Blast from the Past: Stephen King on Screen
In 1989, Mary Lambert directed Pet Sematary, a supernatural horror film based on 1983 novel by Stephen King, who also himself penned the screenplay.
Starring Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Blaze Berdahl, Fred Gwynne, and Miko Hughes as Gage Creed, the film’s title uses a sensational spelling of “pet cemetery.”
Development for the film began in 1984 when the rights were sold to George Romero for $10,000. However, Romero was unable to proceed due to scheduling conflicts with Monkey Shines. The project languished until the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, when Paramount faced shortage of films. King’s screenplay for Pet Sematary was complete, and Paramount greenlighted the project.
King retained creative control and personally chose Mary Lambert, who won him over with her dedication to staying true to the novel’s tone and themes.
Filming took place on location in Maine, honoring King’s requestfor the film to be shot in the same setting as the novel’s. Locations included Ellsworth, Bangor, and Mount Hope Cemetery.
King was actively involved in the production, collaborating on key decisions to ensure the adaptation preserved the essence of his novel.
Lambert insisted on casting two-year-old Miko Hughes as Gage Creed, despite the studio’s preference for using twins, which was the standard cost-effective practice for child roles. Lambert felt Hughes had a natural talent that could not be duplicated.
She also fought to cast Fred Gwynne as Jud Crandall, despite concerns that his previous role as Herman Munster would prevent audiences empathy.
The character of Zelda, Rachel Creed’s sister was cast with Andrew Hubatsek in order to heighten the unsettling nature of his character.
The film’s conclusion was changed at Paramount’s request. Lambert originally shot a more ambiguous ending, in which Rachel Creed returns as undead figure, leaving her husband’s fate uncertain. However, the studio wanted a more graphic climax, resulting in reshoots to depict Rachel attacking Louis Creed.
The film’s soundtrack included music by the Ramones, one of King’s favorite bands. Lambert, having a personal friendship with the band through her music videos, requested they perform the track “Pet Sematary,” which plays over the closing credits.
Premiering on April 21, 1989, achieved box office success, grossing $57.5 million on $11.5 million budget.
The film’s popularity led to a 1992 sequel, Pet Sematary Two, also directed by Lambert.
