Lilja's Library (62 page)

Hurt plays the role extremely well. It couldn’t have been easy to act against nonexistent toy soldiers, but he pulls it off brilliantly.  

Another very effective thing about this episode is that there is no dialogue in the entire episode. No one says a word! This may sound like something negative when I say it here, but please believe me when I say that the effect it has on the story is phenomenal!  

Lilja’s final words about
Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Episodes 1 & 2
 

So,
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
premiers strong and the first two episodes are very good. If the rest of the series is as good, TNT will have a smash hit on their hands! 

**** 

Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Episodes 3 & 4
 

Posted: July 18, 2006  

Like last week, this week’s episodes are very enjoyable to watch. They are both so good it’s actually hard for me to tell which one is the best. So, this week it’s probably a tie between the two episodes. That said, I also want to say that the two episodes are very different.  

Episode 3:
Umney’s Last Case
 

Umney’s Last Case
tells the story of Clyde Umney, a private eye in the late 1930s. He lives the life we all know from detective novels taking place during that era, filled with bad criminals, easy girls and no problems whatsoever—a very easy and likable life, in other words. Until the day God enters Clyde Umney’s office, that is… 

God, in this case, is Sam Landry, a writer from our time. Sam writes detective novels and his most famous character is Clyde Umney. 

The episode may seem a bit strange until all the facts are revealed. My guess is that it’s director Rob Bowman’s way of showing that Umney’s life really is nothing more than a fictional world, full of cliché.  

Oh, and casting William H. Macy as both Sam and Clyde is brilliant! It makes the effect perfect!  

Episode 4:
The End of the Whole Mess
 

In
The End of the Whole Mess
we meet up with filmmaker Howie Fornoy (played by Ron Livingstone) who, with one hour left to live, will tell us about his brother Bobby (played by Henry Thomas) and how he found a way to wipe out all hate, violence and war on Earth. Unfortunately, he didn’t stop to think about the side effects… 

The episode is done so it’s like Howie speaks to us through his camera, combined with flashbacks as he tells the story. This is a very effective way to tell the story. It’s also the way King told the story on paper.  

Both Livingston and Thomas do a very good job in this episode and it’s very true to King’s story.  

Lilja’s final words about
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
,
Episodes 3 & 4
 

I’m going to say as I said last week: don’t miss this week’s episodes. Like last week, they are very good! After seeing half of the series I must say that it’s now obvious to me (I hope the ratings prove me right) that TNT has a hit on their hands! 

**** 

Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Episodes 5 & 6
 

Posted: July 26, 2006  

The third week of
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
is here. Today’s episodes are, like last week’s, pretty different. And unfortunately, the second episode for this week,
The Fifth Quarter
, is the weakest episode so far…  

Episode 5:
The Road Virus Heads North
 

The Road Virus Heads North
is the story which has changed the most from the written one. Everything (almost) from the story is there, but they have also added some, the biggest thing being that Kinnell’s ex-wife now gets a much bigger part in the story. I don’t mind, but it really doesn’t add much to the story either. Its purpose though (I guess) is to make the episode a bit longer so that it will fill the entire hour it’s scheduled for. And it works. 

Another thing is that they have added a reason as to why Kinnell might imagine what happens…if it’s not really happening, that is… 

First, I had some reservations about Tom Berenger playing Richard Kinnell. I thought he might be a little too old (compared to how I imagined Kinnell when I read the story), but he pulls it off very well. He is very good in the role of a tormented author. 

Aunt Trudy is also very nicely portrayed by Marsha Mason, and the painting that is the center of the whole story is very cool! I personally wouldn’t mind having it hanging over my bed…  

Episode 6:
The Fifth Quarter
 

The Fifth Quarter
is a pretty unusual story for King, and it was originally published under the name John Swithen. It tells the story of Willie (Jeremy Sisto), who after being released from prison finds out from his dying friend that the friend has been involved in a robbery which resulted in one million dollars. The only problem is that the map to where the money is hidden is divided into four parts and distributed to all four people who participated in the robbery. Willie sets out to get the other parts of the map and also to get revenge on the people who killed his friend. 

