different movie studios, different directors, different producers, different casting people. the stories themselves may be connected, but the films are not. sure it would have been nice to see either Ed Harris or Michael Rooker play Pangborn in both films, but obviously the director of Needful Things didn't agree and wanted a different actor, or maybe a different look for the character. it's the same thing with Cujo and The Dead Zone, in the films a different actor portrayed Sheriff Bannerman.
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benway41
16 years ago
It is interesting though, that Ed Harris, who played Pangborn in Needful Things, has worked with George Romero in the past (Knight Riders and Creepshow), and that Harris's real life wife, Amy Madigan, play Thad Beaumont's wife in The Dark Half. My those weird Hollywood connections!
"Dick Laurent is dead."
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Banky-4
7 years ago
I did think that those connections were interesting. The Dark Half was actually made two years before Needful Things, but wound up sitting on a shelf when Orion Pictures went out of business. So, that probably played a big part in it. Also, I'm not sure if the filmmakers were aware of the literary connection between the two works and even if they did that they would care.
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