The undead rose again last night at the Nitehawk Cinema in Prospect Park during the private screening for Brooklyn Horror Fest of Pet Sematary, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name.
Stars Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and Jeté Laurence walked the red carpet alongside directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer. The event also included a special guest appearance by the scene-stealing feline Tonic, also known as “Church” in the film.
Actor Jason Clarke (Dr. Louis Creed) bonds with Tonic on the red carpet.
Pet Sematary tells the gripping tale of Dr. Louis Creed (Clarke) and wife, Rachel (Seimetz), who relocate with their two young children Ellie (Laurence) and Gage (Hugo and Lucas Lavoie) to the remote town of Ludlow, Maine. After discovering an ancient pet cemetery on their property with the help of their neighbor Jud (John Lithgow), Dr. Creed starts to question his faith–and sanity–as the barrier between life and death begins to collapse.
The 2019 film gives new blood to an old classic, blending strong performances and a relatable storyline to create a fun thriller. Seimetz’s portrayal of a mother haunted by her past was powerfully passionate, and Clarke’s empathetic take on Dr. Creed brought a depth to the character’s crazed determination. Lithgow was ideally cast as the bumbling neighbor with an unexplained secret. Yet it was 10-year-old Laurence who the screen belonged to, her cheerful smile melting into a horrific grin as the audience realizes her demonic soul.
The latest adaptation of the classic story arrives 30 years after the original 1989 film. In a post-screening q&a, co-directors Kölsch and Widmyer discussed their admiration for King as well as their goal to subvert audience expectations. “For me, Stephen King is all about relatability,” Kölsch said. “Pet Sematary is about death, it’s about grief. It’s a terrible thing but it’s something we’re all going to have to deal with.”
Directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer are interviewed after the screening with actors Jéte Laurence, Amy Seimetz, and Jason Clarke.
Clarke agreed, citing the particular scene with Dr. Creed and Rachel explaining to Ellie why pets die sooner than people as an especially realistic conversation. “I thought it was a wonderful way to introduce this taboo subject of death and burial, which King does beautifully in the book with the shame, the guilt, the secrecy around it,” Clarke mused.
The adorable Laurence also discussed her acting techniques for descending into the “changed” Ellie. “I think it was cool because I got to play both side of her,” Laurence explained. “I was thinking how she must have felt since she came back all of a sudden from the dead with these evil thoughts.” Laurence herself was scared of horror movies before being cast in Pet Semetary, but since filming, has become a fan. “It helped my get over it,” she said. “I have all these memories from the set!”
Much like with Laurence, Pet Sematary aims to introduce a new generation to classic horror– because nothing is ever really dead, after all.
The film is now playing!
