Silver Bullet (1985)

In a small town, brutal killings start to plague the close knit community. Marty Coslaw, a paraplegic boy, is convinced the murders are the doings of a werewolf.

Director:

Daniel Attias

Writers:

Stephen King (novel), Stephen King (screenplay)

Stars:

Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Corey Haim

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Busey	...	Uncle Red
Everett McGill	...	Reverend Lowe
Corey Haim	...	Marty Coslaw
Megan Follows	...	Jane Coslaw
Robin Groves	...	Nan Coslaw
Leon Russom	...	Bob Coslaw
Terry O'Quinn	...	Sheriff Joe Haller
Bill Smitrovich	...	Andy Fairton
Joe Wright	...	Brady Kincaid
Kent Broadhurst	...	Herb Kincaid
Heather Simmons	...	Tammy Sturmfuller
James A. Baffico	...	Milt Sturmfuller
Rebecca Fleming	...	Mrs. Sturmfuller
Lawrence Tierney	...	Owen Knopfler
William Newman	...	Virgil Cuts

Storyline

The small town of Tarker's Mills was a place that was very peaceful, where nothing extraordinary ever happened until one night when murders began. The townspeople believe it's some maniacal killer on the loose whom they intend to hunt down. Marty, a young handicapped boy, believes the killer is no man at all, but a werewolf. After a run-in with the werewolf, Marty and his sister Jane hunt all over town for the man who is the werewolf.

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Plot Keywords:

pantyhose | 1970s | year 1976 | murder of a child | child uses a gun | 

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Taglines:

It started in May, in a small town. And every month after that, whenever the moon was full...it came back.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is loosely based on Stephen King 1983 book Cycle Of The Werewolf.

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Goofs

When Arnie Westrum is killed at the first of the movie, the coroner concludes that he got drunk and fell asleep on the tracks; implying that a train took his head off. However, Arnie's track cart is parked only a few yards away on the same tracks that he supposedly died on and couldn't have died because of a train accident without causing a major accident. The cart, body, and tracks are all clearly visible.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Older Jane: [Older Jane narrating] The last full moon of that Spring came a little more than a month before school let out for Summer vacation. Our town's long nightmare began that night.

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Crazy Credits

SPOILER: Everett McGill is billed twice - once as Reverend Lowe at the top of the credits and as Werewolf at the bottom of the credits.

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Alternate Versions

The UK DVD release of the film in 2001 contains the original movie trailer and spoken commentary by director Daniel Attias, both of which is not available on any other officially released DVD including the US.

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Connections

Referenced in Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010)

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Soundtracks

Joyride
Music by Jay Chattaway
Lyrics Written and Performed by Rob. B. Mathes
Recorded at the Carriage House

User Reviews

a campy good time

Stephen King's Silver Bullet is one of the most charming werewolf flicks in the stable, one that combines adult orientated, gory horror with the fable-esque, childlike sensibility that seems to permeate King's work. It's also quite funny, thanks to the presence of a boisterous, rotund and quite young Gary Busey. Young Marty (Corey Haim) lives in a sleepy little town where not much of anything happens, until a rash of brutal murders occur in the area. Attributed to a serial killer by townsfolk, Marty has other ideas, specifically that a werewolf has taken up residence among them, and is snatching victims in the night. Taken seriously only by his sister (Megan Follows) and kindly Uncle Red (Busey) he bravely stalks suspect number one, who happens to be the creepy town priest (an intimidating Everett Mcgill). Things escalate into a series of gooey, effects driven set pieces that drip with wonderful 80's schlock and awe, as of course is the tradition with anything based on King's work. Other notables include Terry O Quinn, Bill Smitrovitch, Lawrence Tierney, King's own son Joe Wright, and late great character actor James Gammon in an opening sequence cameo. It's not all that scary, but more about the beloved tropes of such stories as these, the timeless monsters that inhabit them, as well the the intrepid young heroes whose lives growing up and finding themselves equally as important and high stakes as the horror elements.

Details

Country:

USA Netherlands

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cycle of the Werewolf

Filming Locations:

Greenfield Park, 1739 Burnett Blvd., Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,013,563, 14 October 1985

Gross USA:

$12,361,866

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,361,866

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company, Famous Films (II), International Film Corporation (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1