Grim Prairie Tales (1990) User Reviews

Grim Prairie Tales

[ryan-10075 · 5/10 · 18 July 2018]

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.

Western/Horror Anthology is interesting but needed more Terror

[loomis78-815-989034 · 5/10 · 9 March 2014]

This anthology set up is quite good with a colorful wrap around and Dourif and Jones shine as the storytellers. The first story is of an old man (Will Hare) who travels through a forbidden Indian graveyard and is buried alive while he sleeps. The next story is of a man (McClure) who meets a woman (Michelle Joyner) who tricks him into a deadly surprise while they make love. Finally, there is a man named Arthur (Atherton,) who appears to be a good family man until his daughter Eva (Wendy J. Cooke) sees him brutally murdering some innocent people one night. Writer / Director Wayne Coe mix the Horror and Western genres together and it has a great set up. The problem comes when the stories don't deliver any horror. One quick shock is delivered when the man making love is sucked into and through the woman he is making love with but even this is bloodless. The tales are interesting and even amusing they just don't lead to any terror. Well made with nice cinematography from future Academy Award winner and Steven Spielberg collaborator Janusz Kaminski. Unfortunately, the best stuff in this film is the go between with story tellers Dourif and Jones.

The linking sections are best in this western/horror anthology

[Red-Barracuda · 6/10 · 4 November 2021]

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.

Great Pairing

[Leeandkate · 1 October 2001]

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!

About as scary as a basket of bunnies .......

[merklekranz · 5/10 · 14 February 2011]

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

Unusual, sometimes effective anthology

[GazHack · 7/10 · 20 September 2000]

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.

Gosh darnit!

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 12 March 2021]

While making his way across the prairies to Jacksonville, city-slicker Farley Deeds (Brad Dourif) sets up camp for the night, and is joined shortly thereafter by a passing stranger, gruff bounty hunter Morrison (James Earl Jones), who decides to wile away the wee hours by telling some scary stories. In an attempt to outdo Morrison, Farley weaves a terrifying tale of his own.

The problem with Grim Prairie Tales is that the stories told around the camp-fire aren't very good, lacking in chills and devoid of the ingenious payoffs that one expects from a horror anthology. The film is at its best when Dourif and Jones are conversing, the actors sharing great rapport, but when they start spinning their yarns, the film falls horribly flat.

The first story doesn't kick things off very well. It concerns an old-timer who ignores superstition and takes a short-cut across an Indian burial ground, only to be buried alive by natives when he settles down for the night. It's not in the slightest bit clever or frightening, although Dourif's character is impressed enough to want to hear more...

Morrison's next tale sees travelling store clerk Tom (Mark McClure) encountering pregnant woman Jenny (Michelle Joyner), who is walking alone in the wilderness. The well-meaning man tells her not to be scared of him, and invites her to join him for safety. Night falls, and while the pair sit around the camp fire, Tom is surprised to discover that Jenny isn't really pregnant: she only pretends that she is so that men won't harass her. As they settle down for the night, Jenny makes a beeline for Tom's pants, and he throws caution to the wind. However, as Tom gets jiggy, he is sucked into the woman's hungry vagina. It's an arresting sight, for sure, but once again fails to provide any frights.

Farley throws his hat into the ring with a story about a family - father, mother and teenage daughter - who have travelled West to set up home. The father harbours a terrible secret: he is part of a lynch mob that kills innocent slaves. When his daughter finds out, she is sickened by her pa, but the mother tries to explain that he's not a bad man, and that she is trying to change him. It's a lacklustre tale with a damp squib of an ending - don't give up your day job, Farley!

Morrison rounds off the night's storytelling with a tale about gun-for-hire Martin (Scott Paulin), who takes part in a competition to secure a well-paid job working for a rancher. Martin wins the position by beating a Mexican to the draw, but his burly opponent takes revenge in ghostly form, making the gunslinger cut his own throat while having a shave. It's another duff and unimaginative yarn, but is worth watching for a rather cool animated nightmare sequence.

When morning comes, the two strangers go their separate ways, but not before Morrison learns that he has made a dreadful mistake with his latest bounty.

4.5/10, generously rounded up to 5 for Dourif and Jones.

Greatly sprited western-horror piece

[mattressman_pdl · 7/10 · 25 August 2005]

Brad Dourif (the voice of Chucky) and James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader) play two heavily contrasted travelers in the nineteenth century who end up camping together and telling scary stories. Dourif Plays Farley Deeds, a naive clerk who is on his way to see his wife who is visiting his ill mother-in-law. Jones plays a gruff bounty hunter who is attempting to cash in on the corpse that hangs off the end of his horse. Together, they are a priceless pair with some of the most humorous and interesting exchanges in film lore. The tales are overshadowed by the two star's immense talent and their unusually great chemistry.

Really good

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 11 August 2021]

The advantage of a horror anthology is that you can afford James Earl Jones when you're only using him for a day or so. That's the trick of Grim Prarie Tales, which as far as I know is the only all-western horror anthology.

