Pet Sematary (1989)

Director: Mary Lambert

Writer: Stephen King

Composer: Elliot Goldenthal

Starring: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby, Brad Greenquist, Michael Lombard, Miko Hughes, Blaze Berdahl, Susan Blommaert, Mara Clark, Kavi Raz, Mary Louise Wilson, Andrew Hubatsek, Liz Davies

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Sometimes dead is better.

Plot: Behind a young family's home in Maine is a terrible secret that holds the power of life after death. When tragedy strikes, the threat of that power soon becomes undeniable.

My rating: 5.5/10

Will I watch it again? No.

SPOILER SEMATARY!!!  Yarrrr!!!!

I remember digging this film way back when in my college years but I don't know what happened.  I guess I liked the idea of it but the picture has too much going on with the added dead guy who guides the living.  Did I miss something here?  This picture left me with a bunch of questions like why the hell would Louis (Midkiff) bury the cat knowing how badly it turned out for Jud (Gwynne)?  Why would Jud even mention it if it was such a horrible experience for him as a child?  Why would Luis bury Gage (Hughes) after his horrible experience with the cat?  I get that he was upset and all but what was he thinking that the kid would turn out better and after hearing the terrible tale from Jud about the time that guy was buried there and came back?  And further more, why do some of the animals and humans come back in the same condition as they died and others look just fine considering they'd otherwise be missing limbs and shit?  And why did their babysitter, Missy (Blommaert), kill herself and what was the point of having that character in the first place? I couldn't help but think this was a half-assed story that could use some serious revision.  Does the book explain any or all of this?  Did I fall asleep and not realize it thereby missing some key moment that ties this crap together?  I feel stupid now.  The Paramount Special Collector's Edition DVD (which will be up for grabs for a buck at my next yard sale) has a commentary by director Lambert, 3 featurettes (one each on King, the characters and filming the picture - totaling about 36 minutes) and less than two minutes of previews for the DVDs of the various STAR TREK TV series and THE 4400.