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Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

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Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Everyone loves their pets.  And, as our own Kelly McNeely showed us a few days ago, there are plenty of good dogs and cats in horror movies that are so good that they deserve to get the Pet Sematary treatment and be brought back for another chance at life after they pass.

But then, there’s the other end of the scale.  Some horror pets were mean and nasty enough in life that they aren’t worth the risk that they’ll come back worse.  Like Jud Crandall said – sometimes, dead IS better.

 

Cujo – Cujo (1983)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Cujo (1983), courtesy Warner Bros.

The most obvious entry on this last, and therefore, the first one, is Cujo from, of course, Cujo.

Now, Cujo was just a big St. Bernard puppy who happened to get bitten by a bat and catch rabies.  He’s a fluffy good boy who deserves a second chance, right?  Wrong.  The evil Cujo that would come back from the Pet Sematary would be just as strong and powerful as the rabid Cujo, but would have a mean streak that would overshadow his cuteness.  It’s best to leave him alone.

 

Max – Man’s Best Friend (1993)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Man’s Best Friend (1993), courtesy New Line Cinema.

Max from Man’s Best Friend is another pup that gets a bad rap.  He is a genetically altered Mastiff who is freed from his cruel animal testing lab by a news reporter, and he of course becomes attached to his rescuer.

He also becomes very protective of her.  Needless to say, things go very badly for everyone who is not his savior reporter.  So, unless you’re that reporter, Max should be kept out of the Sematary.  He was mean enough the first time.  He’d come back even nastier.

 

Ella – Monkey Shines (1988)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Monkey Shines (1988), courtesy Orion Pictures.

Speaking of experimental animals…Ella from Monkey Shines is a helper monkey who is injected with human brain tissue that makes her super smart.  It also makes her super aggressive, and like Max, she develops a bond with her person, who happened to be a quadriplegic.

Also like Max, she takes her rage out on anyone and everyone who crosses her master, whether he wants her to or not.  Again, unless you’re her person, Ella is not an animal that you’d want to come back.

 

Ben – Willard (1971/2003), Ben (1972)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Ben (1972), courtesy Cinerama Releasing Corporation.

There are a slew of rats in Willard, but only two – Ben and Socrates – who are named.  Of those two, Socrates is the good guy, while Ben is the bad.  We already let you know that Socrates deserves the Sematary.  Now we’re telling you that Ben does not.

At first, he’s an ally to Willard, the young man who has an unexplainable psychic connection to him and his rodent brethren.  But Ben seems to take Socrates’ unfortunate demise a bit too hard, and goes out for vengeance until even Willard stops trusting him.  That kind of disloyalty doesn’t deserve a second chance.

 

The Cat from Hell – Tales From The Darkside: The Movie (1990)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990), courtesy Paramount Pictures.

Cats are cute.  But they’re also sneaky, conniving, and, sometimes, in the movies, they’re downright murderous.

The cat from the second segment of Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, known only as The Cat From Hell, is so evil, his owner hires a hitman to rub him out.  He’s tougher than that, though.  Not even David Johansen and a $100,000 bounty can stop the Cat.  If The Cat came back from the Pet Sematary, he’d be even more unstoppable.

 

Ramon – Alligator (1980)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Alligator (1980), courtesy American Broadcasting Company (ABC).

Ok, so we’ve covered dogs, cats, rats, and even a helper monkey.  Let’s do a reptile.

In Alligator, a baby gator named Ramon is purchased by a teenage girl while on vacation.  The girl grows tired of her pet, so Ramon is flushed down the toilet.  He winds up in the sewers of Chicago, where he grows to monstrous size on a diet of discarded animal carcasses from a nearby agricultural drug test facility.  When the animal corpses dry up, Ramon starts feeding on sewer workers before, finally, leaving the sewers to hunt.  Not that there’s room for a giant gator in the Sematary, but just in case anyone gets any ideas…nope.

 

Hellhound – The Omen (1976)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

The Omen (1976), courtesy Twentieth Century Fox.

Any good antichrist needs a Hellhound as a protector, and Damien from The Omen has a fierce one.

First showing up at Damien’s fifth birthday party (where the hound psychically convinces Damien’s nanny to commit suicide in front of all of the screaming kids), the Hellhound becomes a faithful and obedient servant over the course of the Omen movies.  The Hellhound is evil enough.  No Sematary needed for him.

 

Black Phillip – The Witch (2015)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

The Witch (2015), courtesy A24.

Ok, now we’re getting Satanic.  And what’s more Satanic than a black goat, right?

Although he’s not really a pet, Black Phillip is the goat that is owned by the family in The Witch.  He turns out to be much more than just a farm goat, though.  He’s actually the assumed mortal form of Satan himself.  So, he probably doesn’t even need the Pet Sematary to come back to life.  But, just to be safe, we should keep him out of it.

 

Togar – Roar (1981)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

Roar (1981), courtesy American Filmworks.

Remember everything we said about cats up there?  That goes double for lions.  And Roar was packed full of lions, tigers, panthers, jaguars, and leopards.

Really, any of the carnivorous cats in Roar could be on this list, but Togar, the dominant male lion who challenges pack leader Robbie for control, is the real jerk.  Togar and the rest of his pride cause all kinds of problems for the humans in the movie, both on screen and off.  Of course, he is a lion, and any attempts at domestication should not have been made in the first place, but an (even more) evil Togar would not be good.  No Sematary for him.

 

Mr. Whiskers – The Voices (2014)

Horror Pets To Keep Out Of The Pet Sematary

The Voices (2014), courtesy Lionsgate.

And we’re back to domestic cats.  And Mr. Whiskers from The Voices is the epitome of a “domestic” cat.

Mr. Whiskers isn’t so much evil as he is just an a-hole, which is par for the course.  Still, Whiskers is meaner than average.  He and his dog companion Bosco serve as sort of the devil and the angel on the shoulders of protagonist Jerry, causing him to kill the women he dates.  Or, to be more specific, Whiskers talks him into killing his dates while Bosco tries to get him to stop and turn himself in.  Yeah, without Bosco to reel him in, Whiskers would be out of control.  He should stay out of the Sematary.

 

Have you seen the new Pet Sematary?  Check out our review to see if it lives up to the hype.

 

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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