Grim Prairie Tales

1990 "Hit the Trail... To Terror"
5.4| 1h26m| R| en
Details

Two travelers meet on the open prairie, and pass their time together by trading stories with each other. Their tales become a sort of competition, each attempting to relate something which might disturb the other.

Director

Producted By

East-West Film Partners

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Reviews

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
Cooktopi The acting in this movie is really good.
Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
ryan-10075 A clerk (played by horror vet Brad Dourif) sets down in the old west for the night, but a bounty hunter (played by James Earl Jones) visits him wondering if he can join him for the night. We soon begin to get to know the two characters and some of their strong differences. They in turn share four "scary" stories to each other.Scary is in quotations, but because that is what they ain't. The first one is about an old man (Will Hare) who stumbles across a Native-American burial ground and a dying Native and its repercussions of doing so. The second one is about a traveling store clerk (Marc McClure) who comes across a pregnant woman who has been thrown out of her town. The third is about a man (William Atherton) who relocates to some new land with his family, only for them to find out a secret about him. The fourth and final story is about a hired gunman who experiences a haunting after his latest killing. Unfortunately for me none of these stories really work. They are either too short or fall off the cliff at the end.The best part of the movie and what does really work is the interaction between Dourif and Jones. If only the stories were a level above what they were I would recommend this one. I think they need more terror. I would recommend it though to any Brad Dourif or James Earl Jones fans. For perhaps they will see more in the movie than I did and maybe enough to make it an enjoyable experience for them.
technicalbeat This movie managed to sneak up on me and I have never forgotten it. Brad Dourif was his usual superb and James Earl Jones absolutely masterful (one of his best performances). Its just too bad cable providers and show selectors have not seen fit to provide it to subscribers and viewers looking for compelling film. Brad Dourif's acting prowess was confirmed in his role as "Doc" on HBO's Deadwood series. Do yourself a solid and chase this one down. The dark humor in GPT is golden and is frequently profound. I wish this was the pilot to a series but sadly it was a one off. Praise should also go to the writer and producer.
merklekranz Brad Dourif and James Earl Jones introduce four prairie tales around the campfire, trying to out scare each other. While they most definitely are on the prairie, the only thing grim about these tales, is how pitifully boring they are. Dourif is the city boy heading west to join his wife, while Jones, looking like a cave man, is a bounty hunter with a human package to deliver. Story #1 is about the danger of crossing an Indian burial ground and is bad. #2 Concerns an apparently pregnant woman wanderer, which leads to a Stephen King-like moment. Also bad. #3 Story of a displaced Southern family featuring Lisa Eichhorn, and lots of talk about a hate crime. More bad. #4 A gunslinger competition that is about as scary as a basket of bunnies. Bad. The only redeeming factor about "Grim Prarie Tales" is the banter between the storytellers, but it isn't enough to save it. - MERK
GazHack The pleasure of the horror anthology is that of brevity. No story can really out-stay its welcome or be forced into unnecessary padding. And if one episode fails to work, never mind, there will be another one along in a minute.James Earl Jones and Brad Dourif are both excellent as the contrasting storytellers and make the linking storyline into a highlight itself. Their tales are a mixed bunch. The opener about an Indian curse is rather slight. However the second tale about a helpful young man and a mysterious pregnant girl finishes on such a disturbing, horrific note that the viewer might not recover for the rest of the film! Especially if they're male. Definitely it is the moment that will be talked about afterwards. Deliberately, the third story concerns a more cerebal horror. A girl discovers a shocking truth about the father she idolises. Yet it emerges as probably the most satisfying tale of the night with a haunting punchline. Finally the concluding tale of vengeance beyond the grave is fair, its highlight being an animated nightmare sequence.The Western trappings bring a welcome original atmosphere to these Tales from the Crypt refugees, making this a worthwhile diversion for the jaded horror fan.