Writer/director Wayne Coe often worked as a storyboard artist (Se7en, Dead Man on Campus) before making this film. He's currently making a movie called We Have Your Kids and planned to make a sequel to this called Grim Prairie Tales: Rescue Party.

Two men meet around the campfire to tell stories, with bounty hunter Morrison (Jones) taking in a body for money and Farley Deeds (Brad Dourif) coming back to see his wife. From a story where a Native American tribe gets revenge against a man who has disturbed their burial ground to Marc McClure helping a pregnant demon woman and a man haunted by someone he killed in a gunfight, the stories all fit the criminally underexplored supernaturally western genre.

There's also a story about a man forced to become part of a lynch mob. The protagonist is played by William Atherton, who is quite literally the best jerk in the history of movies. The real life Atherton is somewhat suspect too, as he studied Eli Siegel's aesthetic realism philosophy, which claims that homosexuality is a way of seeing the world that can be studied and changed. Atherton identifies as ex-gay and I've noticed that information about this keeps getting taken off of his Wikipedia page.

Regardless, Grim Prarie Tales is an intriguing entry in the horror anthology genre. Then again, I've also heard it being placed into the feminist western category and that fits as well.

A great "thinking man's film"

[bridad · 8/10 · 18 March 2008]

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".

A wonderfully off-beat & original horror Western anthology pip

[Woodyanders · 9/10 · 12 February 2006]

Coming in a close second behind "The Shadow of Chikara" and certainly the strangest picture to get made during the short-lived 90's revival of the Western movie genre, this refreshingly off-beat 18th century set omnibus oater rates as the finest horror-Western to ever grace celluloid, a fascinatingly unusual film which dips into America's rich, but largely (and shamefully) underexplored past with often hugely effective results.

The remarkably strong wraparound segment concerns prissy intellectual city slicker Farley Deeds (a pleasantly low-key portrayal by the often over-the-top Brad Dourif), who's forced one night on the cold, lonely open prairie to either listen to or relate a quartet of spooky campfire stories in the less than prepossessing company of uncouth, vaguely menacing bounty hunter Morrison (a wonderfully ripe, robust, rip-snorting turn by the always great James Earl Jones).

First tale: grouchy old cuss Lee Colby (amusingly essayed by grizzled character actor Will Hare, who also acted in the arrestingly oddball horror-Western doozy "Eyes of Fire") desecrates a sacrosanct Native American burial ground and promptly regrets it. Second yarn: a sweet young man (affable Marc McClure, who appeared in the equally underrated fright film anthology flick "After Midnight" around the same time) meets a lovely young woman (the gorgeous, raven-tressed, almond-eyed Michelle Joyner; Michael Rooker's doomed wife in "Cliffhanger") with a ... well, I don't want to spoil the deliciously nasty shock ending to this one. Watch and find out for yourself; it's sure to hit guys especially right where they live. Third story: a family of homesteaders must contend with a bloodthirsty lynch mob who want the sole man of among the beleaguered threesome to help them catch and subsequently hang an escaped slave. This particular tale is too sentimental and obvious to really work, although it boasts a strong performance from the under-appreciated William Atherton (the jerky TV reporter in the first two "Die Hard" movies) as a basically decent, but hateful man who's gamely struggling to control his more base impulses. Fourth anecdote: a sleazy gunslinger (marvelously played to the slimy hilt by Scott Paulin; the first victim of the rampaging mutant monster in the terrifically trashy "ALIEN" rip-off "Forbidden World") competes to be top dog in a tiny desert town and later regrets that he did.

Capably directed and smartly written by novice filmmaker William Coe (who previously designed the posters for such features as "Back to the Future" and "Out of Africa"), with uniformly fine acting from a nicely varied cast, plenty of eerie atmosphere, a flavorsome recreation of the 1800's, and a welcome emphasis on vividly drawn characters and similarly colorful old-fashioned storytelling over any needless excess flash or pretense, "Grim Prairie Tales" ranks as a most rewarding and highly different kind of horror movie, one in which story and character are more important and meaningful than either cheap shocks or disgusting gore. The anxious, intriguing, masterfully developed and sustained rapport between Jones and Dourif, both in superior personable form, is extremely enjoyable and unexpectedly affecting (the film not only deals with the expert telling of four scary stories, but also delightfully details the gradual genesis of an unlikely, but sturdy friendship between two radically contrasting individuals). The spiky, frequently hilarious, insult-laden rat-a-tat-tat banter that Jones and Dourif heatedly exchange throughout is a tremendous source of rousing entertainment alone, highlighted by the sidesplitting moment a fuming Brad calls Big Jim "a corpulent old buzzard!" It's a small, but bright and sparkling little gem of a sleeper.

great mixture of horror and fable

[technicalbeat · 8/10 · 21 December 2013]

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.

An intrigingly fascinating plotline.

[eddy-28 · 25 December 2003]

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.

The Dark Side Of The Old West

[FightingWesterner · 9/10 · 31 October 2009]

Blustery bounty hunter James Earl Jones and jittery eastern tenderfoot Brad Douriff share a campfire on the prairie and swap horror stories, some of the supernatural variety while others are all too natural.

