Desperation

Cover of 1st edition of Desperation
Author	Stephen King
Country	USA
Language	English
Genre(s)	Horror
Publisher
Released	1996
Media type	Print (Hardback)

Desperation is a Horror novel by Stephen King. It was published in 1996 at the same time as its "mirror" novel, The Regulators. It was made into a TV movie starring Ron Perlman ten years later in 2006. Image File history File links Desperationbook. ... Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author best known for his enormously popular horror novels. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the reader. ... See also: 1995 in literature, other events of 1996, 1997 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Printing is an industrial process for reproducing copies of texts and images, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. ... Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction intended to scare, unsettle or horrify the reader. ... Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author best known for his enormously popular horror novels. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Regulators is a novel by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. ... Ronald Francis Perlman (born April 13, 1950, in Washington Heights, New York), billed as Ron Perlman, is an American television, film and voice over actor. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Plot summary

Desperation is the story of several people traveling along the desolate Highway 50 in Nevada who all get abducted by Collie Entragian, the deputy of the fictional ghost town of Desperation. Entragian uses various pretexts for his abductions, from an arrest for drug possession to “rescuing” a family from a nonexistent gunman. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The travelers quickly realize that something is very wrong with Entragian, as his bizarre statements and mannerisms soon escalate to brutal assaults and murder. They come to understand that he is possessed by an ancient evil, a supernatural entity which calls itself Tak, that had been imprisoned in an old abandoned mineshaft until recent activity by a local mining company unearthed it. Tak has the ability to control the local desert wildlife, such as vultures, snakes, spiders, scorpions, and coyotes, and can also take more direct control of human hosts, though such manifestation causes rapid deterioration of the host's body. As such, Tak needs to frequently find new hosts to inhabit in order to travel outside of the ini, a well in an underground chamber, and Tak’s entryway into this world. The story suggests that Tak is actually a physical being trapped in another dimension, but can send its spirit into our world through this opening. The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... Tak is an extradimensional entity existing within the Stephen King Universe; in the main, his activities are limited to the Stephen King and Richard Bachman Novels Desperation and The Regulators, respectively (two books which are, in fact, parallel worlds of one other, after a fashion). ... Tak is an extradimensional entity existing within the Stephen King Universe; in the main, his activities are limited to the Stephen King and Richard Bachman Novels Desperation and The Regulators, respectively (two books which are, in fact, parallel worlds of one other, after a fashion). ... Tak may refer to: Tak Province, a northern province in Thailand Tak (town), the capital of Tak Province in Thailand Tak district, the district around the town Tak (rapper), a rapper and member of Styles of Beyond Tak (function), a recursive mathematical function Tak and the Power of Juju, Tak... :For other senses of this word, see dimension (disambiguation). ...

Among the travellers is a boy named David Carver, who is able to commune with and receive guidance from God. This aspect brings a philosophical, religious depth unseen in some of King's other, earlier works. In this regard, it is similar to Dean Koontz's The Taking, which also introduces philosophical and theological considerations. This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Dean Ray Koontz (born July 9, 1945 in Everett, Pennsylvania), also known under a number of pseudonyms, including Leigh Nichols, is an American writer. ... Cover to Dean Koontz‘s The Taking Alternate cover to Dean Koontz‘s The Taking The Taking is a 2004 novel by Dean Koontz. ...

As the survivors eventually manage to escape the clutches of Entragian/Tak, their first inclination is to escape Desperation, until David reveals that it is God's will that they confront Tak and seal the ini again.

Inspiration

Stephen King was inspired to write Desperation as a result of a cross-country drive in 1991, during which he visited the small desert community of Ruth, Nevada, near U.S. 50. His first thought was that the town's inhabitants were all dead. He then wondered who had killed them, and the idea occurred to him that the town's sheriff had done so [1]. In 1994, he took another cross-country trip, this time astride his motorcycle, and heard the tale of Chinese laborers who had been trapped inside a collapsed mine near Ruth. Rather than risking the loss of would-be rescuers, the Chinese men were abandoned to their fate. This anecdote was the germ of King's plot for the novel [2]. 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A small town in White Pine County, Nevada that was founded in 1903. ... U.S. Route 50 is an east-west U.S. highway. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... This article is about mineral extraction. ...

Release with The Regulators

The original hardcovers

Desperation was released simultaneously with the novel The Regulators (published by King under the name Richard Bachman). The two novels share many similarities, most notably the cast of characters. The original hardcover versions of the novels had artwork on the cover that connected when the two books were placed side by side. It can be assumed that the two books are alternate realities. The Regulators is a novel by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. ... // Richard Bachman Richard Bachmans author photo. ...

Dark Tower connections

• The term can-toi (that is, 'children of the desert') is used in the Dark Tower series to describe the Low Men in Yellow Coats.
• There was some debate as to whether or not Tak was a manifestation of the Crimson King, the primary villain in The Dark Tower. In Desperation, there are references to the ini (Tak’s place of origin) looking like a crimson eye. In The Dark Tower, the Crimson King’s sigul is an open eye on a crimson background. But it seems unlikely, given Tak's dependence on possessing people to survive (a trait the Crimson King does not possess) and being buried in the catacombs for most of its existence.

