Grim Prairie Tales: Hit the Trail... to Terror (1990)

Director:

Wayne Coe

Writer:

Wayne Coe (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Western

Tagline:

I was sucked in!

Plot:

Two travellers, one a well to do young clark on the way to a reunion with his wife, the other a scruffy...

Plot Keywords:

Bounty Hunter | Episodic | Playing Footsie | Duel | Ghost

Cast

James Earl Jones	...	Morrison
Brad Dourif	...	Farley
Will Hare	...	Lee
Marc McClure	...	Tom
Michelle Joyner	...	Jenny
William Atherton	...	Arthur
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Maureen
Wendy J. Cooke	...	Eva
Scott Paulin	...	Martin
Jennifer Barlow	...	Sarah
Dan Leegant	...	Dr. Leaderman
William Martin Brennan	...	Bluey (as William M. Brennan)
Tom Simcox	...	Horn
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Colochez (as Bruce Discher)
James Glick	...	Dying Chief

Also Known As:

Hellbent (Australia) (video box title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

East-West Film Partners

Quotes:

Morrison: You city folk are a strange lot. You say, "Shock me," and then when I do, you say, "Oh no, I didn't expect that!"

Great Pairing

It's true, none of the stories told in this strange campfire chat are particularly scary. Jones' tales of vengeful Indians, mysterious pregnant drifters, and undead gunslingers fail to chill the marrow, with only the middle tale of the three providing a certain "gross-out" factor. Dourif's single tale of family and bigotry shows true horror can lie not in the supernatural but in everyday life.

However, it's the play-off between these two great actors that gives the greatest joy in this film. The contrast (and unlikely rapport) between prim clerk Dourif and grizzled bounty hunter Jones - the latter playing against type in a way that'll surprise those used to his supporting roles in, say, the Jack Ryan films - makes them a "buddy" pairing to rival Riggs and Murtaugh. Give them their own series!