When a sheriff arrests a writer, a family, a couple, and a hitchiker and throws them in a jail cell in the deserted town of Desperation, they must fight for their lives.When a sheriff arrests a writer, a family, a couple, and a hitchiker and throws them in a jail cell in the deserted town of Desperation, they must fight for their lives.When a sheriff arrests a writer, a family, a couple, and a hitchiker and throws them in a jail cell in the deserted town of Desperation, they must fight for their lives.
- Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
- 1 win & 4 nominations total
Shane Ashton Haboucha
- David Carver
- (as Shane Haboucha)
Samantha Hanratty
- Pie Carver
- (as Sammi Hanratty)
Glenn R. Wilder
- Drunk Driver
- (as Glenn Wilder)
Chris Calilung
- Vietnamese moped rider #2
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaStephen King was reportedly annoyed that the ABC Network decided to show the film on the same evening that the popular TV series American Idol (2002) aired. King blamed the network's poor scheduling decision for the disappointing ratings that Desperation received.
- GoofsAt the scene in the jail when Mary fights with the cop and David picks up a shotgun bullet, he puts it into his right pocket of his jeans. Yet, at the end of the film when the "Collie Entragian Survivors" climb up to the mine's entrance, Johnny Marinville steals the bullet from David's left pocket.
- Quotes
Cynthia Smith: Are you a nice person?
Steve Ames: Well, uh, I like to think so. But then again, if I was Ted Bundy, do you think I'd tell you?
Featured review
I just viewed the 'made for TV' movie and I thought that it was pretty good! I read both books over ten years ago and considering, it turned out to be better than I had expected, although I thought that the second book (The Regulators) was much better than the first (Desperation)! Ron Perlman was excellent (as usual!) along with Tom Skerritt. The supporting cast were pretty good also (Charles Durning and Matt Fewer were somewhat 'under used'). I was also quite impressed with how they stuck with the religious 'tone' of the story seeing how sensitive that people are nowadays. But all in all, it kept my 13 year old son 'glued' to the 'set after I explained the first and second book to him.
It doesn't compare to "The Stand" which I found absolutely fantastic but for a three hour film, it holds it's ground! Like myself and my son, we are hoping that Mr. King already have the follow-up, "The Regulators" already in the works. And if you haven't read both books yet, now would be a good time to find these 'gems' and read them. Trust me, you will not be able to put them down! King at his finest!!!!
It doesn't compare to "The Stand" which I found absolutely fantastic but for a three hour film, it holds it's ground! Like myself and my son, we are hoping that Mr. King already have the follow-up, "The Regulators" already in the works. And if you haven't read both books yet, now would be a good time to find these 'gems' and read them. Trust me, you will not be able to put them down! King at his finest!!!!
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $12,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 11 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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