Rating: 
Summary: dances quickly through its devilish plotting like a reveller
Review: A gleefully macabre movie that dances quickly through its devilish plotting like a reveller upon a tombstone. The Devil is once again given the wryly omnipotent treatment, this time by Max Von Sydow, and the Stephen King characterization does shine through in some of the homespun acting. The script does allow the viewer in on the naughty relishing of, say, winding up and letting fly with apples through a local's window, or hacking apart someone who harmed your dog. The Devil can make you do it.
Rating: 
Summary: It`s not the Best-Stephen King Adapation but It`s Fun.
Review: A Mysterious Stranger by the name of Leland Gaunt (Max Von Sydow). Who Comes to Castle Rock, Maine to Open a Curio Shop, that Seems to have Something for Everyone but Gaunt is Actually the Devil and He also trades for Souls, Asking his New Clients for Doing Favors for Him bu Starting Trouble by Turning the Locals against Eachother and then Setting a Chain-Reaction between Murder and Mayhem but the Local Sheriff (Ed Harris) is Set to Destory the Devil before Gaunt is going to Destroy the Whole Population of Castle Rock.Directed by Fraser Heston (Alaska) made a Entertaining, Often Tongue in Cheek-Black Comedy. Which is Based on the Novel by Stephen King (The Green Mile, Christine, Hearts in Altantis). Screenplay by W.D. Ricther (Invision of the Body Snatchers-1978, Big Trouble in Little China) makes it Clever, Funny and Viciously Genuine Flick. Although before it`s Summer Release in 1993, Needful Things was Heavily Cut to Toned It Down from the Original Three-Hour Cut to a Two Hour Movie for Theatrical Release. The Film Wasn`t a Hit in Theaters, as usual, it did Better on Video. The Movie does have a Good Supporting Cast, Including:Bonnie Bedella, J.T. Walsh (RIP) and Amanda Plummer. The Performances of Sydow and Harris are Fine. Heston made a Special Cut for TBS Superstation-Adding most of his Original Cut for Television (Although, Just Cutting a Few Vulgar Comic Scenes from the Original Theatrical Cut), It`s Runs about Three Hours-Making Much More Sense to It. DVD is the Original Theatrical Release has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an fine Dolby Stereo 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD's only extra is a Trailer. Mostly Fans of Stephen King or Fans of the Actors in the Movie will find this Enjoyable. Watch for Lisa Blount, Which was She was seen very Briefly in the Original Release-In the Television Version, Her Role is much more Extended in the Special T.V. Cut. Also:Watch for Lochlyn Munro (Scary Movie, Unforgiven) in a Small Role as a Police Deputy. Grade:A-.
Rating: 
Summary: Not The Worst Movie I've Ever Seen
Review: Eventhough others have liked this movie, I have found it to be quite boring. The acting was okay, but the film itself was just displeasing to me. I thought it at least deserved two stars, because the movie kept me wondering what was going to happen next. It was a good thing I got this video at the library for free, other than paying $2.29 at my local video store. Max Von Sydow's role as Lucifer was weird. That's another reason I gave this movie two stars. I never thought that a man more powerful than the President would have listened to the people and leave their town. You would've at least figured he'd turn out to be some horrifying creature. But I guess when Stephen King wrote the book he wanted to add some realism to it. If you're going to rent this movie, it should be on a two-for-one night. Just so you know you haven't wasted your money.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book Ok Film
Review: First let me say that I'm a big fan of the book, which is far better than the film. Not that the movie is bad though. It's accuatly quite good. I gave the movie four stars because of it's great cast, good music, and great direction, but if I had to recommend anything it would have to be the three hour cut that airs on TBS every now or then. It's a good movie but please read the book, It's much better.
Rating:
Summary: Watch It for the Off Whit Humor Only.....
Review: I am not a King Fan, I have never read the books, an have only chose to watch a few of the movies. My Personal Favorites are "Sometimes They Come Back" and "The Langoliers". Needful Things would be my next choice in King drama, however it was too-ooo much VIOLENCE. It has one bit of DRY WHIT, that you can only catch if you are a Max Von Sydow fan. Listen carefully to his comment about "The Carpenters Son". You Can only find the Humor in it if you watch Max in "The Greatest Story Ever Told". Other than the needless violence, the lesson is worth the watch alone. Max is a always wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: MAD MAX RETURNS
Review: I had the pleasure to watch this movie and "The Exorcist" in the same week and could only marvel at the underrated performances of Max von Sydow in both. In this Stephen King adaptation, von Sydow effortlessly goes from charming gentlemen to vicious and sardonic Satan in the Kingesque town of Castle Rock. While in the book, King destroys the dreamy little town, it just gets blown about a bit in the movie version. As usual, they couldn't get all the good stuff in the film version (noticeably absent is the woman who has a thing for Elvis carried to a fatal climax), but writer W. D. Richter captures the essence of the book and with von Sydow's tongue in cheek performance helming the film, I enjoyed it. Ed Harris seemed a little out of place, an actor who felt he needed to bust out of the constraints of the character and become Jack Nicholson; Bonnie Bedelia was rendered pretty ineffective in trimming down Polly's role; Amanda Plummer and Valeri Brumfield as Nettie and Wanda were viciously effective, and JT Walsh did a nice over the top job in his role as the gambling fool.
