The Stand (TV miniseries)

The Stand
Genre	Drama, Horror, Fantasy, Thriller, Apocalyptic fiction, Romance
Directed by	Mick Garris
Produced by	Stephen King
Screenplay by	Stephen King
Based on	Novel: Stephen King
Starring	Gary Sinise Molly Ringwald Jamey Sheridan Rob Lowe Laura San Giacomo Miguel Ferrer Ruby Dee Corin Nemec Adam Storke Ray Walston Matt Frewer Ossie Davis
Music by	W.G. Snuffy Walden
Cinematography	Edward J. Pei
Editing by	Patrick McMahon
Production company	ABC
Budget	$28,000,000 USD
Country	United States
Language	English
Original airing	May 8, 1994 (1994-05-08)
Running time	366 minutes

The Stand is a 1994 television miniseries based on the novel The Stand by Stephen King. King also wrote the teleplay, and has a cameo role in the series. It was directed by Mick Garris and stars Gary Sinise, Miguel Ferrer, Rob Lowe, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Jamey Sheridan, Laura San Giacomo, Molly Ringwald, Corin Nemec, Adam Storke, Ray Walston and Matt Frewer. It originally aired on ABC starting on May 8, 1994.

Plot

At a government laboratory, a weaponized version influenza is accidentally released, immediately wiping out everyone at the laboratory, save for security guard Charles Campion and his family, who flee the base. However, Campion unknowingly spreads the "super flu" to the outside world. One of the first sites of infection is at a gas station in East Texas where Stu Redman (Gary Sinise) and some friends have gathered. While others take sick, Stu remains mysteriously healthy and is kept in confinement at a CDC facility in order to study a possible cure. This proves futile and the superflu rages unchecked, killing over 99% of the population.

After the infection runs its course a small group of survivors lies scattered across the country. These include rock star Larry Underwood (Adam Storke), who has just had his big break but is now stranded in a dead New York City, Nick Andros (Rob Lowe) a deaf man in the midwest, Frannie Goldsmith (Molly Ringwald) a teenager in Ogunquit, Maine, Lloyd Henreid (Miguel Ferrer) a criminal stuck in a prison cell, and "Trashcan Man" (Matt Frewer) a mentally ill scavenger. The survivors soon begin having visions, either of Mother Abagail (Ruby Dee) a kindly old black woman, or of a demonic seeming man named Randall Flagg, (Jamey Sheridan). The two sets of visions call their recipients to travel either to Nebraska to meet Mother Abagail, or to Las Vegas, Nevada to join Randall Flagg.

As their journey's begin, Lloyd Henreid is freed from prison by Randall Flagg in exchange for becoming Flagg's second in command. Trashcan Man, who is a pyromaniac, destroys a set of fuel tanks outside of Des Moines, Iowa hoping to find acceptance with Randall Flagg. Larry Underwood escapes New York and meets a mysterious woman Nadine Cross (Laura San Giacomo). Despite their mutual attraction, Nadine is unable to consummate a relationship with Larry, because of her visions of Randall Flagg, who commands her to join him as his concubine. Eventually she leaves Larry to travel on her own. Stu escapes from the CDC facility and soon gathers a group around him including retired professor Glen Bateman (Ray Walston), Frannie Goldsmith, and Harold Lauder (Corin Nemec) a hometown acquaintance of Frannie's who also survived the superflu. Harold grows increasingly frustrated at the way that Stu assumes a leadership role and at Stu's growing romance with Frannie, on whom Harold has a crush. Meanwhile, Nick Andros, makes his way across the midwest, eventually joined by Tom Cullen (Bill Fagerbakke) a gentle mentally challenged man.

Eventually, Stu's group reaches Mother Abigail's farm in Hemingford Home, Nebraska. She tells them of a great conflict that will soon be coming and that they must all travel on to Boulder, Colorado. There, the various survivors, including Nick Andros, Tom Cullen, and Larry Underwood, join with others to form a new community based around Mother Abagail's teachings. Meanwhile, Randall Flagg has set up his own society in Las Vegas, dedicated to violence and excess.

For a while, everything seems good in Boulder as people settle down to a new life. However, Frannie discovers that she is pregnant with her dead boyfriend's child, something which causes her anxiety because she is not sure whether her child will be immune to the superflu. Meanwhile, Harold Lauder grows increasingly dissatisfied with his life in Boulder and begins experiencing visions from Randall Flagg. He is soon seduced by Nadine Cross, and decides to follow Flagg's dictates. Harold builds a bomb and hides it inside the building where Boulder's newly formed leadership council is meeting. Nick Andros notices the bomb and attempts to get it away from everyone else, dying in the process. Most survive, although Mother Abagail is killed. Before she dies she tells Stu, Larry, Glen, and fellow council member Ralph Brentner that they must travel to Las Vegas to confront Flagg.

