Cujo (25th Anniversary Edition)

 

 

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2 people trapped inside a small car...trapped in the
middle of nowhere...a large,rabid dog around...these are
great elements that make a great horror film!You never know
when Cujo will suddenly appear in a frothing,mad fury.A must have for any horror film collection!

In 1983, director Lewis Teague unleashed a force more horrifying than anything that ever came from the mind of Stephen King. Its name was: Danny Pintauro. This sissified young actor would go on to almost completely nullify the obvious appeal of Alyssa Milano through all those years of Who's the Boss? before finally disappearing from the scene (hopefully for good). It need never have happened. Had Cujo never "introduced" Pintauro to the acting scene, I might never have been forced to come to terms with the fact that Will Wheaton was only the second most annoying child actor in the world.

In terms of this film, let me say that, while there have been a number of less successful and ill-conceived adaptations of Stephen King's work, Cujo is my least favorite of all the Stephen King films. Let's start with the fact that the novel is not conducive to a film adaptation in the first place - the idea of Cujo is a good one, but the characters and atmosphere of the story are as unappealing as meatloaf left out in the hot sun for about three months. Vic Trenton (Daniel Hugh Kelly) is the only half-way sympathetic character to be found here, but he, unfortunately, looks like a reject from The Brady Bunch. Then you have his wife Donna (Dee Wallace); not only is she unattractive, she is having an affair with one of her husband's friends. And young Tad (Danny Pintauro) - I know he's a little kid, and we were all scared of the dark at that age, and all of us would have squawked incessantly if we were trapped in a car by a giant rabid hellhound, but he is just so incredibly annoying. Less important characters, such as Donna's illicit boy toy and the dysfunctional Camber family, suck what little air is left over out of the room. The town itself looks like it should have been abandoned ten years ago. And the lighting - a sunny day has never been as depressing as what you see here. I don't like the music, either, but I guess I've complained enough already.

And what of Cujo himself? Normally, as an animal lover, I would fall in love with any animal in a film. Not Cujo. Sure, he didn't go out and get rabies on purpose, but he had no business chasing that cute little bunny rabbit in to the bat-occupied hole in the ground in the first place. On top of that, he proved unable to finish the job when he had the film's two least likable characters trapped. I've got to give the canine actor his props, though, as he gave everything he had to this film. He had to endure all kinds of miseries to take on the look of a rabid gigantic killer, and he held nothing back when told to attack people, cars, doors, windows - whatever. He also, I am quite sure, did all of his own stunts. Sadly, in yet another slap in the mug to canine actors everywhere, he was left entirely out of the credits. He was the only actor in this production who deserved to have his name in lights, yet he didn't even rate the same dignity as the film's best boy and assistant cooks.

Finally, I must say I was disheartened to find that the director lacked the courage to end the film the way Stephen King ended the novel. A lot of people complained about King's ending, but it was the right one and should have carried over to the film adaptation. Obviously, I pretty much hated watching Cujo, but I must admit that, by and large, it was a pretty good adaptation of King's novel (except for the ending, of course). Effective it may be, but enjoyable it is not.

i have watched the movie several times........but have never noticed the blooper when cujo is at the window and the phone is ringing...you can vividly see a hand reach up and pull him out of the window......

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5.0 out of 5 stars Thought it was great...
Let me start by saying *I've never read the book*. When I chose Cujo I was almost expecting to not like it, I've always bypassed it in the aisles before without much interest. Read more

Published 16 months ago by Summer_Nights

5.0 out of 5 stars great King movie
Cujo is one of those great Stephen King movies. The book translates well into film (sure, the ending is different, but while the one ending is right for the book, this ending is... Read more

Published on May 28 2004 by adead_poet@hotmail.com

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good.
This movie had the scares, the suspense, and the acting, so I can't see why you haven't seen this yet. Buy or rent and watch alone in the dark.

Published on Jun 18 2003 by Tom Servo

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Movie!
This was a movie that will get your imagination clicking.The
lead character,Cujo, is a family pet(a St. Bernard). Cujo is bitten by a rabid bat. Read more

Published on Oct 4 2002 by Melvin Hunt

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
Up font, I'm a fan of Stephen King. The problem with the film Cujo is lack of suspense. The story is simple; anyone of us could have written this plot. Read more

Published on May 30 2002 by D. D'Eugenio

1.0 out of 5 stars Maddogg Muttley..*woof*
This has got to be one of the worst made movie of a Steven King
novel ever. It's about a St.Bernard that's chasing a lil bunny
rabbit into a hole and then sticks his... Read more

Published on April 22 2002 by william m.goodwin

4.0 out of 5 stars An fine Scary Movie, from the Novel by Stephen King
When a Huge St. Bernard gets bitten by a Rabid Bat. The Dog goes Slowly Turning into a Murdering Beast. Read more

Published on April 17 2002 by Christian Pelchat

1.0 out of 5 stars Probably the worst horror flick I've seen.
"Cujo" is such a poorly-made horror flick that isn't even really a horror film at all. It's more of a family melodrama turned bloodfest. Read more

Published on April 12 2002 by Stewart

3.0 out of 5 stars Sit Cujo, Stay Cujo, Play Dead Cujo!
A grip taking, startling, suspenseful Stephen King thiller. You'll never look at your pet dog the same after you've witnessed the blood curdling Cujo. Read more

Published on Mar 25 2002 by Guido

4.0 out of 5 stars This Movie Is All About SuSpEnSe!!!![....]
The reason all you people hate this is because it's not about gore, it's about suspense. All you people probably like gory movies. Read more

Published on Jan 26 2002

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