Stephen King Popular Book and Movie Review in Extreme Human Psychology

Storm of the Century by Stephen King is an entertaining and thought provoking film. Key points of human nature and behavior are magnified and can be easily related to the lives of most of us. This movie review has been a joy as Stephen King is among the icons of mystery novels and films. This article will attempt to bring to light certain human conditions which are to be pondered over. It's the author's intent to have the reader ask the questions of the nature of evil and the unsuspecting harbors it resides, lies and waits.

The story takes place on the island of Little Tall off the coast of Maine. Have you every lived in a small town where everybody knows everyone else's business? It's the same on this secluded island and it's a key point in the story line. All conditions throughout the story compliment the further seclusion and isolation of the island and it's inhabitants. These conditions in human nature tend to bond us one with another in like situations. Like glue it forever links the heart and souls of the community.

Personal Preparation. Andre Linoge, played by Colm Feore, steps foot on Little Tall and begins to isolate the natives through fear, murder and revelation. His arrival accompanies a massive winter storm which cuts the island off from the civilized world. The town in the meantime is preparing for the “storm of the century”. Even the town hall is well equipped with an emergency shelter in the lower level. The first human condition to point out is emergency preparedness. How ready are you for emergencies and events that may disrupt your normal activities and lifestyle? Though unprepared for the havoc of Andre Linoge the people were prepared to a point for the storm. This Stephen King gem can help us reflect upon our own preparedness. Not only are there physical preparations to be made for disaster and survival situations but also spiritual preparations. These are preparations of morals and virtues.

Integrity. The person most observant of the nature of Andre Linoge is Michael Anderson, played by Tim Daly. Each step of the way he chronicled the works of Linoge even to it's climax. Among those works that mystified the people was Linoge's ability to know every vice, every weakness and every reprehensible behavior of every last soul on the island. This was a torpedo blow to the continuity of the community because now, publicly, everyone's deepest and darkest secrets are now revealed with only the express of Linoge's breath. Everything from abortion and drug running to pedophilia and assault on a homosexual is now stapled to the faces of Little Tall.

This poses an interesting objective of human nature. To relish in harmful and devious works while dressing yourself before others in sheep's clothing is damning and is a curse. To be a hypocrite is to be as the house on sandy foundations. Your true being, your honesty, is your integrity without which progress cannot be made. Hypocrisy strips one of manhood and womanhood as your suspicious and self conscious eyes are always looking behind you. Be true to yourself at all times. Then when dark times come you have nothing to fear as you have nothing to hide.

Crossing boundaries. Group relationships and communities develop unique actions and ways of doing things. Often bound by oaths of secrecy whether vocal or intended silence these traditions can be damaging to all involved. There is a couple of points in the film, Storm of the Century, when Robbie Beals, played by Jeffrey DeMunn, clothes himself in the sacred silence of Little Tall and suggests killing Andre Linoge to the town constable Michael Anderson. In fact, at the end of the movie he actually pulls a gun and plans to use it on him. Primarily depicted as the coward of the story, Mr. Beals tends to invite the easiest avenue out of a situation and even welcomes the flamboyant and self-aggrandizing actions in a political attempt to magnify his countenance in the face of others. In other words showing off. Beals was not the only one. As a precursor to the disintegration of Michael Anderson's family his wife Molly, played by Debrah Farentino, also suggests to her husband the action of killing Linoge. This she did to the utter amazement and distaste of Michael Anderson her husband.

How often do we take the path of least resistance? It's a scientific fact that energy will take the path of least resistance. Unless we as individuals learn to discipline ourselves according to higher levels of thought and being, we will be doomed to continually cycle the process without personal progress. Without discipline we become dependent on others and are unable to think for ourselves. Just as lightning takes the path of least resistance to land at it's destination, our lives would be just as unpredictable and unstable without the discipline of the soul. Ponder self mastery and the immense benefits and growth that can and does spring from it.

