Cast: Corey Haim, Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Megan Follows, Terry O'Quinn
Director: Daniel Attias
U.S. Distribution: Paramount
U.S. Release Date: 10/85
Running Time: 1:35
MPAA Rating: R
Roger Ebert noted the "sly satiric touches" in this film. "The movie takes place in 1976, in one of (Stephen) King's patented little American towns . . . The town's social life centers around the bar, where mean drunks sit around looking hostile."
Much of the fun is in determining who or what is killing the residents of the small New England community. It isn't the disabled boy (Corey Haim) or his drunken uncle (Gary Busey), but it could be the town werewolf (!).
King's screenplay based on his novelette "Cycle of the Werewolf" skillfully blends horror and humor. As Ebert wrote in his Chicago Sun-Times review, "It is either simply bad, or it is an inspired parody of (King's) whole formula . . . It's a close call, but I think the movie is intentionally funny."
I agree, and I liked it at least as much as he did. (Note: Ebert also gave Silver Bullet three stars.)
© 1999, Delton Perrodin