The reason this one is the weakest so far is probably because it’s pretty slow, which is probably a result of the fact that
The Fifth Quarter
is a story that is very hard to bring from the pages in a book to the TV screen.  

It’s still very viewable though, and both Sisto and Samantha Mathis do a good job…but maybe this one was a bit too hard to translate.  

Lilja’s final words about
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
,
Episodes 5 & 6
 

So, after three weeks, I still think that TNT has a hit on their hands even though this week wasn’t as exciting as the previous two. What really surprises me is how all of the episodes really feel like they are part of a series…even though they are done by different directors and are quite different in themselves. 

This week you should keep your eye out for a King book,
The Tommyknockers
, that makes some trouble for the main character… 

**** 

Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Episodes 7 & 8
 

Posted: August 1, 2006  

The last week of
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
is here. We have seen six episodes, and this time it’s the last two (
Autopsy Room Four
and
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
) we’re going to take a closer look at. This is a pretty special week, if you ask me. One of the episodes has two of my favorite actors and the other is based on one of my favorite King stories. So here we go…  

Episode 7:
Autopsy Room Four
 

Autopsy Room Four
is one of my favorite stories by King, so I was a bit nervous to see what they had done with this one… 

Since this is one of my favorites by King I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I thought it was a little too kind compared to the book. Maybe it’s because it’s on TV, but the entire “stroking back to life” part was very toned down, and in one scene Howard’s eyelid flinched. I don’t know if that was meant as a sign that he really was alive, but since he was supposed to be totally incapable of moving it looked more like a mistake by the filmmakers. 

So, even though
Autopsy Room Four
is a favorite in written format, the movie version is a mediocre version of it. It’s enjoyable, but not the masterpiece it could have been. 

Oh, and I really, really didn’t like the hysterical wife who ran around in the hospital!  

Episode 8:
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
 

In
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
we meet Clark and Mary Willingham (played by Steven Weber and Kim Delaney), who are lost and happen to stumble on a town called Rock and Roll Heaven, Oregon. The town isn’t on any maps, but they have a free concert every night, every day… 

After some convincing, Mary reluctantly agrees to take a look at the town, something that proves to be the biggest mistake of her life. 

Well, what can I say about
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
? It’s very hard to go wrong with actors like Steven and Kim. They do their job perfectly, and with a good script it can only get better. If there is something I’d like to change it’s that the famous people should look a bit more like the originals. You see how it is, but you don’t quite believe it’s them…if you know what I mean. Still, it’s a very good episode.  

Lilja’s final words about
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
, Episodes 7 & 8
 

So, in conclusion, after seeing all eight episodes I feel that TNT had a hit with
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
and I really hope that the ratings agree with me so we can look forward to a season two, maybe as early as next year… 

Part 5 - Review: Movies
 

Section 1—The TV  

Rose Red
 

Posted: December 27, 2001  

Rose Red
(Episode 1) 

(Around 1 hour 25 minutes without commercials) 

This first episode gives us an introduction to all of the characters and their backgrounds. We learn that Joyce Reardon (Nancy Travis) has set out to do an expedition to the haunted house Rose Red. To get the house to open up to her she brings with her six unique people who all have some kind on power. It can be telepathy, telekinesis, touch-know psychic ability, the ability to see into the future, the ability to see what has happened in the past and so on. 

The six she brings with her are Nick (Julian Sands), Victor (Kevin Tighe), Emery (Matt Ross), Pam (Julia Campbell), Cathy (Judith Ivey) and the most important one, Annie (Kimberly Brown). Along for the ride, besides these six and Joyce, are also Ellen and John Rimbauer’s grandchild, Steven Rimbauer (Matt Keeslar), and Annie’s sister, Rachel “Sister” (Melanie Lynskey).  

We also get the background of Rose Red itself. We get to hear the story of Ellen and John Rimbauer, their children, Adam and April, and Ellen’s servant, Sukeena. The story takes place both in the present (2001) and the past (the early 1900s).  

There are (of course) also some people who don’t agree with what Joyce is doing. The one that is most negative is Professor Miller at the university where Joyce teaches. He does everything in his power to sabotage her. He has the school newspaper reporter, Bollinger, help him by following the expedition into Rose Red and documenting all of the craziness.  