With Winter fast approaching the four men set out on their quest. While crossing a washed out road, Stu breaks his ankle and stays behind while the others continue. Larry, Glen, and Ralph are soon captured by Flagg's forces and forced to endure a show trial before being executed. As they are being tortured, to the delight of Flagg's acolytes, Trashcan Man arrives, with a nuclear bomb on a cart. As Flagg transforms into a demonic visage, a spectral hand reaches out and detonates the bomb, destroying Las Vegas and apparently killing Flagg. Stu is rescued by Tom Cullen, who takes him to a nearby cabin to heal as winter sets in. Back in Boulder no one is sure what happened to their missing friends, until Tom and Stu show up in the midst of a blinding snow storm. Soon after being reunited with Stu, Frannie gives birth to a healthy baby.

Cast

• Gary Sinise as Stu Redman
• Molly Ringwald as Frannie Goldsmith
• Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg
• Laura San Giacomo as Nadine Cross
• Ruby Dee as Mother Abagail Freemantle
• Ossie Davis as Judge Richard Farris
• Miguel Ferrer as Lloyd Henreid
• Corin Nemec as Harold Lauder
• Matt Frewer as Trashcan Man
• Adam Storke as Larry Underwood
• Ray Walston as Glen Bateman
• Rob Lowe as Nick Andros
• Bill Fagerbakke as Tom Cullen
• Peter van Norden as Ralph Brentner
• Rick Aviles as Rat Man
• Max Wright as Dr. Herbert Denninger
• Shawnee Smith as Julie Lawry
• Cynthia Garris as Susan Stern
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as The Monster Shouter
• Warren Frost as Dr. George Richardson
• John Bloom as Deputy Joe-Bob
• Troy Evans as Sheriff Johnny Baker
• Stephen King as Teddy Weizak
• John Landis as Russ Dorr
• Sam Raimi as Bobby Terry
• Chuck Adamson as Barry Dorgan
• Kellie Overbey as Dayna Jurgens
• Ray McKinnon as Charlie D. Campion
• Bridgit Ryan as Lucy Swann
• David Kirk Chambers as Brad Kitchner
• Kathy Bates as Rae Flowers (uncredited)
• Ed Harris as Gen. Bill Starkey (uncredited)
• Sherman Howard as Dr. Dietz
• Ken Jenkins as Peter Goldsmith
• Richard Lineback as Poke Freeman
• Sam Anderson as Whitney Horgan
• Leo Geter as Chad Norris
• Patrick Kilpatrick as Ray Booth
• Jordan Lund as Bill Hapscomb
• Jim Haynie as Deputy Kingsolving

Soundtrack

Stephen King's The Stand (Original Television Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album (Digital download)/Audio CD by W. G. Walden
Released	May 24, 1994
Length	46:37
Label	Varese Sarabande

1. Project Blue [1:33]
2. The Dream Begins [2:08]
3. On the Road to Kansas [3:57]
4. The Trashmen in Vegas [1:58]
5. Headin' West [1:56]
6. Larry & Nadine [2:38]
7. Mother Abigail [3:10]
8. 'Sorry Mister, I Don't Understand' [2:54]
9. Mid Country [3:22]
10. Mother Greets the Multitudes [1:25]
11. M-O-O-N... That Spells Suicide [2:12]
12. 'One Will Fall by the Way' [3:43]
13. Beginning of the End [3:22]
14. The Stand [3:46]
15. Tom & Stu Go Home [2:33]
16. 'Ain't She Beautiful' [6:00]

Casting and production notes

Moses Gunn had originally been cast as Judge Farris, but shortly after filming had commenced his health declined, and he died shortly after that. Ossie Davis was present at the filming because his wife, Ruby Dee, was playing Mother Abagail. Davis took over the role of Judge Farris.

Having both starred in previous film adaptations of King's works, Ed Harris and Kathy Bates both had small, uncredited roles in the early parts of the series. Bates's character, Rae Flowers, was originally a man (Ray Flowers), but when Bates became available, the role was rewritten as a woman by King, who wanted her to play the part. Harris plays the Army general in charge of the original bio-weapons project who kills himself after the failure of the disease containment means most of the human population will die.

Rob Lowe had been originally considered for the role of Larry Underwood, but Garris felt that having him in the more unusual role of the mute Nick Andros would better suit the production. Adam Storke ended up with the role of Underwood, where his musical skills were an asset.

Miguel Ferrer, who played Lloyd Henreid, was originally interested in the role of Randall Flagg, but the sights were initially set on actors such as Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe and James Woods. Stephen King wanted someone that the audience "wasn't terribly familiar with." After Ferrer heard that Jamey Sheridan had been offered the part, but wasn't sure it was something he wanted to do, Ferrer convinced him to take the part.

