I'm a Stephen King nut. I enjoy every mystery/horror book/film he has created. My favorite was, and might always be, The Langoliers. It loops quite often on TV. If you have not seen it, go back and enjoy! Like most of King's work, it's more scifi than horror.
Back in 1996, the gifted spook writer helped produce a film based on one of his short stories. It's called Thinner. The title grabs you. Why?
Without giving away details, the unlikely hero of the film, an unscrupulous lawyer named Billy, is played by Robert Burke (who, after this starring role, seemed to go nowhere in his acting). That's him above, next to the better known Joe Mantegna. Burke's character is big...300 pounds! He likes to eat! His wife is trying to get him to diet. To no avail.
Billy the Lawyer unintentionally gets on the wrong side of an old gypsy, who has the power to put curses on others. He curses Bill. How? By making him thinner!
OK, isn't that good news for the fat man? Well yes, to a certain point. But what if there's no stopping the weight loss? What if Billy just keeps getting THINNER?
Haha! Interesting premise.
No more on the plot. Kari Wuhrer plays the gypsy's granddaughter. In one of her very best roles. she is slinky and scary as the mean-spirited image of temptation. Joe Mantegna plays Billy's gangster friend who deftly leads a revenge motif.
The story really pulls you in. It's a bizarre tale, but what else would you expect from the Great Master of Mystery?
I loved the film until the very end. Somehow, the last few minutes let me down. If you see this one, dear viewers, please weigh in on the ending.
David, you must be Netflix streaming. Never heard of this one (or many of yours). I must embrace little-knowns better, like you do. I can never find films I want to see in Netflix streaming and want to go back to the mail.
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Anyone??
Yes indeed, Valerie, I seek out the older gems I've missed. Actually, my strategy is this: I comb the film channels carefully. We subscribe, of course, to every channel that offers movies! Most of my choices come from the movie channels. Our most recent addition to our tech world is the Apple TV...the small box gives us access to Neflix and much, much more.
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