King throws in a connection to his real life in the form of one of Joyce’s students, whose name is Spruce, the same last name that Tabitha King had before she married King.  

Rose Red
(Episode 2) 

(Around 1 hour 25 minutes without commercials) 

In episode two things heat up a bit; things start to happen inside Rose Red. The search for ghosts and spirits goes on, and now we start getting to see some of them more closely. We also learn more about Rose Red and the Rimbauers’ family history. 

The characters are beginning to develop. If the first episode’s purpose was to let us get to know the characters better, the second’s is to let the characters grow on us and we can decide whom we like and don’t like. For example, at first I really thought the character of Emery was a bit over the top. The character wasn’t one that I thought fit in the story. In the second episode, I’m starting to enjoy him though. I agree that he is an obnoxious person, but he is obnoxious in an interesting way. He is
Rose Red’s
version of Mr. Toomy from
The Langoliers
. 

In the second episode the story also starts to develop. By now we know the background of the main characters quite well, so the focus can be on the story itself, instead of the characters, like in episode one.  

As there were in the first episode, there are connections to King or his other works here as well (even if the first one is a bit far-fetched though). One character is heard singing the tea-song that Andre Linoge sings in
Storm of the Century
(unfortunately, I don’t know the exact title). But that isn’t all. In this episode King makes his cameo appearance as well. In
Rose Red
he portrays a pizza delivery boy and he also has a few lines this time. It’s quite fun!  

Rose Red
(Episode 3) 

(Around 1 hour 20 minutes without commercials) 

Here we get to know even more about what has happened in Rose Red before Ellen Rimbauer disappeared, and we learn that all may not be what it seems…These flashbacks are shot in a really nice way, they are not in black-and-white, but they are not as colorful as the scenes from today either. They give us more information about the Rimbauer family, but I want more… 

In episode three we also get to see exactly how possessed Joyce is with the house, and at the end she starts to show her real feelings for the others and her real intentions for the expedition.  

OK, so now it’s time for the grand finale. Unfortunately, I feel King gets away a bit too easy here. I was hoping for a bit more information about the Rimbauer family (even though there is quite a lot in episode three) and why Rose Red really is haunted. There are still some questions that I feel are left unanswered. I won’t go into what they are or who they are about here; I will let you find out for yourself when you see the series. 

Even though the ending provides some surprises I feel that it could have used a bit more…  

Lilja’s final words about
Rose Red
 

So, to sum up my feelings about
Rose Red
, I can say that I think it’s a rather great miniseries. Maybe there could be a bit more info about the Rimbauer family in it (to give the viewer a better sense of why Rose Red really is haunted), but hey, you can’t always get everything you want, right?  

I do feel that what we get here is good stuff. It shows that it was made for TV and not for the movie screen, but that’s alright, I think, because the plot is good and most of the actors and actresses do a really great job in portraying their characters.  

So, whatever you do, don’t miss
Rose Red
on ABC on January 27th, 28th and 31st next year! If you do, you will regret it, take my word for it! 

**** 

Carrie (remake)
 

Posted: December 17, 2002  

I have just finished watching the remake of
Carrie
and I must say that I was surprised. When I first heard about it I felt that it was rather unnecessary to do a remake of one of the better King movies.  

Also, I had heard a lot of bad things about it before I actually saw it. It was supposed to be too long, the special effects weren’t any good and so on. So, it’s safe to say that I really didn’t have very high expectations about it when I saw it.  

So, when I saw it I was actually pleasantly surprised by what I saw. Angela Bettis is really good as Carrie. She really looks tormented when the other kids tease her and she is believable as a girl whom no one likes. Patricia Clarkson is also a good choice for Carrie’s crazy mother. Her portrayal of Carrie’s mother isn’t crazy in the same physical way as in Brian DePalma’s version. Here, Margaret is calmer, but still very intimidating.  

Most of the time this remake is rather similar to the original movie. The biggest exception is that it has gotten a more modern feel. Carrie is searching the Internet, for example. Another difference is the wraparound story. Here we get to be present at a police interrogation with some of the survivors from the prom. This is a way of driving the story along without having to show everything. It actually feels rather effective. This way the remake can have much more of the story in it even though it’s not that much longer (it’s a little more than two hours without the commercials).  

