Pet Sematary *** (1989, Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Fred Gwynne) – Classic Movie Review 7,110

Stephen King writes the screenplay for 1989 American supernatural horror film Pet Sematary, the first adaptation of his 1983 novel.

Director Mary Lambert’s 1989 fantasy horror thriller Pet Sematary turns Stephen King’s disturbing, far-fetched tale into a chillingly gory, upsetting horror movie with appealing performances (particularly by stars Dale Midkiff and Fred Gwynne), an eerie mood, atmospheric Maine filming and plenty of chills, but little style or suspense.

Dale Midkiff and Denise Crosby star as nice young doctor Louis Creed and his pretty wife Rachel, who move to a new home with their lovely little children (Miko Hughes, Blaze Berdahl) from Chicago to Massachusetts, where they quickly make friends with charming old neighbour Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne).

Doctor Dale somehow hasn’t noticed that their new house is built on a highway that lorries roar down killing local pets, and naturally there is a sinister pet cemetery (well, sematary) at the bottom of the garden in the woods behind the house. The cemetery has powers that allow the creatures buried there to come back from the dead.

King, who has an acting turn as a priest/ minister, adapts his own novel.

Also in the cast are Brad Greenquist, Michael Lombard, Susan Blommaert, Mara Clark, Kavi Raz, Mary Louise Wilson, Andrew Hubatsek and Liz Davies.

As stipulated in King’s contract selling the rights, Pet Sematary was shot in Maine where the story is set. It is shot at Bucksport, Sedgwick, Ellsworth, Hancock, Bangor, and Acadia National Park, Maine, US.

Beware, it is pretty severe in the violence and gore department and there are a couple of very nasty bits. There is moderate swearing, with one use of the F word. It has a UK 18 certificate and a US R rating.

Pet Sematary is directed by Mary Lambert, runs 102 minutes, is made by Paramount Pictures and Laurel Productions, is released by Paramount, is written by Stephen King, based on his own novel, is shot in Technicolor by Peter Stein, is produced by Richard P Rubinstein, is scored by Elliot Goldenthal, and is designed by Michael Z Hanan.

Stephen King’s 1989 hit grossed $57 million in the US and a total of $84 million worldwide on an $11.5 million budget, and Lambert directed a sequel, Pet Sematary Two [Pet Sematary II], in 1992.

Stephen King’s script was ready and admired by development executive Lindsay Doran, but she was told repeatedly that there was no more demand for Stephen King films. Paramount only reconsidered greenlighting the film because they feared a shortage of new productions during the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike. King, who had final say on the choice of a director, was impressed with the studio’s first choice of Mary Lambert. Her enthusiasm for his novels and her commitment to stay faithful to his material landed her the gig.

The score is by Elliot Goldenthal.

The film features two songs by the Ramones, a Stephen King favourite band: ‘Sheena Is a Punk Rocker’ appears in one scene and a new title track plays over the credits: ‘Pet Sematary’ became one of the Ramones’ biggest charting hits.

The title is of course a spin on the actual spelling of pet cemetery.

Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz star in Paramount’s reboot of the Stephen King classic, Pet Sematary released in the US on 5 April 2019. John Lithgow plays the Fred Gwynne role of Jud Crandall. Starry Eyes co-directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer direct.

A prequel, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, premiered on October 6, 2023, on Paramount+.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7,110

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