Samuel K. (Solvanda)
Reviewed on 1/1/2019...
Dee Wallace's wild work in this movie playing Donna is Stephen King's favorite performance of any character of his film adaptations, although Danny Pintauro as her son, Tad Trenton, sends in quite the formidable fear-consumed consummate act. A good majority of Cujo is plain claustrophobic, and you'll be torn at the end of this film as to what is more terrifying: an oozing, encrusted, rabid St. Bernard or being trapped in a sweltering vehicle with a traumatized shrieking child. "You said there weren't monsters!! You said there weren't monsters!!! You said there weren't monsters!!!!"
If you've been through the novel, you'll know that it ends on quite the grim note. In the film, however, the conclusion is not as hard hitting. It was the fourth highest grossing horror film of 1983. Interestingly, Cujo was played by four St. Bernards, several mechanical dogs, and a black Labrador-Great Dane mix in a St. Bernard costume.