Fans of Mary Lambert’s cult 1989 adaptation of Stephen King’s PET SEMATARY rejoice: a team of savvy young filmmakers are aiming to tell the full tale behind not only the making of the picture, but its legacy.

“In May of 2011, my good friend and I decided to make a pilgrimage from southern New England to northern Maine to visit a house we had watched time and time again since we were both young,” says John Campopiano of the genesis of his work.

“That was the Creed house. Our afternoon visit, which, for a misty, overcast day in Maine was beyond rewarding, triggered a flood of ideas between the two of us; ideas that eventually took the form of what is becoming the most in-depth and comprehensive documentary on the making of PET SEMATARY.

Called UNEARTHED & UNTOLD: THE PATH TO PET SEMATARY, Campopiano and his crew have already shot every location, filmed over two dozen interviews with the cast and crew, as well as with Maine locals who had invaluable roles during the production as prop handlers, set designers, construction workers, artists, actors and actresses. What’s more, the majority of the individuals featured in this documentary have never before been interviewed on camera about their role in the film.

“What we’re attempting to do is take a deeper look at the making of PET SEMATARY. What stories and memories do local Maine residents have of the production? How was the production documented in the local media (television, magazine, and newspaper stories)? What did the production do for Hancock County and the greater Maine communities? Our goal is to show the unique bridging of a relatively small Hollywood production with a small Maine community who continue to think highly of its involvement in the film. In addition to cast and crew memories, the local experiences of those in Maine, and the film’s portrayal in the local media, we’re also seeking to explore the legacy the film has established and how its core themes are being taught and explored in the film and academic worlds.”

An ambitious production? You bet, but also a massive labor of love for a film that—as admired as it is—still needs it. Keep reading FANGORIA for more on the film as it progresses.

And for more, check back tomorrow for a huge interview with THE CABIN IN THE WOODS makeup FX designer David LeRoy Anderson as he talks his early days on PET SEMATARY.

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