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It would perhaps not be amiss to point out that he had always tried to be a good dog. He had tried to do all the things his MAN and his WOMAN, and most of all his BOY, had asked or expected of him. He would have died for them, if that had been required. He had never wanted to kill anybody. He had been struck by something, possibly destiny, or fate, or only a degenerative nerve disease called rabies. Free will was not a factor.
~ Stephen King about Cujo and his tragic fate.

Cujo is one of the two secondary antagonists (alongside Ace Merrill) of the Castle Rock Saga of the Stephen King mythos.

He was once a friendly and playful companion, but when he was bitten by a bat and contracted rabies, he went insane and was turned into a vicious killer that attacked anybody who came near him.

He was portrayed by at least five separate dog actors, two of which were known as Moe and Cubby, and his vocal sound effects were provided by Frank Welker.

Biography[]

Cujo was once the beloved St. Bernard of the Camber family who only wanted to be a good dog, but was bitten by a rabid bat in the nose when his head got stuck in a bat cave while chasing a rabbit (which was shown at the beginning of the movie).

Cujo then went mad with rabies and killed any person he came across including one of his own owners, conducting a murderous reign of terror on Castle Rock.

In the end of both the book and movie, Cujo was seemingly killed by Tad Trenton's mother named Donna (who also tried to save her son from dying of heat stroke), by being shot by the sheriff's gun. In the novel, he was killed after being hit by a baseball bat.

Defeat (novel)[]

When Sheriff Bannerman came, Cujo comes and attacks him, Donna who's desperate to save her son she grabs a baseball bat and attacks Cujo with the bat killing him in the process, however it's too late for her to save Tad as he died of dehydration and heatstroke. After Vic came Donna was rushed to the hospital, and Cujo's head is extracted for a biopsy to check for rabies before to the cremation of his remains.

Defeat (film)[]

Cujo smashes through the Camber window, and turns over to Donna in the kitchen, who had successfully revived Tad, and Cujo makes one more attempt to kill her before she shoots him directly in between the eyes and kills him.

Pet Semetary[]

Although Cujo does not physically appear due to his death, he is mentioned by Jud Crandall during his conversation with Louis Creed, with Jud saying that in downstate Maine, they had a "saint bernard that went rabid", referring to the events of the novel.

Needful Things[]

While still dead, Cujo was mentioned by the town of Castle Rock. Polly Chalmers, while at the now-abandoned Camber home, encounters Cujo's malevolent and restless spirit, which chases her out of the farm.

Cat's Eye[]

Cujo among with Christine have a cameo in the anthology film "Cat's Eye" where he chases the titular cat: General in the opening of the film. General escapes from Cujo by hiding in a barrel and Cujo seemingly gives up until he chases General came out of hiding. He chases General all the way to a rowboat that was flip over, unaware General manages to escape from him and runs in the back of the pickup delivery truck. Cujo arrives but gives up going after General and then looks at a man.

Personality[]

Cujo is given some more insight in the novel while the film portrays him as merely a dog gone mad due to rabies. It is said in both versions that Cujo was a friendly dog that loved to play with the local children. After being bitten by a bat and unknowingly infected by the virus, he was afraid his master would be mad and think that he was a bad dog showing how much he thought of his owners and their opinions. When infected, Cujo starts to slowly lose his mind to where he could no longer recognize even his owners (the young Brett Camber) as humans, seeing them akin to actual monsters barely recognizing their voice and he fights off the urge to kill the boy by leaving.

Based on Cujo's perspective, he seemingly only identifies them through small descriptions in all caps like: "THE BOY" and "THE MAN" when thinking of them. As the book progresses, we see that he does not kill for pleasure but due to some of their loud noises and other habits which intensifies his pain thus making him lose what little restraint he manages to retain. Cujo wants to be left alone after being infected to the point he is willing to kill those around him if needed. As his mind continues to deteriorate, Cujo becomes more violent and insane from the pain and starts to believe it is the people around him causing him to be sick.

It should be noted that Cujo isn't a villain by choice, or does he enjoy hurting these people. This makes Cujo one of the most tragic Stephen King villains if not the most tragic. One who wasn't even in control of his actions.

Victims[]

  • Gary Pervier: Neck bitten out.
  • Joe Camber: Face ripped off.
  • George Bannerman: Knocked off of catwalk and mauled to death.
  • Tad Trenton (book only, indirectly): Sunstroke and dehydration due to being trapped in the car for too long.

