Cujo (film)
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| Cujo | |
|---|---|
 Front cover from the VHS video (swedish) |
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| Directed by | Lewis Teague |
| Produced by | Robert Singer |
| Written by | Stephen King (novel) Lauren Currier |
| Starring | Dee Wallace Stone Danny Pintauro Daniel Hugh Kelly Ed Lauter |
| Music by | Charles Bernstein |
| Cinematography | Jan de Bont |
| Editing by | Neil Travis |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures Republic Pictures (under Paramount Pictures--current distributor) Artisan Entertainment (2003 DVD) Lions Gate Entertainment (2007 DVD) |
| Release date(s) | August 12, 1983 |
| Running time | 91 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 million |
| Gross revenue | $21.2 million |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Cujo is a horror film based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.
The novel was adapted into film in 1983 and directed by Lewis Teague from a screenplay by Lauren Currier. The film was #58 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Donna Trenton (Dee Wallace Stone) is a frustrated suburban housewife whose life is in turmoil after her husband learns about her having an affair. Brett Camber (Billy Jayne) is a young boy whose only companion is a Saint-Bernard named "Cujo", who in turn is bitten by a bat with rabies and becomes violent.
[edit] Differences from novel
The film differs in some aspects from the novel. The biggest difference is the fact that, in the film, Tad doesn't die of dehydration, a change recommended by King who thought it would be more depressing on screen than in a book. Another difference is that, in typical horror film fashion, right after Cujo is supposedly killed by Donna, and Tad is revived in the Camber's kitchen, Cujo is revealed to be alive and breaks through a window, where he is shot and killed by Donna. Other plot points of the novel were removed for time reasons.
[edit] Awards & Nominations
- Best Horror Film (nominated)
- Lewis Teague - Audience Jury Award (won)
- Best film (Lewis Teague) - International Fantasy Award (nominated)
Best young supporting actor in a motion picture (Danny Pintauro) (nominated)
[edit] Box Office
The movie opened on 14th August, 1983 and was distributed by Warner Bros in 1,293 cinemas. It proved to be a moderate box office success.
US Gross Domestic Takings: US$ 21,200,000
[edit] Reception
Reviews of the film were mixed, with Cujo gaining a "rotten" rating of 58% on Rotten Tomatoes. Eleanor Mannikka of the New York Times wrote that:
| “ | Cujo is not as menacing or frightening as other film adaptations of King's popular stories and especially can not compare to the 1976 Carrie...His condition deteriorates as he attacks people again and again, until finally, mom Donna Trenton and her son Tad are trapped inside the family car with Cujo lurking nearby, set to kill them any way he can. A showdown is inevitable but is just as predictable as the rest of the film. | ” |
The acting, however, was well received, especially with Danny Pintauro's performance of Tad Trenton, one critic writing that; "Danny was only seven years old when he played the part of Tad and I have to say, he does a hell of a job. As I watch this film, I really don’t think this kid was actually acting. I do believe that he was scared out of his ass when the big dirty mutt slobbered up on the hood of the car."
[edit] Cast
- Dee Wallace Stone as Donna Trenton
- Danny Pintauro as Tad Trenton
- Daniel Hugh Kelly as Vic Trenton
- Christopher Stone as Steve Kemp
- Ed Lauter as Joe Camber
- Kaiulani Lee as Charity Camber
- Billy Jayne as Brett Camber
[edit] See also
- Man's Best Friend (film) A movie about a genetically engineered mastiff
[edit] External links
- Cujo at the Internet Movie Database
- Cujo at Allmovie
