The Stand
September 13, 2020 1:35 AM   Subscribe

 
Thanks, I'm looking forward to watching this. But is it me, or is the aspect ratio off?
posted by Captain Fetid at 2:24 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


is it me, or is the aspect ratio off?
Watching it on 15.6" laptop using Firefox browser it seems OK, just tried it in Theater Mode, doesn't seem all that much different but might be you'll want to try that anyways.
posted by dancestoblue at 2:45 AM on September 13, 2020


King notoriously despised the Francis Ford Coppola theatrical version
posted by thelonius at 3:44 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


Better than RETURN TO SALEM’S LOT, but no STORM OF THE CENTURY. The good thing about SK media adaptations is that there are /so many/. Dozens and dozens of movies, TV shows, and miniseries, to say nothing of audio adaptations, comics, and even a video game or two. If you like one, there’s going to be more. If you don’t like it, there’s going to be many more.
posted by cupcakeninja at 4:36 AM on September 13, 2020


The best King novels took place in the 1970s. 1970s America is an essential part of what makes the best King novels and stories great.

#KeepTheStandInThe70s
posted by SoberHighland at 4:57 AM on September 13, 2020 [13 favorites]


I've seen this probably a dozen times, but every time it was because I stumbled across it randomly on TV. Until I clicked it just now, I don't think I'd ever seen the beginning.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 5:13 AM on September 13, 2020


It's not just you. Lots of short wide people in this presentation.

There exists a clean 600x458 NTSC DVD rip with a BitTorrent info hash of 7c32ecf02bb666014891f105a1f2011ed296b76e for those of us who prefer their piracy unmediated by YouTube.
posted by flabdablet at 5:18 AM on September 13, 2020 [12 favorites]


Yeah it looks like it's been stretched wide from the original 4:3 aspect ratio.
posted by zardoz at 5:19 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


The most solid memory I have of this miniseries was the special effect of Flagg's hand in the jail. I'm still not quite sure how they did that in 1994, but it always creeps me out.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 5:48 AM on September 13, 2020 [3 favorites]


