Few Stephen King fans consider Cujo—about a possessed dog that terrorizes a mother and her young son—to be among the author's best horror novels, or this 1983 film (which drops the supernatural element in favor of rabies, while also radically altering the ending) to rank as one of the most impressive screen adaptations of his work. But Lionsgate's anniversary release reveals that director Lewis Teague's Cujo is a compelling and claustrophobic chiller, well acted by Dee Wallace and little Danny Pintauro as the seemingly helpless duo trapped in their car by the titular bloodthirsty canine. And while the subplot about the family's domestic troubles remains standard-issue filler, it doesn't get in the way of the real red meat, so to speak. On the audio commentary for this 25th anniversary edition, Teague calls Cujo the favorite of his films and remarks on the difficulties of making a St. Bernard look really frightening (in truth, Cujo isn't entirely successful in that respect). Teague is also on hand for a three-part behind-the-scenes documentary that features reminiscences by the producer, composer, and cinematographer, as well as Wallace and Pintauro. Recommended. (F. Swietek)[Blu-ray Review—Jan. 29, 2013—Olive, 93 min., R, $24.95—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, 1983's Cujo boasts a fine transfer and DTS-HD mono sound. Extras include a new 2012 audio commentary by director Lewis Teague. Bottom line: a fine Blu-ray release of one of the better film adaptations of a King novel.]
Cujo
Lionsgate, 95 min., R, DVD: $19.98 Volume 23, Issue 1
Cujo
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: