Pet Sematary (1989)

Director:

Mary Lambert

Writers (WGA):

Stephen King (novel)
Stephen King (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes dead is better.

Plot:

The Creeds have just moved to a new house in the countryside. Their house is perfect, except for two...

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Pet | Cemetery | Pet Cemetery | Neighbor

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Dale Midkiff	...	Louis Creed
Fred Gwynne	...	Jud Crandall
Denise Crosby	...	Rachel Creed
Brad Greenquist	...	Victor Pascow
Michael Lombard	...	Irwin Goldman
Miko Hughes	...	Gage Creed
Blaze Berdahl	...	Ellie Creed
Susan Blommaert	...	Missy Dandridge
Mara Clark	...	Marcy Charlton
Kavi Raz	...	Steve Masterton
Mary Louise Wilson	...	Dory Goldman
Andrew Hubatsek	...	Zelda
Liz Davies	...	Girl at Infirmary
Kara Dalke	...	Candystriper
Matthew August Ferrell	...	Jud as a Child
Lisa Stathoplos	...	Jud's mother
Stephen King	...	Minister
Elizabeth Ureneck	...	Rachel as a Child
Chuck Courtney	...	Bill Baterman
Peter Stader	...	Timmy Baterman
Richard Collier	...	Young Jud
Chuck Shaw	...	Cop
Dorothy McCabe	...	Seatmate #1
Mary R. Hughes	...	Seatmate #2
Eleanor Grace Courtemanche	...	Logan Airport Gate Agent
Donnie Greene	...	Orinco driver
Lila Duffy	...	Budget Clerk
John David Moore	...	Hitchhike Driver
Beau Berdahl	...	Ellie Creed II
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kira Willoughby	...	Mother at Logan Airport (uncredited)

Directed by
Mary Lambert

Writing credits (WGA)
Stephen King		(novel)
Stephen King		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mitchell Galin	....	co-producer
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	producer
Ralph S. Singleton	....	associate producer
Tim Zinnemann	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elliot Goldenthal

Cinematography by
Peter Stein

Film Editing by
Daniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill

Casting by
Pamela Basker
Fern Champion

Production Design by
Michael Z. Hanan

Art Direction by
Dins W.W. Danielsen

Set Decoration by
Kathe Klopp

Costume Design by
Marlene Stewart

Makeup Department
David LeRoy Anderson	....	special makeup effects artist (as Dave Anderson)
Lance Anderson	....	special makeup designer
John Blake	....	makeup effects assistant

Production Management
Barbara Rosing Hoke	....	unit production manager (as Barbara A. Rosing)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phillip Christon	....	first assistant director
Joan Cunningham	....	second second assistant director
Suzanne Haasis	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greensman
Jo Brown	....	head scenic
Kelly Deco	....	scenic paint foreman
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	carpenter
Ellen Freund	....	property master
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	scenic artist: Cinnabar
Stephanie Pilk	....	assistant set decorator
Ron Woods	....	props
Mark Zuelzke	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Blake R. Cornett	....	first assistant sound editor
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Michael Herbick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Patrushkha Mierzwa	....	boom operator
Hamilton Sterling	....	sound editor
Mark Ulano	....	production sound mixer
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tom Chesney	....	special effects foreman
Scott Coulter	....	animatronic effects
Scott Coulter	....	laboratory technician
Robin L. D'Arcy	....	special effects coordinator
Jeffrey S. Farley	....	laboratory technician
Adam Jones	....	laboratory technician
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects supervisor
Tanya Ridenour	....	special effects crew

Visual Effects by
Bruce A. Block	....	matte cameraman
David Emerson	....	optical camera
Bart Mixon	....	visual effects
Bret Mixon	....	rotoscoping

Stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
John Robotham	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Ault	....	grip
Kurt Grossi	....	grip
Rick Lamb	....	assistant camera
Larry McCarron	....	grip
Michael A. McFadden	....	grip

Casting Department
Lindsay Chag	....	casting associate
Kira Willoughby	....	extras casting assistant

Editorial Department
Barry Dresner	....	additional editor

Music Department
Phil Bulla	....	score recordist
Charles Martin Inouye	....	music editor
Joel Iwataki	....	music scoring mixer
Marky Ramone	....	composer: song "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker"

Transportation Department
A. Welch Lambeth	....	transportation coordinator
William O'Brien	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Jonathan Brandis	....	adr loop group
David Greenberg	....	runner: set department
David Blake Hartley	....	location manager
Jesse Long	....	script supervisor
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Nurit Prag	....	production assistant
Neal Thompson	....	title designer
Susan Towner	....	production accountant
Jeanine Wilson	....	accountant
Lynnanne Zager	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Laurel Productions
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• United Pictures Finland (1989) (Finland) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (1990) (Finland) (video)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Pictures

Other Companies

• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Pet Cemetery (USA) (orthographically correct title)
Stephen King's Pet Sematary (Philippines: English title) (poster title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16 | Germany:(Banned) (original rating) | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 (1993) (video version) (uncut) | Italy:VM18 | Spain:18 | Ireland:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 (1989) (cut) | France:-12 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Malaysia:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA

Company:

Laurel Productions

Trivia:

In an interview with Brad Greenquist he said that while in his gruesome makeup for the role of Victor Pascow no one would sit near him while the cast and crew were having lunch.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Creeds arrive to their home, Ellie runs towards the tree-swing and her hat falls off. In the next shot, she is still running and her hat is back on.

Quotes:

Jud Crandall: [to Louis] It's your cat now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Spooky Fish (#2.15)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

Truly mesmerizing, and scary at times...

I am a big fan of Stephen King's work, and this film has made me an even greater fan of King. Pet Sematary is about the Creed family. They have just moved into a new house, and they seem happy. But there is a pet cemetery behind their house. The Creed's new neighbor Jud (played by Fred Gwyne) explains the burial ground behind the pet cemetery. That burial ground is pure evil. Jud tells Louis Creed that when you bury a human being (or any kind of pet) up in the burial ground, they would come back to life. The only problem, is that when they come back, they are NOT the same person, they're evil. Soon after Jud explains everything about the Pet Sematary, everything starts to go to hell. I wont explain anymore because I don't want to give away some of the main parts in the film. The acting that Pet Sematary had was pretty good, but needed a little bit of work. The story was one of the main parts of this movie, mainly because it was so original and gripping. This film features lots of make-up effects that make the movie way more eerie, and frightening. One of the most basic reasons why this movie sent chills up my back, was in fact the make-up effects. There is one character in this film that is truly freaky. That character is "Zelda." This particular character pops up in the film about three times to be precise. Zelda is Rachel Creed's sister who passed away years before, but Rachel is still haunted by her. The first time Zelda appears in the movie isn't generally scary because she isn't talking or anything, but the second time is the worst, and to be honest, the second time scares the living **** out of me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this movie, it is almost perfect. Pet Sematary delivers great scares, some pretty good acting, first rate plot, and mesmerizing make-up. This is truly one of most favorite horror films of all time. 10 out of 10.