Needful Things has this in spades, and it’s my favorite kind of King story. The story is set in the small, fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, where a new shop named "Needful Things" opens, to the curiosity of the townspeople. Nettie is implied to develop a crush on Gaunt, and is ultimately killed when she attacks Wilma for killing her dog (a deed actually committed by Hugh Priest). Needful Things is claimed to be King's 'last' Castle Rock story (though he would return there at least one more time) and it's a doozie. It was made into a film of the same name in 1993 which was directed by Fraser C. Heston. Wilma Jerzyck: The town bully and first victim of one of Mr. Gaunt's pranks, performed by Brian Rusk, which starts the cycle. It was a late night for Summer and the devil. When Leland Gaunt opens the store Needful Things, he seems to have the object of desire for each dweller. Based on a novel by horror-meister Stephen King, Needful Things is set in a tiny New England town and refers to the name of a new second hand shop that … Summer was working a full shift that day, and spent most of it organizing the merchandise in the back, a task which had clearly never been done before. The novel ends as it begins, in first-person direct address indicating that a new and mysterious shop called "Answered Prayers" is about to open in a small Iowa town – an ominous implication that Gaunt is ready to begin his business cycle all over again. Its mysterious proprietor, Leland Gaunt, seems to have something for everyone out on display at Needful Things…interesting items that run the gamut from worthless to priceless. The proprietor, Leland Gaunt, is a charming elderly gentleman seemingly from Akron, Ohio who always seems to have an item in stock that is perfectly suited to any customer who comes through his door. Taking Polly hostage, Ace demands that Alan hand over a hoard of cash he allegedly stole from one of the sites Ace dug up. Chapter 1. Leland Gaunt opens a new shop in Castle Rock called Needful Things. Needful Things is a 1991 horror novel by American author Stephen King. Castle Rock's citizens then begin to come into Needful Things, each of t… Priest kills Nettie's dog Raider for a prank, and spirals into madness. According to the cover, this novel is "The Last Castle Rock Story." It stars Max von Sydow , Ed Harris , Bonnie Bedelia and J. T. Walsh . Needful Things is a jawdropping tale of evil in a Maine town. Merrill also appears in "The Body", a, Danforth "Buster" Keeton: the town's head. John "Ace" Merrill: the town's resident "bad boy" and petty criminal. The Faustian price is, of course, corruption, and soon the poor sheriff's town is wracked by jealousy, spite, and violence. It looks like we don't have a Synopsis for this title yet. Ridgewick attempts suicide, but sees how worthless his fishing rod is and decides to help, playing a key role in Gaunt's defeat. Welcome to my eBay Store. Free delivery in the US Read more here. | Anyone who enters his store finds the object of his or her lifelong dreams and desires: a prized baseball card, a healing amulet. The film was directed by Fraser C. Heston . Maybe the people gossip too much, but … Needful Things is a 1993 American dark drama horror film based on Stephen King's 1991 novel of the same name. Ace is ultimately shot dead by Ridgewick when he goes after Polly, his death not being noticed by Alan or Gaunt. Nettie is mentally unstable, having killed her abusive husband. The truth is eventually revealed: For centuries, Gaunt has tricked unsuspecting people into buying worthless junk that magically appears to be whatever they treasure or desire most. Needful Things has Stephen King at his best in some places and at his worst in others. He's very insistent that Crowley stay away from the bookshop, that he not try and help him. Gaunt often asks customers to perform a prank or mysterious deed in exchange for the item they are drawn to. Needful Things was a big book, which made sense when you considered the enormous amount of plot (not story) crammed into it. Mr. The devil in disguise comes to a quiet, peaceful town and opens a store called Needful Things. A mysterious new shop opens in a small town which always seems to stock the deepest desires of each shopper, with a price far heavier than expected. As time goes by, the many deeds and pranks lead to increasing aggression among the townspeople, as well as chaos and death. Norris buys a Bazun fishing rod from Gaunt in exchange for a prank on Hugh Priest, leading to the deaths of both Priest and Henry Beaumont. Little do they know, that they've sold their souls, and … Our excellent value books literally don't cost the earth. Browse through