Edition: U.S. / Global

'PET SEMATARY'; Know Where Your Children Are?

Published: May 21, 1989

To the Editor:

Re Vincent Canby's ''Common Sense Seems To Be in Short Supply'' [ May 7 ] : I can understand why someone who has paid $7 to see a picture turns ''mean'' or ''rude'' when the picture doesn't satisfy. I am less understanding of a major film critic turning mean and rude when he is unsatisfied with a film.

To be more specific, Mr. Canby's suggestion that ''Pet Sematary'' story conferences might have revolved around billing, residuals and location accommodations is insulting and not befitting a critic of his stature (as well as being highly inaccurate).

His further words that characterize ''Pet Sematary'' as a film about child abuse are irresponsible. It is obvious that he knows very little about parenting, as most parents I know are always risking a sprained neck as they continually look toward and away from their kids as they grow up. Keeping an eye on kids all the time is an impossibility, be it in the highchair or on the street. Perhaps the Creeds can be at worst accused of neglecting their kids, but they certainly don't abuse them, according to common usage of the word.

It would seem apparent that Mr. Canby's judgment about how far Stephen King can bend plausibility before his fans become ''surly'' is way off the mark. If the fans were as unhappy as he suggests, then I am hard put to explain why the film has been No. 1 at the box office for three weekends in a row (which he fails to mention). I also suspect that he is not a Stephen King fan, doesn't know many, and therefore it is in my opinion presumptuous of him to speak for them.

In closing, I would note that Mr. Canby states that since ''Pet Sematary's'' characters aren't ''observant,'' ''Pet Sematary'' forfeits its right to be a thriller. The major problem here is that he incorrectly labels the picture as a thriller. ''Pet Sematary'' is a horror movie, and it is a genre convention that horror movies telegraph their plot way ahead and the characters aren't smart enough to stay out of trouble. This approach hasn't seemed to bother the fans. RICHARD P. RUBINSTEIN Producer, ''Pet Sematary'' New York