The always engaging Bruce Davison ("Willard") stars as struggling writer Richard Hagstrom, whose first novel was pretty much a failure. After the death of his brothers' family, he comes into possession of a makeshift word processor gifted to him by his late nephew. The thing may *look* clunky, but it has a truly otherworldly power. And thus Richard is able to *do* something about his unsatisfying home life, with a shrewish wife (Karen Shallo), and an obnoxious, indolent son (Patrick Piccininni).
Complete with warnings from a friendly neighbor (Bill Cain) who truly loved the nephew, and who functions as the doomsayer, this is a good (if not great) episode taken from a Stephen King short story. Scripted by Michael McDowell, and directed by cinematographer / director Michael Gornick, it doesn't deliver any big surprises. And yet, it's ultimately upbeat and satisfying stuff, because King, McDowell, and Gornick go to great lengths to make the wife & son characters pretty unsympathetic. Davison is solid as usual, and the rest of the cast (including Jon Shear as the deceased boy genius) likewise does good work.
38 years later, this can't help but come off as a bit dated given current technology. (The SIZE of that diskette!) But looking at it now, it's interesting to see just how far computer usage in the home has come.
Seven out of 10.
Complete with warnings from a friendly neighbor (Bill Cain) who truly loved the nephew, and who functions as the doomsayer, this is a good (if not great) episode taken from a Stephen King short story. Scripted by Michael McDowell, and directed by cinematographer / director Michael Gornick, it doesn't deliver any big surprises. And yet, it's ultimately upbeat and satisfying stuff, because King, McDowell, and Gornick go to great lengths to make the wife & son characters pretty unsympathetic. Davison is solid as usual, and the rest of the cast (including Jon Shear as the deceased boy genius) likewise does good work.
38 years later, this can't help but come off as a bit dated given current technology. (The SIZE of that diskette!) But looking at it now, it's interesting to see just how far computer usage in the home has come.
Seven out of 10.