Gallery[]

Images[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

  • In some scenes of the film, a painted Rottweiler was used since actual St. Bernard's were not capable of performing convincing simulated attacks. The Rottweiler's tail was strapped to its leg to prevent it wagging and undermining the sense of fear.
  • To make the dogs attack the car in the film, their favorite toys were placed in the car so they would try to get them.
  • There was an early draft where Cujo was also going to be possessed by a spirit of a serial killer, but it was scrapped because it was seen as too outlandish and would detract from the fear the writers wished to portray in the film.
    • However, it has still been theorized that Cujo was possessed by Frank Dodd, from another Stephen King book, The Dead Zone.
  • The dogs featured in the film would often have their tails tied down to their legs, because the dogs would be enjoying themselves so much that they would wag their tails during filming. This tactic was missed once in the editing where they show Cujo from behind ready to attack and his tail is wagging energetically.
  • Although It showed that Cujo murdered four people, (including Tad in the book only), he likely killed more people, although it is not clear whether if that is the case.
  • A rumor has circulated that "Cujo" is an ancient Indian word meaning "unstoppable force". In reality, Stephen King made it up himself when writing the novel.
  • Despite being the main antagonist, he has only around 15 minutes of screen-time in the film.
  • Cujo is one of the far more tragic of Stephen King's villains. The normal Cujo was a gentle giant, without a mean bone in his body. But he was infected with rabies, and the poor creature had lost his mind, not in full control of his actions. Killing him was actually a kindness as to end his suffering.
  • Reggie from Disney's Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure is based on Cujo because he does have the same violent behavior as Cujo.
  • Five different St. Bernards were used to portray Cujo in the film. In addition, several mechanical dogs, a black Labrador-Great Dane mix in a St. Bernard costume, and a stuntman in a costume, were used to portray Cujo.
  • Reportedly, the dogs would also lick the fake rabies that was put on their faces.
  • The dog actor known as Cubby accidentally bit off the tip of the nose of stunt double Jean Coulter. Cubby was trained to lurch forward whenever Jean lunged towards him, and after they finished a scene on the first take, Jean accidentally leaned forward, causing Cubby to act on his training and unintentionally bite her. Thankfully, she was brought to the hospital where the small piece of her nose was reattached.[1]

References[]

Navigation[]

           Kingster KingVillain

Novels/Novellas
Carrie: Carrie White | Mortimer Snerds (Chris Hargensen, Donna and Mary Lila Grace Thibodeau, Helen Shyres, Heather Shyres & Tina Blake) | Margaret White | Billy Nolan | Ralph White
Salem's Lot: Kurt Barlow | Richard Straker | Marsten House
The Shining: Overlook Hotel | Jack Torrance | Hotel Caretaker | Grady Sisters | Lorraine Massey
Children of the Corn: Children of the Corn (Isaac Chroner & Malachai Boardman) | He Who Walks Behind the Rows
Rage: Charlie Decker | Mr. Decker
The Stand: Randall Flagg | Barry Dorgan | Bobby Terry | Harold Lauder | Julie Lawry | Lloyd Henreid | Nadine Cross | The Kid | The Rat Man | Trashcan Man | Whitney Horgan
The Long Walk: The Major | Gary Barkovitch
The Dead Zone: Greg Stillson | Frank Dodd
The Mist: Adrian Garff Mrs. Carmody | The Mist
Firestarter: Captain Hollister | Doctor Herman Pynchot | John Rainbird
Roadwork: Barton George Dawes | Sal Magliore
Cujo: Cujo | Joe Camber | Stephen Kemp
The Running Man: Damon Killian | United States of America
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: Samuel Norton | Byron Hadley | Sisters (Bogs Diamond) | Elmo Blatch
Apt Pupil: Kurt Dussander | Todd Bowden
The Body: The Cobras (John "Ace" Merrill, Richard "Eyeball" Chambers, Billy Tessio, Charlie Hogan, Vince Desjardins, Jack Mudgett & Norman "Fuzzy" Bracowicz)
Christine: Arnie Cunningham | Christine | Repperton Gang | Roland D. LeBay
Pet Sematary: Wendigo | Church | Gage Creed | Rachel Creed | Timmy Baterman
Cycle of the Werewolf: Lester Lowe
The Tailsman: Morgan Sloat
Thinner: Billy Halleck | Tadzu Lempke | Cary Rossington | Duncan Hopley | Gabe Romani | Gina Lempke | Richie Ginelli
Dolan's Cadillac: Jimmy Dolan
It: It | Bowers Gang (Belch Huggins, Henry Bowers, Marcia Fadden, Patrick Hockstetter, Peter Gordon & Vic Criss) | Alvin Marsh | Butch Bowers | Richard Macklin | Tom Rogan | Christopher Unwin | Webby Garton
Misery: Annie Wilkes
The Tommyknockers: Tommyknockers | Nancy Voss
The Dark Half: George Stark
Secret Window, Secret Garden: John Shooter
The Langoliers: Craig Toomey | Langoliers | Roger Toomey
Needful Things: Leland Gaunt | John "Ace" Merrill | Danforth Keeton III | Brian Rusk | Wilma Jerzyck | Nettie Cobb | Hugh Preist | Father Brigham (Father Meehan) | Reverend Rose
Gerald's Game: Gerald Burlingame | Moonlight Man | Tom Mahout
Dolores Claiborne: Joe St. George
Insomnia: Atropos | Crimson King
Rose Madder: Norman Daniels
The Green Mile: William Wharton | Percy Wetmore
Desperation: Tak | Sheriff Collie Entragian
The Regulators: Tak
Bag of Bones: Max Devore | Sara Tidwell | Roggete Whitmore
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: God of the Lost
Dreamcatcher: Byrus | Mr. Gray
Black House: Charles Burnside | The Crow Gorg | Mr. Munshun
From a Buick 8: The Buick
Cell: Phone Crazies | Raggedy Man
Lisey's Story: Andrew Landon | Jim Dooley | Long Boy
The Gingerbread Girl: Jim Pickering
Duma Key: Perse | Undead Victims
Under the Dome: Jim Rennie | Junior Rennie | Phil Bushey | Leatherheads
1922: Wilfred James | Henry James | Shannon Cotterie
Big Driver: Lester Norville | Ramona Norville
A Good Marriage: Robert Bob Anderson
11/22/63: Lee Harvey Oswald | Frank Dunning
In The Tall Grass: Ross Humboldt | Cal Demuth
Doctor Sleep: The True Knot (Rose the Hat, Crow Daddy, Grandpa Flick, Barry the Chink & Snakebite Andi) | Andy Hallorann
Bill Hodges Trilogy: Brady Hartsfield | Morris Bellamy
Gwendy's Button Box: Richard Farris
The Outsider: The Outsider
Fairy Tale: Gogmagog | Elden | Petra | Kellin | Hana | Red Molly | Peterkin | Christopher Polley

