CBS Home Video, out now

Stephen King and Mick Garris’ adaptation of what many consider King’s masterwork…

It seems quite amazing that it’s a quarter of a century since The Stand first aired as a miniseries. The original book was my gateway into King’s writing (and eventually to writing a book about King myself to mark the 40th anniversary of Carrie) and it’s the one to which I’ve returned more than any other. (The original edition, that is – I’ve read and enjoyed the expanded version but for nostalgic reasons, that very battered paperback of the original is still my go-to.) It’s become the benchmark by which such post-apocalyptic tales are rated – personally I also put Robert McCammon’s Swan Song and now Chuck Wendig’s Wanderers up there – and within the confines of television, this is a faithful adaptation.

From the start, it’s clear director Mick Garris has been allowed to get away with more because of Stephen King’s involvement and some of the core beats that you might expect not to be in a TV version make it intact. The end is different (I think King’s original idea for the fate of the travellers would have been a non-starter) and perhaps more clear-cut than the book, but overall this sticks with the plot (at least per the original edition).

Garris assembled one hell of a cast – watching it now, and seeing how far the majority of the younger actors went after this, just confirms this. Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Miguel Ferrer, Rob Lowe, Laura San Giacomo, Jamey Sheridan, Matt Frewer and Ruby Dee are all terrific – and there’s lovely little cameos by the likes of Ed Harris, Kathy Bates and some chap called King. The effects are… well, it’s the 1990s on TV so cut it the slack it needs!

The new Blu-ray has brought real clarity to the picture (compare it with the portions from the original that are upscaled for the special features, or dig out your old DVD of the miniseries and watch!) and I’m glad the commentary track has been ported over from the US original DVD release.

Verdict: With a new version on the way, this is the perfect time to reassess an excellent piece of Stephen King–on-film. 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order from Amazon.co.uk