Lots of short wide people in this presentation.
I just did some research on this particular mini-series -- they made a point of casting only short, wide people. It seems that they were attempting to make it timeless, knowing that US citizens were going to be wider in the coming decades, and we'd feel at home watching people who looked like we look now.

~~~~~

I'm downloading it now using a firefox extension, wondering if perhaps it can be played correctly using VLC.
posted by dancestoblue at 5:55 AM on September 13, 2020 [7 favorites]


I understand why they did it, but to cut the intro music of "Don't Fear the Reaper", kills it. This is the best opening sequence and not to have the soundtrack diminishes it.
posted by JJ86 at 6:09 AM on September 13, 2020 [21 favorites]


I agree almost entirely with I shot a fox's sentiments except there were def a couple of casting choices that were dead on the money, particularly Bill Fagerbakke as Tom Cullen and Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail.

I watched it in the original broadcast window...but I am not sure I watched the whole thing? Hm.
posted by hearthpig at 6:21 AM on September 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


The good thing about SK media adaptations is that there are /so many/. Dozens and dozens of movies, TV shows, and miniseries,

287 credits as “Writer” on IMDb, including thirty of them just for last year. Some are little-seen shorts made by students and the like; however, when you are not known principally as a screenwriter but something based on your writing comes out every twelve days, you may be ubiquitous.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 6:32 AM on September 13, 2020


there were def a couple of casting choices that were dead on the money, particularly Bill Fagerbakke as Tom Cullen and Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail
For me, the best casting was Matt Frewer as the Trashcan Man.
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol at 7:22 AM on September 13, 2020 [9 favorites]


My best friend and I were obsessed with the Stand when we were in 8th grade and and read it cover-to-cover multiple times. When the miniseries came out we rented it from Blockbuster (one of those fat double rentals with two VHS tapes) and watched three times in a weekend.

I will also admit that it was my introduction to T.S. Elliot and I awkwardly calligraphied those opening lines onto a piece of fake parchment and framed it an hung it in my room because I thought it was so profound.

AND ALSO, that Blue Oyster Cult song was so rad that I bought the CD from Sam Goody at the mall and was so mad that it was a live recording.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this tour of my awkward teenage years.
posted by Alison at 7:24 AM on September 13, 2020 [25 favorites]


I know what Trashcan Man looks like

Crazy Harry from the Muppets?
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:27 AM on September 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


For those not aware, part of the reason there's so many Stephen King movies on IMDB is that he allows students to license his work for $1, albeit with restrictions.
posted by Candleman at 7:45 AM on September 13, 2020 [19 favorites]


I've got it on DVD, which still suits me fine for something like this--something that was shot for TV in 1994 really doesn't gain much at a higher resolution IMO--it was shot on 16mm film. The miniseries does pretty well for a relatively-low-budget project with such a big scope, and the casting is mostly on point. My main complaint with the series is that, at different points, Flagg literally turns into a monster, and that's just wrong--Flagg's monstrousness is mostly in what he does, with any sort of physical abnormality mostly implied, but the miniseries Flagg occasionally seems to be wearing a rubber Halloween mask.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:11 AM on September 13, 2020 [3 favorites]


I'm still not quite sure how they did that in 1994, but it always creeps me out.

Made up the palm of a hand to look like the back? That is good.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:26 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


to cut the intro music of "Don't Fear the Reaper", kills it

Can confirm that the DVD rip I mentioned above has that intact, as well as the correct aspect ratio.
posted by flabdablet at 8:29 AM on September 13, 2020 [3 favorites]


I understand why they did it, but to cut the intro music of "Don't Fear the Reaper", kills it. This is the best opening sequence and not to have the soundtrack diminishes it.

Here's that part. Needs more cow pox.
posted by pracowity at 8:41 AM on September 13, 2020 [4 favorites]


I've got it on DVD, which still suits me fine for something like this--something that was shot for TV in 1994 really doesn't gain much at a higher resolution IMO--it was shot on 16mm film.

IMDB says 35mm so you could easily scan it to 4k. For what it's worth a fair number of recent films have been shot on 16mm and look great: Moonrise Kingdom, Black Swan, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Carol, Hurt Locker.
posted by octothorpe at 8:55 AM on September 13, 2020


Although YouTube makes the linked version available in resolutions up to 1080p, judging by appearances it appears to have been upconverted from a DVD rip.
posted by flabdablet at 9:03 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


A few years before this mini-series, Jamie Sheridan was in a series created by John Sayles called Shannon's Deal that I loved at the time and as far as I can tell, has never been re-released in any form. The show also stared Elizabeth Peña, Jenny Lewis and Miguel Ferrer but is lost in some vault somewhere.
posted by octothorpe at 9:26 AM on September 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


For me, the best casting was Matt Frewer as the Trashcan Man

wanting to troll some "my life for you" tr*mpist qanoners on twitter the other day i searched gifs for "trashcan man" and a small dictionary of other stand-related keywords. did not find trashcan man gif. probably for the best.
posted by 20 year lurk at 9:42 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]


IMDB says 35mm so you could easily scan it to 4k. For what it's worth a fair number of recent films have been shot on 16mm and look great: Moonrise Kingdom, Black Swan, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Carol, Hurt Locker.

According to this page, Mick Garris says it was shot on 16mm. I agree that it could still look great on Blu-ray (and indeed it is out on Blu-ray).

That YouTube rip has more problems than just resolution, by the way. Judging from the motion artifacts, it's also been frame-converted, maybe with a PAL source somewhere in the mix.
posted by Mothlight at 9:42 AM on September 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


From that interview:
I think there's a zero percent chance of Blu-Ray. Well, The Stand was shot on 16mm film - most television and films were shot on 35mm - and it was edited and finalized on standard definition video.
That's frustrating; they'd basically have to edit it all over again before they could scan it.
posted by octothorpe at 9:56 AM on September 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


Yeah but it looks like they did edit it all over again, since it came out on Blu-ray last September! Blu-ray.com says it looks good, except for a few establishing shots that seem upres'd from standard definition. (Maybe they used SD stock footage, or there was a second unit that only had video cameras?) The weird thing about that is it's hard to imagine that Mick Garris, speaking in March, was unaware that this Blu-ray would be coming out in the fall but, hey: Hollywood, amirite?
posted by Mothlight at 10:58 AM on September 13, 2020 [2 favorites]


My public library has the DVDs, listing a publication date of 2013. I have placed a hold request, with 3 other requestors ahead of me.
posted by neuron at 11:40 AM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]




Michael Madsen would make a great Randall Flagg.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:46 AM on September 14, 2020 [2 favorites]


Alexander Skarsgård plays Flagg in the new version.
posted by octothorpe at 5:08 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm looking forward to watching this. Years back after reading the book, I bought the audio book of the unabridged version. Best audio book experience I've ever had. I hope this film doesn't disappoint.
posted by james33 at 6:10 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm still not quite sure how they did that in 1994, but it always creeps me out.

Made up the palm of a hand to look like the back? That is good.


Yup, likely a latex base coat to smooth out the topography of the hand and then makeup detail on top of it.
posted by FatherDagon at 9:29 AM on September 14, 2020


Oh man, I watched this so many times. I feel like it was on cable a lot during the mid- to late-90s. One of those things you'd come across on the Syfy channel on a Sunday afternoon and be like, "Welp, there's the rest of my Sunday sorted!"
posted by ErikaB at 10:53 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]


unabridged version.

I am still in disbelief that this exists. I was working in a bookstore when it came out. A huge pallet of these things arrived, and I thought, man, we are going to be returning these. So back in the day, an editor forced him to cut it down to, what, 800 pages? And that bothered him enough to where, as soon as he could, he got a restored edition, with no cuts, published, in hardback no less? But it sold! I was refuted. Refuted!
posted by thelonius at 11:40 AM on September 14, 2020 [3 favorites]


Editors exist for a reason.
posted by octothorpe at 2:51 PM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]


he got a restored edition, with no cuts, published, in hardback no less? But it sold! I was refuted. Refuted!

And we are glad for it!
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 3:56 PM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]


There will likely be a new post about this, but the first trailer for the new miniseries has been released.
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol at 10:17 PM on October 10, 2020


That looks pretty generic.
posted by octothorpe at 7:27 AM on October 11, 2020


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