This is a low budget but ambitious and atmospheric horror western, worth a look for fans of either genre, though some fans of traditional westerns might not be amused.

The vignettes are great but the wraparound with Jones and Douriff is so entertaining that the stories they tell pale in comparison.

Other than Jones and Douriff, the best performance in the film is by William Atherton as a frontier dad with a dark secret.

An incredibly solid Horror Anthology with amazing performances from Brad Dourif and James Earl Jones

[jgbgraham · 10/10 · 4 December 2021]

As it stands right now this film has a 5.7 and that is criminal. This movie flows like water, the pacing is amazing and I really did not find any of it dull. As stated above the main performers will blow you away even if you think their stories needed another draft. If you like westerns, horror or both this is definitely worth tracking down and that's exactly what you'll have to do because this movie has sadly never been released outside of VHS and Laserdisc.

"You Wanna Hear A Story?"...

[azathothpwiggins · 10 January 2023]

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...

A wonderful, greatly underappreciated gem

[I_Ailurophile · 9/10 · 20 October 2022]

"A western-themed horror anthology starring James Earl Jones and Brad Dourif" is a smattering of words I never realized I needed to hear in my life, yet Wayne Coe apparently predicted that need 32 years ago. Honestly, the stories herein are perhaps not even necessary; if the picture were nothing but the wired dialogue between Jones and Dourif then it would have been enough to earn one's attention. To that point, it's worth noting that in a runtime of less than 90 minutes 'Grim prairie tales' isn't especially bothered about how it moves forward; it's safe to say there's an issue at times with pacing. I also observe that the line between the wraparound segment and the individual tales is arguably blurred more here than it has been in similar titles as the parlay between the two travelers remains fluid. For all that, I won't say that this is totally perfect, but it's an unexpected bit of fun even in concept, and the content to ensue is gratifyingly sharp, too.

The independent nature of the affair shines through in the very minimal production design, art direction, and cast - the title is no jest, for each element herein takes place almost entirely in wide open spaces that are dressed up only as necessary. Even at that the title ably fosters the western flavor through the setting, the costume design, and Steven Dancz's music, and despite such simplicity everything looks and sounds great. It's clear that Coe and his collaborators had few resources to work with in making this, yet they put what they had to the best of use in every regard. It would seem that the budget went mostly toward securing the recognizable names for the ensemble (I assume), and the sparing effects, but in my mind it was money well spent.

Despite Coe's inexperience as writer or director I think he demonstrates fine capability in both regards. Bare-bones though everything looks and feels, the tales are all actually quite enticing. I'm especially fond of Morrison's (Jones) second tale, which takes a turn I certainly didn't anticipate; Deeds' (Dourif) story is a sickening gut-punch of realist horror that hits extra hard. The fourth vignette broadly suffers from a lackadaisical gait much like first, yet there's a fierce intelligence to it that serves as stupendous counterbalance - primarily in Martin's nightmare, but also in the narrative overall, and unquestionably in the dialogue and scene writing that revisits antiquated notions many western flicks or period titles seem to overlook. At no point is there any especial atmosphere crafted, nor any real scares, but the plots are effectively communicated and deftly play with horror notions, even if the audience doesn't completely Feel It.

As delightful as 'Grim prairie tales' is in thought and in execution, I suppose it says something that it's taken me all this time to have ever heard of it in the first place. It's surprisingly well made, and definitely entertaining, but there's perhaps nothing about it that leaps out so much as to make it an essential classic, or wholly demand viewership. It may be most recommendable just on the basis of those involved - I won't deny that it was the pairing of Dourif and Jones that brought me here. Yet there are no especial weaknesses; on the contrary, this is quite strong in every way. When all is said and done I dare say this is far better and more worthwhile than I'd have ever anticipated sights unseen, and I firmly believe this deserves far more recognition than it's ever gotten heretofore. Even if you have to dig around a bit to find this, 'Grim prairie tales' is worth the exploration!

Tales from the prairie...

[chaos-rampant · 11 October 2010]

Brad Dourif and James Earl Jones get together for this horror western omnibus to snarl at each other over a campfire, pausing now and then to mouth off subtext about storytelling (Jones plays the brutish bounty hunter who knows a scary story or three, Dourif is the learned schoolteacher who asks him if stories can be vehicles for more than just thrills). Every time the movie strays from the campfire into a story it becomes tedious because the only kind of deadly these short stories are is deadly dull. Thankfully they're all pretty short so it's never dull for long. Watching two actors who like to chew scenery and spit it back out have at it makes me feel a little warm. I don't want to be too harsh onthis because, truth be told, horror anthology type films are never really meant to be cutting edge horrifying. Their primary means of expression is quiet spooks about something everyone understands is made up around the fire or comes from hearsay, and there's something nostalgic involved, the rosy glow of it, like one hankers down close to a fire and listens to others exchange stories not only for the stories told but also the pleasure of listening to them next to a fire. Horror westerns are few and far between and like most of them, this is mainly a horror film, until the last segment where sixshooters are drawn out and we get shootouts in dusty empty streets.