‘Storm of the Century’: A Stephen King film that still gives me the chills

Given the weather yesterday, I was reminded of a favorite made-for-TV movie that appeared back in the day that has always been one of my faves: Stephen King’s “Storm of the Century.”

King decided he would write a fresh screenplay for the TV screen — not based on any of his books — that would air in February of 1999, on ABC, in a three-part series. It was the first time King had decided to go this route. Ironically, the screenplay would later be turned into a book. But anyhow, “Storm of the Century” took the TV airwaves by storm, literally.

“Storm of the Century” takes place on a little island in Maine where a powerful storm blocks all travel on and off the island. The main character, town Sheriff Mike Anderson (Tim Daly of “Wings” fame; more recently “Private Practice”) manages to keep the townspeople safe and everything and everyone under control. That is, until a stranger shows up.

Andre Linoge (Colm Feore) seems to know all of the town’s secrets — ranging from abortion to who’s growing marijuana. He’s a menacing character with a gift for instantly getting under everyone’s skin. It probably helps that Feore has a perfect deadpan stare. Throw in an all-around creepy aura that seems to extend beyond the TV screen and you’ve got the makings of a first-class villain.

Soon, Linoge is put in jail for killing one of the town’s residents, but somehow, someway, he is able to get people to kill themselves and others (though not in that order) while he is behind bars. All the while repeating, “Give me what I want and I’ll go away.”

I was 13 when “Storm of the Century” first aired, the perfect age to be thoroughly creeped out by scary movies — and it sure did — or does — I still have a hard time sleeping without a light on every time I watch this film.

Obviously, being a made-for-TV movie, there wasn’t much blood and gore, but King has made a career out of keeping people scared with an eerie, drawn-out storyline that keeps the tension alive. And being a mini-series, it was the perfect way to keep viewers coming back each night. At some points it does fall flat, but it’s a movie that gets to you — imagine, getting stuck on an island, being held hostage by Mother Nature alone, not able to escape the grips of a dangerous man.

The conclusion of the film finds the town realizing that Linoge is a demon who requires an heir to take over for him, as he is not immortal. He wants one of the eight children of the island to be his heir, and if the town refuses, Linoge will kill everyone on the island.

The town agrees to forfeit a child — everyone except for Mike, the sheriff. In the end, stones are drawn from a bag by each parent of the children, and Sheriff Mike’s kid is chosen to be taken away.

Everybody loves a Stephen King movie, although some may be cheesy (“Maximum Overdrive”; “Pet Semetary”); you can’t deny that he can write. And I applaud the man for trying something new that worked out well. He would succeed again with “Rose Red” in 2002, and “Kingdom Hospital” in 2004.

If you’re a big fan of suspense, next snow storm (probably next week at the rate we’re going) cuddle up and watch this four-hour feat of a movie. If nothing else, you’ll be glad you don’t live on an island.