criticism as a broker constantly on the brink of a nervous breakdown, bringing to light one of the problems with the miniseries. In this format, networks saw an opportunity to cast stars from other properties and in doing so, develop cross-promotional opportunities for both shows. Unfortunately for Pinchot and ABC, nepotism doesnt always work. The Langoliers shares the ambition of its predecessors but was arguably the first true misstep of the King miniseries franchise.
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In Part 2, the King miniseries would continue with some of the most controversial and impassioned entries in the late 90s and early 2000s.
** Miniseries status has been determined by the Official Stephen King website**
Alexandra West is a freelance horror journalist who lives, works, and survives in Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Toronto Star, Rue Morgue, Post City Magazine and Offscreen Film Journal. In December 2012, West co-founded the Faculty of Horror podcast with fellow writer Andrea Subissati, which explores the analytical side of horror films and the darkest recesses of academia.