Production Designer Nelson Coates, who garnered an Emmy nomination for his design work, created all 225 sets for the miniseries. Faced with prices of $40 per stalk for New York-made fake cornstalks, Coates opted instead to grow 3,250 cornstalks as a cost-cutting measure; when a winter storm hit Utah, the reproduction of a Nebraska house with cornfield became complicated by the fact that the harsh weather did not allow the corn crop to grow taller than 4 feet.

Originally, parts of the miniseries were to be filmed on location in Boulder, Colorado. After the passage of Colorado Amendment 2, which nullified local gay rights laws, the production was moved to Utah in protest.

Deviations from the novel

Character omissions and alterations

Some characters who appeared in the Complete and Uncut version of the novel were omitted from the TV miniseries, as with already the huge cast, having the film be over six hours long, and the fact that the uncut version came out only four years before the film was released. On the DVD commentary, it is stated that the screenplay is based on the original, shortened version of the novel. However, one of the noted additions from the later 1990 "Complete And Uncut" edition is the section detailing what occurred in the Project Blue facility (which unleashed the superflu). Early in the show, Fran Goldsmith's mother, Carla, is omitted. Her boyfriend, Jesse (father of her child), is also not seen in the film but is mentioned in passing by Fran, Harold Lauder, and Peter Goldsmith. Jane Baker, the wife of Sheriff Baker, whom Nick Andros cares for during the superflu epidemic is also omitted, instead only referred to in passing. The somewhat notable character of "The Kid," a young sociopath who has a key role in Trashcan Man's journey towards Las Vegas was only added to the extended cut of the novel. The old man, his counterpart in the original version, was not included in the film version either. Harold Lauder is not overweight in the series but is instead portrayed as a stereotypical nerd.

Several minor characters in the novel were combined into one character, maintaining the plot elements but simplifying the story somewhat. Col. Dick Deitz and Dr. Elder are merged into the character of Dr. Deitz at the Stovington, Vermont Disease Center. Rita Blakemoor, Larry's original companion during his exit from New York, was combined with the character of Nadine Cross. Elements of the character of Perion McCarthy are expressed by Dayna Jurgens in the miniseries.

Plot differences

Early in the miniseries, key elements of the story are not expanded in the same way as the novel.

Fran Goldsmith's pregnancy is not actually raised as an issue until the third part of the series, long after the flu epidemic has played out; this contrasts with the novel where the pregnancy drives Fran's story from the very beginning. Unlike the novel, neither Fran's father Peter nor the baby's father Jess Rider (who does not appear in the TV series at all) are told of the news, and neither is Fran's mother's horrified reaction covered (the mother being previously deceased in the TV series).

Harold Lauder begins the novel as obese, but burns the weight off on the journey, while the actor playing Harold (Corin Nemec) is naturally slim from the beginning. In the novel, his jealous act of revenge toward Fran and Stu is fueled by reading Fran's diary which belittles him, whereas this plot element is omitted in the miniseries. Instead its when Harold views Fran and Stu together by the creek.

Stu Redman's experience at Vermont is for the most part in line with the novel, although the characters of Dr Deitz and Dr Elder are combined (with Deitz being much less sympathetic to Stu in the TV series). Although the outcome is essentially the same in both (Stu kills Deitz/Elder in apparent self-defence before making his escape), in the TV series Deitz openly makes his intention to kill Stu known, and the confrontation is more drawn-out and violent. In the novel, it is left more ambiguous - Elder does not ever state what his intentions are; Stu even has doubts afterwards over whether Elder had been there to kill him or to free him.

In the novel, it is Nadine Cross who initially takes care of "Joe" (Leo Rockway). In the mini-series, Nadine and "Joe" have no interaction. Nadine has left Larry Underwood by the time Larry teams up with "Joe" and Lucy Swann. Nadine also takes on the role of Rita Blakemoor; Larry meets her in New York, where they journey out of the city together. Nadine and Larry part ways not long after leaving the city. Unlike Rita's character, who fatally overdoses in the novel, Nadine simply leaves in the middle of the night because of the conflict between her desire to be with Larry and her destiny to be with Flagg. Nadine and Larry do not meet again until her arrival in Boulder, and thus the "love triangle" aspect of Larry/Nadine/Lucy is downplayed.

In the novel, Julie Lawry and Nick have sex and she tries to get Nick to leave Tom behind. In the miniseries, almost all of the sexual nature is left out. Julie and Nick have a brief moment of intimate hugging in the drug store, and Julie is left behind after she says the medicine Nick tries to give Tom is poison.

Fran's baby is a boy in the uncut version and is named Peter after her father, yet in the miniseries she has a girl which she names Abagail after Mother Abagail.

