Pet Sematary (film)

Infobox Film | name = Pet Sematary


caption = Theatrical poster for "Pet Sematary"
director = Mary Lambert
producer = Richard P. Rubinstein
writer = Stephen King (novel and screenplay)
starring = Dale Midkiff
Fred Gwynne
Denise Crosby
Brad Greenquist
Miko Hughes
Blaze Berdahl
Susan Blommaert
music = Elliot Goldenthal
cinematography = Peter Stein
editing = Daniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill
distributor = Paramount Pictures
released = April 21, 1989 (USA)
runtime = 103 min.
language = English
budget = $11,500,000
imdb_id = 0098084
preceded_by =
followed_by = "Pet Sematary II"

"Pet Sematary" (sometimes referred to as "Stephen King's Pet Sematary") is a 1989 horror film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. Directed by Mary Lambert, the film stars Dale Midkiff as Louis Creed, Denise Crosby as Rachel Creed, Blaze Berdahl as Ellie Creed, Miko Hughes as Gage Creed, and Fred Gwynne as Jud Crandall.

Stephen King wrote the screenplay himself, having become frustrated with how his novels were represented in film adaptations, and appears briefly in the film as a minister at a funeral.

ynopsis

The plot revolves around the corporeal reanimation of deceased pets and humans in an abandoned Mi'kmaq burial ground outside the town of Ludlow, Maine. The Creed family moves into a new home and befriends their new neighbor, Jud Crandall, who tells them about a pet cemetery and the burial grounds nearby, leading to a series of horrifying events.

Cast and crew

Produced by Richard P. Rubinstein, Executive Produced by Tim Zinneman and Co-Produced by Mitchell Galin. Directed by Mary Lambert. Stephen King wrote both the novel and the screenplay for the movie. The soundtrack was composed by Elliot Goldenthal. The end credits contained a song, called "Pet Sematary", by Punk rock band, The Ramones, which was a radio hit and was later released on their 1989 album "Brain Drain". The end of Pet Sematary 2 also had The Ramones play their hit "Poison Heart" in the end credits. ;Cast
*Dale Midkiff as Louis Creed
*Fred Gwynne as Jud Crandall
*Denise Crosby as Rachel Creed
*Brad Greenquist as Victor Pascow
*Michael Lombard as Irwin Goldman
*Miko Hughes as Gage Creed
*Blaze Berdahl as Ellie Creed
*Susan Blommaert as Missy Dandridge
*Mara Clark as Marcy Charlton
*Kavi Raz as Steve Masterton
*Mary Louise Wilson as Dory Goldman
*Andrew Hubatsek as Zelda
*Matthew August Ferrell as Jud as a child
*Lisa Stathoplos as Jud's mother
*Stephen King as Minister
*Elizabeth Ureneck as Rachel as a child
*Chuck Courtney as Bill Baterman
*Peter Stader as Timmy Baterman
*Beau Berdahl as Ellie Creed II

2006 DVD

On September 26, 2006, Paramount released a Special Collector's Edition DVD. It features:

* Commentary by Director Mary Lambert
* Documentary: Stephen King's "Pet Sematary": Stephen King Territory
* Documentary: Stephen King's "Pet Sematary": The Characters
* Documentary: Stephen King's "Pet Sematary": Filming the Horror

The documentaries feature interviews with Dale Midkiff, Brad Greenquist, Denise Crosby, Stephen King, director Mary Lambert, Fred Gwynne, and other members of the cast and crew.

Reception

Despite an initially positive reception by many eminent critics, "Pet Sematary" generated mostly mixed reviews, and was considered to be a moderate box office hit of that year, taking in $16 million in its first week at the North American box-office. The controversial nature of the film may have led to some of its alleged "unviewability", and "Pet Sematary" remains to this day banned in several countries. Nevertheless, it has recently developed an ardent cult following. 'This is the first screenplay that Stephen King has adapted from one of his own novels, ' wrote Films and Filming, in November 1989 'and while it is a generally competent effort, there some absolute howlers in the dialogue...There is also a taut Halloween-style ending that almost justifies the preceding hour and a half. But ultimately there are still too many unanswered questions.' Fear magazine wrote 'The viewer is made to feel personal grief with some realism, and that's something which most horror film-makers have never handled or been willing to handle.' Mary Lambert was quite protective of her work "Pet Sematary" is about a love of a father for his child that is obsessive to the point of breaking certain taboos, passing certain boundaries that shouldn't be passed. I think I brought a sense of mystery and mysticism to the story that they were looking for. There are certain aspects of this story that take it beyond just another horror movie."

External links

*imdb title|id=0098084|title=Pet Sematary
* [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800105736/info Pet Sematary at Yahoo!Movies]
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pet_sematary/ Pet Sematary at RottenTomatoes.com]