Stephen King is one of the most important writers to come out of the twentieth century. The impact that he has had on multiple generations of readers cannot be understated. There are countless stories of young people reading IT before being subjected to nightmares, or audiences delving into the Dark Tower series as a gateway to more magnificent lands. When you are such a prolific and beloved author, you are going to have Hollywood beating down your door to adapt your work into a live action property. Paramount Pictures was responsible for several notable works from the early eighties to the present, and these works have been collected into a single, more affordable set just in time for the Halloween season. Read on to learn more about these five fun journeys.
The Dead Zone (1983)
When Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens from a coma caused by a car accident, he finds that years have passed, and he now has psychic abilities. Heartbroken that his girlfriend (Brooke Adams) has moved on with her life, Johnny also must contend with his unsettling powers, which allow him to see a person’s future with a mere touch. After shaking the hand of aspiring politician Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen), Johnny sees the danger presented by the candidate’s rise and resolves to kill him.
This is the sole film in the set to be making its Blu-Ray debut, but it is a hell of a selling point for King fans. The Dead Zone is such a great film with a magnificent performance from Christopher Walken. In the past couple of decades, Walken has become a bit of caricature due to his atypical delivery, but anyone who has seen more of his earlier works knows how deft a performer he can be. Walken imbues Johnny with a heartbreaking melancholy due to the loss he has experienced. It is one thing to lose someone you love due to death or a change in feelings, but waking up to see someone you love and who still loves you with another person is crushing. The film operates in two distinct halves; the first half when Johnny is discovering his abilities and how to put them to good use is thrilling. The culmination of a murder investigation really ratchets up the tension. The latter half with the oily Martin Sheen is anxiety-inducing in a different way. The paranoia you get from not being believed is felt in full force during this portion. David Cronenberg does a masterful job adapting this story and directing it to perfection. One of the best films in the set.
Silver Bullet (1985)
When a series of unexplained murders occurs in the normally quiet town of Tarker’s Mill, the residents decide to hunt down the killer. However, many of these vigilantes end up dead, and those who don’t are no closer to finding an assailant. But, when a young wheelchair-using boy named Marty (Corey Haim) encounters a werewolf one night, the pieces begin to come together. Along with his sister and Uncle Red (Gary Busey), Marty begins a mission to capture the werewolf once and for all.
This film is a bit inconsistent in quality, but edges more toward a positive viewing experience than a negative. The story itself is not one that is terribly original, but director Dan Attias brings enough of a creative eye to the production and strikes just the right tone to make it worthwhile. Corey Haim plays a character that feels a bit too wholesome at first, but he soon settles into something more genuine. Whenever you see him in peril, you are left hoping that his wheelchair (aka “the silver bullet”) will motor back to life and get him to safety. The performances from the townspeople are a bit broad, but Terry O’Quinn keeps things appropriately dramatic as the beleaguered sheriff. Not reigning it in even a small bit is the always-looney Gary Busey. His character is a major screw up, which makes it a believable performance. The practical effects can look a little goofy at times, but that is part of what I enjoyed about the film. The strongest scene in the film is a dream sequence featuring a lot of lupine transformations that looks appropriately gnarly. This is not the strongest film in the set, but it is nonetheless really watchable.
Stephen King’s The Stand (Miniseries) (1994)
After a deadly plague kills most of the world’s population, the remaining survivors split into two groups – one led by a benevolent elder and the other by a malevolent being – to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.
The Stand is one of King’s most ambitious adaptations with over 125 speaking roles for this six-hour post-apocalyptic tale. This particular project hit a little bit too close to home as the idea of a plague wiping out such large swaths of the population is more believable than ever. Perhaps it is because such loss is commonplace at the moment that I did not find this all that engaging. Sure, there were characters I enjoyed such as Rob Lowe’s deaf-mute character Nick Andros or Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail, but the evolution into an all-out battle between good and evil just did not do it for me on a narrative level. I appreciate the ambitious nature of this miniseries, as the level of care put into crafting this, especially before the large-scale productions that are more familiar these days, was much appreciated. While it did not knock it out of the park for me, I enjoyed it enough that I look forward to revisiting it one day once we are not living through a pandemic.
