Reviews
‘Doctor Sleep’ Is Mike Flanagan’s Finest Hour
If there was ever any horror film that managed to surpass what came before it, let it be known that few have been as successful at it as Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep.
Sacrilege, some might say, to throw Kubrick out into the snow and raise a sequel to such high esteem. But the fact of the matter is, with Doctor Sleep now six years in the rear view, it’s still shining as bright as it can. It’s a marvel, on both a technical and narrative level, and stands tall as the best of all the Stephen King adaptations and as Mike Flanagan’s finest hour.
After his father Jack was taken from him by the Overlook Hotel in 1980, Dan Torrance is a changed man. Struggling against alcoholism and his latent “shine”, a psychic ability that forces him to see the spirits of the dead, Dan tries his best to shut out the horrors of his past and the world beyond most people’s sight. Even when he gets sober, he hides away at a quiet job as a hospice orderly and spends most of his time in a rented room. But when a gifted young girl named Abra is terrorized by a mysterious and cruel cult that feeds on those that shine, Dan is forced to wrestle personal demons within and monsters without to protect her.
Doctor Sleep is The Kind of Director’s Cut You Need
Despite how close the two stories are, Kubrick’s The Shining and Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep, are so different and yet so perfectly intertwined. The story of Dan, Abra, and the True Knot, is one that really earns every minute of its runtime as it sculpts more life into the world of The Shining. It’s for that reason that between the theatrical cut of the film and the director’s cut, I have to go for the director’s cut every time. The dialogue benefits from the relaxed pace the extra 30 minutes buys it, allowing for little moments of character development absent from the original.
The director’s cut also has some vital bits of dialogue that, for the life of me, I can’t explain the absence of in the original cut; most of these not only develop Dan’s healing process throughout the film but also elaborate on the events and aftermath of The Shining in a whole new way. And even at a hefty three hours, the film is paced so well that the difference between the two cuts is hardly even noticeable. That half hour doesn’t just breeze by, it pulls you in and keeps you locked in.
A Technical Showstopper in Its Own Right
Though its plot and look owe quite a lot to The Shining, what Mike Flanagan has done with the film’s very particular cinematography is formidable in its own right. Sleep is best known now for resurrecting elements of Kubrick’s aesthetic spot on, recreating costumes, sets, and lighting to be more in line with the first film (this includes a dead-on recreation of, spoilers, the Overlook Hotel). And that is thoroughly impressive, especially with the casting of our Wendy and Jack this time around. But in the buildup to that recreation, Doctor Sleep forms a mirror to the aesthetics Kubrick played in, bridging the visuals of both movies.
It takes the cold, detached, isolating camerawork and framing of Kubrick’s film and brings them out into the real world, no longer confined to the Overlook. It examines what that isolation feels like when, though you have people in your life and those you call friends and family, you can’t get away from your own loneliness or desire to escape. When the confines are no longer physical, but mental, how can you still feel so trapped? The film plays with this notion of freedom within the mind multiple times, most notably the psychic confrontation set pieces throughout.
Though its more grotesque aspects can be blood curdling, especially when it comes to scenes of the True Knot feeding, the movie is just as powerful when it generates that pure, all-consuming eeriness that permeates throughout. That eeriness is the eeriness of being disconnected from humanity, either emotionally or literally, in the case of our villains.
Ferguson and McGregor Make Horror History in Doctor Sleep
And through this environment and eerie air comes a cast of star players, headed by Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson. And frankly, it’s nearly impossible to pin down which performance is best between the leads here.
Ferguson’s career-defining time as Rose the Hat is the genesis of one of the most sinister horror villains of the past decade, showing out with this predatory gleam in her eye and a lilt in her voice that suggests something is ever so slightly off. Her vocal control is incredible, especially when her mask drops and she’s able to stop selling people on a false image and really bare her teeth.
