Cujo (1983)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Lewis Teague

Writers:

Stephen King (novel)
Don Carlos Dunaway (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 August 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Now there's a new name for terror...

Plot:

A friendly St. Bernard named "Cujo" contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.

Plot Keywords:

Rabies | Murder | Fog | Dog | Stephen King

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Dee Wallace	...	Donna Trenton
Danny Pintauro	...	Tad Trenton
Daniel Hugh Kelly	...	Vic Trenton (as Daniel Hugh-Kelly)
Christopher Stone	...	Steve Kemp
Ed Lauter	...	Joe Camber
Kaiulani Lee	...	Charity Camber
Billy Jayne	...	Brett Camber (as Billy Jacoby)
Mills Watson	...	Gary Pervier
Sandy Ward	...	Bannerman
Jerry Hardin	...	Masen
Merritt Olsen	...	Professor
Arthur Rosenberg	...	Roger Breakstone
Terry Donovan-Smith	...	Harry
Robert Elross	...	Meara
Robert Behling	...	Fournier
Clare Nono	...	Lady Reporter (as Claire Nono)
Daniel H. Blatt	...	Dr. Merkatz

Directed by
Lewis Teague

Writing credits
Stephen King		(novel)
Don Carlos Dunaway		(writer) and
Lauren Currier		(writer)

Produced by
Daniel H. Blatt	....	producer
Neil A. Machlis	....	associate producer
Robert Singer	....	producer

Original Music by
Charles Bernstein

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont		(director of photography) (as Jan De Bont)

Film Editing by
Neil Travis

Casting by
Judith Holstra
Marcia Ross		(as Marcia S. Ross)

Production Design by
Guy J. Comtois		(as Guy Comtois)

Set Decoration by
John Bergman

Costume Design by
Jack Buehler

Makeup Department
Michael Lavalley	....	assistant special makeup
Robin L. Neal	....	makeup artist (as Robin Neal)
Julie Purcell	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Elliot Friedgen	....	production supervisor
George Goodman	....	executive production manager
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Grandey	....	first assistant director
Michael Green	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Robert Andrews	....	set dresser (as Bob Andrews)
Michael Berdick	....	set painter
Dean R. Brown	....	construction coordinator (as Dean Brown)
Roger Crandall	....	property master
Joseph T. Garrity	....	set designer (as Joseph Garrity)
Roger Graham	....	laborer
Richard Hochschild	....	carpenter
Wayne Iversen	....	assistant propman
Cricket Rowland	....	set dresser (as Elsie Rowland)
Bob Ziembicki	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Brian Courcier	....	sound editor
David R. Elliott	....	sound editor (as David Elliott)
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Hilkene	....	supervising sound editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fred Judkins	....	sound editor
John Kline	....	sound editor
Patrushkha Mierzwa	....	boom operator
Rusty Tinsley	....	sound editor (as Russ Tinsley)
Mark Ulano	....	sound mixer
Ray West	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Rick Josephsen	....	special effects
G. Lynn Maughan	....	assistant special effects

Visual Effects by
Kathie Clark	....	visual effects assistant
Peter Knowlton	....	special visual effects makeup
David Nelson	....	visual effects assistant

Stunts
Jean Coulter	....	stunt double (as Jeannie Coulter)
Bob Herron	....	stunt double
Chris Howell	....	stunt double
Jackie Martin	....	stunt double
Gary Morgan	....	stunt double
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Roxana Whitfield	....	stunt double
Walter Wyatt	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Gale M. Adler	....	still photographer (as Gale Adler)
John Bush	....	still photographer
Bruce Hamme	....	key grip
Ian Kincaid	....	lamp operator
Richard A. Mitchell	....	grip (as Rick Mitchell)
Vern Nobles	....	second assistant camera
Richard Osborn Jr.	....	second assistant camera (as Rick Osborn)
Dennis L. Peterson	....	gaffer (as Dennis Petersen)
David Pringle	....	Steadicam operator
Patrick Reddish	....	best boy (as Pat Reddish)
Jay Schumann	....	lamp operator
Popcorn Simmons	....	grip
Todd Smith	....	best boy
Chester Sohn	....	generator operator
Arly H. Thomsen	....	dolly grip (as Arly Thomsen)
Jon Tilton	....	lamp operator
Alexander Witt	....	first assistant camera
Garland Wylde	....	lamp operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nancy G. Fox	....	assistant costumer (as Nancy Fox)
Leslie Morales	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Steve Potter	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Don Perry	....	music supervisor
Richard Stone	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Blackie Bissonnetti	....	driver
Jim Campbell	....	driver
Pam Daniels	....	driver
Jim Huffey	....	driver
Marty Huffey	....	driver
Jim Mason	....	driver
Jim O'Keefe	....	driver
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Pat Borri	....	accounting secretary
Celia Cadena	....	assistant accountant
Glen Garner	....	animal handler
Desmond Giffen	....	assistant cook
Mamie Goldstein	....	special consultant
Perry Husman	....	craft service
Mario Iscovich	....	production associate
Paul Kovlachum	....	location auditor
Pixie Lamppu	....	production assistant
Deborah Lawson	....	location manager
Boots Lebaron	....	unit publicist
Jackie Martin	....	animal handler
Christopher Medak	....	production assistant (as Chris Medak)
Karl Lewis Miller	....	animal action
Mark Moelter	....	assistant cook
Dan Phillips	....	assistant coordinator
Aileen Ronloff	....	welfare worker
Jackie Saunders	....	script supervisor (as Jacqueline Saunders)
Chriss Strauss	....	production coordinator
Phil Strauss	....	first aid
Tom Zapata	....	production assistant
Jain Lemos	....	location scout (uncredited)
Linda Martel	....	production accountant: second unit (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sunn Classic Pictures
• TAFT Entertainment Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Adams Filmi (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (1996) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Future Film (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Nordic Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Republic Pictures (II) (199?) (USA) (video)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Cimarron Productions  main title graphics
• Echo Film Services  sound editing
• La Da Productions  music editing
• Leonetti Cine Rentals  camera equipment provided by
• Michael Schultz Enterprises Inc.  catering
• Modern Film Effects  title and opticals
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex supplied by
• Panda Talent Agency  extra casting