Short Stories
Cain Rose Up: Curt Garrish
The Mangler: Bill Gartley | The Mangler
The Boogeyman: The Boogeyman
Trucks: Westway Refrigerated Truck | Bulldozer
The Ledge: Cressner
Jerusalem's Lot: Philip Boone | James Boon | The Worm
Quitter's Inc.: Mr. Donatti | Quitters Inc.
The Crate: Crate Beast
Crouch End: The Children | The Goat with a Thousand Young
The Monkey: The Monkey
The Raft: Lake Blob
Word Processor of the Gods: Richard Hagstrom | Roger Hagstrom
Gramma: Gramma Bruckner
The Night Flier: Dwight Renfield
Low Men in Yellow Coats: Harry Doolin
Blind Willie: Raymond Fiegler
Why We're In Vietnam: Ronnie Malenfant
Lunch at the Gotham Café: Guy

Films
The Shining: Overlook Hotel (Lloyd, Lorraine Massey & Hotel Caretaker) | Jack Torrance
Creepshow: Creepshow Creep | Crate Beast | Nathan Grantham | Richard Vickers | Upson Pratt | Wilma Northrup
Cat's Eye: Cressner | Mr. Donatti | Quitters Inc. | Troll
Maximum Overdrive: Bubba Hendershot | Camp Loman | Happy Toyz Truck | Ice Cream Truck | M274 Mule | Vending Machine
A Return to Salem`s Lot: Judge Axle
Creepshow 2: Creepshow Creep | Creepshow Bullies | Lake Blob | Sam Whitemoon | The HitchHiker
Sleepwalkers: Charles Brady | Mary Brady | Sleepwalkers
Pet Sematary 2: Gus Gilbert | Renee Hallow | Clyde Parker | Zowie
The Mangler Trilogy: Bill Gartley | The Mangler | Lin Sue | The Mangler Virus
The Rage: Carrie 2: Rachel Lang | Mark Bing
Creepshow 3: Creepshow Creep | Rachel
The Dark Tower: Randall Flagg
It: Part One: It | Bowers Gang (Henry Bowers, Vic Criss | Belch Huggins & Patrick Hockstetter)
Pet Sematary (2019): Ellie Creed
It: Part Two: It | Henry Bowers | Tom Rogan
Doctor Sleep: The True Knot (Rose the Hat, Crow Daddy, Grandpa Flick, Barry the Chink & Snakebite Andi) | Overlook Hotel (Jack Torrance, Hotel Caretaker & Lorraine Massey)
The Boogeyman: Boogeyman

TV Series
The Stand: Randall Flagg | Harold Lauder | Julie Lawry | Nadine Cross | The Rat Woman | Trashcan Man
The Shining: Overlook Hotel | Jack Torrance | Hotel Caretaker | Lorraine Massey
Storm of the Century: André Linoge
Rose Red: Professor Joyce Reardon | Ellen Rimbauer
Under the Dome: Big Jim Rennie | Junior Rennie | Phil Bushey | The Kinship (Christine Price & Dawn Sinclair-Barbara)

Other
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: Ellen Rimbauer

See Also
The Dark Tower Villains

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