Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King

This eight-part miniseries, originally broadcast on TNT, features well-made and well-cast adaptations of fantastic and imaginative tales from the pen of renowned writer Stephen King (though not all are from his titular anthology). The cast includes some of today's most talented and recognizable actors in film and TV, including William Hurt, Tom Berenger, William H. Macy, Ron Livingston, Claire Forlani, Kim Delaney, Richard Thomas, Steven Weber, Henry Thomas, and Jeremy Sisto. Each episode presents a scrupulously adapted story, which in itself represents a triumph for King, whose works have not previously been treated with as much respect by Hollywood. Some of these yarns are first-rate, including “Umney's Last Case,” in which a depressed author (Macy) writes himself into his latest book and becomes trapped in the reality he's created; “Autopsy Room Four,” the chilling story of a vacationing businessman (Richard Thomas) who—after being completely paralyzed by a snake's bite—is mistaken for dead and scheduled for an autopsy; and “Battleground,” an unusual story that unfolds without a single word of dialogue being spoken. Fantasy, horror, and science fiction frequently converge in these fine tales, which easily live up to their collective title. DVD extras include some brief interviews and behind-the-scenes featurettes. Recommended. (E. Hulse)