10 Horror Films Much Weirder Than You Remember
8. Pet Sematary
Stephen King's Pet Sematary has its fair share of disturbing imagery. Animals being killed on the road. A toddler is mowed down by a truck. A child's coffin is knocked over during the funeral. And of course, the recently dead are reanimated into murderous revenants.
Ironically, the scariest moment in Pet Sematary has nothing to do with the premise. Throughout the movie, Rachel has recurring nightmares of her sister, Zelda, who suffered from spinal meningitis. When Zelda choked on her food, Rachel let her die, since she had grown tired of caring for her.
As despicable as Rachel's actions are, Zelda's appearance is far more disturbing. Due to her skeletal frame, gnarled body, and deathly stare, she's among King's most terrifying characters. (Yes, even more so than Pennywise.)
As nightmare-inducing as Zelda's appearance is, it's easy to forget about her, since she doesn't directly tie into the story. If this subplot was removed, it would have no effect on the overarching narrative. That's why it's a nasty surprise when horror fans decide to give Pet Sematary a revisit, and re-experience this traumatic scene.