Cujo (1983)

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:

Boy | Rabies | Hand On Crotch | Mutant | Dam

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Craighead	...	Joe MaGruder (uncredited)

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
Russ Tinsley	....	sound editor
Mark Ulano	....	sound mixer
Ray West	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Rick Josephsen	....	special effects
G. Lynn Maughan	....	assistant special effects
Robert Clark	....	creature crew: prosthetic dogs (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Kathie Clark	....	visual effects assistant
Robert Clark	....	visual effects assistant (as Bob Clark)
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)
• Europa Film (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Nordic Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Olive Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (DVD and Blu-ray)
• Paramount (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• 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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

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) (2000) (DVD version) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1994) (VHS version) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1983) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | 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:

Stars Dee Wallace and Christopher Stone were married at the time of the film.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When the cop is driving up to the house, they show the mailbox door open with mail in it, but earlier at the post office, they state that there has been a halt put on mail delivery. However, the flag on the mailbox is up, indicating that that mail in the box is outgoing.

Quotes:

Joe Camber:You better watch it, Pervier.
[Joe looks down and pats Cujo]
Joe Camber:I'll sic my dog on you.
Gary Pervier:That dog? You couldn't sic that dog on me if I was comin' at you with a straight razor in each hand!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III (2010) (TV)

It gets Cujo right, but it guts the story . . .

I watched this after reading the book over a few days and concluding that it was one of the best, most touching (okay, not much vantage point, but it was touching), novels I had ever read. Lucky for me, I had subscribed to a Stephen King movie offer a few years ago, and had Cujo (among other worthless movies) lying around. I had never watched it, and put it in the VCR the second I finished the book.

So what did the filmmakers do with the story?

The only thing they got right -- which was done very well -- was the dog. Okay, I was freaked out, surprised, I even squirmed a few times -- and this was with the surprises of the novel fresh in my head. But a few good thrills does not a good movie make.

The subplot with Charity Camber, a powerful tug-of-war with Joe over the direction their son, Brett, is going to take, isn't even alluded to. How Joe, father and husband, can die while seemingly not effecting anyone else is beyond me. He has a kid and a wife! Isn't that important to the story? It was in the book!

Also, the subplot with Donna cheating on Vic was toned down to the point of being inconsequential. Where was the tension? In the book, I would argue that that *was* the plot, with Cujo trapping Donna and Tad in the car coming in a distant second. I was pulling for these people in the book. I was wanting it to work out. I wanted to see the note, and the sexual undertones. But, well, can't fit them into a 95 minutes movie I guess.

And don't get me started on the ending. Talk about a wimp out.

Overall, if you watch a cheap, obviously dated, thrill, this isn't the worst you're going to find. It really demeans the book though, as most of the old Stephen King movie adaptations do.

Matty J