Judge Farris travels to Boulder as part of Larry Underwood's party in the novel; however in the TV series he travels with Stu Redman's group. However despite this, it is still Larry who later nominates and approaches the Judge to ask him to go to Las Vegas as a spy for the Boulder Free Zone - however whereas in the novel Larry's nomination is entirely serious, in the TV series Larry is initially being sarcastic when he makes the suggestion, and is horrified when it is subsequently taken seriously by the Free Zone Committee.

The nomination of the child-like Tom Cullen as the third spy gives rise to a notable scene in the novel where it touches on one of Stephen King's main themes of society repeating the same mistakes as their predecessors; there ensues a heated debate within the Free Zone Committee as Fran Goldsmith furiously argues that they cannot take advantage of Tom's simpleness by "programming" him to become a weapon, nor send someone in who would have no real idea of what they were walking into, and points out the Free Zone Committee are behaving no better than their political predecessors who caused the flu apocolypse in the first place. However in the TV series no such argument is shown at all, and the Free Zone Committee members appear relatively at peace with their decision.

In the novel, Nadine taunts Flagg about missing Tom as the third spy, so much that he is overcome with rage and tosses her off the balcony of the penthouse. In the series, Nadine slowly climbs up the wall of the balcony and falls backwards purposely as Flagg lunges at her trying to stop her suicide.

Several of the more graphic scenes in the novel were eliminated because of their violence and sexual nature in the TV adaptation. The entire plot line concerning the "female zoo" that Stu Redman's party encounters is omitted, with the relevant characters (Dayna Jurgens and Sue Stern) being folded into the storyline through other means. Of course, this plot line was not in the original novel at all and was only featured in the expanded edition that came out later. Another omission involves the Flagg-ordered execution of a drug user who violates one of the rules set up by Flagg's society, by openly demonstrating the execution in front of everyone to their horror, particularly Lloyd Henreid's. Director Mick Garris also felt that the crime spree and eventual capture of Lloyd and Poke Freeman was most compromised by the requirements of television.

There are other minor differences between the two versions; most of the alterations made for the miniseries were made to move along the progression of the storyline. The characters from Arnette are moved directly to Vermont, instead of going to Atlanta for initial treatment, for example. Nick's time in Shoyo is similarly compressed, with Ray Booth representing most of the action, which was originally split between several of the thugs who beat him up. Larry goes on foot to escape from New York City, which is developed much more in depth with the novel, such as encountering other survivors.

The miniseries does not specify what year the story takes place. It is evidently set a few years later than either version of the novel, because Larry Underwood makes a brief reference to the Rodney King police brutality incident. During the first Free Zone Committee meeting, Ralph Brentner also makes mention of a SCUD missile, a phrase which didn't enter popular culture until Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

In the end of the Complete & Uncut version of the novel, Randall Flagg wakes up on a beach on an island in another universe where he encounters a group of tribesmen. This is not shown in the series.

Awards and nominations

1994 Casting Society of America (Artios)

• Won – Best Mini Series Casting: Lynn Kressel

1994 Emmy Awards

• Won – Outstanding Makeup For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special:
  Steve Johnson, Bill Corso, David Dupuis, Joel Harlow, Camille Calvet
• Won – Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Miniseries or a Movie:
  Grand Maxwell, Michael Ruschak, Richard Schexnayder, Don Summer
• Nominated – Outstanding Art Direction For A Miniseries, Or Movie:
  Nelson Coates, Burton Rencher, Michael Perry, Susan Benjamin
• Nominated – Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie: Edward J. Pei
• Nominated – Outstanding Miniseries: Richard P. Rubinstein, Stephen King, Mitchell Galin, Peter R. McIntosh
• Nominated – Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore): W.G. Walden

1995 Screen Actors Guild Awards

• Nominated – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Gary Sinise

Releases

The Stand was released as two separate VHS tapes for Parts 1-2, 3-4 originally in New Zealand and Australia, and later as a two VHS set.

The Stand was released on 3 Laser Discs in a box set.

The Stand was released on DVD by Artisan Entertainment in a two-disc release and a single disc DVD. Both DVD versions have audio commentary and special features. Both the double disc and single disc releases of The Stand are out of print, but can still be purchased online.

In 2006, American DVD rights reverted to Paramount Pictures/CBS DVD. Paramount has not yet released a standalone version of The Stand, but has released it as part of a collection with The Langoliers and Golden Years. This release of The Stand lacks the audio commentary.

The underlying international rights to The Stand were once owned by Warner Bros. Television.

As of mid-2011, Netflix has offered its users the choice to watch "The Stand" instantly via their streaming service as well as rent it on DVD.

External links

• The Stand at the Internet Movie Database