Likewise, Ewan McGregor is truly captivating as Dan, whose struggles, both emotional and physical in the film, end up being one of the most gripping performances of his career. There’s tension in his muscles as he fights against every instinct to shut himself away and self-medicate, to run away from the problem. His decision to stay and fight leads to an insane climax, which crescendos the arc of Dan into something purely perfect.
King’s Tale of Pure Pathos, Fulfilled by Flanagan’s Execution
Doctor Sleep could never have been your bogstandard sequel, because the source material demanded excellence. It demanded a re-examining of a monster who was a man before all else, and of his broken child who grew into a shattered man like Dan Torrance. It demanded we see the capacity of that man to put himself back together. It demanded villains with rich interior worlds and a dark side that feels all too real.
And above all else, it demanded a captivating ending that pierces the heart, and pays respect to both the source material and the legendary film that transcended it. And on all demands, Mike Flanagan delivered.
Most people find that stretching their dollar still barely gets them by in today’s economy. I am very particular about what I spend my spare money on regarding extracurriculars. And no one likes to feel like their money is wasted. Madame Morbid Trolley Tours wasn’t an experience I had been familiar with. Maybe that’s because I’m chronically offline for most of my life. So this leads to the perfect question: in today’s turbulent economy, is Madame Morbid Trolley Tours worth the price? The short answer is unquestionably, yes. But it’s more than just a simple yes.
My wife and I arrived at the designated meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. A handful of minutes later, a gorgeous, e-candle-lit trolley pulled up to the side of the road. We were greeted by impeccably on-brand Allison Chase, our tour guide, and trolley driver ‘Mad’ Matt Zaller. The wonderfully cheery duo invited us on the trolley, and the tour was set to begin.
400 Years of Death, Destruction, and Infrastructure
After a welcoming video intro from someone who knows a thing or two about busting ghosts, we set off on the inaugural Madame Morbid Trolley Tour in its ninth year of operation. From the Brooklyn Naval Yard all the way to Dumbo, and more, this tour magnificently chronicles 400 years of history, the good and the bad, expertly. No matter how much you think you may know about Brooklyn history, I can bet there will be something new learned within the first 15 minutes of the tour. From the first-ever plane crash to one of the worst theater fires in history, this tour covers tragedies that the greatest horror writers couldn’t conceive.
The Deadly [Charming] Docent
Allison Chase led the fascinating tour in character from the moment we stepped on the trolley until our departure. But Allison’s character was not forced or fake; you could feel Allison’s passion for not just morbid history, but the accuracy of it. Some of the stories we heard were steeped in historical context, and it was not boring for a single second. The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour is not your standard full-talking tour. It’s a mixed-media adventure of some of Brooklyn’s darkest moments.
During “downtime” (the times between locations), we were edutained by mini documentaries (that were quite funny). Some of the “downtime” was filled with traffic trivia (I won a needle pen!). And other times were show-and-tell-like, with objects passed around for us to examine. But there was never a moment of silence that wasn’t purposeful. All in all, Allison’s knowledge and passion shone like the luminosity of a full moon.
Is Madame Morbid Trolley Tours Worth It?
The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour was not just a fun night out for my wife and me, but it was a delightfully dark night of edutainment. It should also be noted that ‘Mad’ Matt’s driving skills were fantastic. There was a time when I had become enamored with how Matt handled the narrow streets of Brooklyn before realizing that I needed to refocus my attention on Allison. The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour is an exceptionally fun evening of horror and history that will make you think twice next time you walk down the streets of Brooklyn. It is worth the money, and then some. There’s no better activity for a cold, dark October night than the Madame Morbid Trolley Tour.
For more information on Madame Morbid Trolley Tours, and to get your tickets, click here!
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I should have watched the Stephen King adaptation Cujo a million years ago. First of all, I was a voracious King reader in middle school. The other thing I was obsessed with during those years was Friends. You know, the show that hinges a major episode’s subplot on Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) watching Cujo for the first time. Whatever the reason was, I never got around to it, but I’m rectifying that oversight now.
