Rating: 
Summary: Book companion
Review: Loved the book, loved the dvd. Closely followed the origional printing of the book. It has a great soundtrack as well
Rating:
Summary: 4.5 Stars; Very Good Novel-to-Film Adaptation
Review: The Story: On one level, "The Stand" replays Mary Shelley's theme of the danger of science advancing without conscience to guide it, of dabbling with the unknown in nature. The virus that wipes out most of Mankind was cooked up by Men. But this story goes much further than that theme. It is also a rich adventure tale filled with well-developed characters (I know these people!). It is the Apocalypse in a form not expected (although Plague was one of the Four Horsemen). It is a showdown between good and evil filled with archetypes. "The Stand" is good storytelling and epic adventure. It is what every writer wants to produce. Acting: Rob Lowe played Nick perfectly, and gave his career a huge boost and an injection of respectability. Ray Walston was who I imagined for the character as I read the book. Ruby Dee was also perfect for Mother Abigail. Gary Sinise, who I see as underrated, played Stu Redman to a tee. Ossie Davis was excellent as the Judge (Moses Gunn started in the role but left because of illness; Mr. Davis probably should have been first choice anyway). Jamey Sheridan played Randall Flagg well, but Jeff Goldblum, who declined the part, would have been more sinister. Laura Sangiacomo did a good job playing a part that was really two characters in the novel, Nadine and Rita. Commentary on VHS version: I enjoyed not having four sets of opening credits, four sets of closing credits, previews of the next episode, and commercials. It might just be my VCR, but my VCR fought the first tape of this two-tape set over tracking, with episodes of static (audio and visual) and picture-flipping. Tape Two worked well.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor movie
Review: Let me start this review by saying that I've been a fan of Stephen King's work, mostly movies (horror/sci-fi), since I was a kid. Now after some time of absence, I got a hold of this DVD called "The Stand". As I started watching it, it pulled me right in and it had that old Stephen King's feel to it; I liked it. The movie begins with a viral lock breach, which soon affects everyone nearby, and people alone carry the virus from one town to another. It's only a matter of days, and soon the majority of the population is dead, except for a very few who are immune to the virus. The movie very nicely shows human arrogance here, thinking they're gods and nothing could go wrong. It also shows true human selfish nature: everyone only cares for themselves, watch the security guard run as hell when he hears about the breach. Of course he dies later on anyway, which is a very nicely shown irony. Next we see arrogant U.S. military in action, the way they really treat and care for people, very nice again - they will even kill the innocent uninfected people if they won't obey their orders or if they spread the "secrets" that they created a deadly virus which is now killing them. Then we see even more arrogance, this time from doctors/scientists. In the end, the last scientist alive and dying would kill the immune test subject out of his own selfishness and supreme envy. Human nature nicely shown again... Anyway, if you like to observe the irony in the first half, and the pure stupidity in the second (and having a good stomach), this is the movie for you. Don't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: Take A "Stand"
Review: A solid cast, fine direction from Mick Garris, and great production values helped to bring author Stephen King's THE STAND to television as a mini-series event in 1994. In the not so distant future, a plague wipes out most of the human race, those that manage to surrive, are forced to take sides in a battle of good versus evil. In their dreams, they discover which path that they must take, one of virtue, or one of darkness. King was able to adapt his 1135 page novel into a six hour film. I think that allowed filmmakers, to forge ahead, knowing that the author's script would retain the best elements of the book. Actor Gary Sinise as Stu Redman, Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail, and Rob Lowe as Nick are on the side of good and rally others to the cause. Jamey Sheridan is the ultimate evil known as Randall Flagg. The cast list seems to go on forever Sheridan's Flagg is both sinister and likeable at the same time. He really stands out and sells the idea of the whole thing. I read the book a long time ago, from what I remember though, the mini series stays true to the novel As for the extras on the DVD: There is a pretty enjoyable group commentary track with Garris, King, Lowe, film editor Pat McMahon, and others. The making of featurette is standard stuff and offers nothing more than fluff. F/X tests, production notes, cast and crew information, and a storyboard-film comparision rounds everything else out. The only 2 gripes I have about the DVD are: a-I'ts a double sided disc (I hate that) and b-I would have liked to have had some more makiing of footage to look at. Other than those two quibbles, the DVD gets a solid **** stars, and is time well spent.
Rating: 
Summary: King is back
Review: Stephen Kings book are the best and only the best of them are worthy to be changed into a movie. With THE STAND it would become a great movie. One perky thing though...it's a 6 hour sit! Stephen Kings works must never be filmed to 90 minutes...( the small books maybe ) since they would loose big parts of the story, and let me tell you, the story in this movie is RICH. I would say that 9/10th of the book is put into the movie, yes you hear it good a score of 90% for a filming of a book. Thats why it takes 6 hours ofcourse! I suggest the DVD, high quality one double density, double sided disk!
