The Shining, Carrie, The Dead Zone, Pet Sematary. All Stephen King books that I read as a kid and then later in life saw the movies that were made from them. Not all movies translate well from books but I’ve liked most of the movie adaptations from King’s books. To me, Cujo is one of the best. It is a real horror movie, not just a thriller, and yes, there is a difference. The last 45 minutes of the movie with Donna and Tad trapped in the car as Cujo stalks them is brilliantly paced and full of real tension. There are some elements in the first half of the movie that are a little cheesy but I think that makes the horror element that much more effective when it kicks into high gear. I think what makes it so successful is that it doesn’t use the supernatural like so many horror movies, including Stephen King’s, to drive the horror home but rather the sense that given the right situation, it very well could happen just as terrifying as what the film shows.
The Shining, Carrie, The Dead Zone, Pet Sematary. All Stephen King books that I read as a kid and then later in life saw the movies that were made from them. Not all movies translate well from books but I’ve liked most of the movie adaptations from King’s books. To me, Cujo is one of the best. It is a real horror movie, not just a thriller, and yes, there is a difference. The last 45 minutes of the movie with Donna and Tad trapped in the car as Cujo stalks them is brilliantly paced and full of real tension. There are some elements in the first half of the movie that are a little cheesy but I think that makes the horror element that much more effective when it kicks into high gear. I think what makes it so successful is that it doesn’t use the supernatural like so many horror movies, including Stephen King’s, to drive the horror home but rather the sense that given the right situation, it very well could happen just as terrifying as what the film shows.