 |
CS Weekly Archive> DVD > 09/28/07
Dueling Degrees of Fear
by scott castle
Cujo (25th Anniversary Edition)
Screenplay by Don Carlos Dunaway and Lauren Currier
Based on the novel by Stephen King
 
 
Ostensibly the tale of a mother and her young son besieged in a broken-down Ford Pinto by the eponymous rabid dog, Cujo is a subtle exploration of the difference between potential and actual fear. Housewife Donna Trenton (Dee Wallace) fears a lonely life in rural Maine, while her son, Tad (Danny Pintauro), fears the bogeyman he believes to inhabit his closet. The first part of the film explores the self-imposed ennui experienced by each character (as well as several others) while slowly placing each piece of the plot in place to get mother and child stranded with the title character. Donna is forced to recognize that these imagined fears she and her family perpetuate are far less threatening than the actuality of a killer dog, as director Lewis Teague explains in his enlightening commentary. In the three-part documentary produced by Laurent Bouzereau (Jaws DVD), Teague and others chart the development of the film from Stephen King's 1981 novel. Teague explains a critical deviation from the text at King's suggestion, while the contributions of various screenwriters (including King, who wrote an unused draft) are examined in detail.
Cujo (25th Anniversary Edition)
Lions Gate Home Entertainment
Rated R; 95 min.
$19.98
Buy it now
Scott Castle is one thesis shy of a master’s degree in film. He’s written two short films, four television scripts, and a handful of short stories. He lives in Los Angeles.
Cujo (25th Anniversary Edition) courtesy Lions Gate Home Entertainment
|
 |
From the Trenches
Working screenwriters discuss in their own words a particular aspect of screenwriting, from the mechanics of writing to the personal and professional impact that writing has had on their lives. > VIEW ARCHIVE
The Big Picture
Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > VIEW ARCHIVE
Weekend Read
Film, book, web site and technology reviews from a writer’s perspective. How can these items help a writer on his or her journey, or make that journey more enjoyable? > VIEW ARCHIVE
DVD Review of the Day
DVD reviews from a writer’s point of view. What aspects of this script and features of this DVD illuminate the writing, development, and storytelling process? > VIEW ARCHIVE
|
|
