* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: As per Gaunt's very strange conversation with Myra Rusk, "Oral sex gives me amnesia."[[note]]Considering his nature, age and motivations, he could mean that sexual acts mean so little to him that he's liable to forget why he asked for it very quickly and hence become suddenly disgusted in mid act. Considering that a possible sign of such disgust might be [[TheLoinsSleepTonight a certain lack of enthusiasm]], which could be misread as a 'lack of power', and one suspects Gaunt just avoids it to prevent any chance of any sense of him not having absolute control over the situation.[[/note]]
* CompleteMonster:
** [[SouthernGothicSatan Leland Gaunt]] is a [[HumanoidAbomination devilish figure]] appearing as a [[FauxAffablyEvil genial and well-spoken]] owner of a [[TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday novelty shop]] that just happens to have his customers' greatest desire in stock, which Gaunt is willing to sell for a small sum and a [[DealWithTheDevil little favor]]; as he puts it, "a prank". [[ManipulativeBastard In actuality]], it is a malevolent charm which makes his customers paranoid and obsessed, driving them into murderous insanity; the pranks are designed to fuel grudges, insecurities, and exploit the dirty secrets of Gaunt's victims. Gaunt also [[YourSoulIsMine takes the souls]] of those who die because of him, while admitting to himself that [[ForTheEvulz he doesn't really need to anymore]]. Showing up in Castle Rock, Maine, Gaunt starts his business as usual, with a notable instance of his pranks causing two women to murder each other after one of the pranks ends with a dog being killed; as a result, a young boy responsible for these pranks decides to commit suicide. Gaunt also starts to sell his customers guns to "protect their property" as paranoia gets the better of them, and begins to get two criminals to work for him to cause more chaos, with the ammo of said guns being poisoned. This culminates in the town going on a riot that nearly tears the town apart before Gaunt is defeated by Sheriff Alan Pangborn. After being beaten, Gaunt leaves Castle Rock, with the implication that he will continue his work elsewhere.
** Film extended edition: [[SouthernGothicSatan Leland Gaunt]] seems to be a [[FauxAffablyEvil charming, kindly old salesman]], but is actually [[{{Satan}} the Devil himself]]. For centuries, Gaunt has walked the Earth and [[HistoricalRapSheet sowed all manner of mayhem]], from plagues; to world wars; to the atom bomb, feeding off the mass misery he instills. In his latest form, Gaunt travels to small towns and [[TheCorrupter slowly corrupts the population]] by offering them magical, valuable items that they feel compelled to own, and requesting a "[[DealWithTheDevil favor]]" in return. Gaunt uses these "favors" to force the citizens to hurt and turn on each other, culminating in citywide chaos and murder that Gaunt revels in. Arriving in Castle Rock and [[TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday beginning his usual procedure]], Gaunt uses the young boy Brian as a stooge to carry out his will, and when two women kill each other thanks to Gaunt, [[WouldHurtAChild Gaunt]] goads Brian into [[PsychicAssistedSuicide attempting suicide]] out of guilt for his part in things. After raping the fiancée of Sheriff Pangford, Gaunt tries to drive Castle Rock into tearing itself apart and, failing at this, tries to use another corrupted puppet to simply kill the entire town in a [[SuicideAttack suicide bombing]].
* EnsembleDarkHorse: Henry Beaufort the bartender has some fans for being fairly level-headed (taking away a drunk's car keys and ''not'' letting himself be driven into a murderous rage), a pleasant boss and an ActionSurvivor as shown by how he wins [[spoiler: his gunfight with Hugh Priest, despite being mortally wounded]].
* FollowTheLeader: To ''Literature/SomethingWickedThisWayComes''. King had wanted to do the film adaptation.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** At one point, Gaunt converses with Sonny Jackett, a racist mechanic who also hates Republicans. He expresses doubt that the Democrats can nominate anyone who can defeat George Bush, yet he is also terrified at the thought of having a black man as President, or a "jig in the White House - the ''White'' House!" as he puts it. The story takes place in October 1991. Bill Clinton officially announced his presidential campaign on October 3, 1991. And 15 years later, on February 10, 2007, Barack Obama officially announced his presidential campaign.
** There are several references to the sorry state of the New England Patriots at the time, including a character specifically bemoaning their quarterback. Later, Tom Brady would lead the team on one of the biggest success runs in the sport's history.
** The book features the return of Ace Merril after Creator/KieferSutherland played him in ''Film/StandByMe'', and he's described as an overweight has-been in his late 40s. Sutherland himself [[Series/TwentyFour was very far from that description at that age]].
*** The book mentions that Ace lost a lot of weight after discovering nose candy. Apparently King didn't want a fat, alcoholic henchman for the Big Bad.
* JerksAreWorseThanVillains: Most of the townspeople of Castle Rock are such completely despicable sleazes that it seems like they deserve the fates that Leland Gaunt has in store for them, especially because in most cases Gaunt just eggs the people on to do what would come naturally if not for fear of the law or retribution.
* MoralEventHorizon: It is '''completely''' impossible to like Mr. Gaunt at all once [[spoiler:eleven year old Brian Rusk [[AteHisGun kills himself]] and Gaunt takes note of it with pleasure.]]
* {{Narm}}: Brian Rusk's last scene in the movie is unfortunately chock-full of this. "I gotta go... I gotta go TO HELL!"
* NauseaFuel:
** At one point, Gaunt prepares to eat a rat caught in a trap, driving a thumbnail into its belly and letting the intestines ooze out.
** The fight between Wilma and Nettie is drawn out in excruciatingly gory detail but narrated in a fairly bored tone.
** The sex scenes between Music/ElvisPresley and two fat middle-aged housewives.
* RootingForTheEmpire: Apart from Brian Rusk and Nettie Cobb, who were mostly innocent before Gaunt corrupted them, most of Gaunt's [[AssholeVictim victims are such despicable people]] that it's difficult to have any sympathy for them or to hate Gaunt for destroying their lives.
* TheWoobie: Netitia "Nettie" Cobb in both the book and the movie. Myrtle Keeton is a book-only version.
* ValuesDissonance: Making ''both'' gay characters turn out to be pedophiles likely wouldn't fly today.
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