This didn't get the distribution or attention "Misery" got, but it's equally tense and equally well acted by Dee Wallace-Stone (as Donna Trenton).
The simple premise is that a woman becomes trapped in a car while a rabid dog, Cujo, waits to tear her apart.
As "Misery" was about confinement, so is "Cujo", and director Lewis Teague "("Educating Rita") keeps the suspense high and convinces us that Donna's situation is real. The dog is not entirely unsympathetic, either, as we are given the reasons for his mental and physical state.
The film has a refreshing, picturesque simplicity and, by virtue of its shorter form, cuts away the lengthy novel's fat and improves on the premise, getting us to the jeopardy quicker and keeping us there.
The original poster, which depicted a distant farmhouse on a hill, may not have sold tickets, but it was a stunning piece of creative understatement.
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