the store and I'm sure you will find a "Needful Thing" just for you! Why buy from World of Books. In addition to a token payment, Gaunt requests that each person perform a little "deed," usually a seemingly innocent prank played on someone else from town. Like “Right now it’s October, and in The Rock we let October stay just as long as she wants to. Polly realizes the evil of the charm she bought and destroys it. The story focuses on a shop that sells collectibles and antiques, managed by Leland Gaunt, a new arrival to the town of Castle Rock, Maine, the setting of many King stories. The only things I know about Maine come from Stephen King novels and the more Stephen King novels I read, the more I want to go there. Wilma is a cruel woman, often starting fights and begins tormenting Nettie after the prank. Many other rivalries begin to fester, spurred by the personal motives and secrets of the people involved. Gaunt knows about the long-standing private grudges, arguments, and feuds between the various townspeople, and the pranks are his means of forcing them to escalate until the whole town is eventually caught up in madness and violence. The town of Castle Rock has had its fair share of bad luck over the years (gruesome murders, rabid dogs and the like) but it’s still a nice, pleasant small town. Polly is turned against Alan by one of the pranks, making her believe that he investigated the death of her child. I'm afraid I have a tendency to turn up the heat. Parents Guide. However, Alan's lover, Polly Chalmers, proprietor of the local sewing shop, dismisses his suspicions and buys an ancient charm that relieves the terrible arthritic pain in her hands. Ranks with King's … And he doesn't ask much. The store has an item for everyone in town. Storyline Castle Rock, New England, is a nice place to live and grow and Sheriff Alan Pangborn moves from the big city to the town expecting a quiet life. Needful Things Summary. About this Item: Viking Press, 1991. Every used book bought is one saved from landfill. Taglines In 1993, a film adaptation of King's book directed by Fraser C. Heston and starring Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia and J. T. Walsh was released in theaters. Gaunt eventually hires petty criminal John "Ace" Merrill as his assistant, providing him with high-quality cocaine and hinting at buried treasure that could relieve the debt he owes to a pair of drug dealers. Needful Things is a 1993 horror film and an adaptation of Stephen King's 1991 novel Needful Things. Summary: Aziraphale has gotten himself into a spot of trouble with a cursed book. Norris kills Ace, leaving Alan to face off against Gaunt. The story starts out in first person with the narrator greeting the reader and moves to third-person, introducing each of the book's diverse cast of characters and their complicated histories. Gaunt hires Ace into his service, and manipulates him into deciding to kill Alan. Needful Things 5 followers anna36369 ( 265 anna36369's feedback score is 265 ) 100.0% anna36369 has 100% Positive Feedback I love vintage glassware, odd and strange things… He and Hugh kill each other in a shootout at the bar. Sheriff Alan Pangborn becomes wary of Gaunt as soon as the shop opens. [4] The 2016 Netflix series Stranger Things's title and font was inspired by the novel and the film. Polly thinks it over and realizes Alan is innocent, throws away her charm, and convinces him not to kill Ace. Summary: Needful Things is 122 years old and was born on 10/01/1898. Needful Things by Stephen King. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best time of year. With the violence in Castle Rock rapidly escalating, Ace and Buster plant dynamite all over town, using the caps Ace brought back. | Store includes many things including, Hard Rock Cafe Items, Harley Davidson Items, Disney Items, Collectible Stamps, Collectible Coins, Presidential Campaign Pins, Hummels, and much, much more! Gaunt flees the scene, his car turning into a horse-drawn wagon, and the survivors are left to ponder an uncertain future. Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow) opens a new shop in Castle Rock called Needful Things. Hugh Priest: Local drunk who purchases a foxtail from Gaunt. As the bombs explode, Buster is wounded by Norris and is put out of his misery by Ace. Hardcover. If it's too hot in here, Mr. Jewett, just say the word. Gaunt often asks customers to perform a prank or mys… It is the first novel King wrote after his rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction. What this kindly Satan sells is whatever you need, from a surcease from pain to an object which you have always coveted. However, the town later serves as the setting for the short story "It Grows on You" (published in King's 1993 collection Nightmares & Dreamscapes which, according to King, serves as an epilogue to Needful Things) as well as King's 2018 novella Elevation. Unfortunately we do not have a summary for this item at the moment. Ace begins to suspect the supernatural background of his new employer, but Gaunt keeps him in line through intimidation and promises of revenge against Alan and the town. This page was last edited on 30 November 2020, at 01:22. Tensions rapidly grow after Nettie Cobb, Polly's housekeeper, and her enemy Wilma Jerzyck kill each other in a confrontation sparked by pranks played on them by local boy Brian Rusk (on Wilma) and alcoholic Hugh Priest (on Nettie.) It is the first novel King wrote after his rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction. Enjoy! 3 likes. [5], This article is about the Stephen King novel. She later hangs herself out of guilt after taking part in the town-wide pranks and discovering that her fiancé has supposedly cheated on her with another woman. All the devil asks for in return is a few dirty pranks. Fort Wayne, IN, is where Needful Things lives today. For every one that does ("Carrie," "The Dead Zone," "Misery"), there are three that don't. In this case, the problem is that the characters are unattractive and the plot, once it reveals itself, lacks any surprises. They then become so paranoid about keeping their items safe that they eagerly buy up the weapons that he inevitably offers and trade away their souls. Henry Beaumont: Owner of the local bar; incurs Hugh's wrath after refusing to serve him any more alcohol one night and then taking his car keys because he was too drunk to drive home. Leland Gaunt comes to Sheriff Alan Pangborn's pleasant little New England town, and opens a store. Leland Gaunt is a dapper gentleman from Akron, Ohio; newly arrived in Castle Rock to open a glorified junk shop. Leland Gaunt probes the limits of people's desires when he moves to Castle Rock, Maine--opens his shop, Needful Things--and sets a high price on love, hope, and the human soul Moderate edgewear on the boards. Priest is killed in a firefight with Henry Beaumont. but for a nerve-shattering price. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. Ridgewick is assaulted by Keeton, and disappears. Stephen King has set many of his novels in the mythical town of Castle Rock, Maine, including The Dead Zone (1979), Cujo (1981), The Tommyknockers (1987), and The Dark Half (1989). Synopsis Nothing has a price tag in this place, but everything is certainly for sale. Myrtle is ultimately beaten to death by a deranged Keeton with a hammer. 1st Edition. Summary: A little crush on her boss has consequences Summer couldn't have imagined. It's a place where you can get anything your heart desires--sexual pleasure, wealth, power . Netitia "Nettie" Cobb: Polly's best friend and housekeeper, and enemy of Wilma Jerzyck. ― Stephen King, Needful Things: The Last Castle Rock Story. 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. Soon hell breaks loose in town with deaths, violence and riot and Sheriff Pangborn discovers that Leland Gaunt is the devil himself. A new shop named "Needful Things" opens in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine, sparking the curiosity of its citizens. Spring’s nice here, but I’ll take October over May every time.” Anyone who enters his store finds the object of his or her lifelong dreams and desires. The film was directed by Fraser C. Heston and stars Ed Harris, Max von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, and J. T. Walsh. Sally Radcliffe: A speech teacher and a deeply religious woman, who buys a wooden splinter from Gaunt that is supposedly a remnant of Noah's Ark. Needful Things mosvalsky. He charges small amounts to the things but requests a practical joke for each of them against another inhabitant. [1] It was made into a film of the same name in 1993 which was directed by Fraser C. Heston. Soon, several cases of violence happen simultaneously: gym coach Lester Pratt attacks Deputy John LaPointe (his fiancée's ex-boyfriend) and is killed in self-defense; Priest and bar owner Henry Beaufort kill each other in a shootout; Brian commits suicide out of guilt for his role in Wilma and Nettie's deaths; and town selectman Danforth “Buster” Keeton (who has been secretly embezzling thousands of dollars from public funds to fuel his gambling addiction) attacks Deputy Norris Ridgewick, before escaping to his home and killing his wife Myrtle with a hammer. Alan sets out to kill Ace, wrongly believing him to be responsible for a car accident that killed his wife and son. Everyone in town seems willing to make