2 out of 5
Salem’s Lot was the first "big" novel I ever read. I powered through it one summer when I was 11 or 12. That was also the tender age when I discovered the book is usually better. I have realised these last few years that this Stephen King novel holds a special place for many readers. When director Tobe Hooper's TV mini-series arrived on our small screens in November 1979, I loved it. Starring David Soul fresh from Starsky & Hutch, the inimitable James Mason and a young Bonnie Bedelia - it was a faithful reproduction of the novel.
Fast forard to 2024 and Salem’s Lot follows the familiar author, Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman), as he returns to his childhood home to research his next book but discovers the town has a vampire infestation. While this newest iteration retains a few central characters, it does not let them have as much fun as the miniseries that came before it. It also does not recapture the few scares that live rent-free in our minds from the 1979 adaptation. Although, this one does return to the 1970s instead of attempting to bring the story forward to modern times.
This version leaves the iconic kitchen battle toothless. It makes the child floating to the window surprisingly less eerie. However, it does have a few tense moments up its sleeve. Ralphie’s abduction specifically has never been so terrifying on screen. From the actual kidnapping to the audience watching his fatal ending from his point of view through a burlap bag, it is unsettling and led me to believe this movie would have more cool stuff to rattle us. Sadly, this would not be the case.
One thing I loved about this version however, is Mark Petrie (Jordan Preston Carter). Not only is he seemingly the bravest and smartest person in town, but he is an actual kid. When he encounters a vampire, he turns to his comics for research and starts figuring out his next steps. He is also a Black central character in a Stephen King adaptation that cannot die if we stick to the character arc. I also love that this adds another layer to his isolation in Salem’s Lot and inspired the set designers to sneak a Sugar Hill (1974) poster onto his bedroom wall. I also have to highlight that there was no racial trauma shoehorned in, as that is a trope the industry cannot seem to shake. I was happy that the only time he was picked on was a standard bully, and Mark kicked his ass. I almost clapped when the teacher and other students were on his side because I had braced myself for the worst.
Another intersting thing that works in Salem’s Lot’s favour is that we never waste time trying to convince people that vampires are real. If it is not a major plot point, like getting them to the morgue so Ralphie’s undead mom can have some fun, the characters fall into formation too easily. I have to admit that while things faltered after Ralphie’s death, it was cool to have scary vampires again, even if it was too brief. We have been getting too many cutesy non-threatening ones, and I am tired. I want vamps to be brutal, vicious, and frightening. Although some of the vampire activity of Salem’s Lot was undercut by the crosses glowing whenever a baddie was nearby.
I was rooting for this movie, but it is sadly another missed opportunity to capture the magical world Stephen King built all of those decades ago. I appreciate that this is the leanest version we have seen, clocking in at just under two hours and cutting away any unnecessary characters. However, it also leaves the story feeling a little hollow as we do not really get to know the new iterations of some of these characters. This is especially a shame because Alfre Woodard plays Dr. Cody this time. I also wanted her to have more screen time because it feels like filmmakers do not understand what a powerhouse she is when they cast her. This Salem’s Lot also has what feels like the most rushed attempt at this forced romance between Ben and Susan (Lewis Pullman and Makenzie Leigh). So, his unwillingness to kill her once she is turned is even more confusing than any previous screen adaptation.
What the film lacks in character development and any good scares after Ralphie’s demise funnels over into creativity. I have never seen vampires use cars as coffins, and I have never seen an epic battle go down in a drive-in. There are some cool shots of vampires catching fire, but this also feels like it is going through the motions. This also highlights this film’s problem of having great ideas but no follow-through. Gary Dauberman’s script feels like it bared its fangs but was not ready to sink its teeth into anything. This results in wasting some fantastic set pieces in a movie that mostly plays it safe. I hoped this would be my favourite attempt at Salem’s Lot, but it made me feel sad as I slid it to second place in my mental ranking. Tobe Hooper's 1979 TV mini-series is still the best.
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