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Description Reigning horror master Stephen King (Misery, Pet Semetary, The Shining) creates a chilling vision of scientific progress run amok in this electrifying, original techno-thriller!Starring Keith Szarabajka (Missing, "The Equalizer) and Frances Sternhagen (Misery, Doc Hollywood), Golden Years features make-up and special effects supervised by the legendary effects master Dick Smith (The Exorcist, Amadeus) and a plot that builds to an astonishing ending.When aging janitor Harlan Williams is accidentally exposed to exotic chemicals in a lab explosion, he undergoes an extraordinary change.It's a process the government will do anything to learn more about - no matter who has to die in the process.Soon, Harlan, his wife Gina and the lab's beautiful security chief are on a cross-country race to evade a murderously effective federal agent.But even as he stays one step ahead of his ruthless pursuers, Harlan continues his transformation into something the world of science has never see...or imagined! ... Read more Reviews (15)
Stephen King's Golden Years
Well, King has strayed from his usual horror story genre to produce a little bit of TV mini-series heaven. Set in upstate New York, "Golden Years" is based around 70 year old Harlan Williams, a janitor working for a top secret government plant. He is accidently caught in an explosion from one of the labs where mad scientist Dr Todhunter was conducting 'regeneration' experiments. Over time, Harlan begins to notice sudden changes in his body. Brown hairs begin to reappear in the place of grey ones, his skin becomes softer, his eyes don't need glasses anymore! He begins to get younger. The accident causes some concern in the government, so the spooks are soon on the scene. Witnesses to what is happening to Harlan begin to disappear after the arrival of government agent Jude Andrews. The heads of the plant, Terri Spann and General Lewis Crewes, grow suspicious of the intentions of the people they have been working for and decide to get to the old man and his wife before the spooks do. A race across the states begins, Harlan and his wife flee for their lives while coping with the effects of his reverse ageing. This is a great little story, and had it not been rushed to an ending, it may have become a King classic. The original ending to the series finished on a cliff-hanger where Jude Andrews and his henchmen may have actually caught Harlan. It ended with the tag-line 'To Be Continued...' But the TV network was disappointed with viewing figures, so a new ending was shot, providing closure for this quite inventive story. The concept is great, the characters are brilliant (especially the play-off between old enemies Jude Andrews and Terri Spann as she manages to be one step ahead of him every time), it is just a shame that the final scene was so rushed. For die-hard sci-fi and King fans, it's definately worth a look.
Would have Been Five Stars, But.....
This movie was one fun ride. It was so very well done. The acting was so unique, the old man (getting younger) and his wife (who was also in Misery) were so perfect they could never have been better. The Terry chick was so cool, the way she'd pull her gun out to get what she wanted. The general, and the Andrews guy were both great characters, and all the supporting people were fantastic!
So, you may ask, why not five stars? Why have I lowered it from great to really good? Well, the ending. Everyone who's seen the movie remembers the ending. It's horrible! I've read about how different this is on TV, and the ending on the video and DVD is horribly quick and hazy, so very unsatisfactory that people may develop a knee-jerk reaction and go bash this movie. Don't. Aside from the horrid (and I mean HORRID) ending, the movie is a five star expierience. I was riveted in my seat, unable to leave my television set, it was that good! I got this for Christmas in a Stephen King 5 Pack Collection (The Golden Years, Thinner, The langoliers, The Stand, Cujo), and loved it.
A lot of build up and then it just ends.
'The Golden Years' has a lot of build up and then it just kind of ends. I felt like I was cheated out of four hours of my life. What a disappointment.
Too choppy from the middle to the end
I saw the most of the original series when it came out years back but grew bored. When I was the DVD, I decide to buy it and see how it ended.
The first two hours on this DVD is great. I think it was the two-hour premiere. However, it goes downhill in the next two hours. Things were taken out that made the plot confusing and even worse some thing were left in that did not make the story flow. The last two hours are disjointed and for some reason goes away from the Protagonist. We don't see him. The ending had to be re-done because the original ending was a cliffhanger for the following season. The ending totally reeks. It is really, really bad. You sit on your sofa for 4 hours and then it ends the way it did was he most disappointing of all. Buy the Storm of the Century instead. That was four hours of chills.
Golden Years
Short N' Sweet Good: The movie was mostly true to the series, very entertaining and not bad special effects. Not over played. Bad: They cut the segment that showed how they group came up with the police car before the bus. They did not have enough of the theme by David Bowie as the series had. Overall: I liked it and felt worth the bucks I spent for it.
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