Stephen King ’80s Horror Disliked By Critics Is A Great Adaptation, Stream Free Now
Since Carrie was released to theaters in 1976, fans of both horror and bestselling novelist Stephen King have had dozens of cinematic and television adaptations of the horror icon’s works to view. While some have certainly been better than others, there have been a handful of notable films based on King’s novels that received an undeserving amount of criticism. For horror fans that have not yet had the pleasure, the King adaptation of Cycle of the Werewolf, renamed Silver Bullet for the screen, is now streaming for free.
The Terror In Tarker’s Mills
Silver Bullet follows two siblings as they try to destroy a werewolf in their small Maine town of Tarker’s Mills. Told from the viewpoint of Jane Coslaw (Megan Follows), the story unfolds with the narration of several unexplained murders in their rural community. Jane’s paraplegic younger brother, Marty (Corey Haim), sees his best friend and his school crush murdered as the death toll begins to stack up.
The men of Tarker’s Mills form a vigilante group to hunt down whoever (or whatever) is killing the locals. But after three overzealous fellows are slaughtered in the woods one evening, the authorities cancel the upcoming Independence Day celebrations and enact a strict curfew for the residents. Jane and Mary’s parents host their own holiday party, inviting the drunken and slovenly Uncle Red (Gary Busey) to stay.
Sometimes You Just Have To Let Kids Play With Fireworks
Silver Bullet sees Uncle Red surprise Marty with a fast electric wheelchair and tosses him a box full of fireworks. Marty sneaks off late one evening and puts on his own display off a country bridge and is attacked by a werewolf. In desperation, Marty shoots a rocket at the beast, hitting it square in the eye.
Marty enlists the help of his sister Jane to look for anyone in Tarker’s Mills with an eye injury. Who they uncover as the werewolf in disguise both shocks and horrifies the siblings. Together with the help of their drunk uncle Red, they prepare to battle the bloodthirsty killer werewolf before it tracks them down.
A Victim Of Its Budgetary Limitations
Silver Bullet was a low-budget attempt to bring to life a vivid and graphic Stephen King novel, an endeavor that fell short with many critics. To be fair, the creature effects could have been better even with the available effects of the time. Another route would have been to hardly show the monster at all, leaving audiences to decide the horror with their own imaginations.
Still A Worthy Stephen King Adaptation
Despite that pitfall, Silver Bullet gives genre fans a great adaptation of one of King’s most overlooked works. The quaint setting of Tarker’s Mill (filmed mostly in and around Wilmington, North Carolina) lends the film one of the most picturesque locations for 80s horror. It’s almost like seeing a mid-century Norman Rockwell painting come to life.
Silver Bullet Is Streaming On Pluto TV
GFR SCORE
Gary Busey is in one of his most solid roles, playing the inebriated uncle in Silver Bullet. As teens, Haim and Follows play off one another masterfully in the movie and give it senses of both realism and relatability.
There’s also some kill scenes for fans of gore.
You can catch the Stephen King classic Silver Bullet streaming for free on Pluto TV.
