| Stand by Me is a 1986 movie, adapted from | | | | face while he has him in a headlock. Chris |
| Stephen King's story The Body. The Body | | | | "gives" and Ace releases him. The next is |
| appeared as a novella in King's collection | | | | when Teddy faces off against an on coming |
| Different Seasons. Different Seasons also | | | | train at the beginning of the boys' trek. He |
| contains the stories The Shawshank | | | | says he wants to make a dramatic "train |
| Redemption, and the Apt Pupil, both of which | | | | dodge," and just before it hits him, Chris |
| were made into movies. | | | | grabs him and forces him out of harms way. |
| | | | The third showdown that happens is between |
| Often described as a coming of age film, the | | | | Teddy, once again, and the junk yard man and |
| story is of four boys who take a journey | | | | his dog. They yell and call names, but when |
| through the woodlands near their homes to | | | | the junk yard man brings Teddy's unstable |
| find the body of a dead boy. The story is | | | | father into the picture, Teddy breaks down |
| told by the main character Gordon Lachance, | | | | and starts to cry. Another showdown occurs |
| who is a budding writer. | | | | when Ace pulls up to some locals who seem to |
| | | | have a history of racing cars with him. They |
| Vern, one of the boys, hears his older | | | | remain neck to neck for a short period before |
| brother talk of the missing boy, whose body | | | | a truck appears in the other lane coming |
| is alleged to be in the woods. The boys | | | | toward Ace. Ace and two of his buddies (who |
| decide to undertake the journey, to find the | | | | seem petrified) do not change lanes, but |
| body of the boy. The journey takes two days, | | | | decide to stay on the wrong side of the road |
| because of which the boys lie to their | | | | and face off with the on coming truck. The |
| parents, telling them that they are staying | | | | other car in the race looks scared for them. |
| at each others houses. | | | | Before they crash, the truck swerves off of |
| | | | the road, spilling all of its supplies while |
| The boys experience many difficulties along | | | | Ace goes on to win the race. The final |
| the way, which reveal the past and present | | | | showdown is between the younger gang and |
| struggles of the characters. Chris Chambers, | | | | Ace's crowd at the body. The two groups trade |
| played by River Phoenix, is from a family of | | | | harsh words before Ace pulls a knife on |
| criminals and alcoholics. Chris is | | | | Chris, but is soon too skittish to use it |
| stereotyped because of his family. However he | | | | after Gordie fires a shot in the air with |
| proves to be intelligent and has a desire to | | | | Chris's gun. He then points it at Ace, which |
| break his stereotype. Teddy Duchamp, played | | | | chills him and scares him away, along with |
| by Corey Feldman, has a physical deformity, | | | | his group. These are only some of the major |
| after his mentally-unstable father held his | | | | showdowns that occur in the film. |
| ear to a stove. Teddy now has to wear a | | | | |
| hearing aid. Vern Tessio, played by Jerry | | | | There are several minor changes to the movie |
| O'Connell, is overweight and timid. He is | | | | script from the original Stephen King story. |
| easily scared and often picked on. Gordon | | | | However, the story is faithful to King's |
| Lachance, played by Will Wheaton, is the | | | | original. Stephen King told cast and crew |
| narrator and thus the primary character of | | | | after a private screening of the film that it |
| the story. Gordie is a quiet boy with a | | | | was his favorite adaptation of any of his |
| passion for books and story telling. He is | | | | works up to that point. |
| rejected by his family after the death of his | | | | |
| football star older brother. The end of the | | | | Stephen King is said to have witnessed a |
| story reveals that Gordie has become a writer | | | | child being killed by a train, whilst he was |
| and we have just witnessed the story as he | | | | a child himself. It is easy to conclude that |
| was writing it. | | | | the story was influenced by King's |
| | | | experience. |
| The film has a reoccurring theme of | | | | |
| showdowns. These occur between two or more | | | | The title of the film comes from the Ben E |
| characters in the film. The first brief | | | | King song of the same name. Stephen King's |
| showdown is between Chris and Ace on the | | | | original story is called The Body. |
| sidewalk when Ace threatens to burn Chris's | | | | |