Desperation (2006) (TV)

Director:

Mick Garris

Writers (WGA):

Stephen King (novel)
Stephen King (teleplay)

Release Date:

23 May 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

In this town, there are no accidents.

Plot:

When a sheriff arrests a writer, a family, a couple, and a hitchiker and throws them in a jail cell in the deserted town of Desperation, they must fight for their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Jail | Nevada | Writer | Mine

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Tom Skerritt	...	John Edward Marinville
Steven Weber	...	Steve Ames
Annabeth Gish	...	Mary Jackson
Charles Durning	...	Tom Billingsley
Matt Frewer	...	Ralph Carver
Henry Thomas	...	Peter Jackson
Shane Haboucha	...	David Carver
Kelly Overton	...	Cynthia Smith
Sylva Kelegian	...	Ellie Carver
Ron Perlman	...	Collie Entragian
Sammi Hanratty	...	Pie Carver
Ewan Chung	...	Shih
Alain Uy	...	Cha'an
Trieu Tran	...	Young Viet Cong
Tom Parker	...	Young Johnny
Darren Victoria	...	Brian Ross
Glenn R. Wilder	...	Drunk Driver (as Glenn Wilder)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Clint James	...	Ted Blue (uncredited)

Directed by
Mick Garris

Writing credits (WGA)
Stephen King		(novel "Desperation")
Stephen King		(teleplay)

Produced by
Bruce Dunn	....	associate producer
Mick Garris	....	executive producer
Stephen King	....	executive producer
Mark Sennet	....	executive producer
Kelly Van Horn	....	producer

Original Music by
Nicholas Pike

Cinematography by
Christian Sebaldt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Patrick McMahon

Casting by
Lynn Kressel

Production Design by
Phil Dagort		(as Philip Dagort)

Art Direction by
Jason Weil

Set Decoration by
Marcia Calosio

Costume Design by
Warden Neil

Makeup Department
Jaremy Aiello	....	special makeup effects crew
Chad Atkinson	....	special makeup effects crew
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Kim Collea	....	makeup artist
John Paul Fedele	....	special makeup effects crew (as John Fedele)
Robert Freitas	....	special makeup effects crew (as Rob Freitas)
Jake Garber	....	special makeup effects crew
Grady Holder	....	makeup effects crew
Jim Leonard	....	special makeup effects crew
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Ben Rittenhouse	....	special makeup effects crew
Andy Schoneberg	....	special makeup effects crew
Shannon Shea	....	special makeup effects crew
Tina Sims	....	key hair stylist
Claudia Breckenridge	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Michael Peterson	....	first assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Luis Patiño	....	post-production supervisor (as Luis P. Patino)
Kelly Van Horn	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adam Martin	....	second second assistant director
Peter Merwin	....	second assistant director
David Sosna	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Terry Kempf	....	construction coordinator
Larry D. Koszakovszky	....	propmaker
Aaron Newton	....	construction foreman
Steven Schalk	....	property master
David B. Brenner	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Cortney Burk	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
William J. Durrell Jr.	....	set designer (uncredited)
Bill Garber	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Nancy Garber	....	shopper (uncredited)
Sam Gutierrez	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Sam Gutierrez	....	swing gang (uncredited)
Brandon Kihl	....	sculptor (uncredited)
John M. Oswald	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)
Steve Roll	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Gregg Singer	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Kristen Spinning	....	sign painter (uncredited)
Kristen Spinning	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
Lynny Warner	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kenneth R. Burton	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Ken Burton)
Andre Perreault	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lisa Pinero	....	sound mixer
Richard Taylor	....	supervising sound editor
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Mark Binder	....	sound designer (uncredited)
Mark Cookson	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Andrew Ellerd	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Sonya Henry	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Patrick Hogan	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Kate Jesse	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Fred Judkins	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Mark Kamps	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jason Lezama	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Mark McBryde	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Todd Murakami	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Kevin Newson	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
Brian Thomas Nist	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Robert Ramirez	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Simon Rodriguez	....	sound cable wrangler (uncredited)
Alexander Schwartz	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Richard S. Steele	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Steve Walter	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard Berger	....	animatronic effects
Lou Carlucci	....	special effects coordinator
Gregory Nicotero	....	animatronic effects
Lynette Roy	....	lead creature fabricator: K.N.B. EFX Group Inc.
Ozzy Alvarez	....	lab technician: K.N.B. EFX Group (uncredited)
Ron Colucci	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Nicole Michaud	....	special effects hair: KNB EFX Group (uncredited)
Steven Munson	....	mold/technical department (uncredited)
Jason Pinsker	....	lab technician: K.N.B. EFX Group (uncredited)
Cory R. Starr	....	special effects technician: Bisbee, AZ (uncredited)
Lino Stavole	....	mold/lab technician: K.N.B. EFX Group (uncredited)
Lindsay Vivian	....	special effects runner (uncredited)
Jenny Wallace	....	special effects runner (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Loren Bivens	....	visual effects supervisor
Aaron Cullen	....	visual effects coordinator
Chris DeCristo	....	compositing supervisor
Eric Ehemann	....	animator
James Holt	....	Realflow artist
Nicki Kreitzman	....	digital compositor
Joe Phoebus	....	digital effects animator: CBS Digital

