Michael Rooker: The Original Sheriff Alan Pangborn



Michael Rooker (Sheriff Alan Pangborn,  The Dark Half)
and Thomas Beane, owner of The King of Castle Rock
at the 2012 George Lindsey UNA Film Festival



Michael Rooker is a very talented actor who has most recently been featured on the popular zombie series, The Walking Dead.  However, Rooker also has a connection to the world of Stephen King.  He was the first actor to play Sheriff Alan Pangborn in a screen adaptation of King's The Dark Half, which was released in 1993.

Rooker was the featured guest at the 2012 George Lindsey UNA Film Festival, which is held annually in Florence, Alabama at the Alma Mater of actor George Lindsey, best known for his role of 'Goober' in the classic television program The Andy Griffith Show.  Rooker is a native of Jasper, Alabama, where he lived until he was a teenager.



Rooker as Sheriff Alan Pangborn

 Rooker is an incredible actor with a resume that includes some of the biggest films in recent history, including playing opposite Kevin Costner in JFK (1991). Let's hope that casting directors will recruit Michael Rooker to star in future adaptations of Stephen King's work.

The Castle Rock Players - Episode 2

The Castle Rock Players

Ed Harris in Creepshow

Episode 2: Ed Harris

Ed Harris is a popular leading actor that has a unique style and delivery which has earned him a dedicated fan base.  Harris has a gentle approach to his demeanor, but has the talent to make his characters appear in complete control of whatever situation.  His famous blue eyes are very expressive, allowing him to capture the moment in a story, and, in the process, the audience.  Harris has played in three different Stephen King adaptations: The Stand (1994), Needful Things (1993), and Creepshow (1982), earning him a place in our “Castle Rock Players” category.

In one of the earliest King adaptations, Ed Harris played a role in the segmented film, Creepshow (1982), directed by George A. Romero.  Harris plays in the segment “Father’s Day” as part of an ensemble short.  “Father’s Day” is a short about a brutal patriarch, portrayed by , who returns to get his cake while shouting, “This is my day.”  Harris played the role of Hank Blaine, who attended the party with his girlfriend that is related to the family.  Harris’ character tried to discover the family’s hidden secret, but discovered something even darker.

In the star-filled miniseries The Stand (1994), Ed Harris played a pivotal role in the storyline, although his role was uncredited.  Harris played General Starkey, the commander of the project that resulted in The Plague being released.  His stern and indifferent attitude toward human life made him seem very callous toward the general public and the soldiers under his command.  Harris’ masterful performance helped make this adaptation a work of art.  “Is that Hungarian goulash?” 

Ed Harris as Sheriff Alan Pangborn



The most memorable King character that Harris has portrayed is, without question, Sheriff Alan Pangborn in Needful Things (1993).  Harris was the second actor to portray this character in an adaptation of a King work.  Earlier the same year, The Dark Half (1993) was released with Michael Rooker cast in the role of Pangborn, which was a minor character in that film.  In Needful Things, Pangborn is one of the central characters, and played brilliantly by Ed Harris.  He was able to show the strength, compassion, and even weaknesses of the character as he struggled to save the town of Castle Rock from the destructive force of Leland Gaunt (Max Van Sydow).  

  

What is 'The Castle Rock Players'?

The work of Stephen King has a reach well beyond the printed word, inspiring dozens of films and television specials. The unique characters and intricate storylines draws the interest of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, which is evident by the casts of adaptations of his work. Some of these talented actors have worked on multiple King projects. The work of these actors have defined the physical representation of the characters, and the actors and/or film can be named by viewing one single frame from the work. Kathy Bates is "Annie Wilkes" as far as many fans are concerned.

'The Castle Rock Players' is a profile of actors who have played in multiple Stephen King adaptations, including Kathy Bates, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and many others. These profiles will be added on weekly basis, more frequently when possible.

The Castle Rock Players - Episode 1

Episode 1: Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates is one of the most memorable actors ever to star in a Stephen King story. Fortunately, for King Fans, she played in three film adaptations, on both the big and small screens. She has played the lead roles in Misery (1990) and Dolores Claiborne (1995), and an uncredited role in the 1994 miniseries, The Stand. Bates created scenes in these films that demonstrated the best of both her acting and King’s writing. The Southern actor, born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, is an extraordinary talent with the awards to prove it. Her ability to bring physical life to these characters has won her international fame and gained approval by the dedicated King readers.

As Annie Wilkes in Misery, Bates transformed an innocent-looking woman with a charitable heart into a delusional, obsessed psychopath that still lingers in the imagination of the viewers. The brutal acts committed on the screen influenced the audience with a wave of empathic pain, and inspiring a physical reaction. This role connected with the viewing audience and critics during its theatrical run. Bates won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, bringing home a major win for Stephen King and the horror genre as much as for Bates herself. The Oscar was not the only win for her work in the Stephen King film; she also won a Golden Globe and the Chicago Film Critics Association Award. She also earned a nomination for the Saturn Award by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.

Bates played Rae Flowers in the television miniseries, The Stand (1994), a radio disc jockey that was broadcasting to the listening audience in Maine, and across the country, the truth about the spread of the superflu, known as Captain Tripps. Bates played a fearless voice of the people who faced the harsh conditions of a military-controlled society after the viral epidemic starts to kill thousands across America. Her role was brief, but left an emotional impact on the other characters and the audience.

