With the launch of the remake in 2019 everyone is looking towards Pet Semetary as this year is the original films 30th anniversary. The great folks over at FYE have released another steelbook based off of this amazing film but is this something you should bring back? Or should you leave it be as sometimes dead is better?
The first thing I want to talk about is the packaging as this is an amazing piece of work and I hope they keep doing this going forward! There is a clear plastic sleeve that goes over the steelbook so you can read about the special features on the back (without discarding the labels this time) or you can take it off and admire the amazing artwork that is on the front and back. The artwork on the front is amazing as you see a silhouette of a man digging up the grave of his son and on the back you see the iconic cat hissing. However, the most stunning piece of work has to be the interior as you can see the house on fire as a man carries someone away from the blaze. I know I already said this but the packaging ALONE makes me want to buy this release.
For the uninitiated Pet Semetary is based off the book written by Stephen King in which a family have moved as the father, Louis was offered residency as a doctor by the University of Maine. However, as they have moved in their next door neighbor shows them a graveyard that is behind their house with an old sign that reads “Pet Semetary”. Later on the family’s beloved cat Church is run over by a truck and Louis buries him in that same ground that their neighbor has called sour. To their disbelief Church comes back however, he is not the same as he moves slowly and is hostile towards Louis. What happens next will question your own sanity as what you would do if you were a parent and the lengths you would go to keep your family together. I don’t want to spoil the entirety of the movie for those that haven’t seen it but I will say it is an amazing piece of cinema that needs to be watched.
As with other FYE releases there are tons of special features crammed onto the discs as you have Pet Semetary: Fear and Remembrance. This feature takes the cast and crew of the 2019 remake and asks them how they feel about the original film. Also included are three new behind the scenes image galleries and some of these contained storyboards that haven’t been seen anywhere else. Mary Lambert gives and exclusive interview for this release as well and she shares her experiences working on this film. There is also a commentary track by her as well so you can listen to her tell even more stories making the film. There are three other featurettes that round out the disc focusing on “Filming the Horror” , “The Characters” and “Stephen King Territory”. There are tons of special features that will keep you coming back again and again to experience this amazing piece of cinema.
If you love the original film or you have just seen the remake and you had no idea this film existed you need to go ahead and pick up this release. With amazing artwork and tons of special features this release will keep you coming back for more. For more information on this and other great releases head over to www.fye.com and don’t forget sometimes, dead is better.