Pet Sematary (1989)
Doctor Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) moves his family to Maine, where he meets a friendly local named Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne). After the Creeds’ cat is accidentally killed, Crandall advises Louis to bury it in the ground near the old pet cemetery. The cat returns to life, its personality changed for the worse. When Louis’ son, Gage (Miko Hughes), dies tragically, Louis decides to bury the boy’s body in the same ground despite the warnings of Crandall and Louis’ visions of a deceased patient.
This original iteration of the story works quite well, mostly propped up by the fantastic performance from Fred Gwynne as the kindly old Jud Crandall. Gwynne is by far the best performer in this movie, and his idiosyncratic demeanor is nearly as unsettling as any of the actual thrills in the film. As per usual, the practical special effects employed here elevate the film from a modern perspective. Everything from the animal effects to the ghost of Victor has been brought to life in the most chilling manner. This film and its remake might provide the most nightmare fuel out of any of the stories in this collection. The idea of resurrection is an intriguing one, but as is posited in the film, “sometimes dead is better.” The work from the other actors in the film is strong enough not to bring down the quality of the film. The film builds nicely to a finale that will keep you on edge as you see these shortsighted decisions play out to their tragic conclusions.
Pet Sematary (2019)
Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his neighbor Jud Crandall, setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unspeakable evil with horrific consequences.
It almost feels a bit odd to have two versions of the same story in one collection, but the comparison between the two is an interesting one to make. Each film has their strong points that make them succeed over the other. Where this remake excels is the level of acting talent on display from the cast members. While Fred Gwynne remains the superior Jud Crandall, John Lithgow is just as excellent as you always expect him to be in the role. Jason Clarke and Amy Seimitz are remarkably more memorable in the parental roles of this adaptation. Where this adaptation stumbles a bit is the lack of clarity on if we are meant to be focusing on Louis or Rachel more. Seimetz really sells the performance, but her actual impact on the story is too minuscule to really be deemed essential to the film. If there was more time to develop these two characters even more, it could have made for a more satisfying film. This remake is sleeker and more technically brilliant, but the original still edges this one out for overall enjoyment.
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray set from Paramount brings all five of these stories to life on five separate discs with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in their original aspect ratio. As many of these films share similar qualities, I will talk about quality as a whole with additional information when necessary. The original Pet Sematary uses the remastered transfer that debuted last year before the new film was released, which was miles better than the old release. These films, save for The Dead Zone, have a pretty solid grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing subtle details in the thoughtful production design of each film. The Dead Zone unfortunately employs some artificial looking grain management that feels like a misstep. The practical effects of the various terrors hold up well under the scrutiny of high definition. Skin tones look natural, even with the varied color temperature from film to film.
Colors pop off the screen nicely, especially when it comes to the crimson of blood. The Dead Zone is probably the weakest disc overall, as it clearly sourced from an ancient transfer. It is nice to finally have this film in high definition, but it would have been nice for Paramount to give it a new scan. Not far ahead in quality is The Stand, which largely looks nice but showcases some specks of occasional damage. That particular disc is not given a ton of room to breathe, as all six hours are placed on a single disc. If this is ever released again, it would be nice to have this split over two discs. The Pet Sematary films look the best out of the set with the remake obviously looking the strongest due to its recent production. For those who care, both of these films are also available separately on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, if you need to own them in the best quality possible. Black levels hold up pretty well across all of the films with some admirable depth to the image. Paramount has done a nice job with these releases, even if there is room for improvement.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray set provides immersive tracks for three of the films, while providing the original 2.0 tracks for The Stand and Silver Bullet. The Dead Zone and Pet Sematary (1989) are both given English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio tracks that provide an immersive experience for their worlds. The Dead Zone provides a nice sonic landscape that enhances environmental sounds such as theme park noises or crowds of people that are featured in the film. Pet Sematary (1989) employs some active panning effects of trucks barreling down the highway to tragic effects. Pet Sematary (2019) builds on these elements even more with its fantastic Dolby Atmos track that has fun with the height channels. The environmental effects of the woods and the funeral procession provide an abundance of activity in the track. You will be blown away by the intensity of some of these tracks.
