Cujo

The most common response to detractors of this film is "What's so scary about a dog?" And this criticism is largely uninformed of the narrative and more importantly the context of the story. I don't aim to give you a summary of the movie or list the merits and flaws of the production and the acting with this review. What I hope to achieve with this assessment is to encourage critics of the quality of the horror in this film to reconsider their opinion. The scenario in Cujo is not one that most would expect to find in a horror movie. It's incredibly simplistic, ordinary, and on the surface not very graphic or scary in terms of special fx. Ironically, it is those very qualities that make this story so frightening. Reader, have you ever had a large dog run up to you out of nowhere? If not, as someone who has had this experience I can tell you it is terrifying. Immediately you go into panic mode and begin desperately to seek refuge. A fight or flight reaction to this situation is as expected today as it was in the early 80's, however there is a significant distinction between back then and now. Technology. If this film were to be made today a person stuck in a car, disconnected from civilization, would hardly resound with audiences in possession of smartphones. A simple phone call and voila roll credits. When this movie was made this kind of situation was much more real and possible than it is today. There were no cellphones or other easily accessible forms of communication outside of a landline. If you were trapped in a dire situation your chances of getting out were slim. The other stand out feature to this movie is the antagonist, a dog. In the same way that Jaws left a profound impression on beach goers, Cujo distorts our image of man's best friend. This isnt some guy in a hockey mask who can recover from a bullet to the head or a claw wielding nightmare monster, it's something that may hop into bed with you in the middle of the night and snuggle up with you. If viewed under the context of time, situation, and the object of fear, this movie can instill fear into the viewer. For those who were born in the Internet age keep that idea in mind when viewing this film and perhaps you'll leave with a different perspective than you would otherwise. Happy Viewing.

This movie stars Dee Wallace as a woman who faces incredible odds to save her child. Donna Trenton is the wife of an advertising executive and the mother of a young boy named Tad, who is subject to night terrors. During a hot summer, her husband begins using the services of a private mechanic named Camber. Camber owns a large St. Bernard dog named Cujo that, unknown to all, has contracted rabies. When Donna's husband leaves town on a business trip, she takes her car to Camber's for repairs, not realizing that the house is empty, Camber having fallen victim to his own mad dog. Cujo traps Donna and Tad in their disabled car without food or water, and the ensuing struggle for survival that mother and child are forced into is a spectacle to behold.This is an adaptation of a novel by Stephen King, and, though I usually do not think much of these attempts to bring King's efforts to the screen, this one turned out rather well. Dee Wallace is absolutely captivating as the mother going through hell trying to protect her son, and young Danny Pintauro is enthralling as little Tad. The supporting cast includes Ed Lauter as the abusive Camber, Daniel Hugh-Kelly as Donna's husband, and Billy Jacoby as Camber's son. Though the film suffered through two different directors and the use of a mechanical dog, it actually seems to have done it some good. The production standards are top notch, the script, though necessarily dumbed down from the original book, is very well done, and the acting is superb. This is not recommended for children, as there are many terrifying moments with a monster of a dog, but the human drama of this makes it a wonderful movie, even if you are not a horror fan.

despite my love for the book, animals attack movies, and dee wallace, i had never seen cujo (1983) before today. i loved it. the filmmakers do a nice job of distilling stephen king's fevered nightmare into a lean and well-paced horror movie about the desperation of a a very flawed mother as she finds herself and her child in mortal danger. it's pretty traumatic to watch--and absorb--what is happening here, as dee wallace's donna seeks to protect her son (who's the boss' danny pintauro) from the rabid st. bernard outside her broken down pinto, and the stifling heat within it. just like the book, this movie is just an endless series of bad, unfortunate happenstance that leads us to the final set piece. dee wallace is amazing. frantic and unspooled for much of the movie, she finds her inner mother bear, and she is a sight to behold. i also applaud the filmmakers for making something perfectly clear here: cujo is as much a victim as anyone else. we follow cujo on his daily excursions, leading to his fateful meeting with a rabid bat, and we really get to appreciate his transformation into mindless agitated beast. the scene where recently bitten cujo growls at his young master, brett, and then briefly regains his senses and leaves him be is done to perfection, out in the fog of an early morning. it's really rather chilling to imagine one's beloved dog not only becoming mortally ill, but violent and aggressive in the bargain. big props to the five st. bernards and rottweiller who played cujo with nuance and authenticity.

I will not talk about the movie much to avoid spoilers. I really want to talk about the Blu Ray release itself.I watched Cujo for the first time just a few days ago. The dog acted superb and so did the child actor. However for some reason, I did feel a little sad for the dog which is a Saint Bernard. Overall the movie is good for It's time, which released back in 1983.This is the first time Cujo has been released in the UK on Blu Ray by Eureka.This Limited Edition comes with two Blu Ray Discs. Disc two is a bonus disc, which is Exclusive to the Limited Edition. Disc one contains the full feature movie and bonus extras. Disc two also has extras. Overall you get seven hours of bonus content.The Presentation of the packaging is stunningly gorgeous. The outer cardboard casing is very strong and sturdy. It has a smooth Matt finish, and comes with a glossy information card. The newly commissioned artwork on the outer casing is beautiful to look at. It looks like an oil painting.The actual Blu Ray case inside, is clear plastic, which slips inside the outer casing. It comes with a reversible cover art.Included is a 60 page booklet that includes, behind the scenes, interviews, and promo posters.Limited to 4,000 copies worldwide.RatingMovie 8/10Picture 8/10Sound 8/10Extras 7/10Presentation 10/10REGION BOverall I'm happy with this purchase of Cujo. Eureka have done an excellent job of bringing this to Blu Ray for the first time in the UK.Overall Rating8.5/10

This is a very nice set with good col sound and extras but why is the sex scene cut out with dee wallace it cuts the scene right out and starts were they are talking on the bed i have this on 16mm and its in

This is a Stephen king classic brought to life on filmCujo is a lovely family St Bernard dog until he is bitten by a bat, the now diseased dog becomes a dangerous animal irritated by noise and people, before finding solace after dispatching of his owner at the deserted farm, solace that is until Donna and her young son Tad arrive to drop off their car for repairsWith Cujo trapping both in the now broken down car and preventing Donnas every move to escape, the only way she and Tad will survive their ordeal and escape their small prison is to fight to the death

I have always loved Cujo. It is one of those dead simple yet very effective films that manages to draw you in and keep you in to the end without you even really realising it. Shockingly violent, brutal in delivery and underrated in the main, it deserves a place on the shelf of any 80s terror film lover. All the performances are solid even with a somewhat thin script and the special effects are really good. The make up job on Cujo himself is as amazing as it is disturbing. Some cliches are to be expected but there are enough really effective jump scares and 'OMG!' moments to keep everybody happy. It's not Shawshank or The Shining but it is a rock solid entry in the King Canon.

Fantastic Eureka release of an oft neglected Stephen King adaptation.Picture and sound are fantastic,the booklet is full of infomand the extra,s magnificent.I especially enjoyed Dee,s interview recalling the script and the dog killing Tad,and how they got in touch with SK to see if they could alter that part.A brilliant movie in the best possible release.