False providence of self worth. Today's common man has lost the art of true effective persuasion. This is persuasion through good and correct ways and means. Today we accomplish persuasion through subversive and demeaning ways. Many do this in effort to elevate their status in the eyes of others. Without the tolerance of proving oneself through hard work and long-suffering they embellish themselves in epic climaxes aimed at showing power and leadership. Andre Linoge did this throughout the movie as he murdered one by one and demonstrated his abilities to control and influence even from afar the minds of others. He ultimately gripped their hearts in fear of him. In relation to our own lives we need to demonstrate patience and diligent hard work. As we do this our efforts, talents and worth will be manifest and recognized by those who need that inspiration. Quick glories give way to short empires. Short elevations of proven precepts build foundations of trust.

History. Andre Linoge was already successful through false providence and inciting distrust among the residence of Little Tall. All along the way calmly repeating, “If you give me what I want I'll go away.” Now he engages in the tact of force as he proclaims that he was the architect of the great mystery of Roanoke, Virginia. Eluding that the residents of Roanoke in 1587 were in a similar situation as Little Tall Linoge threatened the same fate should his demands not be met. Roanoke was found again in 1590 with no sign of the 114 men, women and children inhabiting the island. No sign of struggle and not even a sign of death. Just vanishing into oblivion the residents of Little Tall now feel the same fate in their blood.

The question. What would be your limit or what would it take for you to sell your mother, brother or even children? The utter distaste brings us to absolute rejection of the possibility, but isn't denial the first weakness through which great walls of defense are brought down because they weren't strengthened? The entire story was designed to strip the residents of their “comfort” walls of defense. These were walls of good morals fed by false integrity. Only in the end when the walls were rent did the residents sell their remaining token of humanity.

Andre Linoge came to Little Tall not as a god and not as an immortal, but rather as a mystery of the mortal journey and a physical vice to all that is moral and virtuous. Though of immensely magnified life in years, he is old and sick in his own way. Sensing time catching up with him his mission is to acquire a child to raise as his own. To teach all that he has to this child is his work that his existence might go on in the progressed mission of the child. The stickler is that the child must freely be offered as Andre Linoge cannot forcibly take one. Thus the question is posed to the town of Little Tall: Offer a child or all will die. This is the question and is just as applicable to us in relation to our weakest walls of defense.

The utter fear of this man culminated in the town's voting in favor of the demand and eventually a game ensued. One parent from each of the seven children pulled seven weirding stones from a pouch. Simply enough, from the white stones the one pulling the black shall go childless. During the drawing and after the disgust and regret truly set in for the choices they have made. Ralph Emerick Anderson, played by Dyllan Christopher, was drawn to go with Andre Linoge as his son. Ralph was the son of Michael and Molly Anderson. Michael, store owner and town constable, was the only one to see Andre for the abomination he really was and what he represented. Left destitute, stripped of all innocence and having to live with a self imposed sense of purpose the town of Little Tall now lives to cover with lie exactly what happened that stormy night and the damning choice they made.

Among his professions Michael Anderson was also an accomplished theologian. Trained in the studies of the scriptures and ancient history he noticed a scriptural passage from the letters in the name Linoge. Turned around they spell L-E-G-I-O-N. Being reminded of the Book of Mark Chapter 5 he recounts the mad man who lived amongst the tombs in the Holy Land. Jesus cast out the evil spirit within the man and asks the spirit it's name. Proclaiming it's name as “Legion” it reveals that it's a compilation of many evil spirits who relentlessly seeks to dwell in a body of flesh and bone which they have been denied due to their choices before the world was. Exact correlation in the movie was obscure but it did give that extra boost in the movie of suspense and darkness.

Whether as a birthday present or a great Christmas gift Storm of the Century is a wonderful idea for a loved one. Find books by Stephen King by finding a Stephen King book club. Find a Stephen King movie list. Films of profound thought for the reader or movie watcher are worth the time. As we learn from these stories let's apply the precepts of preparation to our lives. Stephen King's Storm of the Century is two thumbs up!