Hello Halloween week friends! Slick Dungeon here and I am back to review yet another terrifying Stephen King story. This one is a mini-series which is a rare instance of King’s work appearing on screen before it did in print. King himself wrote the script for Storm of the Century which tells the tale of a powerful storm on a small island that brings in something much more sinister than bad weather. There will be spoilers in this review so if that bothers you, lock your doors, gather your supplies, and batten down the hatches, watch the movie, and watch out for anyone carrying a cane, then come on back here to read the review!

Storm of the Century background

In 1996, Stephen King had a story he knew he wanted to tell. But he wasn’t sure if it should be a book or a screenplay. It involved a blizzard overtaking a fictional island off the coast of Maine called Little Tall Island. This is a small island community where everyone knows one another but just as the storm hits, a violent murder happens and a new person comes to the island.

Deciding to compromise, King wrote what he called, “a novel for television.” And it made for a pretty good novel too, published by Pocket Books just before the show aired.

Director Mike Flanagan has said this show was a major influence on a show he directed called Midnight Mass. The two stories do share much in common, with themes of philosophy, religion, and morally gray choices appearing in both projects.

Why is this one so enduring? Let’s find out.

The Storm of the Century arrives

The community of Little Tall Island, Maine is preparing for a blizzard. It’s the kind of storm that hits the island occasionally but the island tends to have good preparations, make sure everyone is safe, and sit through the worst of it.

But this storm brings in something different. An elderly woman named Martha Clarendon is at home, watching T.V. when a stranger enters her home. He has a cane with a wolf’s head on it and he bludgeons the woman to death.

When Town Manager, Robbie Beals goes to check on the woman, he finds the stranger sitting in Martha’s chair. He tells Robbie things only Robbie could know. Dark things. Secret things that Robbie would never want known. And Robbie is terrified.

The town prepares

Elsewhere on the island, Mike Anderson is helping the customers at the grocery store he owns. He’s reassuring everyone they don’t need to panic buy, and that the island will make it through this storm just like they have every other one. But then he gets word about what happened to Martha Clarendon. Mike is also the constable, so it’s his job to arrest the murderer.

Mike finds a man named André Linoge in Martha’s chair. The constable has to take this man through his store to put him in the local jail cell. As he walks through, Linoge exposes secrets of many of the customers in the store. The kinds of secrets no one wants shared. And it’s clear this man is telling the truth every time he utters one of these secrets.

Linoge won’t answer any questions about himself but he does say, “Give me what I want and I’ll go away.”

No one is safe on this island

One by one people in Little Tall Island commit suicide and in one instance, murder. At the scene of each of these deaths are the words “Give me what I want and I’ll go away.”

To make matters worse, Linoge turns into a wizened old man and walks right out of the jail cell. And again he says, “Give me what I want and I’ll go away.” He then disappears into the storm that no human could survive.

The townsfolk decide to bunk up together in the town hall. That night they all have the same dream. It’s about the Roanoke colony that simply disappeared one day, leaving only the word Croatoan behind.

More people die

As bad as Linoge is, there is also a deadly blizzard hitting hard. It hits so hard, it tears down the lighthouse at the docs. The townsfolk head out to see what is happening when three of them are pulled backwards and disappear entirely. This isn’t from the storm because the wind is decidedly blowing in the opposite direction.

Two of the three people are never found again. But one of them, Angie Carver, returns but has aged by years in less than a day. And she says Linoge wants everyone to meet him.

The kids aren’t alright

All of the kids in town fall into a coma like sleep. Linoge shows up and finally reveals what his demands are. Linoge is some kind of ancient, and malevolent creature. But he is not immortal. And what he wants is a child. One of the children from Little Tall Island. Linoge gives the town a choice. Let him take one of their children to raise as his own, or he will kill all of the children on the island.

The townsfolk debate the question. Mike Anderson is the only holdout on the vote. He considers being taken by Linoge a fate worse than death. It’s damnation. Even Mike’s wife is against him.

I won’t reveal here what happens next, in case anyone has not seen it, but it’s not a choice where anyone can win, other than Linoge. And it’s genuinely terrifying.

Storm of the Century in conclusion

This show is a bit of a commitment as it’s three hour long episodes. But if you watch it, this one is gripping. From the ultimate mystery of not only who but what Linoge is, to the shocking violence, and the intimate secrets revealed, this show will keep you on the edge of your seat.

There are no good choices for the people of Little Tall Island and the storm is genuinely the least of their concerns.

The acting in this one is phenomenal for a television series from 1999. And it still works to this day. The story is mesmerizing, terrifying, and shockingly good. If you haven’t watched this one, carve out some time and enjoy the ride.

Stormily yours,

Slick Dungeon

Want More?

Want to see some of my other King reviews? Take a look here!

Looking for a good King read? Check out this one!

If you have seen this one, do you think it still holds up? Let me know in the comments!