In 1995, Kathy Bates returned to the big screen as the title character in the big screen adaptation of Dolores Claiborne. An exploration of human actions and motivation are key themes in Stephen King’s novel Dolores Claiborne, which follows a dual storyline between two similar deaths surrounding the title character. Bates embraced the role and created a character who the audience may suspect of one or, maybe, two counts of homicide, but end up praising her strength. The role, once again, placed Bates in a favored position with the critics and viewers; earning her nominations for a Chicago Critics Award, a Saturn Award, and the Chlotrudis Award.



http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000870/

Poster artwork for Stephen King’s The Stand television miniseries is a registered copyright of Laurel Entertainment, Inc., 1994.
Picture from Dolores Claiborne is registered copyright of Castle Rock Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, 1995.
Picture from Misery is registered copyright of Castle Rock Entertainment, 1990.

Telling the Same Stories Again

King Works Being Remade

Stephen King’s world is falling victim to the spreading trend of remakes that seems to be invading the film industry. With the hundreds of original stories that SK has written through the years, it is disheartening to see the remaking of his classic work, which in most cases was done well the first time. His upcoming works in production include Firestarter, Carrie (for the third time, I believe), Pet Sematary, The Stand, and IT. There are a few never-before-filmed stories being produced including Rose Madder, and Home Delivery.

In the past, there have been successful remakes. The Shining (1997, miniseries) is a primary example of the second production being a good adaptation of King’s work. The original 1980 movie, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, was a scary film, but was only a shell of the King story. The miniseries aired on broadcast television and was a brilliant reflection of the book. However, no film or mini-series can truly recreate the experience or depth of a Stephen King story in print. The real story can be found in the words and connections within King’s literary world.

It is sad to see the stories that they have chosen to reproduce, knowing that the results will not equal the original. Firestarter (1984) will be lacking the power of Drew Barrymore, and anyone that plays the role will be compared to her performance. The innocence of Barrymore, established in E.T., created a connection with the viewer and character. The same can be said for Sissy Spacek as Carrie (1976). The previous remake of Carrie failed to make a significant impact that the original achieved.

The Stand is going to be remade into a series of three-hour films that will be released in the theatres. It will be released in four parts, each part being released two or three months apart. The original 1994 miniseries was a star-studded project with excellent casting, including Molly Ringwald, Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe, Ray Walston, Ruby Dee, Jamie Sheridan, and many others top stars. Not only were these actors big names, but they are also extraordinary actors. Can a project today assemble a cast that will be equal to that created for the original?

I do not even want to discuss IT. This is one of my favorite films. I confess that there are significant emotional ties and memories between this miniseries and myself. Again, the cast seems too perfect to recreate. The brilliant pairing of young and adult versions of the characters, which is a major part of the story, made this film special. The 1990 miniseries starred popular television and film actors like Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Harry Anderson, Tim Reid, Tim Curry, and this does not even include the young actors. The special effects in the original were enough to generate fear, but did not go over-the-top. Let us hope they follow the same rule in the remake.

As far as Pet Sematary, I have two words – Fred Gwynne. Who could possibly replace him?

I would love to see a creative use of Stephen King’s dozens of short stories. There have been attempts, and quite successful ones. Creepshow (1982) is a perfect example of a filmed collection of shorts. Come on, Hollywood and other film production regions; take a while to dig through the work of Stephen King. You will discover a treasure of stories waiting to be made into pictures and sound. Just waiting to be told. Moreover, you would not have to do a remake for years to come. Think about it. Please.

Sources:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000175/

New Page Added

Hello fellow Kingites,

I have added a new page to the blog site with a comprehensive listing of motion pictures and television adaptations of Stephen King's work. The new page is located on the left side of the main page under Mr. King's picture. It is located directly below 'The Books of Stephen King." I have listed all major motion pictures, made-for-television movies, and series/miniseries. I will be adding additional information to the site about programs that used SK's work in individual episodes, such as The X-Files and Monsters.

Hope you enjoy all the posts and pages being added to The King of Castle Rock. If there is information that you would like to see added to the site, please let me know.

Tb

The Twain in King

The other day, I found myself, once again, in the situation of defending the work of Stephen King in relation to classic American literature. The person that I was conversing stated that King's work was good, but could not be compared to the likes of Mark Twain. Both are extraordinary writers with unique voices, which is heavily influenced by the respective region where they grew up. I pondered this conversation for a several hours and started making some comparisons between the two authors.

Here are some similarities between King and Twain:

• Popularity of a genre: Twain brought the American experience to life in his humorous style, which has been recognized as a genre that Twain helped make popular in American culture with many imitators to follow in the years. King has done the same thing with the horror genre. The two genres are different, but both developed their respective genre to a new level.


• Courageous youth as protagonists: Some of Twain's most popular stories involve children and teens as protagonists. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) are examples where young characters are the heroes and lead the readers through an adventure, often involving dangerous situations. Stephen King is known for his young characters facing numerous horrors who lead the battle against whatever evil has befallen upon them. A few examples of this are The Shining (1977), Cycle of the Werewolf (1985), and IT (1986).


• Multiple dimensions of existence: Though the two authors do not hold the patent on stories that cross dimensions of exist, Twain and King do have popular works that involve this phenomenon. Twain's A Conneticutt Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) is a story that involves time traveling with a twist. Stephen King has explored several different twists on this same idea of time traveling and existing on multiple planes. To find an example, one only has to turn to King's Dark Tower series (1982-2012), which has characters existing on multiple planes at the same time. In "The Mist," a novella in the 1985 short collection Skeleton Crew, King shows what happens when dimensions between two planes is opened. This discussion does not include the planes between earthly and spiritual that is the basis for a good ghost story.

I would argue that there enough comparisons between the two authors to fill a lengthy paper. Does this make them both significant contributors to American literature? Can Twain's status as a mainstay in the study of American lit be used to argue that King too deserves such inclusion? These are questions that depend upon your own personal feelings about King and his work. I assert that King indeed has changed American literature and deserves to be studied with the masters, as he is one. tjb