Summary
Stephen King’swork has been adapted for decades, from his lengthy novels likeIt, which received a miniseries and two films, toCarrie, which was adapted in various forms. There have even been adaptations of stories likeRita Hayworth andShawshank Redemption, which became a beloved, award-winning classic inThe Shawshank Redemption.
However, the secondStephen Kingnovel ever published, 1975’sSalem’s Lot, has been adapted into two miniseries as well as a feature film that came out just last year.The novel follows a writer named Ben Mears, who returns after 25 years to a town from his youth called Jerusalem’s Lot, or Salem’s Lot for short.He strikes up a romantic relationship and befriends a local teacher, with his work focusing on the Marsten house. Kurt Barlow purchases the property for his own shady purposes. However, unbeknownst to the town, Barlow is actually a vampire.
Shortly after Barlow’s arrival, young Ralphie Glick goes missing, becoming the first person in town to be turned into a vampire. Barlow begins turning townsfolk into vampires, building a team of loyal creatures. Mears and his fellow Salem’s Lot resistance find themselves in for a fight, even pushing them to face their loved ones in horrifying new ways.
Salem’s Lothas become one ofStephen King’s best-known works, thanks in large part to the numerous adaptations that helped those outside the author’s circle discover the story.With so many adaptations ofSalem’s Lot, one surely must be the superior take on King’s vampire tale, but which one is it?
Cast
The 2024 adaptation ofSalem’s Lothas a lot going for it. Director Gary Dauberman penned all the scripts for the trilogy ofAnnabellehorror films, and directed the third installment. He also created the DCSwamp Thingseries and co-authored the video game adaptationUntil Dawn. Dauberman also has a distinctunderstanding of King’s work, having written bothItandIt: Chapter Two, which were well-received with huge financial returns. The cast was led by the charismatic Lewis Pullman, who recently made a splash as Bob inThunderbolts*,and the Oscar-nominated actress Alfre Woodard.
Dauberman’sSalem’s Lotfeatures spectacular visuals, with unique usages of light. It also offers some great scares, playing into the book’s horrors with a modern lean for today’s audience. The terrifying creature design helps the vampires appear monstrous and frightening, remaining true to the director’s promise of a scarier adaptation.
However, having cut much of the story to fit a feature runtime,many of the characters felt hollow, with the film thriving on spectacle over substance.Salem’s Lot2024 disappointedcritics and audiences, especially given the pedigree of talent bringing the story to life. The film was intended to be released in 2022, but faced numerous delays before finally ending up on the HBO Max streaming service in 2024, potentially due to the perceived quality of the film, with which reviews agreed.
Cast:
The 2004Salem’s Lotminiseries was penned by Peter Filardi, the same man behind the scripts forThe CraftandFlatliners. It also boasted one of the best casts of any adaptation, with Rutger Hauer’s portrayal of Kurt Barlow being particularly memorable. The Rob Lowe-led adaptation proved to be an adequate adaptation of the material.The characters thrived, thanks in large part to the star-studded cast, with the miniseries format allowing them to feel developed and tactile in the world before the vampire fight gets underway.
However, the miniseries did change the fate of certain characters,like James Cromwell’s Father Callahan, whose tale has a very different ending than the book. While the characters felt rich,the 2004Salem’s Lotadaptation was light on scares, even with intimidating performances. It may also be the version with the most lackluster creature design. While each adaptation has presented horrifying yet distinct features for the vampires, the 2004 iteration felt very run-of-the-mill when it came to other versions of vampires. Although it may not pack the scares horror fans may have hoped for, the 2004 version ofSalem’s Lotis a competent take on the material that Stephen King fans can still enjoy.
The 1979Salem’s Lotminiseries had the distinction of being directed by horror icon Tobe Hooper, who helmedThe Texas Chain Saw Massacreonly five years prior, and would become known for films likePoltergeist. The cast was headlined by TV star David Soul, known as Hutch on Starsky and Hutch, and James Mason, who delivers a charismatic take on the Richard Straker character. Hooper’s adaptation was the first to bringKing’s vampire creatures to lifewith makeup akin to Nosferatu, but with his own devilish spin, making for a truly terrifying vampire tale.
Hooper’s Salem’s Lot succeeded in areas where other adaptations have since fallen short.Unlike a truncated feature film adaptation, it works within the miniseries format, allowing the characters to breathe. The 1979Salem’s Lotis also scary, succeeding in presenting audiences with a horrific creature design that doubles as nightmare fuel. In capturing the perfect balance between frightening and emotional character arcs,Hooper’s 1979Salem’s Lotstill stands out as the best adaptation of King’s novel. It is also the only iteration to earn itself a sequel, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Larry Cohen and James Dixon
A Return to Salem’s Lotwas marketed as a sequel to the 1979 miniseries. However, despite the production and filmmaker Larry Cohen marketing the film withBarlow from the 79 versionon the poster,it shares none of the same characters. It is a maligned entry that is more laughable than scary, andit is best left forgotten as an attempted cash-in on theSalem’s Lotname.
While there may yet be moreSalem’s Lotin the future, it’s still clear that Tobe Hooper’s 1979 adaptation is the best version, and the place to start for anyone interested in Stephen King’s vampire tale beyond the pages of the novel.
