Needful Things (1993)

Needful Things is a 1993 horror movie and an adaptation of the 1991 novel of the same name.

Plot
A new resident has appeared in Castle Rock, Maine. His name is Leland Gaunt. He has opened a shop in this town. It is called Needful Things.

He always gives people what he wants but always for a price. In time his actions begin to cause dissent and damage to the town and his people. His actions even cause deaths. In time people also begin to fight each other because of his evil manipulations and he enjoys it while mercilessly continuing with his evil games while also enjoying causing their deaths.

Sheriff Pangborn suspects he is the devil through his investigations regarding about what is going on and as such has come to the place to destroy it. In the nick of time by observing everyone, their behaviour and his own he is able to clarify it to himself and to all who then stop. However they cannot kill him, even when one of them, driven to insanity by his actions detonates a bomb he carries in front of him inside his shop killing himself on the way, too.

The shop is destroyed because of it, but Gaunt survives unharmed. It is the proof to all he is indeed the devil. He is frustrated he couldn´t do a better work and explains he has done far better works in the past. He says goodbye with the hint he will return and goes away with his car the way he came.

Cast

 * Max von Sydow as Leland Gaunt
 * Ed Harris as Sheriff Alan J. Pangborn
 * Bonnie Bedelia as Polly Chalmers
 * Amanda Plummer as Netitia Cobb
 * J. T. Walsh as Danforth "Buster" Keeton III
 * Ray McKinnon as Deputy Norris Ridgewick
 * Duncan Fraser as Hugh Albert Priest
 * Valri Bromfield as Wilma Wadlowski Jerzyck
 * Shane Meier as Brian Rusk
 * William Morgan Sheppard as Pater Meehan
 * Don S. Davis as Reverend Willie Rose
 * Gillian Barber as Myrtle Keeton

Reception
Needful Things received generally negative reviews from critics. Still it was nominated at the 1993 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Awards for three Saturn Awards and won one: Amanda Plummer for best supporting actress.