Stunts
Charlie Brewer	....	stunt coordinator (as Charles Brewer)
Jeri Habberstad	....	stunt double: Sylva Kelegian
Larry Nicholas	....	stunt double
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wiler)
Shannon Bae	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brian Duffy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Lam	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie McKechnie	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Randy Miller	....	stunts: cougar attack (uncredited)
Robert L. Morgan	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Brendan Guy Murphy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Woods	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Miles Anderson	....	chief lighting technician
Ed Ashhurst	....	electrician
Ed Ashhurst	....	grip
Alfredo Denila	....	key grip
Ken Glassing	....	camera operator
Paul Janossy	....	camera assistant
Marty Miller	....	b dolly grip
Henry Tirl	....	camera operator
Mike Walsh	....	camera assistant
Ric Delgado	....	electrician: additional photography (uncredited)
Ron Durant	....	grip (uncredited)
Ken Glassing	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Greg Harris	....	electrician (uncredited)
Greg Hewett	....	grip (uncredited)
Gayle Hilary	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Tom Kirlin	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Dwayne McClintock	....	special aerial photographer: SpaceCam (uncredited)
Ralph Mendoza	....	special aerial photographer: SpaceCam (uncredited)
Mike 'Chewie' Pappas	....	electrician (uncredited)
Simon Rodriguez	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gary W. Shaw	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Oscar H. Stevens II	....	video assist playback (uncredited)
Henry Tirl	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Scott Blasko	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)
Michele Juskowitz	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Tina Kerr	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robin Michel Bush	....	costume supervisor (as Robin Bush)
Blanca Garcia	....	set costumer
Maggie McFarland	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Marc Pollon	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Stan Jones	....	music editor
Frank Macchia	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
David Shaffer	....	transportation coordinator (as Dave Shafer)
Chad Wadsworth	....	production van driver: basecamp
Bernice Culbertson	....	transportation captain (uncredited)
Fred Culbertson	....	picture car coordinator (uncredited)
Hal Gibson	....	driver (uncredited)
David Joseph	....	driver: production van (uncredited)

