The Stand

Here is a fine example where I fall victim to my own preaching....when released I simply expected too much of THE STAND hence I wasn't happy with it in the least. On recent review however I find it to be a far better peice of work than I ever gave it credit for. Director MIck Garris has a history working with Stephen King material which might be why he was able to snag him to do the teleplay and considering the time of it's release it HAD to be done for television, there was just no way they could put it on the big screen in the pre-Peter Jackson LORD OF THE RINGS era. So, I guess it was the production values that got to me back in the day...looking at it now it is an acting driven piece of drama and there is where it excels. Gary Sinise leads this all-star cast which includes the likes of Ray Walston, Molly Ringwald, Ruby Dee, Rob Lowe, Laura San Giacomo, Matt Frewer, Miguel Ferrer, Ossie Davis and Jamey Sheridan as the evil Randall Flagg. I still have some problems with the casting of Frewer as TRASH CAN MAN, I just felt his performance was a little TOO over the top as it were. It was nice to see Bill Fagerbakke as Tom Cullen as he is usually heard in vocal work and not seen and using Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the role of the shouter was a brilliant touch. There are more than ample cameos here ranging from the likes of Kathy Bates and Ed Harris to directors Sam Raimi and John Landis as well as King himself and damned if the lovely Shawnee Smith of recent SAW fame doesn't steal every scene she is in. The ending scene in Las Vegas will no doubt still piss most people off but overall THE STAND is worth the effort and will entertain.