Cujo (1983)
Directed by Alligator helmer Lewis Teague, this adaptation of the terrifying Stephen King novel of the same name is the story of a rabid St. Bernard who terrorizes a small suburb, and especially mom Donna (Dee Wallace) and son Tad (Danny Pintauro), who spend much of the film trapped in their Ford Pinto, stalked by Cujo.
The Los Angeles Times reported in 1983 that Cujo was played by four different St. Bernards, various mechanical dogs, and a black Labrador–Great Dane mix… wearing a St. Bernard costume. Also donning a dog costume was stuntman Gary Morgan, as Bloody Disgusting explained in a piece about Lee Gambin’s book Nope, Nothing Wrong Here: The Making of Cujo.
Does it work? Doggone yes, Cujo is terrifying, and you never doubt the threat posed by the pet-turned-monster. It’s one of the best killer animal movies because it feels so grounded in everyday life.
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