The wraparound story is also used to give the viewer a sense of what’s to come. Here, events are hinted at and then we get to see how it came about and what happened. It’s a rather effective way to tell a story. In fact, King uses it frequently himself.  

Unfortunately, not all is good with this remake. Most of the characters are portrayed well, but not all. I could have done without Jesse Cadotte (who plays Billy Nolan). He is totally over the top and not the least bit believable.  

Another thing that I’m a bit skeptical about is that Carrie is too tough in this version. Here, when she finds out she has special powers, she puts her mother in her place with an attitude that feels a bit wrong. Her mother has controlled Carrie for her entire life and I can’t imagine that an attitude could be changed in a day or two. 

Another thing that I don’t like is that Carrie seems to get amnesia some of the time when she uses her powers and other times she remembers everything perfectly. That feels rather unnecessary. Carrie is burning down the school because she is angry. 

Earlier I mentioned the special effects and that they weren’t supposed to be that good. Well, most of them actually are good. There are some, however, that look rather cheesy. I’m thinking particularly of some that occur when Carrie is walking home after the prom… 

On the whole, this remake is a good one. Its biggest problem is that it’s supposed to serve as a backdoor pilot for a potential series. This causes the creators to come up with an ending where Carrie survives, and I’m not sure I buy that. I understand that if there is to be an ongoing series about Carrie she has to be alive, but the way they did it isn’t believable. I won’t reveal what happens, but if you have seen it you know what I’m talking about. I don’t think a person can live through that and still have all of her brain cells left, do you?  

Lilja’s final words about
Carrie (remake)
 

OK, so should you watch this remake of
Carrie
? Well, I think you should, and if a series is made from it I think you should see that one as well…not because it will have anything to do with Stephen King (after all, Carrie didn’t live in his version), but because it will be interesting to see what they will do with it. My guess is that it will be something like this: the main character is hunted by the government and has to be on the run to avoid getting caught. She will then pass through city after city using her power, causing trouble and having to leave in a hurry to avoid being caught. Wait, I just remembered that this show already exists, and it’s called
The Incredible Hulk
. 

****
 

T
he Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
 

Posted: June 25, 2003  

Yesterday I watched the prequel to
Rose Red
,
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
. Before I saw it I didn’t know what to expect. How can you make a movie out of a diary? Well, one way to do it is like they did with
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
. Most of the time I liked it, but some of the time it’s too slow. I find myself wishing for more action! 

It follows the diary pretty well though, and some of the scenes are pretty hot, especially for TV, and I’m sure that some of the viewers objected to it. Personally, I don’t mind since it’s all in the book, and to be honest, the book is worse by far.  

Overall, the actors and actresses are doing a good job. It was fun to see Brad Greenquist again. Brad played Pascow in
Pet Sematary
, and here he does the role as John’s business partner, Doug Posey, and I really like him. He has gotten a bit older since
Pet Sematary
, but he is a good actor that I hope to see more of in the future. He made a good impression on me.  

Steven Brand as John and Lisa Brenner as Ellen are doing a good job, but unfortunately I can’t say the same for Tsidii Leloka as Sukeena. Although she did the role in
Rose Red
, Tsidii doesn’t pull it off here. Her role is too big and she is a bit too much. I’m sorry to say so, but I don’t like her portrayal of Sukeena that much. I’m not sure if the problem is her or if the role was written that way. Since she did a rather good job in
Rose Red
, my guess is that the role might be written that way. That feels a bit unfortunate since I didn’t get that feeling of her when I read the diary.  

The scenes are otherwise well done. You really get the feeling that things take place back in the nineteenth century. You won’t find King in it though. Sometimes he does small cameos in the movies, but not in this one. You will, however, find Ridley Pearson in there.  

There have also been talks about another sequel/prequel, but I certainly hope that they throw those plans in the garbage can. I don’t think it would be possible to do another one…  

Lilja’s final words about
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
 

All in all, I think that
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
is a good TV movie. I didn’t really get the same feeling as when I read the diary, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. So, I think you should check it out when (if) there is a rerun or when it’s out on DVD. 

**** 

Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital - The Pilot