Cujo
Movie, 1983, Castle Rock, Set in A rabid St. Bernard
Cujo is #7 of 42 in release order and #32 of 42 in chronological order in the Stephen King Universe.
The story
A friendly St. Bernard named "Cujo" contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.
Cujo recap
Cujo (1983) traps a mother and her young son in a broken-down car outside a remote farm, held hostage by a rabid St. Bernard. Lewis Teague directs Dee Wallace as Donna Trenton and Danny Pintauro as her son Tad. Cujo, the gentle dog of mechanic Joe Camber (Ed Lauter), is bitten by a rabid bat while chasing a rabbit. Donna's marriage to Vic (Daniel Hugh Kelly) is strained by her affair with Steve Kemp, and Vic leaves on a business trip after learning of it. Donna drives her failing Ford Pinto to the Camber farm outside Castle Rock for repairs, not knowing Cujo has already killed Joe and his neighbour and that Joe's wife and son are away. The car dies in the yard, and Cujo attacks. For days in the summer heat, Donna and Tad are trapped as Tad becomes dehydrated, and a sheriff's deputy who comes looking is killed.
Cujo ending explained
Cujo ends with Donna killing the dog and saving Tad. Donna fights Cujo with a baseball bat, then shoots him with the deputy's gun when he attacks again. She carries the unconscious Tad into the house and revives him, and Vic arrives as she holds her son, the family back together after days of searching. In the novel, Tad dies of dehydration and heatstroke before help comes.
Post-credits scenes
No. Cujo has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Cujo
Cujo is streaming on Philo, AMC+, Kanopy, Hoopla, and AMC in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 60%
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Dead Zone, before Children of the Corn.
- Chronological order: after The Dead Zone, before Stand by Me.
What to watch before Cujo
The Dead Zone (1983), which Cujo (1983) continues.
Cast
- Dee Wallace as Donna Trenton
- Danny Pintauro as Tad Trenton
- Daniel Hugh Kelly as Vic Trenton
- Christopher Stone as Steve Kemp
- Ed Lauter as Joe Camber
- Kaiulani Lee as Charity Camber
- Billy Jayne as Brett Camber
- Mills Watson as Gary Pervier
- Sandy Ward as Bannerman
- Jerry Hardin as Masen
- Merritt Olsen as Professor
- Frank Welker as Cujo (voice; uncredited)
Directed by Lewis Teague.