Silver Bullet

John Chard 5/16/2024 3:22:24 PM 8.4

Better than its reputation. Warning: Spoilers Silver Bullet is directed by Daniel Attias and adapted for the screen by Stephen King from his own novelette "Cycle Of The Werewolf". It stars Gary Busey, Corey Haim, Megan Follows, Everett McGill & Terry O'Quinn. The film is set in the small rural town of Tarker's Mills, Maine, which falls prey to a series of grizzly murders. At first the killings are believed to be the work of a mad man, with the town ready to take up vigilante arms against the perpetrator, but young wheelchair bound Marty (Haim) is convinced something more lupine like is responsible. As most folks know, Stephen King's adaptations to screen are a mixed bunch. Some have been tackled by top line directors such as Kubrick, De Palma, Cronenberg, Reiner & Darabont, while others have been turned out by no marks where the quality befits the low production value. Silver Bullet falls somewhere in the middle on the quality list of King adapted movies. Its reputation is somewhat Luke warm, and whilst it's a little understandable when put up against other 1980's film's in the werewolf pantheon (An American Werewolf In London, The Howling & The Company Of Wolves), it does have a high entertainment value. Of note, too, is that it's not shy in the dark department either. There's mutilated children, a pregnant woman tore to shreds, car attack on our crippled hero, while some of the characterisations are also interesting - such as an alcoholic uncle (a wonderfully OTT Busey) & the mean hick bar dwellers who raise the spectre of vigilantism. True, the film is also dotted with cheese, but there's fun in that too. I don't know if some of the laughs were intentional or not, but I like to think so. How else can you react to a werewolf that takes up a baseball bat to fell one of his attackers? That's surely meant to be funny, no? It is also not taxing of the brain to work out who the hairy beast is in human form, because, like, the makers gives us the clues. I really don't think they were trying to spring a big surprise on us. Cast wise it's the usual array of mixed performers. Haim is likable, particularly in the scenes with the afore mentioned Busey, O'Quinn adds professionalism, while McGill is always value for money when playing important members of the community. Tis fun too seeing future "Reservoir Dog" leader Lawrence Tierney putting his gruff stamp over the bar room proceedings. So not one for the technical and artistry seeking purists then, but definitely one for those looking for a good bit of werewolf tear em' up that comes with a tasty slice of 1980s cheese. 7/10

Wuchak 6/23/2021 3:58:08 PM 8.4

Quaint comic book werewolf flick by Stephen King RELEASED IN 1985 and directed by Daniel Attias, "Silver Bullet" chronicles events in a small town in Eastern America when a ferocious werewolf starts picking people off one-by-one. Corey Haim and Megan Follows play the adolescent brother/sister protagonists, the boy being a paraplegic. Gary Busey appears as the amiable alcoholic uncle while Robin Groves plays the mother. Everett McGill is on hand as a prominent minister while Terry O'Quinn appears as the sheriff. Stephen King wrote both the novella and the screenplay and so the movie has the comic book vibe of movies based on King’s works. The townspeople are unsurprisingly cartoonish, but the main family is well done, i.e. realistic. In any case, “Silver Bullet” seems quaint compared to the three werewolf flicks of 1981: “The Howling,” “An American Werewolf in London” and “Wolfen” (of course the latter wasn’t strictly a werewolf flick, if at all). Nevertheless, I appreciate the old fashioned take on the subject and the warmth of the family members. The werewolf is Grade B when fully revealed, but certainly formidable. The film conveys cinematic stereotypes, like the goodhearted drunk (or prostitute) and the corrupt civic leader, who puts on a fake smile for the community while being a savage beast within. Although there’s some truth to these depictions, most of the time a drunkard is an alcoholic because his/her heart is desperately flawed. And the bulk of respected community leaders aren’t evil incarnate. Yet I like the way the movie shows how everything is not necessarily as it appears. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 35 minutes and was shot in North Carolina (Burgaw, Leland, Wilmington, Castle Hayne and Carolina Beach). GRADE: B-/C+

Gimly 6/23/2021 3:58:15 PM 8.4

Like a children's horror movie that still has some **actual** horror, Busey chews up _Silver Bullet_ hard, because of course he does, but it was still pretty enjoyable. If you **are** feeling a retro sort a deal, I can recommend it, not strongly, but there's a mood you can be in where _Silver Bullet_ is much appreciated. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._