Other crew
Chad Alveinson	....	puppeteer
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor
Elyse Dinh	....	adr loop group
Cindy Franke	....	production coordinator
Jon Fudeta	....	puppeteer
Dan Jimenez	....	production assistant
Kevin LaRosa	....	aerial coordinator
Michael McGinn	....	location manager
Karen O'Toole	....	production coordinator
Liz Brandenburg	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Briana Dorner	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
James Payne	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Geoff Plymale	....	production assistant: re-shoot (uncredited)
Marie Randall	....	craft service (uncredited)
Cris Rankin	....	animal wrangler (uncredited)
Simon Rodriguez	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Zack Shisslak	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Kim Smith	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)
Scott Stravitz	....	key set medic (uncredited)
Alex Theurer	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Wendi Wendt	....	stand in/photo double (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Touchstone Television
• Buena Vista Television
• Sennet-Gernstein Entertainment

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2006) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Argentina Video Home (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• WoWow (2006) (Japan) (TV)

Special Effects

• CBS Digital (visual effects)
• F/X Concepts

Other Companies

• A1 Animal Talent  animal coordination
• Ascent Media Laboratories  film processing services (as Ascent Media)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes, dollies and remote camera systems
• Level 3 Post  post-production services
• Marshall/Plumb Research Associates  script research
• Otto Nemenz International  cameras (as Otto Nemenz)
• Steve Martin's Working Wildlife  animal coordination

Also Known As:

"Stephen King's Desperation" - USA (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and gruesome images

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

USA:R | USA:TV-14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:16 | Germany:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Denmark:15 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Bisbee, Arizona, USA

Company:

Touchstone Television

Trivia:

In Johnny Marinville's (Tom Skerritt) flashback to Vietnam, the club that he flees just before the explosion was built into an empty storefront on Tucson's Congress Street. It's directly across from the Hotel Congress, where John Dillinger and his gang were based when they were in Tucson. As of September 2006 the storefront remains empty and boarded up.

Goofs:

Continuity: After David shot the dog, he stands up and walks towards the door. The gun is clearly on the other side on the floor. A second later he holds it in his hands again.

Quotes:

Collie Entragian:Don't worry about me. I've got eyes in the back of my head. You'll do well to remember that.

Movie Connections:

References Dracula (1931)

Soundtrack:

Good Lovin

For anyone who read the book before seeing the movie.

Besides a mediocre performance from Tom Skeritt this adaptation of Steven Kings 600+ page novel is up to par with some of his best big screen productions. Each scene is expertly crafted right out of the pages of Desperation (probably due to the fact that King wrote the screenplay). The police precinct including the desk and each cell seemed as if it were pulled straight from the novel itself. The characters appearances and each detail down to the smiley face on the bag of marijuana that lands Peter and Mary in the slammer were constructed with sheer perfection. If you read the book you'll notice that they changed little things to get with the times, like the hitchhikers shirt instead of being Pete Tesh is Bob Dylan, and there's a small reference towards the end to Donald Rumsfeld and Adam Sandler.

When I saw that there was going to be a TV movie version of this book I was worried because of the graphic sequences needed to do Desperation justice. I was not disappointed. The animal sequences were the most impressive, with vultures and dogs standing as an animal army together. The scene where the dogs line the road for miles was one of the eeriest animal sequences King has ever incorporated in a film (Others including: Cujo, The Night Flyer, etc.).

In my opinion no one was more suited for the role of Collie Entragian than Ron Perlman, he gave the best performance in the entire production in my opinion (not to insult Steven Webber). Though Tom Skeritt wasn't as good as he could have been, he was still the perfect person for his role. Skeritt just didn't come off as an asshole as well as he should have. Everyone else was good, down to the Chinese actors who had absolutely no lines.

In summary if you read the book you will like this movie the only thing that wasn't in the movie was the tree-house that David went to in his mind (not necessarily a bad thing). The director did great job of filling in the viewer on loose ends throughout the film, and it is a strict adaptation of the novel. I've heard critics comment on his use of left wing ideology in this screenplay but I have no idea what they're talking about, maybe I'm just not politically coherent enough to understand, but I feel that the movie deserves the recognition as a horror movie over that of political satire.

Thank you so much for reading my opinion I appreciate you taking the time of day to observe what I have to say.