Director Fraser C. Heston’s Needful Things, at least in its theatrical cut, was not one of the better Stephen King adaptations. Tasked with taming the author’s narratively complex, 700-page tome into a two-hour feature film would’ve been a tall order for anyone to pull off, and in the end the movie turned out … fine? Just okay? It’s certainly not the worst King-to-film translation, but the version of Needful Things most of us have seen pales in comparison to the original novel.
But what if Heston had more runway to work with? Like, 70+ more minutes’ worth of runway? That might make a difference! And here’s a thing a lot of people don’t know: a 191-minute cut of Needful Things does exist, and was once shown (presumably with a few necessary edits) on TNT back in 1996. That cut has made its way online in the years since, but until now it wasn’t something you could buy on a disc in the States.
Not anymore! The good folks at Kino Lorber are bringing Needful Things home, in both its theatrical and “TV cut” formats, via Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Finally, those of us who’ve been holding out for a high-quality version of that alternate cut will get to see what all the hubbub’s about … and whether or not that extra hour’s worth of screentime makes a difference. Exciting stuff!
Here’s what you’ll get on each disc (via our pals at Bloody Disgusting):
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
- Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master (Theatrical Cut) – From a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative
- Audio Commentary by Director Fraser C. Heston, Moderated by Scorpion Releasing’s Walt Olsen
- 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Lossless Audio
- Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY)
- Brand New HD Up-Res Master of the 191-Minute TV Cut
- New Interview with Screenwriter W.D. Richter
- Theatrical Trailer
- Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
Here’s an official plot synopsis, for anyone who’s unfamiliar:
“Ed Harris (The Abyss) and Max Von Sydow (Three Days of the Condor) head an exceptional cast that includes Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard I & II), J. T. Walsh (Breakdown) and Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction) – in this supernatural thriller that’s dark, haunting and a hell of a good scare. Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Harris) has a devil of a problem: Suddenly all the residents of his sleep little town are dying… to kill each other. But at least business is still booming, especially at a new antique store. The shop’s mysterious owner (Von Sydow) has something for everyone, and his prices are always reasonable: just one small favor… eternal damnation!”
And, oh, what the hell, here’s a trailer for the theatrical cut, while we’re at it:
Stephen King’s Needful Things is one of his most underrated and misunderstood works (it’s intended as a very dark comedy, something which was lost on some readers and many critics at the time of its release), and we’re excited to hear that – thanks to Kino Lorber – we’ll soon be able to bring this extended cut home for the very first time. Here’s hoping it manages to do what the theatrical cut fell just short of doing.
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions of Needful Things will arrive on July 25th.
