Needful Things (1993)
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27% of critics liked it
(22 reviews) -
46% of users liked it
(16,743 ratings)
Satan opens an antique shop in a small town and lures the residents into evil actions in this supernatural chiller. Based on a novel by the prolific Stephen King, the film bears many of the author's trademarks, such as the New England setting and the focus on regular people tempted by the forces… More Satan opens an antique shop in a small town and lures the residents into evil actions in this supernatural chiller. Based on a novel by the prolific Stephen King, the film bears many of the author's trademarks, such as the New England setting and the focus on regular people tempted by the forces of supernatural evil. Here, the enticements toward bad behavior comes from the "Needful Things" shop, owned by new resident Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow). Gaunt's shop offers an odd collection of goods, each of which happens to be the object of desire of a local resident. Instead of money, however, Gaunt demands that townspeople perform a series of simple pranks. He has a plan, and these actions escalate until the town is at violent war with itself. The residents are brought to life by a talented cast, led by von Sydow's suave devil and including Ed Harris as the local sheriff, J.T. Walsh as a corrupt politician, and Amanda Plummer as a seemingly innocent baker. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Directed By
- Fraser Clarke Heston
- Genres
- Horror
- In Theaters
- Aug 27, 1993 Wide
- On DVD
- Dec 22, 1998
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is
any movie that has the devil laughing to ave maria must be worth something
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Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)
Overlong, over-produced Stephen King byproduct. Forget it along with Firestarter, In the Mouth of Madness, Maximum Overdrive, and all the others.
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Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
Max von Sydow has some good lines, but he delivers them in an utter vacuum.
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Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
I needed to get out of this thing long before the insipid finale.
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Ryan Cracknell, Apollo Guide
Save your soul for something more important.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Max von Sydow
as Leland Gaunt
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Ed Harris
as Sheriff Alan Pangborn
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Bonnie Bedelia
as Polly Chambers
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Amanda Plummer
as Nettie Cobb
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J.T. Walsh
as Danforth Keeton III
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Ray McKinnon
as Deputy Norris Ridgewick
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Duncan Fraser
as Hugh Priest
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Valri Bromfield
as Wilma Jerzyk
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Shane Meier
as Brian Rusk
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Melvin Allen
as Baseball Announcer
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Gillian Barber
as Myrtle Keeton
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Lisa Blount
as Cora Rusk
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Robert Easton
as Lester Pratt
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D.J. Jackson
as Eddie Warburton
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Tamsin Kelsey
as Sheila Ratcliff
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Campbell Lane
as Frank Jewett
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Deborah Wakeham
as Myra
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Don S. Davis
as Reverend Rose
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Gary Paller
as George Cobb
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Bill Croft
as Andy Clutterbuck
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Frank C. Turner
as Pete Jerzyk
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Sarah Sawatsky
as 14 Year Old Girl
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Eric Schneider
as Henry Beaufort
- Stuart Aikins
- Barbara Cohen
- Mary Gail Artz
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William Morgan Sheppard
as Father Meehan
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Lochlyn Munro
as John LaPointe

