Mary Lambert's PET SEMATARY (1989)-just a thought

What is really intriguing about the original film « Pet Sematary » (Mary Lambert, 1989), is that it remains with an aura of disturbance even if a lot of the production and performances can be viewed as slightly comical, or badly thought-out / interpreted. Allow me to attempt to re-phrase and explain. While the movie has some aspect which can still be considered creepy in this day and age, as it was in fact released just a year before we saw the political correctness movement explode in north America which would change the way we see, consume, talk, and of course, how films are made, in general many true horror enthusiasts don’t reguard “Pet Sematary” ‘s horror on film as some fo the best horror ever captured on film. Granted like many productions, it was plagued with some production failings and limitations, the main one being of course being limited to a film-length story and narrative (which in most cases will only allow a general outline and premise to be explored).

 

But perhaps I should say that for years I refused to re-watch “Pet Sematary” because it had a profound eeirie and disturbing effect on my psyche. For the longest time it was, along with another Stephen King adaptation “The Shining” (Stanley Kubrick), a very rare film which spooked me so much that I could never bring myself to re-visit it. However when my wife said she was game to see it with me, I jumped on the occasion and re-watched the film for a second time, the first since I had originally seen it in the theaters back in 1989. I will admit that I couldn’t really understand why the film scared the bee-jebbers out of me so much back then as the imagery which seemed to have scarred me back then seemed much tamer now. In essence, what scared the f*ck ut of me then did not have the same intense effect now, 30 years later. However I did get creeped out by other aspects which I won’t really discuss in much detail (such as the drugging of a cat, for example), save for something which I just simply can not quite put my finger on.

 

I do think that it is both the underlying theme of the movie (it’s general premise and what that entails on a philosophical perspective) as well as how a lot of the subject matter is treated which worst as a better form of on-screen dread. While the tone of the film is just not quite “there”, there is a definite below-the-surface-level feel to it which adds to the film’s effectiveness. The interaction between the lead characters also adds to the general theme of the film, as well as (SPOILERS!) that damn main road between the two houses where all the truck go zooming by like it was a highway. In any case, not everyone picked up on the film in itself as it may be reguarded by many as standard horror fare without much retainability value, but I thought it had something which not only too many modern horror films lack, but something which was not always explored and present even in the hey-day of King-penned horror of the era.