I just got finished watching this EXCELLENT movie, and I was wondering if you guys might be able to shed some light on a few questions:
What was with that whole story line regarding the demons, Legion, and all that? How does that tie into the rest of the movie?
Why didn’t the other islanders get what Michael Anderson was saying…made perfect sense to me?
If I liked this movie, what are some other ones to look into?
Stccrd
I had read the screenplay awhile back - it was great to see it actually on tv.
As for the demons - I think this just further establishes that this guy is not human.
As for the voting - most of the folks did not have kids (only 8 kids involved) and so wanted to save themselves. Of the parents with kids - I can’t be sure - but I think many of them might have (at least subconsciously) felt that the constable’s kid (Ralphie?) was going to be the one - after all - the thing had actually picked up and kissed Ralphie in the store (in front of a lot of folks) and Ralphie was given the gift in the closet of the bag of stones.
I really think that the constable knew that Ralphie was going to be the one. So the others could vote the way they did with some feeling in the back of their minds that their kids would be ok.
It is like the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson - the townsfolk were ready to sacrifice one person (even a child) to save everyone else. After all, everyone who was voting was facing the choice (even the parents) of - vote one way and die, vote the other way and I live (even if your child is taken).
From a pure self interest point of view, there is no other way to vote. From a pure - right wrong (Christian) point of view, you have to risk your life (by voting against Linoge) to save a child from damnation.
Great story, well done for TV (with no huge gore scenes, but lots of implied stuff).
If you like this one, look at some of the more recent made for TV miniseries involving Stephen King (IT, The Stand, The Shining - there are two “Shinings” - one a cinematic release directed by Stanley Kubrick with Jack Nicholson starring, one a made for TV miniseries that is closer to the book and more controlled by the author - some like one - some the other , they both have good points, probably the movie one is scarier, but I saw that one first - and Rose Madder)
Other good horrer/ghost movies :
Ghost Story
Salem’s Lot
the original “Haunting”
Rosemary’s Baby
Poltergiest
The Haunted
The Others
Lots more out there of course.
Enjoy!
That would certainly confirm my hypothesis that christianity is evil. Why would the kid lose a shot at salvation because he is given up for adoption to the devil?
I didn’t perceive the town folk as even really considering the question of salvation vs. damnation, to me the discussion seemed to revolve entirely around life & death in this world. When Linoge was fielding questions at the town meeting, I kept wanting someone to stand up and ask, “What the heck is going to happen to the kid after he grows old and dies?” To my mind, Linoge came off as more of an old testament type satan, a spiritual prosecutor so to speak.
Also, even if the kid is damned, it is still not a question of the townsfolk’s lives vs. the kid’s soul. Do the town folk have no shot at salvation? Was Robbie damned no matter what he did? Suppose my greatest sin were cheating on a test and that I had no kids, then if I vote to sacrifice the kid, I am allowing all the sinners a shot at redemption. My vote in favor of Linoge’s proposition gives a few hundred sinners a shot at redemption. Aren’t I saving more souls by voting with Linoge than against?