Films are our life here at Geek actually, really, its in the word geek. Unlike other people we don’t just watch a film a week or go to the cinema for the big films. We live, breath and dream about our passions. Naturally, this means we watch a huge amount of films. Some are great, some are absolutely trash. This new section of the site explores the films we usually don’t report on. The worst of the worst. The films that you will see here probably never made cinema and often very nearly missed DVD altogether. Welcome to Josh’s Bargain Basement Movies.
Cujo (1983)
In very rare cases, as I dig through the never ending depths of the bargain bin, I manage to pull out a film that actually surprises me. Films from the bargain bin are usually either tremendously bad or tragically flawed. Cujo however is neither of these, true it has it’s flaws but it’s a decent horror film with some real effort behind it. This is not the kind of film I’m used to seeing nestled amongst the heap.
The story focuses on a dog who contracts a bizarre sickness from a bat bite and turns from mans best friend into a crazed killer. As Cujo slowly turns evil, the film sets the tone and introduces our protagonists, who come in the form of a nice family who seem to have terrible luck with cars. As we follow the story arc, we follow the family to their inevitable confrontation with Cujo, complete with the standard horror components of blood, screaming and death, sprinkled with a little bit of family drama just to change up the formula a bit. The film’s only let down is that the story is a bit all over the place, and some of the scenes away for the main story seem a tad rushed. However, Cujo‘s best selling point is the dog itself. The transformation from lovable pooch to rabid monster is uncomfortable and intense, plus the power and ferocity of the animal is effective to say the least. Cujo is a big dog and the film makers actually manage to make you believe it could trap someone in their car in fear of their lives.
This film is a decent watch and though it is far from being in my horror classics list, it impressed me nevertheless. I found Cujo for $5 and it was worth every cent. I urge any horror fan that missed this title to steal this one up. I am happy to have added this to my collection.
Verdict: A true bargain basement gem.
Cujo is directed by Lewis Teague and written by Don Carlos Dunaway & Lauren Currier and it is based on the novel by Stephen King. It Stars Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel Hugh-Kelly, Christopher Stone and one really pissed off St. Bernard. It is available now in DVD bargain bins everywhere.
Catch Josh’s Bargain Basement on our podcast by listening to Film Actually every week. You can find it here or search for it on iTunes.
