Why is Cujo so often mentioned in films?

[Gerald]

I don't know if others have noticed this, but out of all King's works Cujo is by far the most mentioned in films. I don't mean just films based on King, where he's mentioned or referred to as an in-joke, but he's mentioned in all sorts of films, not just horror, but sometimes comedy as well.

Unfortunately I don't have a list of all the films he's mentioned in, but I noticed it often. Most recently I noticed it in the final episode of the first season of Scream Queens, where he is mentioned along with Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. The last two are icons of horrorfilms, but I was amazed Cujo is still so popular. Or at least Cujo must be very popular with screenwriters.

Is Cujo a particularly beloved book from King? I never get that idea: in the top 10 Rolling Stone published of favourite books voted for by readers it's not present for example. The Stand, It and The Shining are the most beloved.

I love the book myself, it's one of my favourites. King loves the movie and praises Dee Wallace's performance. The book is not one of his own favourites, he's not completely satisfied about it and thinks it could have been better.

I also don't get the feeling the movie is all that beloved in general. At least not as much as other adaptations.
Still it gets mentioned very often in other films. Did the book have more of an impact than other King books or does it hold more of a special place in the public's mind?

 

[Dana Jean]

Cujo just wants to be loved.

So. He's a little diseasy, what's the big deal?

 

[AchtungBaby]

It's an easy reference. One word, and everyone knows Cujo. It automatically conjures up an image in the mind

 

[blunthead]

I don't know if others have noticed this, but out of all King's works Cujo is by far the most mentioned in films. I don't mean just films based on King, where he's mentioned or referred to as an in-joke, but he's mentioned in all sorts of films, not just horror, but sometimes comedy as well.

Unfortunately I don't have a list of all the films he's mentioned in, but I noticed it often. Most recently I noticed it in the final episode of the first season of Scream Queens, where he is mentioned along with Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. The last two are icons of horrorfilms, but I was amazed Cujo is still so popular. Or at least Cujo must be very popular with screenwriters.

Is Cujo a particularly beloved book from King? I never get that idea: in the top 10 Rolling Stone published of favourite books voted for by readers it's not present for example. The Stand, It and The Shining are the most beloved.

I love the book myself, it's one of my favourites. King loves the movie and praises Dee Wallace's performance. The book is not one of his own favourites, he's not completely satisfied about it and thinks it could have been better.

I also don't get the feeling the movie is all that beloved in general. At least not as much as other adaptations.
Still it gets mentioned very often in other films. Did the book have more of an impact than other King books or does it hold more of a special place in the public's mind?

The character Cujo is an iconic figure used to symbolize what he symbolizes in the movie, which is unstoppable natural terror. Stephen King has had the ability to create icons and iconic quotes in some of his stories ("Here's Johnny!"; twin girls standing in a hallway, saying, "Come play with us, Danny. For ever...and ever...and ever...") and Cujo is probably the most famous such iconic figure of King's.

Perhaps Cujo works with all kinds of matters of subject and genres due to the fact that he is a dog, just a diseased one, after all, as DJ reminds us; he had been a good dog. If he is supernaturally possessed, is an actual demon, or exists via some unknown mysterious source his threat would seem more alien to humanity's own essential nature. What feels more at home than a dog? This might be why Cujo is so horrifying, the betrayal of a person by his own home.

 

[skimom2]

Cultural touchstone. A family pet going mad and killing/tormenting people could really happen--it got into our collective consciousness. It's become shorthand for 'mad dog', or the opposite (I've seen MANY chihuahuas named 'Cujo' ). Carrie and Pennywise are part of our cultural lexicon, too. People who have never read either book or seen either movie know exactly what you mean if they are referenced. It's sort of cool

 

[carrie's younger brother]

Cujo has become like Freddy Krueger, Hannibal Lecter, Jason, Dracula, Frankensteins' Monster, etc.

 

[Out of Order]

Because everybody likes a cute little puppy doggie!

 

[kingricefan]

Have you noticed how many times the phrase 'They're all going to laugh at you.' shows up? That one's from Carrie.

 

[GNTLGNT]

 

[Dana Jean]

awwwwwwwwww, poor pup

 

[not_nadine]

Cujo only wanted to be a good boy. Love Cujo

 

[not_nadine]

awwwwwwwwww, poor pup

Spoiler

I read the the dogs used were very happy licking the syrup they used for the scenes there. They had to stop production.

 

[morgan]

Have you noticed how many times the phrase 'They're all going to laugh at you.' shows up? That one's from Carrie.

I used to quote that all the time - in the squeakiest, eeriest, high-pitched voice I could muster!

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

As others have said, he is easily recognizable, both as a horror character and also as a dog.

Think of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. One means "smart-than-human resourceful dog". The other means "actor dog".

"Cujo" means the other side of the "dog" coin.

 

[AnnaMarie]

The character Cujo is an iconic figure used to symbolize what he symbolizes in the movie, which is unstoppable natural terror. Stephen King has had the ability to create icons and iconic quotes in some of his stories ("Here's Johnny!"; twin girls standing in a hallway, saying, "Come play with us, Danny. For ever...and ever...and ever...") and Cujo is probably the most famous such iconic figure of King's.

Those quotes probably should be credited to Kubrick. With how much King hated that adaption, I don't think he wrote it.

 

[Robert Gray]

I don't know if others have noticed this, but out of all King's works Cujo is by far the most mentioned in films. I don't mean just films based on King, where he's mentioned or referred to as an in-joke, but he's mentioned in all sorts of films, not just horror, but sometimes comedy as well.

This is because traditionally, all dogs (which are more than bit parts) in films are loyal and good. If/when they have names which are memorable, it something like Lassie. There simply aren't a lot of dog villains. In fact, there may only be one that became part of the Zeitgeist, i.e. Cujo. The name is simple, easy to remember, and is instantly stands as an avatar for "bad dog" in the mind whether people have read the book or not. In fact, it is a positive feedback loop, with the more it is used in this context, the stronger the association becomes.

 

[GNTLGNT]

This is because traditionally, all dogs (which are more than bit parts) in films are loyal and good. If/when they have names which are memorable, it something like Lassie. There simply aren't a lot of dog villains. In fact, there may only be one that became part of the Zeitgeist, i.e. Cujo. The name is simple, easy to remember, and is instantly stands as an avatar for "bad dog" in the mind whether people have read the book or not. In fact, it is a positive feedback loop, with the more it is used in this context, the stronger the association becomes.

....yours and others points above are well made regarding the singularity of the movie and the integration of the title character into the popular lexicon.....there have been a handful of "evil dog" films, 99% of which were nothing but cinematic crap....the combination of a decently done film and the fact it was based on a King novel-set it well aside from the shlock......

 

[GNTLGNT]

 

[blunthead]

Those quotes probably should be credited to Kubrick. With how much King hated that adaption, I don't think he wrote it.

Yes, you're right. I was unclear. I didn't mean to say that Stephen King was a writer of The Shining. I was just giving examples of iconic characters and things from sK-related movies. Actually, the Here's Johnny quote should be credited to Jack Nicholson since it was an ad lib, it was not in the script.

 

[not_nadine]

and