Storm of the Century
Encyclopedia
Storm of the Century, alternatively known as Stephen King's Storm of the Century, is a 1999 horror
TV miniseries
written by Stephen King
and directed by Craig R. Baxley
. Unlike many other King mini-series, Storm of the Century was not based upon a Stephen King novel - King wrote it as a screenplay from the beginning. He later published the original version of the screenplay.
hits the fictional small town of Little Tall Island (also the setting of King's novel Dolores Claiborne
) off the coast of Maine
. This storm is so powerful that all access off the island is blocked, and no one is able to leave the island until the storm is over. While trying to deal with the storm, tragedy strikes when one of the town's residents is brutally murdered by Andre Linoge (Colm Feore
), a menacing stranger who appears to know the town member's darkest secrets, and who gives no hint of his motives other than the cryptic statement "Give me what I want, and I'll go away."
Linoge is imprisoned in the town's holding cell by part-time constable Michael Anderson (Timothy Daly
), but it becomes clear that his ability to affect the town for ill is not inhibited as he sows supernatural terror in the town's populace through strange suicides and terrifying dreams. After escaping from the cell, Linoge's campaign of terror culminates in an enchantment that places all eight of the town's small children into unconsciousness. It's only then that Linoge reveals the reason why he has come into their town.
What Linoge desires is an heir, one of the eight children he has enchanted. He reveals his true form (an impossibly ancient, dying man), explains that he is not immortal, and needs someone to carry on his "work" once he can no longer do it himself. He states that "in matters such as this" he can not simply take the child he desires, but he can punish. If the town refuses his request, he threatens to force them to march into the sea two-by-two, as he claims to have done at Roanoke
, Virginia centuries before. With that, he leaves them with one hour to make their decision.
Although Michael Anderson begs the town to refuse Linoge's request, appealing to their common decency, his arguments fall on deaf ears. All of the townspeople except him vote to give Linoge what he desires. Linoge is deeply pleased at this choice, and has each parent draw one of eight "weirding stones" from a sack. The parent who draws the single black stone is the parent whose child will be taken, and that child turns out to be Ralph Anderson, the young son of Mike and Molly Anderson, and the child hinted to be favored by Linoge throughout the series. With a contemptuous thank you to the town, and a remark to Mike Anderson that Ralph will eventually come to call him "father", Linoge flies off into the night with his prodigy.
Most of the film's epilogue is narrated by Mike Anderson, as he explains how he leaves Little Tall and his wife behind along with the town's secret. He ultimately ends up as a Federal Marshal working in San Francisco, where he attempts to move on from the storm. Other Little Tall townsfolk are not so lucky, with several committing suicide over the ensuing years. Molly ends up married to Alton Hatcher after Hatch's wife Melinda suddenly dies after a long period of depression. However, Linoge is not finished with Mike Anderson. Years after the storm, Mike is loading groceries into his car when an old man and a teenage boy walk by, humming Linoge's favorite tune ("I'm a little teapot"). The boy looks strangely familiar to Mike, and he realizes that it is his son, now corrupted by Linoge. He chases after them into an alley, but they're gone.
Mike considers telling Molly about what he saw, but ultimately decides against it. His final thoughts are that sometimes, he thinks that was the wrong decision, "but in daylight, I know better."
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
TV miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
written by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
and directed by Craig R. Baxley
Craig R. Baxley
Craig Redding Baxley is an American actor, director and stunt performer. He is best known for his work in the action and thriller genres....
. Unlike many other King mini-series, Storm of the Century was not based upon a Stephen King novel - King wrote it as a screenplay from the beginning. He later published the original version of the screenplay.
Plot
A very powerful blizzardBlizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
hits the fictional small town of Little Tall Island (also the setting of King's novel Dolores Claiborne
Dolores Claiborne
Dolores Claiborne is a 1992 psychological thriller novel by Stephen King. The novel is narrated by the title character. Atypically for a King novel, it has no chapters, double-spacing between paragraphs, or other section breaks; thus the text is a single continuous narrative which reads like a...
) off the coast of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. This storm is so powerful that all access off the island is blocked, and no one is able to leave the island until the storm is over. While trying to deal with the storm, tragedy strikes when one of the town's residents is brutally murdered by Andre Linoge (Colm Feore
Colm Feore
Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
), a menacing stranger who appears to know the town member's darkest secrets, and who gives no hint of his motives other than the cryptic statement "Give me what I want, and I'll go away."
Linoge is imprisoned in the town's holding cell by part-time constable Michael Anderson (Timothy Daly
Timothy Daly
James Timothy "Tim" Daly is an American stage, screen and voice actor, director and producer. He is best known for his television role as Joe Hackett on the NBC sitcom Wings and for his voice role as Superman/Clark Kent in Superman: The Animated Series, as well as his recurring role of the...
), but it becomes clear that his ability to affect the town for ill is not inhibited as he sows supernatural terror in the town's populace through strange suicides and terrifying dreams. After escaping from the cell, Linoge's campaign of terror culminates in an enchantment that places all eight of the town's small children into unconsciousness. It's only then that Linoge reveals the reason why he has come into their town.
What Linoge desires is an heir, one of the eight children he has enchanted. He reveals his true form (an impossibly ancient, dying man), explains that he is not immortal, and needs someone to carry on his "work" once he can no longer do it himself. He states that "in matters such as this" he can not simply take the child he desires, but he can punish. If the town refuses his request, he threatens to force them to march into the sea two-by-two, as he claims to have done at Roanoke
Roanoke
Roanoke may refer to:*Roanoke , Carolina Algonquian-speaking tribe in eastern North Carolina*Roanoke , an American ship *Roanoke Colony, a former English colony that mysteriously disappeared...
, Virginia centuries before. With that, he leaves them with one hour to make their decision.
Although Michael Anderson begs the town to refuse Linoge's request, appealing to their common decency, his arguments fall on deaf ears. All of the townspeople except him vote to give Linoge what he desires. Linoge is deeply pleased at this choice, and has each parent draw one of eight "weirding stones" from a sack. The parent who draws the single black stone is the parent whose child will be taken, and that child turns out to be Ralph Anderson, the young son of Mike and Molly Anderson, and the child hinted to be favored by Linoge throughout the series. With a contemptuous thank you to the town, and a remark to Mike Anderson that Ralph will eventually come to call him "father", Linoge flies off into the night with his prodigy.
Most of the film's epilogue is narrated by Mike Anderson, as he explains how he leaves Little Tall and his wife behind along with the town's secret. He ultimately ends up as a Federal Marshal working in San Francisco, where he attempts to move on from the storm. Other Little Tall townsfolk are not so lucky, with several committing suicide over the ensuing years. Molly ends up married to Alton Hatcher after Hatch's wife Melinda suddenly dies after a long period of depression. However, Linoge is not finished with Mike Anderson. Years after the storm, Mike is loading groceries into his car when an old man and a teenage boy walk by, humming Linoge's favorite tune ("I'm a little teapot"). The boy looks strangely familiar to Mike, and he realizes that it is his son, now corrupted by Linoge. He chases after them into an alley, but they're gone.
Mike considers telling Molly about what he saw, but ultimately decides against it. His final thoughts are that sometimes, he thinks that was the wrong decision, "but in daylight, I know better."