Stephen King fans ought to really have some fun with this series of stories from the horror master. Cujo opens things up with a lively chase of the cat that the movie's trilogy is based upon, while a bumper sticker on a car that comes into view states 'Watch out for me, I am pure evil, I am Christine'. And that's just for starters; in the opening chapter, James Woods is shown watching "The Dead Zone", another Stephen King thriller turned into a movie.
With their ironic endings, the segments play out like one would expect from Rod Serling's 'Twilight Zone', but with a bit more edge and violence. The opener was probably my favorite, with James Woods portraying a chain smoking fiend trying to quit. I thought Alan King was an inspired choice to play the maniac head of Quitters Incorporated since his character was so far removed from King's normal type of roles. I know one thing, I'll never hear '96 Tears' in the same way again.
In the second story, Robert Hays goes out on a ledge to outwit notorious gambler Cressner (Kenneth McMillan) and the way he turns the tables on Cressner may be a little too unbelievable, but it's classic in a King/Serling kind of way. The final story you certainly won't want to have impressionable young minds watch in the same room with you. Man, wasn't that troll about as butt ugly as anything you've ever seen? If I'd have seen this when I was a kid I would still be sleeping with my eyes open.
If you like this kind of stuff in the format offered, I would recommend a 1962 flick featuring Vincent Price called "Tales of Terror". It too offers a trio of stories, and in making a comparison, it's interesting to note that one of the stories is titled 'The Black Cat'. Which makes me wonder why the film makers for this wouldn't have sought out a black cat for the mere symbolism that it offers in the bad luck department. But I will say this, the tabby they used here was quite the actor. For example, in the final chapter 'The General', does the cat actually act being sleepy, or do they wait to film the cat when it's drowsy? I don't even know why I think of these things, they just come to me as random thoughts to consider.
With their ironic endings, the segments play out like one would expect from Rod Serling's 'Twilight Zone', but with a bit more edge and violence. The opener was probably my favorite, with James Woods portraying a chain smoking fiend trying to quit. I thought Alan King was an inspired choice to play the maniac head of Quitters Incorporated since his character was so far removed from King's normal type of roles. I know one thing, I'll never hear '96 Tears' in the same way again.
In the second story, Robert Hays goes out on a ledge to outwit notorious gambler Cressner (Kenneth McMillan) and the way he turns the tables on Cressner may be a little too unbelievable, but it's classic in a King/Serling kind of way. The final story you certainly won't want to have impressionable young minds watch in the same room with you. Man, wasn't that troll about as butt ugly as anything you've ever seen? If I'd have seen this when I was a kid I would still be sleeping with my eyes open.
If you like this kind of stuff in the format offered, I would recommend a 1962 flick featuring Vincent Price called "Tales of Terror". It too offers a trio of stories, and in making a comparison, it's interesting to note that one of the stories is titled 'The Black Cat'. Which makes me wonder why the film makers for this wouldn't have sought out a black cat for the mere symbolism that it offers in the bad luck department. But I will say this, the tabby they used here was quite the actor. For example, in the final chapter 'The General', does the cat actually act being sleepy, or do they wait to film the cat when it's drowsy? I don't even know why I think of these things, they just come to me as random thoughts to consider.