Grim Prairie Tales: Hit the Trail... to Terror

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.

I think this is a "lost" film that never truly found its audience. It was billed as a mainstream horror film, but it actually transcends true genre classification. This is more of a thinking man's movie. The terror is almost entirely psychological, but it is more of a quirky drama than horror.

This is a real overlooked gem. I don't want to build it up too much because I realize it isn't everyone's cup of tea. Just read a few reviews from dim-witted critics and you will see that generally this film was not well received. Maybe those reviewers should have stuck with classics such as "Face-Off" or "Armageddon". No need to use that brain if there are enough explosions.

I can tell you that "Grim Prairie Tales" is one of those movies that I have to watch every so often because it sticks with me. It has a winning combination of high-caliber writing, directing, cinematography, and acting that really gets in the back of my mind and emerges at times. There is just something memorable about it. Dare I say it – it is haunting.

The film stars James Earl Jones as a want-to-be bounty hunter who encroaches upon the camp of a schoolteacher (Brad Dourif of "Chucky" fame) in the middle of the desert. Soon, sitting under a still moonlight night by the fireside gives rise to some strange tales (making this an anthology film). It seems that the two share little in common, except for a love of great storytelling.

The first yarn is from Jones' character, Morrison. It is about an old man and his fear of dying, which manifests itself as religious intolerance and some general crotchety-ness. While I believe this is the weakest tale of the movie, it does employ some clever devices that broach the subject of mortality. My main problem with this segment is that it uses day-for-night shots unsuccessfully. I have a hard time getting past a technical shortcoming such as that. Don't judge the movie solely on this aspect, though.

Deeds (Dourif) is impressed with the craft and mechanics of the story, but not its shock value. Morrison takes it as a challenge to make a stronger impact with a more intense story. He relates another tale designed to both titillate and disgust the schoolteacher on the surface. Lurking beneath those still waters is a narrative that raises questions about the more base nature of even the most pious man.

The next segment stars none other than Jimmy Olsen – Marc McClure. He plays Tom, a wayward husband on his way to meet his wife. Along the way, he meets Jenny - an attractive pregnant woman. Tom decides to act as her guardian. The woman reluctantly agrees, and that night the campfire reveals that her "pregnancy" was only a trick to try and protect herself from potential assault. She writhes in ecstasy, and while her mouth is gently whispering "no" her eyes are begging for Tom to have his way with her. Without spoiling too much, what follows is one of the most intriguing "encounters" ever filmed. To my knowledge, it is entirely unique and original (albeit disturbing).

Upon completion of the story, Deeds is thoroughly disgusted. Morrison suspects that Deeds was, in fact, excited by the tale and was forced to cover-up his reaction by masking it with disdain. Deeds then must redirect with his own campfire story.

Similar in theme with Morrison's last tale regarding underlying sin, Deeds spins a yarn that also involves an idyllic pioneer life that is not quite as it seems. It is a new beginning where Arthur (William Atherton from Die Hard), an upstanding and religious man, marries a woman nobody else would have as she was pregnant out of wedlock. Life looks promising. That is until Arthur's stepdaughter sneaks out to see how her new father is helping the community.

The innocence of the daughter is permanently marred as she witnesses true hatred and betrayal. The family unit continues, despite the sojourn through evil. The most shocking part is how the daughter can bury the atrocities in her mind to gain some semblance of normality.

Morrison is astounded. The well-crafted tale gets the wheels turning. Now the gauntlet has really been thrown. He can't let Deeds have the best story of the night. Finally, after some soul-searching, Morrison attempts to top his story-rival.

The last story is the most visceral of the quartet, both visually and psychologically. It is about a gunslinger contest to be the best in the west. The favorite is the focus and the story is about his reconciliation of conscience and actions. There is an animated dream sequence that, while entertaining, feels tacked-on. Otherwise, this story is one of the best tales. "One bullet!" - great line.

Deeds concedes the victory to Morrison. As the sun rises in the east, both must continue their very different journeys. The tale ends with another interesting twist, as well.

I am hoping that this gets released to DVD soon, and hopefully with some sweet extras. As it is now, you can only get used VHS copies of it. If you like thinking about the film you are watching, and don't really go into the film expecting to see a horror film, then you might really enjoy "Grim Prairie Tales".

Grim Prairie Tales is an acclaimed film of bizarre anthology and spellbinding horror featuring an all star cast. Academy Award nominees James Earl Jones and Brad Dourif lead a cast including Scott Paulin (Turner & Hooch), Will Hare (Back to the Future), Marc McClure (Superman), Lisa Eichhorn (The Talent Mr. Ripley), William Atherton (Die Hard) and Michelle Joyner (Cliffhanger) to star in a tale of two pioneers who cross paths in a Western desert land and tell tales of both ghastly hauntings and supernatural tragedies. It's a low-buget film, but has some good quality of directing and acting. I especially liked the first and last stories the most.

It's true, none of the stories told in this strange campfire chat are particularly scary. Jones' tales of vengeful Indians, mysterious pregnant drifters, and undead gunslingers fail to chill the marrow, with only the middle tale of the three providing a certain "gross-out" factor. Dourif's single tale of family and bigotry shows true horror can lie not in the supernatural but in everyday life.

However, it's the play-off between these two great actors that gives the greatest joy in this film. The contrast (and unlikely rapport) between prim clerk Dourif and grizzled bounty hunter Jones - the latter playing against type in a way that'll surprise those used to his supporting roles in, say, the Jack Ryan films - makes them a "buddy" pairing to rival Riggs and Murtaugh. Give them their own series!

GRIM PRAIRIE TALES: HIT THE TRAIL TO TERROR is a mixed genre western / horror anthology film. Two strangers (Brad Dourif and James Earl Jones) meet in the open prairie, antagonize each other, and Jones' character begins to spin spooky tales.

Tale #1- A man decides to ride through an Indian "burial ground". This turns out to be a big mistake.

Tale #2- A traveling man happens upon a mysterious woman. They set up camp, one thing leads to another, and bizarre horror ensues.

Tale #3- A family of homesteaders arrive at their new property, where the young daughter learns a very dark secret about her parents.

Tale #4- A gunslinger competes for the top position in a small town. He just might be too perfect for his own good. This tale is the better of the four, and includes a creepy animated dream sequence.

The wraparound story closes with some nice humor. Mr. Dourif and Mr. Jones are great together, making their interactions fun to watch. The tales are enjoyable, with the last one being the best.

An obscure movie worth a viewing...