Needful Things

Dir: Fraser C. Heston

1993

***

Fraser C. Heston's 1993 Needful Things isn't the best Stephen King adaptation ever made but it certainly isn't the worst. The film isn't half as exciting as the novel is and nowhere near as terrifying or as creepy. That said, Max von Sydow played his part perfectly and he alone carries the film. Amanda Plummer plays her part very well but her character has next to no development, Nettie is fascinating in the book but makes little sense in the film. There are many aspects of King's work that never seem to play well on screen, humour and certain characters in particular, J.T. Walsh's Danforth 'Buster' Keeton being a good example. It's an intense character but J.T. Walsh's performance is completely over the top and almost cartoonish. It turns a creepy thriller into a messy comedy somewhat. Ed Harris is okay, I would have liked to have seen Sheriff Alan J. Pangborn played by the same person and think it would have been pretty cool to have had Needful Things and The Dark Half connected. If I had to choose between Ed Harris and Michael Rooker I would probably pick Harris. It's a shame Castle Rock hasn't had its own connected universe of films, maybe it will happen one day, but for now we'll have to make do with sub-standard adaptations from the early nineties.