Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Nightmares and Dreamscapes Appreciation #1

Jacob1983 · 07-14-2006, 04:13 PM

Has anyone watched the new mini series on TNT called Nightmares and Dreamscapes? It premiered on Wednesday at 8pm. I enjoyed both hours of the mini series but they were a little similar to the Twilight Zone. The stories are from Stephen King. The first one was about a hitman played by William Hurt. He killed a toy maker and a package of small toy green army men and vehicles arrived at his front door. They came to life and started attacking him. The latter hour was about a young married couple who got lost in a creepy town in England. It was called Crouch End and the husband wound up turning into a cat. The cast of Nightmares and Dreamscapes has a lot of stars in the mini series like William H. Macy, Ron Livingston, William Hurt, Claire Forlani, Jeremy Sisto, and some others.

80sBabygirl · 07-14-2006, 06:29 PM

I watched it. The first story creeped me out a bit. Did they ever say why the guy killed the toy maker? I don't think anyone even spoke during the entire episode. The second one was good.

dukesmom · 07-15-2006, 07:22 PM

In the first episode, “Battleground,” William Hurt’s character was a hit man. He killed the toy company CEO for the money. As far as I can remember, we do not know who hired him or why – though it seemed like he had some sort of boss or agent who provided various jobs for him. No, there was no distinguishable dialogue, not even in the background, and while that made the story more intense in some places, in others it just seemed like a device and did not add anything and sometimes detracted. YMMV

The second episode, “Crouch End”, IMO, was a more typical horror situation. I thought it was okay, nothing special. I plan to read the short story soon to see how much, if anything, was changed. Perhaps I will like the printed version better.

I am looking forward to future episodes, both because I generally like Stephen King stories and because of the great casts.

WildAtHeart · 07-15-2006, 07:46 PM

I liked both episodes. They were 2 of my favorite stories in the books. Personally I think "crouch end" translated to the screen better. "Battleground" just made me laugh lol

dukesmom · 07-15-2006, 07:54 PM

In which of King's books will I find "Battleground?" I do not see it listed in Nightmares & Dreamscapes.

Parallax · 07-15-2006, 11:58 PM

I believe it was in "Nightshift".

seddu · 07-18-2006, 09:46 AM

There also some very interesting behind the scenes footage on Veoh.com

seddu · 07-18-2006, 09:47 AM

and I think the miniseries it is pretty good. There is also some very interesting about her into the scenes footage on Veoh - The First Internet Television Peercasting Network

Clewless · 07-18-2006, 02:39 PM

I love Stephen King. More his books than his movies. The films never seem to translate quite well on the big screen. I thought the first part with the toys was interesting, but a little slow. It probably could have been reduced by a half hour.

The second part just confused me. I wasn't sure what was going on in that town. The cat part at the end really didn't make any sense. I assume the husband was the cat, but why did that happen? If he was the cat, why did it look exactly like the cat that was shown in the beginning? What was up with his eye? I just didn't get it.

I have the book Nightmares & Dreamscapes at home. I think I'll have to read it to get all the details.

dukesmom · 07-19-2006, 08:07 AM

Two new episodes tonight. From tvguide.com's Hot List:

Quote:

It's double the fun for William H. Macy fans in the first installment, "Umney's Last Case." Macy plays dual roles in an imaginative tale about an author who copes with a family tragedy by writing himself into his noirish novel, where he interacts with his longtime character — a suave gumshoe in 1938 Los Angeles. Tonight's twofer closes with "The End of the Whole Mess," in which a filmmaker (Ron Livingston) recounts how his genius brother's cure-all experiment to end global mayhem turns horribly wrong.

And here is the relevant part of a Q&A with Livingston from tvguide.com

Quote:

TVGuide.com: In "The End of the Whole Mess," you play a character who must recount his family's history and the downfall of the human race. Seems like a lot to do in an hour.
Ron Livingston: It's a quick tell. That's one of the things that really attracted me to the project, that this guy's got to tell the story and tell it quickly. Plus, you see the effects of what's happening without giving away too much as things unfold. That sounded like a lot of fun.
TVGuide.com: Were you a fan of Stephen King before working on the series?
Livingston: Yeah, I read The Shining as a kid, and it scared the bejesus out of me. I've also read various other things of his over the years, and, of course, I've seen a lot of the stuff on screen. He's one of those guys that you'd put in a category with the Beatles — he's been so prolific, and if you can't find something in there that speaks to you, you're not trying hard enough.
TVGuide.com: There's a pulpy Twilight Zone feel to the story. Is that something you guys were going for?
Livingston: There is a fanciful element, and there's also a real feverishness to it. My feeling after reading the story — and I think this comes through with our telling of it — is that it doesn't feel like hard reality. It's more like delusions or visions from someone experiencing a severe fever. It sounds a little like a madman raving. Also, the diorama effects make it a little larger than life and a little crazy.

Ron_Beckett · 07-19-2006, 04:10 PM

I really don't like scary stuff so I would by no means watch it but the only reason I'd be tempted to watch it is because Jacqueline McKenzie comes out in it.

Camibra · 07-20-2006, 04:48 AM

There is someone on FF whom I know was working on the set of Nightmares & Dreamscapes for the last 6+ months here in Oz.

She said that Eric bana is also in a future episode. Heya Sarzy if you are reading this, which I am sure you are not for you are sick of Bill Hurt. hehe

80sBabygirl · 07-20-2006, 09:41 AM

I enjoyed last night's episodes a lot. I vaguely remember reading the second story. I have the book, but I never got through all the stories, such a long book.

Jacob1983 · 07-20-2006, 03:45 PM

I liked both episodes last night. The one with William H. Macy was pretty strange. It was nice to see Jacqueline McKenzie in it. She was cute as Macy's wife. It was sad that she killed herself. The later episode was even stranger. Henry Thomas aka Elliot from ET and Ron Livingston as brothers. The end of the world was basically happening and Ron Livingston had an hour to live. He told the story. Henry Thomas discovered water that stopped war and hatred but it created alzhiemer's which sucked.

dukesmom · 07-21-2006, 03:44 PM

I enjoyed both, as well, though I would call them thought provoking rather than strange. One thing I like about Stephen King is that not all his stories are horror stories and he knows that not all horror stories need to be gory.

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Fan Forum > General Discussion > Sci-Fi/Fantasy > Nightmares and Dreamscapes Appreciation #1