MOVIE REVIEW FRIDAY: SALEM’s Lot (1979)
Continuing our march towards Halloween, today we’re diving into one of my all-time favorites: the 1979 TV mini-series Salem’s Lot, based on Stephen King’s novel and directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre).
The movie follows writer Ben Mears (David Soul) as he returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot to write a new novel about the haunted Marsten House. However, Ben gets more than he bargained for when he takes on a new role as a vampire hunter!
Rankings:
Monsters/Villains:
🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖 (9.2)
James Mason kills it as Richard Straker, whether he’s insulting the local sheriff or serving as Mr. Barlow’s right-hand man. And Mr. Barlow? Absolutely terrifying as a Nosferatu-inspired vampire, even though we only get to see him in a few scenes.
Actors/Characters:
🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖 (6.3)
David Soul does a great job as Ben Mears, and James Mason shines as Straker. The rest of the cast performs well, though not outstandingly—but hey, it’s a TV movie, so cut them some slack!
Story:
🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖 (8.7)
The film sticks closely to Stephen King’s novel, and the choice to make Mr. Barlow a silent, imposing figure was perfect. It not only made him creepier, but it also elevated Richard Straker’s role, giving him even more importance.
Joe's Score:
🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖 (9.4)
This isn’t just one of my favorite horror movies—it’s one of my favorite movies of all time! The window scene and the “teacher” scene still scare the pants off me.
Overall:
🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖 (8.4)
A solid score for a TV mini-series turned into a long movie. If you decide to watch this, make sure you start early and take a break halfway through!
Updated List:
Salem’s Lot (8.4)
Monster Squad (5.22)
Stay tuned next week for another Stephen King classic, IT!
