Needful Things (1993) Revisited – Horror Movie Review

Last week, an episode of our video series The Black Sheep (released under the Revisited banner) took a look at the 1995 Stephen King adaptation The Mangler. This week, a new episode of The Black Sheep has come along to dig into another King adaptation from the ’90s, Needful Things (watch it HERE). While a lot of fans think The Mangler was flat-out bad, Needful Things was better received – you just don’t hear about it that often. In the video embedded above, you’ll find out why we feel Needful Things deserves more positive attention.

There are two versions of Needful Things, the 2 hour theatrical cut and a 3 hour version that airs only on TBS and really needs to get a proper home video release. The film was directed by Fraser C. Heston (the son of Charlton Heston) from a screenplay by Buckaroo Banzai director / Big Trouble in Little China writer W.D. Richter. Here’s the synopsis:

When a creepy older man named Leland Gaunt moves to a small town in Maine and sets up an antique shop, bad things soon follow. Gaunt has the remarkable ability of selling people exactly what they want most, but his ideal purchases come at a price that involves more than just money. Through Gaunt’s manipulation, the citizens of the town gradually turn on one another, resulting in violence that Sheriff Alan Pangborn struggles to contain.

The film stars Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, Amanda Plummer, J.T. Walsh, and Ray McKinnon.

The Black Sheep series features

different takes on horror films that the masses or/and critics didn’t care for but that we found merit in. We defend horror movies that deserve more love!

The Needful Things episode of The Black Sheep was Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Brandon Nally, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

A few of the previous episodes of The Black Sheep can be seen below. To see more, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!