Cujo

Everyone remembers this movie. If it was remade today, they would probably use a Pitt Bull - since those are the dogs of the hour. But I like the idea of a Saint Bernard. They are big dogs, but my only experience with them is from some cartoon with a Bernard coming to rescue people with some sort of alcohol in the little barrel at its throat.

I have a tendency to dislike stories in which animals play a heavy role. You just know that they animal is going to get it in the end and that never sits well with me. Even in this case, where Cujo is mad with rabies, there is still a part of me that does not want him to meet his end.

"In the spring of 1977 Stephen took his motorcycle to a mechanic who lived outside of Bridgton, Maine, "in the middle of nowhere". "I took the bike out there, and I just barely made it. And this huge Saint Bernard came out of the barn, growling. Then this guy came out and, I mean, he was Joe Camber-he looked almost like one of those guys out of Deliverance. And I was retreating, and wishing that I was not on my motorcycle, when the guy said, 'Don't worry. He don't bite.' And so I reached out to pet him, and the dog started to go for me. And the guy walked over and said, 'Down Gonzo,' or whatever the dog's name was and gave him this huge whack on the rump, and the dog yelped and sat down. The guy said, 'Gonzo never done that before. I guess he don't like your face.' And that became the central situation of the book, mixed with those old "Movies of the Week," the made-for-television movies that they used to have on ABC. I thought to myself, what if you could have a situation that was an extension of one scene. It would be the ultimate TV movie. There would be one set, there would be one room. You'd never even have to change the camera angle. So there was one very small place, and it became Donna's Pinto--and everything just flowed from that situation--the big dog and the Pinto."
http://www.stephenking.com/library/novel/cujo_inspiration.html