What is Cujo About?
Cujo tells a relatively simple story. Donna Trenton’s (Dee Wallace) a housewife who’s cheating on her husband Vic (Daniel Hugh-Kelly) with local handyman Steve (Christopher Stone). There’s no accounting for taste, because Vic is 10 times hotter and Steve doesn’t own a bed frame. Look, Donna. I know Vic has that awful David Hasselhoff hair, but I promise the 1980s will end sooner or later. It’ll be OK.
Donna’s attempted termination of this affair ultimately leads to its discovery. Amid this drama, her car breaks down at a mechanic’s isolated farmhouse, trapping her and her son, Tad (Danny Pintauro). You see, the mechanic’s dog, Cujo, freshly christened with rabies, is patrolling the area and attacking everything in sight.
Dee Wallace Is Cujo’s Not-So-Secret Weapon
It would be impossible to start a worthwhile review of Cujo without praising Dee Wallace. The woman is a genre icon, naturally. Think about this: She had only appeared in seven theatrical movies before starring in Cujo. Four of those movies are The Stepford Wives, The Hills Have Eyes, E.T., and The Howling. But this woman didn’t become an icon simply by accidentally stumbling into some iconic titles. She is simply terrific as Donna, using her darting eyes and taut expression to deliver oodles of subtext. You instantly get the sense of how trapped she feels by marriage and motherhood without her uttering a single word.
A good performance is vital, here. Because there’s a hell of a lot of drama to get through before she’s trapped in that damn car. But Wallace instantly shoves you into Donna’s perspective, whether you like it or not. This makes it all the more potent when she is menaced by Cujo. Her desperate attempts for survival, also impeccably performed, have true weight because she seems like a real person. She is also given an incredible scene partner in Danny Pintauro. The future Who’s the Boss? star, who was only six when shooting Cujo, has a perfect everychild quality. His innocence heightens the peril. But so does that fact that he is just as irritating as every six-year-old you’ve ever met.
This movie truly captures how annoying it must be to be stuck in a life-and-death situation with a child. This is a compliment, I swear! Donna is worn down by every aspect of the situation, including her own son’s inability to cope with it. And this ratchets up the tension even further, to an almost unbearable degree.
Cujo Is a Mixed Bag, But Worthwhile Overall
The movie doesn’t work if Cujo himself doesn’t work, and at first I was real worried that he wouldn’t. In the first half, the St. Bernards that play Cujo onscreen are often shown to be wagging their tails in delight. Which kind of undercuts the reality of the situation, I’d say. But the editing and the special effects step in to fix what animal training couldn’t. The attack scenes in the second half are constructed with quick cuts that never let you get too much purchase. It’s a good approach for keeping viewers off-kilter.
Also, Cujo becomes less and less recognizable as a cuddly canine the further the movie gets. It’s a simple trick, really. He ends up getting coated with more and more slime. Saliva, pus, blood, and what have you. This is good for making him feel like a true movie monster. Plus, it’s a good mirror for the sliminess inside the car as it gets covered in sweat, blood, and grime.
The second half of the movie ultimately works like gangbusters. It’s a shame that Cujo is too cowardly to get Donna and Tad in the car before the halfway point. This decision is somewhat faithful to the book’s structure as I remember it. However, it diminishes the weight of the long days that they spend in the car. We really need to feel that crushing stretch of time, and we don’t. When Tad is suffering from dehydration, it’s not a gut punch. Honestly, I just found myself asking, “Already?” It’s good that they gave the movie a happier ending, because the classic grimdark Stephen King finale wouldn’t have landed.
Is Cujo Worth Watching in 2026?
At the end of the day, Cujo is a solid movie and I’m glad I finally watched it. However, it’s not such a stone-cold classic that I’m not at least a little intrigued by that upcoming Netflix remake…
