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  • Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: As per Gaunt's very strange conversation with Myra Rusk, "Oral sex gives me amnesia."note 
  • Complete Monster: Leland Gaunt is a devilish figure appearing as a genial and well-spoken owner of a 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 little favor; as he puts it, "a prank". 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 takes the souls of those who die because of him, while admitting to himself that 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.
  • Ensemble Dark Horse: 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 Action Survivor as shown by how he wins his gunfight with Hugh Priest, despite being mortally wounded.
  • Follow the Leader: To Something Wicked This Way Comes. King had wanted to do the film adaptation.
  • Hilarious in Hindsight:
    • 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 Kiefer Sutherland played him in Stand by Me, and he's described as an overweight has-been in his late 40s. Sutherland himself 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.
  • Jerks Are Worse Than Villains: 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.
  • Moral Event Horizon: It is completely impossible to like Mr. Gaunt at all once eleven year old Brian Rusk 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!"
  • Nausea Fuel:
    • 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 Elvis Presley and two fat middle-aged housewives.
  • Rooting for the Empire: Apart from Brian Rusk and Nettie Cobb, who were mostly innocent before Gaunt corrupted them, most of Gaunt's victims are such despicable people that it's difficult to have any sympathy for them or to hate Gaunt for destroying their lives.
  • The Woobie: Netitia "Nettie" Cobb in both the book and the movie. Myrtle Keeton is a book-only version.
  • Values Dissonance: Making both gay characters turn out to be pedophiles likely wouldn't fly today.

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