Hello everyone and welcome to the Stephen King cast, one man's musings on the works of Stephen King.

Each week I review one entry in the bibliography of Stephen King in the chronological order of publication, and this

week I'm examining the 1993 adaptation of King's final Castle Rock story Needful Things.

The movie, starring Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, and Max von Seedow currently holds a

6.2 rating out of 10 on IMDB and a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It's not a well-received

adaptation despite a strong cast that also includes J.T. Walsh's Buster Danforth Keaton and Amanda Plummer as Nettie.

Now, I remember seeing this movie in the theaters when it came out because I was an avid

Stephen King fan at that point, and this was the first Stephen King movie that was coming out

after I had read the book, a book that I had loved, so this will always hold a special place

in my heart for that. Because the movie, in my experience of reading the book, a book that I had loved, so this will always hold a special place in my heart for that.

Because the movie, in my experience of reading the book, came so close together, so much of the movie's imagery has seeped into my understanding of the book itself.

For instance, Leland Gaunt. Even just recently, when I reread the novel, I couldn't help but picture Max von Seedow in this role.

And Ed Harris is in many ways how I picture Alan Pangborn.

Ray McKinnon, who played Charles Campion in the stand, alongside Ed Harris, who played General Stark, is exactly how I pictured Norris Ridgwick as well.

And the late J.T. Walsh, despite never reaching the same cartoonish levels of buffoonery when it came

to Buster has

seared himself into my brain.

So, needful things will always be something that I remember fondly.

But I've only seen it maybe twice from start to finish with a handful of times catching

bits and pieces on television.

I've never seen the director as cut, which I did not watch for this review, and shame

on me, maybe I should have, just so I can judge the merit of the intended product, but

...