I rarely have nightmares and I never have the same nightmare twice.
There is one exception.
I saw the movie
Pet Sematary (1989) in the early 1990s. I was in 4th grade and a horrible babysitter thought it would be hilarious to have my little brother and I watch horror movies.
The result? Nightmares for YEARS about Zelda, the sickly bedridden sister with spinal meningitis. She was in my closet, under my bed, and around every corner lurching forward to grab me with her bony fingers.
Below is a vintage stylized clip of Pet Sematary featuring the creepiest woman to ever grace my nightmares.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV4nwwgVEc4]
Zelda still scares me. Anytime I watch Pet Sematary I cover my eyes and put my hands over my ears when she is on screen. I recently stumbled upon this
terrifying bust of Zelda, who was played by
Andrew Hubatsek in the 1989 film.
For me, Pet Sematary ranks as one of the scariest movies ever. The combination of terrifying things that make up this movie is mind numbing.
- Zelda is in a category all her own.
- An interstate highway of death.
- The Munsters' Fred Gwynne.
- Undead evil in cute cat and child packages.
- Horror genre children are always scary.
- Gross special effects (I'm talking about you, Victor Pascow.)
- So many 'jump out of your seat' moments that you might as well stand.
I'm not scared of The Exorcist. I can go right to sleep after watching The Shining, but 17 years later, I am still scared of Pet Sematary.
Pet Sematary (2013)