Director Heston didn't get enough of the real terror of the book in this movie, but it's an okay adaptation and better than "Cujo" or "Christine."
Rating:
Summary: fun beginning....cheesy ending
Review: I had the pleasure to watch this movie and "The Exorcist" in the same week and could only marvel at the underrated performances of Max von Sydow in both. In this Stephen King adaptation, von Sydow effortlessly goes from charming gentlemen to vicious and sardonic Satan in the Kingesque town of Castle Rock. While in the book, King destroys the dreamy little town, it just gets blown about a bit in the movie version. As usual, they couldn't get all the good stuff in the film version (noticeably absent is the woman who has a thing for Elvis carried to a fatal climax), but writer W. D. Richter captures the essence of the book and with von Sydow's tongue in cheek performance helming the film, I enjoyed it. Ed Harris seemed a little out of place, an actor who felt he needed to bust out of the constraints of the character and become Jack Nicholson; Bonnie Bedelia was rendered pretty ineffective in trimming down Polly's role; Amanda Plummer and Valeri Brumfield as Nettie and Wanda were viciously effective, and JT Walsh did a nice over the top job in his role as the gambling fool.
Director Heston didn't get enough of the real terror of the book in this movie, but it's an okay adaptation and better than "Cujo" or "Christine."
Rating:
Summary: MAD MAX RETURNS
Review: I had the pleasure to watch this movie and "The Exorcist" in the same week and could only marvel at the underrated performances of Max von Sydow in both. In this Stephen King adaptation, von Sydow effortlessly goes from charming gentlemen to vicious and sardonic Satan in the Kingesque town of Castle Rock. While in the book, King destroys the dreamy little town, it just gets blown about a bit in the movie version. As usual, they couldn't get all the good stuff in the film version (noticeably absent is the woman who has a thing for Elvis carried to a fatal climax), but writer W. D. Richter captures the essence of the book and with von Sydow's tongue in cheek performance helming the film, I enjoyed it. Ed Harris seemed a little out of place, an actor who felt he needed to bust out of the constraints of the character and become Jack Nicholson; Bonnie Bedelia was rendered pretty ineffective in trimming down Polly's role; Amanda Plummer and Valeri Brumfield as Nettie and Wanda were viciously effective, and JT Walsh did a nice over the top job in his role as the gambling fool.
Director Heston didn't get enough of the real terror of the book in this movie, but it's an okay adaptation and better than "Cujo" or "Christine."
Rating:
Summary: Why don't they release the extended edition?
Review: I have seen two versions of "Needful Things" the regular theatrical cut which runs at about 113 minutes and the extended edition that used to play on TNT (which is actually better) that has a running time of about 175 minutes, the full program with commercials was about 4 hours long.
Where this version fails is that the character development is rushed and they focus more on the "deeds" than what the book does. The novel itself is very excellent and the first part allows the characters to be developed. Part two of the novel is left to the "deeds" and part three focuses on the chaos that results and the aftermath.
However, in the movie, the "deeds" and the chaos and not on the characters nor the aftermath. I think that "Needful Things" could be put on film, as long as it's a three part miniseries and not just one movie.
However, this film does have some good things about it, the main good thing is Max von Syndow's performance (although when I read the book I imagined someone like Christopher Lee). Another good thing is how accurate to the book that the "deeds" were carried out.
Some may say that this is the worst Stephen King adaptation, but I can think of a couple that are worse: Dreamcatcher, Graveyard Shift, Thinner, and Tommyknockers. This one, is only fifth worse.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie. Not so good DVD
Review: I like this movie a lot. It is classic Stephen King and good performance from the stars (Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, Max Von Sydow,Amanda Plummer, and the late JT Walsh). The story about satan (Max Von Sydow) who opens a store in a small town (CAstle rock) and started to create war among the town people. Too bad this movie has not been given good treatment on DVD. The picture is a little bit dark and not in widescreen. The sound is also a bit soft and no 5.1 audio. I wish a long version will appear on DVD soon. But if you can find a copy of this DVD, grab it. I like the movie enough to buy despite the shortcomings of the technical quality.
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