Rating:
Summary: Great adaptation
Review: For a movie and book adict as me, it's very difficult to find movies adapted from novels that fully satisfy me. In this case I can say that a great job has been done. If you read the book you will find that although some parts of it are not fully recreated the story keeps the same structure. My only critic would be the casting of Corin Nemec as Harold Lauder, but that is just a minor detail.
For those that live outside USA and missed the chance of watching the movie on TV, we can now have it on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book to Movie Adaptation!!
Review: Anyone who reads the book before watching this movie is going to be somewhat disappointed. Well, take into consideration that the book is over 1100 pages, and it is filled with detail. That would be quite difficult to make into a movie, even an 8 hour one. The movie had a great mood to it. It's just one of those films that leaves you feeling a little creeped out. The acting was pretty good. Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, and Rob Lowe played their roles very well as far as I was concerned. I was disappointed with the way the Darkman (aka Randall Flagg) turned out to be on screen. He was very creepy in the book, but on film he came across pretty much as being a joke. The plague itself was spookier than Flagg turned out to be. Overall, I felt that this movie followed along pretty closely with the book. However, the book (as in most cases) was better, so if you don't want to be disappointed, I'd recommend watching the film first.
Rating:
Summary: Great W/ A Few Exceptions
Review: First, the opening scenes and soundtrack for the movie are perfectly done. Hits go to the actors playing Stu, Tom, Nick, Lucy and the sociology professor. "Almost There" awards go to the actors playing "The Walking Dude" - what was w/ his hair?? Otherwise he was dead on (I envisioned a more military type haircut); Mother Abigail - the make up was just short of convincing and Harold - he looked throughout the movie, like what Harold would have looked like toward the end of the epic. "Way Off the Mark" awards/raspberries go to Molly Ringwald (by the way, she's a natural brunette, not a red head, who died her hair darker brown/black for the film) - she had a promising start during the death scene of her father, but then just deteriorated into rote acting. Nadine, Nadine - how do I love to hate the casting of Nadine! The hair (it screams WIG!) was way off, none of the calm hidden deliberateness was apparent - she just seemed spooked and jumpy for the whole film and - this is silly, I couldn't stand the way her voice sounded. If I could have put anyone in Nadine's role it would have been Linda Fiorentino (The Last Seduction, MIB). Other than my specific nits, this was one of the better epic book to movie/mini series transistions. The creepiness of the suddenly empty America is pervasive; the loyalty of the survivors is depicted well; it is a worthwhile addition to your vhs or dvd collection!
Rating:
Summary: Totally Amazing
Review: I am going to write this before reading anybody else's reviews so this is totally original. Ok, where to begin, i have just finised watching the movie at 9:20pm on 2/9/2002 and the only thing i can say is that i am totally amazed. I haven't read the book but i definatly will now. The acting in this movie is absolutly amazing, everybody is totally into it. ... Actors such as rob lowe (the west wing) and Gary sinese (forest gump)are absoulutly excellent. Also watch out for apperences by Stephen King and get this, Sam Raimi (director of Evil Dead trilogy and the recent Spiderman movie). He is one of the bad guys on the second half (second side, second video tape) in the part with the Judge on the highway (that gives nothing away). This is also a very emotional movie in many ways includeing the attacments to the main characters, so don't watch this if you get depressed easily as the second Part (and first for that matter) are pretty hard going. This is a brillent movie and if i could i would give it 5+ (8-9/10).
Rating:
Summary: Bravo to the Stars
Review: So many actors have portrayed Stephen King characters in the past, but none of them have held much of a flame to Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, and the entire cast of The Stand.
Sure, some of the parts are overplayed or undercast, but the subtle tone of horror that is infamous in SK novels is still eerily accurate. The actors are superb in roles that they seem to be born for.
I began reading The Stand in middle school but was unable to finish it. I reread it this year and was overjoyed because I enjoy being scared out of my wits. The portrayal of the ever present battle of good versus evil is uncanny and creepy to a point of insanity. Never has anything been so wonderfully terrifying.
The movie was equally wonderful in its abitlity to transport a watcher just as easily as a book. It was an event worth watching along with other SK movies (SK Movie Marathon on USA in June). I hardly missed a moment.
Each actor/actress is well suited to his/her part. They may not have been what someone expected, but they made the character their own and played it the way they saw it. Each role was perfect in my view of it all. I was especially happy with Stu Redman b/c Gary Sinise is one of my favorite actors. Randall Flagg was wonderfully played, corny mask and all. Even with all the slight flaws, The Stand is a movie masterpeice.
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