Runtime:

91 min | Canada:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Finland:K-15 (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1994) (VHS version) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (2000) (DVD version) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1983) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Poland:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Glen Ellen, California, USA

Company:

Sunn Classic Pictures

Trivia:

Five St. Bernards were used, one mechanical head, and a guy in a dog costume.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Vic picks Tad up at his camp, we see Tad dip his finger in paint and begin finger painting. He then sees his dad and runs to him and gives him a hug and there is no paint on either of his hands or his dad's suit.

Quotes:

Vic Trenton: There are no real monsters.
Tad Trenton: Except for the one in my closet.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: A Pup in Paris (#3.27)" (1996)

It might have you foaming at the mouth?

A St. Bernard dog is playfully chasing a rabbit, but when the dog decides to pop its head into a burrow it's bitten by a rabies-infected bat and slowly over time it becomes a maliciously uncontrolled mutt. Which, it turns on its owner and also terrorises that of a unfaithful women and her son that came to get their vehicle repaired, but only to be trapped in their broken down car with rabid dog outside trying to get to them.

Beethoven… yep, I just couldn't stop thinking of the lovable Beethoven when watching this flick. That was one of my childhood favourites, but I guess it isn't going to be quite the same when I come across it again. I won't look a Beethoven the same way again. Anyhow, this is one of the King's better-made adaptations. Although, it's a long way from brilliant, it delivers a stable amount of interest and tension to proceedings. This was my second viewing of it and it has hardly lost any of that full-blooded impact it generated, especially the heart racing standoff between the dog and the trapped victims. I wouldn't be surprise that you don't think your watching a horror film to begin with, as the opening basis centres around a family melodrama, raising martial issues and work commitments. It kind of comes across as cheesy in its supposed sentiment in those moments.

Then it kicks into gear with the slow beginning making way for a crackerjack final 40 minutes of simple confined tension built around isolation. It also doesn't hold back on the vicious dog attacks with ample ferocity and raw suspense being belted out. Watching people being mauled apart by this giant scuffed up dog wasn't that pleasant at all. The gore effects were more than adequate and it looked the part of a rabid dog perfectly. But you couldn't help but feel sorry for the dog, as it's more of a victim then the people who he's terrorising. Honestly I cared more for the misunderstood pooch than the initial victims. The characters weren't entirely likable, with the exception of one or two, but I didn't connect with them in this mess. The story is simple and plays it straight, but that doesn't mean it avoids the familiar clichés. Although, it doesn't entirely hurt the film, well it kind of enhances it actually. A surprising factor I found was that the film's camera-work was well choreographed with plenty of swirling shots and when it needed to up the ante it became rather erratic to fit in with the mood. Also add in some glorious slow-mo. The score on the other hand I thought was forcefully unbalanced and didn't fit into the mood at times. The performances are all sturdy and very hard to knock. Dee Wallace-Stone was at the top of her game as the wayward wife and Danny Pintauro as her worried son was equally so. Daniel Hugh Kelly gives a likable performance as the father and of course the endearing dog is worth a mention too. The strong performances make this traumatic experience even more believable.

A tautly constructed and work-man like film that won't push the boundaries, but its intensely petrifying in its simple origins.