Silver Bullet is given an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, while The Stand is given a Dolby Digital 2.0 track. Due to the space limitations for The Stand, the disc could not afford space for a lossless track, which is extremely disappointing. The track for that particular disc lacks the type of dynamic sounds that you would want in a tale as epic as this one. You really begin to appreciate exactly how dynamic the track could be when you start comparing it to the lossless audio on Silver Bullet. Sound effects are pronounced on that one and are handled with ease. Both tracks do have crisp, clear dialogue that is never overwhelmed by any music or sound effects. There are no noticeable age-related issues with the tracks. These tracks are as good, if not better, than they have ever sounded on disc. There is room for improvement with The Stand, but overall the other four audio tracks knock it out of the park.
Special Features
The Dead Zone
There are no special features present on this disc.
Silver Bullet
There are no special features present on this disc.
Stephen King’s The Stand (Miniseries)
- Audio Commentary: Author Stephen King and Director Mick Garris take you through an in-depth exploration of the program from start to finish. King starts out by giving you some background on the inception of the story and getting it developed into a series with Mick. Garris has some guests pop in to discuss shooting the film, as well. This is extremely detailed, especially since the participants have to fill up the six hour runtime. Worth a listen if you are a fan of the series.
- Making Of: A nearly six-minute look at the construction of the epic miniseries. It covers the basics such as the themes of the story, the casting, shooting locations, special effects and more, but you really wish for something a bit more in-depth given the sprawling nature of the story.
Pet Sematary (1989)
- Audio Commentary: Director Mary Lambert gives a very pleasant commentary that goes beyond just discussing the technical details by delving into the themes and emotions behind the film. Lambert is informative and thought provoking.
- Pet Sematary – Fear and Remembrance: A seven-minute look at the legacy of Pet Sematary with the cast and crew of the 2019 remake discussing what made the film so impactful.
- Pet Sematary – Revisitation: A ten-minute discussion with director Mary Lambert about Stephen King as a writer, how she became attached to direct this film, her experiences shooting the film, Paramount remastering the film and more. This may be my favorite of the special features.
- Galleries: Lambert introduces the newly unearthed storyboards that are available to peruse here in addition to behind-the-scenes still and marketing materials.
- Stephen King Territory: A thirteen-minute look at the development of the original Stephen King novel and how shooting in Maine impacted the feeling of the film.
- The Characters: A thirteen-minute piece with the cast and crew reflecting on the performances and characters in the film. There are a lot of interesting reflections from Fred Gwynne, Dale Midkiff and more.
- Filming The Horror: An eleven-minute look at shooting the film with the cast and crew including a look at King’s cameo in the film, a detailed look at the neck-biting scene, discussions of the ending scene and more.
Pet Sematary (2019)
- Alternate Ending: A nine-minute ending that largely mimics the ending we got, but takes a few twists that leave things on an even more bittersweet note.
- Deleted and Extended Scenes: Sixteen minutes of deleted or alternate scenes featuring a sweet moment between Louis and Ellie, an additional scene between Louis and Jud and more. There is some good stuff in here that is worth checking out.
- Night Terrors: Three scenes totaling five minutes of Rachel, Louis and Ellie facing their fears. A condensed bit of creepiness.
- The Tale of Timmy Baterman: A three-minute scene in which Jud tells a story about a local boy who was resurrected in the burial ground. Lithgow kills it in his delivery.
- Beyond The Deadfall: An hour-long making-of feature covering the development, shooting, terrifying elements and themes of the film This is a much more in-depth feature than I anticipated, and it covers everything you could possibly want to know about the film.
Final Thoughts
This collection of Stephen King adaptations provides a nice starter course for one of the masters of horror. While most of these have been available individually on Blu-Ray, the debut of The Dead Zone on the format makes this an essential purchase for King fans. Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment delivers a generally great A/V transfer for five films at a very seductive price. If you do not own any of these films yet, this is a no-brainer for horror fans. Recommended
Stephen King 5-Movie Collection is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
