a family with dad louis ( dale midkiff ) and mom rachel ( denise crosby ) and 10 year old eileen ( blaze berdalh and about 3 year old gage ( miko hughes ) move to this beautiful house in maine seemingly unaware of the semi that roar down the highway in front of their house every 90 second or so . the neighbor across the way ( the wonderful fred gwynne ) make them feel at home . and show them a pet cemetery where child bury their pet . but a little further on be a sacred ground which can bring the dead back to life . but the dead come back in a nasty mood . definite spoiler the novel by stephen king be good it be long but it develop character and situation that make you care what happen . this movie jettison all the character development and just play up the gore and violence . animal be kill on camera ( i know it fake but it still repulsive ) while a little boy be hit by a semi and his casket pop open during the funeral ( in a totally sick scene ) while he bring back to life and attack and kill people include his mom ( i do wonder how a 3 year old be able to hang her ) while a ghostly jogger ( do not ask ) try to help the family for no reason . the movie just work the audience over shove every gruesome death or violence into your face . it just go out of it way to shock you . end spoilersacting be no help . midkiff be just dreadful a the father he handsome and buff but totally blank . crosby isn not much well . the two kid be just annoy . only gwynne single handedly save this picture with his effortless good acting . this picture show a total contempt for the audience take large leap in logic and have character do incredibly stupid thing ( especially midkiff at the end ) . this movie be ( inexplicably ) a huge box office hit in 1989 which lead to the even bad sequel in 1992. i saw it in a theatre back then and be disturb how the audience keep cheer on the violence and be just appal by what i saw . a sick repulsive horror film . a 1 all the way . when you think it all over and can not get bad the ramones sing a title song . ( i do not wan na be bury in a pet cemetery ) . truly beyond belief .