Grim Prairie Tales

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.

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.

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...

This is a western which is also a horror anthology. In it, two strangers meet in the middle of the desert one night and tell each other creepy stories, which make up the horror segments here. The two storytellers are played by Brad Dourif and James Earl Jones, and it has to be said that their scenes constitute the highlights of the movie, as the mini stories are disappointing on the whole. Still, the format ensures that the pacing is good and we return to Dourif and Jones often enough to ensure the quality level rises again.

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.