Product Description

The terrifying tale of a town beseiged by evil. The inhabitants of a picturesque sleepy little town on a small island off the coast of main find themselves completely cut off from the rest of the world when they are hit by the worst storm of the century. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 03/22/2005 Starring: Tim Daly Colm Feore Run time: 248 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Craig R. Baxley

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4765 in DVD
• Brand: Lions Gate
• Released on: 1999-06-22
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 256 minutes

Amazon.com
"Give me what I want and I'll go away," demands the black-eyed, stocking-capped stranger Linoge (Colm Feore), who appears in a quiet island community on the verge of the worst storm in decades and brutally bludgeons an old lady to death. Tim Daly, the town sheriff and voice of reason and moral strength, locks up the quiet madman, but the deaths pile up as Linoge acts them out from his cell like a murderous mime pulling psychic strings. Stephen King, whose original teleplay is his best work for the screen since The Stand, transforms the sleepy burg into a Peyton Place of guilty secrets and criminal activity ripped from under a blanket of small town normality while the white-out of the snowstorm completely cuts them off from civilization. Director Craig R. Baxley nicely maintains an icy tension while the waiting game goes on, perhaps a little too long, before Linoge finally reveals "what he wants" and the drama turns into a struggle for man's soul in miniature. The more ambitious special effects and set pieces sometimes disappoint but are more than made up for in King's knack for turning the mundane into the macabre (the children's song "I'm a Little Teapot" has never sounded more sinister) and a few brilliantly realized sequences, the best of which occurs when townspeople are literally yanked out of existence while watching the storm. Storm of the Century is one of the most successful translations of King's brand of horror to the screen. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

King's Confusing Morality Play...
Stephen King's "Storm of the Century" is a good flick. Yet many King fans will attempt to associate it or transpose this work - don't bother. This movie is NOT based on any of his, or Bachman, books. Instead, this is King's evolvolution into a a very visual movie producer attempting to unbind himself from his book writing persona. He accomplishes this grand task in "Storm of the Century."

Based on a Maine island preparing for the snow storm of the century in 1989, the movie is based on a stranger, Andre Linoge, who kills a elderly woman for no evident reason. Then, he escalates into a bizarre evil force that captivates a small Maine island whos occupants have a hard time dealing with the truth. Mr. Linoge seems to know every evil act committed by the island's occupants: cheating, lying, bodily harm, and adultery. Instead, they seem oddly comfortable living in denial. "Give Me What I Want And I Will Leave" is the ongoing testement for Mr. Linoge. His methodology for death, with the help of his murderous cane, is often pointless and grotesque at times. The significance of this cane is never mentioned. Yet I was very pleased and quite surprised by Mr. King's ability to develop his characters so deeply. The Constable, played by Tim Daly, is wonderfully acted and developed. In "Storm," viewers quickly become familiar with the many Islanders only after the first hour. The unfortunate problem is that King doesn't develop the antagonist, Andre Linoge (great acting by Colm Feore!), no where nearly as some would have liked. Instead, throughout half of "Storm," you'll find Linoge's character sits and stares. When Linoge does speak, it shows wasted time on and underdeveloped character.

The ending is both vivid yet a letdown. Mr. Linoge's whole intent seems overkill while the Islanders reactions often understated. I think viewers will either love or hate it. Either way, viewers will enjoy the beautiful scenery, vivid photography, and colorful charecters in "Storm of the Century."

Captivating
This movie takes place in a small town isolated on an Island off Maine. And as the title suggest, it is hit by the worse storm ever. Snow so thick it is hard to see through and wind so strong that the waves of the ocean start to claim buildings. This alone would make for an exciting adventure movie. But of course King gives us more. A truly supernatural villain comes to town and knows everyone secrets. He starts to kill them off and keeps asking to be given `what he wants." As we watch the movie we are trying to figure out what he wants...and also wondering why the villagers do not give it to them.

The movie is suspenseful. And the acting is great. Everyone in this movie acts well, including the children. Of course the best is Colm Feore as the villain Andre Linge, and Tim Daly as the town Constable Michael Anderson. Better then most movies made today.
Only thing I would have added, is for a book to have been written.

Don't watch it in the dark!
Storm of the century is one of the creepiest movies I have ever seen. This four and one-half hour long Stephen King story will keep you rivited to the edge of your seat. It is a story- as are many of Stephen King's works- of what happens to the citizens of a small town when an evil force enters their community. In this case, it happens during the snow "storm of the century". The film created such a chilling atmosphere that I found myself turning the heat up and fixing a cup of hot chocolate just to warm up. You will also find yourself watching this film in one sitting because you simply must find out what the villian means when he says, "Just give me what I want, and I will go away".
Tim Daly is excellent in his role as the town constable, but he is working with a first-rate case that were well selected for their parts: from the villian to the town manager's bully of a son, each actor appears well suited to the role they play.
See Storm of the Century.. but not at night, and not when you're all alone...especially not if it's snowing..