Read The Stand when it was first published. Read the King-edited long version when it was later published. Have re-read it several times over the years. Among my favorite books.
Like many fans, when the original TV mini-series aired, I was thrilled to watch, and disappointed with the end result. I've hoped for a remake many times over the years, and imagined the casting. It was a discussion we had many times at the dinner table in our house. We mostly dwelled on casting because Molly Ringwald was so ruinous in the original miniseries...it left a lasting impression.
We never considered the plot timeline could be so badly mangled. As other reviewers have stated, the non-linear storytelling was not only pointless, but harmful to the telling. It adds nothing, and detracts greatly.
The last episode starts by tragically omitting the difficult journey home by Stu, Tom and Kojak. It's a great part of the book, and well done in the original miniseries.
Instead, the end of the series is extended with a Frannie-centered tale of the ongoing battle of good-and-evil. Flagg reborn, still tempting souls with low hanging fruit. Frannie fighting the good fight, with Mother A's help, to "be true and stand." Odessa Young turned in a fine performance over the entire series. No discredit to her. There was simply no need for this plot extension (except maybe for Stephen King's need to finish the story differently, because that was on his mind).
I never thought I'd say this, but if forced to watch one of these miniseries again, I'd watch Molly Ringwald's awful performance, just because of the linear storytelling of the first series.
For those of you who like to dwell on casting, here's my take:
Odessa Young > Molly Ringwald (not even close) Miguel Ferrer > Nat Wolf (Miguel's part was better written) Gary Sinise > James Marsden Laura San Giacomo > Amber Heard Matt Frewer > Ezra Miller (writing and plot treatment for Miller was a disaster) Ruby Dee > Whoopi Goldberg
Like many fans, when the original TV mini-series aired, I was thrilled to watch, and disappointed with the end result. I've hoped for a remake many times over the years, and imagined the casting. It was a discussion we had many times at the dinner table in our house. We mostly dwelled on casting because Molly Ringwald was so ruinous in the original miniseries...it left a lasting impression.
We never considered the plot timeline could be so badly mangled. As other reviewers have stated, the non-linear storytelling was not only pointless, but harmful to the telling. It adds nothing, and detracts greatly.
The last episode starts by tragically omitting the difficult journey home by Stu, Tom and Kojak. It's a great part of the book, and well done in the original miniseries.
Instead, the end of the series is extended with a Frannie-centered tale of the ongoing battle of good-and-evil. Flagg reborn, still tempting souls with low hanging fruit. Frannie fighting the good fight, with Mother A's help, to "be true and stand." Odessa Young turned in a fine performance over the entire series. No discredit to her. There was simply no need for this plot extension (except maybe for Stephen King's need to finish the story differently, because that was on his mind).
I never thought I'd say this, but if forced to watch one of these miniseries again, I'd watch Molly Ringwald's awful performance, just because of the linear storytelling of the first series.
For those of you who like to dwell on casting, here's my take:
Odessa Young > Molly Ringwald (not even close) Miguel Ferrer > Nat Wolf (Miguel's part was better written) Gary Sinise > James Marsden Laura San Giacomo > Amber Heard Matt Frewer > Ezra Miller (writing and plot treatment for Miller was a disaster) Ruby Dee > Whoopi Goldberg