UFOctober: THE TOMMYKNOCKERS (1993)

THE TOMMYKNOCKERS (1993) is a TV mini-series based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. As expected, it's set in the fictional small New England town of Haven, Maine. Bobbi Anderson (Maig Helgenberger) discovers an alien ship buried in the woods on her property on the outskirts of town. The ship has a strange effect on her, spreading throughout the town as more is uncovered. Everybody starts developing mind reading abilities, building strange inventions out of household items, and losing their teeth. They are all “becoming,” except for Bobbi's boyfriend, Jim “Gard” Gardner (Jimmy Smits), possibly because of a metal plate in his head.

I watched this mini-series for the first time last year. I don't remember hating it, but I definitely didn't love it. I'm pretty sure I ended up losing interest and not paying much attention because I barely remembered it. On a more recent second watch I absolutely understand why it's so widely criticized. Which shouldn't be surprising considering that King himself has said the novel was awful. The last book he wrote before getting sober, King admits that it's over bloated size was likely due to his cocaine use. I am currently about halfway through the book and can attest that while the story is interesting, it's a bit of trudge getting through and I'm not sure if I'll be finishing it. After watching it again and paying attention, I noticed some details that just didn't make sense. I was curious if that came came from the book or was the result of cutting the story down to a manageable run time. From what I can tell, it seems like they wanted include certain details from the book but didn't completely think it through. It all starts with the dolls.

I was very confused by one of the opening scenes. Sheriff Merrill (Joanna Cassidy) is showing a group of kids around what appears to be a police station and ends it by leading them into the “schoolroom” where she displays her doll collection. That's a weird place for it, but okay. Then one of the dolls, a scarecrow appears to move on its own. It rips through the stitching to open its mouth, terrifying one of the kids. This happens before we even see that Bobbi finds the spaceship. Yet it's not until Bobbi starts digging up the ship that it starts affecting the people in town. It doesn't fit in at that point in the story, unless it was supposed just be the kid's imagination. But then after the kids leave the Sheriff asks which one of the dolls scared the kid. It makes it seem like she knows something's weird about the dolls but is later surprised when they all come to life to attack her. None of it quite adds up and is very different from how things played out in the book.

Besides the dolls there are a lot of other little things that just don't really add up if you think about them too hard. Like how easily Ev Hillman (E.G. Marshall) convinces his daughter and son in law to let him take his grandson, Hilly (Leon Woods) to the hospital without them. Up until this point, they treat him like he's a crazy old man. It doesn't seem they trust him or even like him much, so it's a bit surprising. Or better yet, that Gard convinces Bobbi that he's “becoming” by pulling out one of his teeth and showing it to her. Then basically seduces her to distract from the fact that she still can't read his mind. I won’t even start on how the rest of the end goes. Apparently, there were last minute rewrites, and it definitely shows.

I would say the one bright side is that they cast excellent actors. It's likely that only reason that it's watchable. The cast amazingly manages to make it almost believable, despite parts of the story not making sense and enduring completely ridiculous scenes. One standout would be the drunken outburst Gard has at a party following a poetry reading. It's a pretty unearned moment, but Smits' performance overshadows that. Then there is Allyce Beasley as Deputy Becka Paulson. She pulls off the kind of wacky and clueless wife of the cheating Joe Paulson (Cliff DeYoung) so well. And even though I kind of hate the ending, I can appreciate how convincing Smits and Helgenberger play their roles.

I still don't hate it but I'm almost a hundred percent sure this will be the last time I watch this version of THE TOMMYKNOCKERS. However, we may be getting a remake at some point in the future, at least according to a 2018 announcement from Universal Pictures. Still in development, we may never really see it happen but I sure do hope so. Maybe this time around they can make it makes sense. Let's also hope they skip the cheesy kill scenes. The book gives both State Trooper Dugan (John Ashton) and Sheriff Merrill (Constable Ruth McCausland in the book) the dignified deaths they deserve. I'm still slowly making my way through the book and I may not finish it. It may not be great book but this mini-series absolutely didn't do it justice.