a deal at Needful Things, but the devil is in the details. Wilma and Nettie both attack and kill each other. The heart’s desire for any resident of Castle Rock can easily be found among the curiosities…in exchange for a little money and—at the specific request of Leland Gaunt—a whole lot of menace against their fellow neighbors. Further, Gaunt is manipulating the population like puppets exploring the weakness and greed of each person. The devil in disguise comes to a quiet, peaceful town and opens a store called Needful Things. "Needful Things" is yet another one of those films based on a Stephen King story that inspires you to wonder why his stories don't make better films. [2] It received generally negative reviews from critics, with an overall rating of 31% on Rotten Tomatoes. . Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Synopsis submission guide. [3], The Rick and Morty episode "Something Ricked This Way Comes" features the Devil as the proprietor of a store named "Needful Things", which sells cursed items. The story focuses on a shop that sells collectibles and antiques, managed by Leland Gaunt, a new arrival to the town of Castle Rock, Maine, the setting of many King stories. Norris attempts suicide, realizing that his prank on Priest led to the fatal shootout, but decides against it and goes to the police station to help. The prices are surprisingly low, considering the merchandise – such as a rare Sandy Koufax baseball card, a carnival glass lampshade, and a fragment of wood believed to be from Noah's Ark – but he expects each customer to also play a little prank on someone else in town. | Condition: Good. Be the first to contribute! Patricia "Polly" Chalmers: known as the town's most eccentric woman, Polly was originally a Castle Rock native but the residents consider her an "out-of-towner" after she lives in San Francisco for years before returning. Synopsis When a creepy older man named Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow) moves to a small town in Maine and sets up an antique shop, bad things soon follow. Ace's first assignment is to retrieve crates of pistols, ammunition, and blasting caps from a garage in Boston; Gaunt soon begins to sell the pistols to his customers so they can protect their property. Needful Things (Book) : King, Stephen : In King's #1 bestselling book, the master of the horror genre takes readers to his famous fictional town for one final visit. 189", "Review: Rick And Morty: "Something Ricked This Way Comes, "Inside 'Stranger Things': The Duffer Bros. on How They Made the TV Hit of the Summer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Needful_Things&oldid=991433493, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Leland Gaunt: Presumably a demon in human form (implied in the film to be, Brian Rusk: An 11-year-old boy who becomes the first customer of "Needful Things," buying a rare. Myrtle Keeton: Lonely wife of Buster Keeton. Using sleight of hand and magic novelties that suddenly come to life, Alan forces Gaunt back and grabs his valise, which contains the souls of his customers. Plot Keywords Chapter Text. An 1991 Stephen King novel in which a new store with the strange name of "Needful Things" opens in a small town called Castle Rock. His new shop, Needful Things, seems to have something for everybody. Eventually, Buster is recruited by Ace to join him in his work for Gaunt. . Castle Rock, New England, is a nice place to live and grow and Sheriff Alan Pangborn moves from the big city to the town expecting a quiet life. A protagonist of the book is Alan Pangborn, previously seen in Stephen King's novel The Dark Half. All the devil asks for in return is a few dirty pranks. Other family members and associates include Sara Alvarado, Roy Schomburg, Lisa Mcconnehey, Francisco Solis and Daryl Burgh. When Leland Gaunt opens the store Needful Things, he seems to have the object of desire for each dweller. The store has an item for everyone in town. It is run by a seemingly kindly old man named Leland Gaunt and happens to have something that each of the main characters wants. But Crowley has never been very good at doing what he's told. Anyone who enters his store finds the object of his or her lifelong dreams and desires: a prized baseball card, a healing amulet. Needful Things, Stephen King Leland Gaunt opens a new shop in Castle Rock called Needful Things. A wonderful new store has opened in Castle Rock, Maine. Norris Ridgewick: one of the town's deputies and Sheriff Pangborn's closest ally. Needful Things is a 1991 horror novel by American author Stephen King. For the film based on this story, see, "Stephen King, The Art of Fiction No. Myrtle buys a porcelain doll from Mr. Gaunt.