Pet Sematary

I am a fan of Stephen King but I have never read this book ,nor did I see the original movie.  However, when I heard this version featured John Lithgow, I knew I would have to see it.  Tha main story follows the The Creed family, who have just moved from Boston to a quieter life in a small Maine town.  No more ER night shifts for Dr. Louis Creed, who looks forward to being able to spend more time with his children, Gage and Ellie.  Things get off to a creepy start when Ellie stumbles upon a pet cemetery or “sematary” as spelled by the town’s children, while exploring. They have been burying their pets in the forest for generations.  Louis (played by Jason Clark) didn’t realize this cemetery was on his property as it is huge and he hasn’t really checked it out. The cemetery is bordered on several sides by a high log wall. The cemetery is scary enough, but Ellie, and her Mom witness  a burial procession composed of kids in very creepy masks.  Ellie is a bright and curious child, and decides to go back to investigate the high log pile.  She begins to climb up the wall.  She is stung by a bee and falls, but luckily old man Jud (John Lithgow) helps her and takes out the stinger -the beginning of a fast friendship. SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT:  Unfortunately their beloved cat, Churchill, is hit by a truck and dies.  Jud knows Ellie is heartbroken, and is insistant that he help Dr. Creed bury the cat in the cemetery.  Things get real weird when he suggests they bury the cat in a secret area on the other side of the barrier.  Apparently, there are mystical powers that can resurrect the dead, but your loved ones may not come back “right.”  And indeed, after the mysterious reappearance of “dead” Churchill, things begin to literally go to the dark side.  At Ellie’s birthday party, things take a dreadful turn.  You can guess… The movie does a good job with creating atmosphere and I give a lot of kudos to Jete Laurence, who plays daughter Ellie.  She is the right amount of niave and creepy!   I read somewhere that Stephen King doesn’t like this story much and that he feels it is his darkest tale.  I have to agree with him.  This story doesn’t offer a hopeful ending.  But then, you don’t go into a King story expecting a “they lived happily ever after.”