The Dark Tower painting by Michael Whelan The Dark Tower is a series of seven books by American writer Stephen King that tells the tale of lead character Roland Deschains quest for the Dark Tower. ...

Other novel connections

• Cynthia Smith, the drifter who gets mixed up in the events of the novel after being picked up by Steve Ames, was a resident of the shelter Daughters and Sisters from Rose Madder. She mentions sustaining a broken nose in Norman's crazed attack. In the movie adaptation her bi-colored hairdo is absent.
• Ellen Carver mentions reading the novel "Misery's Paradise" (by Paul Sheldon, the main character of Stephen King's book Misery).

Rose madder can mean: Rose madder, a pinkish color made from madder pigment or dye. ... Human nose in profile A typical bulbous human nose Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Misery is a novel by Stephen King, written in 1987. ...

TV movie

Desperation
Directed by	Mick Garris
Produced by	Bruce Dunn Mick Garris Stephen King Mark Sennet Kelly Van Horn
Written by	Stephen King
Starring	Tom Skerritt Ron Perlman Steven Weber Annabeth Gish
Distributed by	ABC (USA)
Release date(s)	May 23, 2006 (USA)
Running time	180 min. (with commercials)
Language	English
Budget	$12M (USD)
IMDb profile

Desperation was adapted into a television movie, written by King himself, in 2006. The film was directed by frequent King collaborator Mick Garris and starred Ron Perlman as Collie Entragian, Tom Skerritt, Steven Weber, and Annabeth Gish. Filming primarily took place in Bisbee, Arizona, in the nearly deserted Lowell area, with other sequences in Old Bisbee, the outskirts of Bisbee, and in Tucson, Arizona. A theatre in Tucson used for filming was accidentally burnt to the ground. Image File history File links Desperation_pos. ... Mick Garris (December 4, 1951 -) is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Santa Monica, California. ... Mick Garris (December 4, 1951 -) is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Santa Monica, California. ... Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author best known for his enormously popular horror novels. ... Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author best known for his enormously popular horror novels. ... Tom Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor, born in Detroit, Michigan. ... Ronald Francis Perlman (born April 13, 1950, in Washington Heights, New York), billed as Ron Perlman, is an American television, film and voice over actor. ... Steven Weber (born March 4, 1961) is an American actor. ... X-Files publicity shot Annabeth Gish (b. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... Telefilm redirects here. ... Mick Garris (December 4, 1951 -) is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Santa Monica, California. ... Ronald Francis Perlman (born April 13, 1950, in Washington Heights, New York), billed as Ron Perlman, is an American television, film and voice over actor. ... Tom Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor, born in Detroit, Michigan. ... Steven Weber (born March 4, 1961) is an American actor. ... X-Files publicity shot Annabeth Gish (b. ...

The film closely followed the plot of the novel, and received moderate reviews, including a 46 rating from Metacritic. [3] Though originally intended as a two-part miniseries, Desperation aired in its three-hour entirety on May 23, 2006 on ABC. Metacritic is an Internet website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ...

Cast

• Tom Skerritt as John Edward Marinville
• Ron Perlman as Collie Entragian
• Steven Weber as Steve Ames
• Annabeth Gish as Mary Jackson
• Charles Durning as Tom Billingsley
• Shane Haboucha as David Carver
• Matt Frewer as Ralph Carver
• Kelly Overton as Cynthia Smith
• Henry Thomas as Peter Jackson
• Sylvia Kelegian as Ellen Carver
• Sammi Hanratty as Pie Carver

Tom Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor, born in Detroit, Michigan. ... Ronald Francis Perlman (born April 13, 1950, in Washington Heights, New York), billed as Ron Perlman, is an American television, film and voice over actor. ... This article, image, template or category should belong in one or more categories. ... Steven Weber (born March 4, 1961) is an American actor. ... X-Files publicity shot Annabeth Gish (b. ... Charles Durning Charles Durning (born February 28, 1923 in Highland Falls, New York) is an American actor of stage and screen, born to an impoverished Irish American Catholic family, which he left as soon as possible to ease the financial pressure on his mother. ... Haboucha in Stacys Mom music video Shane Edouard Haboucha (born November 27, 1990 in Los Angeles, California) is an American child actor. ... David Carver is a fictional character from the Mirror-Image worlds in the Stephen King and Richard Bachman Novels Desperation and The Regulators, respectively. ... Matt Frewer (b. ... Graduated Minnechaug Regional High School, Wilbraham Ma. ... Henry Thomas Henry Jackson Thomas was born September 9, 1971 in San Antonio, Texas, USA, the son of a hydraulics mechanic. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Kirsten Pie Carver is a fictional character from the Mirror-Image worlds in the Stephen King and Richard Bachman Novels Desperation and The Regulators, respectively. ...

External links

• Desperation at the Internet Movie Database
• Blurbs concerning the book.

Look up Desperation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.