The Tommyknockers (1993) (TV)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

John Power

Writers (WGA):

Stephen King (novel)
Lawrence D. Cohen (teleplay)

Release Date:

9 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

A chilling thriller from the master of horror.

Plot:

A buried UFO slowly turns local inhabitants into gizmo-building alien mutates.

Plot Keywords:

UFO | Alien | Invention | Alcoholic | Small Town

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Jimmy Smits	...	Jim 'Gard' Gardner
Marg Helgenberger	...	Roberta 'Bobbi' Anderson
John Ashton	...	Trooper Butch Duggan
Allyce Beasley	...	Deputy Becka Paulson
Robert Carradine	...	Bryant Brown
Joanna Cassidy	...	Sheriff Ruth Merrill
Annie Corley	...	Marie Brown
Cliff De Young	...	Joe Paulson
Traci Lords	...	Nancy Voss
E.G. Marshall	...	Ev Hillman
Chuck Henry	...	Chaz Stewart
Leon Woods	...	Hilly Brown
Paul McIver	...	Davey Brown
Yvonne Lawley	...	Mabel Noyes
Bill Johnson	...	Elt Barker

Also Known As:

Stephen King's The Tommyknockers

Runtime:

181 min | 120 min (cut version)

Country:

USA | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:Not Rated (uncut version) | Australia:PG | Germany:16 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company:

Konigsberg/Sanitsky Company

Trivia:

According to author Stephen King The Tommyknockers is an allegory for his own personal battles with substance abuse. The character of Jim Gardener is largely based upon King himself.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The Nutcracker doll's knife has blood on it before it stabs Ruth.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemania: Stephen King: O vasilias tou tromou" (2009)

Decent TV Stephen King Adaptation

The novel Tommyknockers was one of Steve King's earlier attempts to do sci-Fi, and it was only moderately successful. King fused his usual horror plot structure formula to a basic alien possession plot and added his standard strong character development. The characters were, in this case, better than the plot deserved. John Power's three-hour TV adaptation leaves most of the story intact, but drops some of the crazier and more absurd elements of the original work. Even without reading the original, those familiar with King's work will notice the restrained manner in which the climax takes place.

In the woods behind Bobbie Anderson's (Marg Helgerson) house, something is buried. Some say it is an Indian curse, some say it's a holy place, but in general, the members of the little New England town of Derry don't go there. But one day, while her recovering alcoholic boyfriend Jim Gardner (Jimmy Smits) is out doing a poetry reading, Bobbie and her dog Pete start digging. Before long, Derry starts experiencing miracles, accompanied by green glowing lights.

The casting is superb, and with the exception of an overcooked performance by Traci Lords, the acting is fairly good. Smits and Helgerberger are very good. The characterizations in this three hour long film fairly represent the original work, but the script lacks some of the original's punch. The cinematography is solid for a TV movie and the special effects are good. Tommyknockers is well edited, competently directed and fairly entertaining, but, like the original novel, it is not one of King's better works.

Recommended for King fans. Weakly recommended for Sci-Fi fans.