June 20 - The Stand

Here is a movie with a scene that happens today - June 20. I hope you enjoy this film and watch it tonight. 

THE STAND

At a top secret government base there is a containment breach releasing a deadly superflu virus. A guard flees with his family infecting people along the way and finally dying in Arnette, Texas home of Stu Redmond. The army tries to contain the infection and takes those who have been exposed to a research facility. Singer Larry Underwood arrives in New York. On June 20, 1994 deaf-mute Nick Andros arrives in the tiny town of Shoyo, Arkansas. [28:37 to 43:21] He gets beaten up and has a visionary dream about “Mother Abigail” a 106 year old black woman who lives in Nebraska who warns him a ‘storm is coming’. The next day the military gives a press conference denying the existence of the superflu, while Stu is confronted about his failure to cooperate with the medical testing program.  A petty criminal Lloyd gets arrested for robbery and murder. Over the next week 99% of the world’s population dies of the superflu.   Stu has a vision of Mother Abigail. He escapes from the facility and meets Glenn Bateman. In New York Larry meets Nadine. Randall Flagg (who appears to actually be the devil) lets Lloyd out of jail. Nadine dreams of Flagg and that she is destined to be his. Nick meets Tom Cullen, a mentally challenged man in a small Kansas town. Fran Goldsmith and Harold Lowder from Maine meet up with Stu and Glenn and they travel towards Nebraska. Nick and Tom meet Julie who tries to kill them. Larry, who has been deserted by Nadine meets Lucy. Nick and Tom meet Ralph and they all arrive in Nebraska and with Mother Abigail move on to Boulder, Colorado. Fran and Stu become closer on the trip to the envy of Harold. Stu’s group arrives in Boulder. They get the power restored and try to organize a new government. Mother Abigail leaves. They decide to spy on Flagg, who has established himself and his followers in Las Vegas. They hypnotize Tom Cullen to carry out this mission. Nadine seduces Harold and persuades him to follow Flagg. Fran is pregnant by Stu. Harold makes a bomb to kill the leaders of the Boulder “Free Zone” Committee. Fran and Stu have a vision and make it out before the bomb goes off, but Nick is killed. Mother Abigail returns and tells them that Stu, Ralph, Glenn and Larry are to go west and confront Flagg. She then dies. In Las Vegas, Dana who had been Lloyd’s mistress is revealed as a follower of Mother Abigail and she kills herself to stop Flagg from learning of Tom Cullen. Harold and Nadine had fled Boulder.  Harold dies repentant. Nadine is impregnated by Flagg, but kills herself. Stu breaks his leg and is left behind. The other three are captured by Flagg and Glenn is executed. On the way back to Boulder Tom Cullen finds a sick Stu and with the help of a vision of Nick nurses him back to health. Meanwhile the “Trashcan Man,” a pyromaniac follower of Flaggs brings a nuclear warhead to Las Vegas where Flagg is preparing to torture Larry and Ralph to death. The “Hand of God” appears and sets off the bomb, killing all of Flagg’s followers. Stu and Tom return to Boulder where they find that Fran’s baby has been born. She got the superflu, but recovers.

A very good story.  Surprising for its religious overtones. Several characters receive visions that help guide them. The Devil is one of the major characters, who doesn’t cause the tragedy, but takes advantage of it.   

Date given in film at 28:41

Producer - Stephen King

Director - Mick Garris

Screenplay - Stephen King

Awards - The film won the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Miniseries or a Special Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special; Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special; Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Dramatic Underscore); and Outstanding Miniseries

Runtime - 6 hours 6 minutes

Released - May 8, 1994

Starring -

Gary Sinise as Stu Redman

Miguel Ferrer as Lloyd Henreid

Molly Ringwald as Frannie Goldsmith

Jamey Sheridan as Randall Flagg

Laura San Giacomo as Nadine Cross

Ruby Dee as Mother Abagail Freemantle

Ossie Davis as Judge Richard Farris

Corin Nemec as Harold Lauder

Matt Frewer as Trashcan Man

Adam Storke as Larry Underwood

Ray Walston as Glen Bateman

Rob Lowe as Nick Andros

Bill Fagerbakke as Tom Cullen

Peter van Norden as Ralph Brentner

Rick Aviles as Rat Man

Max Wright as Dr. Herbert Denninger

Shawnee Smith as Julie Lawry

Cynthia Garris as Susan Stern

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Street Preacher

Warren Frost as Dr. George Richardson

Joe Bob Briggs as Deputy Joe-Bob

Troy Evans as Sheriff Johnny Baker

Stephen King as Teddy Weizak

John Landis as Russ Dorr

Sam Raimi as Bobby Terry

Chuck Adamson as Barry Dorgan

Kellie Overbey as Dayna Jurgens

Ray McKinnon as Charlie D. Campion

Bridgit Ryan as Lucy Swann

David Kirk Chambers as Brad Kitchner

Watch a trailer of The Stand