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IMDbPro

Pet Sematary

  • 19891989
  • RR
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
107K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,762
94
Brad Greenquist in Pet Sematary (1989)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer0:31
5 Videos
99+ Photos
FantasyHorrorThriller
After tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.After tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.After tragedy strikes, a grieving father discovers an ancient burial ground behind his home with the power to raise the dead.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
107K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,762
94
    • Mary Lambert
    • Stephen King(novel)
  • Stars
    • Dale Midkiff
    • Denise Crosby
    • Fred Gwynne
    • Mary Lambert
    • Stephen King(novel)
  • Stars
    • Dale Midkiff
    • Denise Crosby
    • Fred Gwynne
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 404User reviews
    • 129Critic reviews
    • 38Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos5

    Pet Sematary
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Pet Sematary
    IMDbrief: Candyman, Chucky, & More Horror Reboots Coming for You
    Clip 2:38
    Watch IMDbrief: Candyman, Chucky, & More Horror Reboots Coming for You
    How 'Pet Sematary' Found Their Scene-Stealing Zombie Kid
    Interview 2:26
    Watch How 'Pet Sematary' Found Their Scene-Stealing Zombie Kid
    How 'Pet Sematary' Uses Tropes Against Audience
    Interview 2:47
    Watch How 'Pet Sematary' Uses Tropes Against Audience
    The Musical Biopic and Terrifying Remake Richard Madden Can't Wait to See
    Video 1:13
    Watch The Musical Biopic and Terrifying Remake Richard Madden Can't Wait to See

    Photos179

    Fred Gwynne in Pet Sematary (1989)
    Miko Hughes in Pet Sematary (1989)
    Dale Midkiff in Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)
    Pet Sematary (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dale Midkiff
    Dale Midkiff
    • Louis Creed
    Denise Crosby
    Denise Crosby
    • Rachel Creed
    Fred Gwynne
    Fred Gwynne
    • Jud Crandall
    Brad Greenquist
    Brad Greenquist
    • Victor Pascow
    Michael Lombard
    Michael Lombard
    • Irwin Goldman
    Miko Hughes
    Miko Hughes
    • Gage Creed
    Blaze Berdahl
    Blaze Berdahl
    • Ellie Creed
    Susan Blommaert
    Susan Blommaert
    • Missy Dandridge
    Mara Clark
    • Marcy Charlton
    Kavi Raz
    Kavi Raz
    • Steve Masterton
    Mary Louise Wilson
    Mary Louise Wilson
    • Dory Goldman
    Andrew Hubatsek
    Andrew Hubatsek
    • Zelda
    Liz Davies
    Liz Davies
    • Girl at Infirmary
    Kara Dalke
    • Candystriper
    Matthew August Ferrell
    • Jud as a Child
    Lisa Stathoplos
    • Jud's Mother
    Stephen King
    Stephen King
    • Minister
    Elizabeth Ureneck
    • Rachel as a Child
      • Mary Lambert
      • Stephen King(novel) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Stephen King once mentioned that the only novel he wrote that really scared him was "Pet Sematary."
    • Goofs
      (at around 5 mins) When Louis is checking on Ellie after she fell off the tire swing he is wearing a tee shirt without a collar and sleeves that are rolled up midway past his elbow. When Rachel gets up to rush after Gage his tee shirt is now an open shirt with stripes and a collar. In the next shot when he gets up to follow Rachel his shirt is once again back to a tee shirt.
    • Quotes

      Jud Crandall: Sometimes, dead is better.

    • Alternate versions
      Television censors of some of the films gorier moments included alternate shots from different angles that hide the more graphic images. This especially came into play with the Timmy Baterman scenes and the films finale in the Creed's kitchen.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Ramones: Pet Sematary (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      Pet Sematary
      By Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey

      Performed by Ramones

      Produced by Jean Beauvoir & Daniel Rey

      Courtesy of Sire Records Company

    User reviews404

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    The better version.
    It's older, and maybe stylistically a bit dated, but it's the better version of the two, imo.

    First, it doesn't mess with the story, which is great because you don't need to mess with the story. The book is good. Aside from the obvious (no spoilers) character switch, it was structurally better. Like the book, it's not a scary-right-off-the-bat horror story, like a slasher movie would be, kill scene at the top. Rather, it's structured more like a campfire story. It starts pretty normal and then, piece-by-piece, the horror builds. This is not very common for horror these days, but I don't think it is non-existant. More experimental films have been using it - Midsomer or Hereditary, for example, or Aronofsky movies. Wish either of those filmmakers would have tackled the remake, gone Kubrick and pushed King "artfully" as opposed to "pop," but I digress. King said this was the first the he really wrote which disturbed him due to the major 180-degree plot point mid-way, and this movie has a strong sense of that devastation. The best horror is often about family.

    Second, the cast is better in this version, probably more due to the directing than the actual actors. Mary Lambert let the actors tell the story, Kevin Kolsch, like they do these days, told the story with camera work, editing, and modern horror tropes - the unnecessary masks and the juxtaposition of "cute innocence" (ballet dancing) with "evil," for example. Jason Clarke and John Lithgow didn't get to flex. Dale Midkiff was a BABE and we had enough time with him to see the progression of his character. Fred Gwynne is unbeatable. And Denise Crosby, who bravely chose an often unflattering portrayal of Rachel, is hard to forget. The Zelda stuff, although less developed than the new, overdeveloped stuff in the new film, is just scarier. Her hardness early on really works against her crumbling development later - it's a hard choice for an actress' popularity but better storytelling. (Denise Crosby is an interesting actress - I think only one season in Next Generation? And still unforgettable. She makes an impact in whatever she's in, but again I digress.)

    As an English teacher, I'd say read the book! Then watch the movies and choose your favorite version, and let us know what you think! Happy watching!
    helpful•21
    3
    • tpkrause1
    • Aug 22, 2019

    FAQ15

    • Gage gets hit by a semi barreling down the road. Considering he's only 2 years old, this would almost certainly have destroyed his tiny body, which is obviously why his casket was closed, but when Lewis digs him up, Gage only has a scar on his forehead how can this be?
    • Why did Lewis kill Church at the end? He only planned on killing Gage ad he came back like Timmy Baterman did, and he could have just walked in after distracting Church with the meat.
    • What is a "deadfall"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 21, 1989 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Acadia National Park, Maine, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Laurel Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 43 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby Stereo

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