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Late To The Party: ‘Salem’s Lot (1979) – iHorror

Published

6 years ago

May 16, 2018

It’s taken me over thirty years but I’ve finally had the chance to sit down to this Stephen King bloody-sucking classic. ‘Salem’s Lot came to life in King’s masterful imagination when he first dared to ponder what would happen if Count Dracula moved into town? Being the genius that he was, Stephen King then turned that spark of curiosity into a modern day horror classic.

image via IMDB

Salem’s Lot was the first of King’s books I ever read. I picked up my copy for seven pounds (plus some outrageous import tax) back at Anglia, the only English bookstore (back in the 90’s) we had in St. Petersburg, Russia, and could not put it down. It became the first of many more of the King’s books I would eventually add to my library. For the longest time, ‘Salem’s Lot was in fact my favorite Stephen King book, even beating the stellar accomplishments of The Stand and Pet Sematary for me. As of 2016 IT has become my King favorite, but ‘Salem’s Lot still holds that special place for me. So much so that I had to re-read this past Spring. The same awe and wonder are still there.

image via IMDB

So, with the novel still freshly imprinted on my mind, how does the movie hold up? Filmed in 1979, by horror legend Tobe Hooper of Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame, the movie has picked up a wild cult following over the years.

Immediately I’m reminded what this movie could have been. Previously I discussed how George Romero (Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow) was set to collaborate with Stephen King and bring the vampire tour de force to life on the big screen. No disrespects to our beloved Mr. Hooper, but I do feel we were robbed as horror fans. Especially when you compare the demonic duo’s gruesome work with the fan-beloved Creepshow.

Hooper’s movie is good, if not, perhaps, just a little dated. The same slow burn build that he used in his titanic hit TCM was reused for ‘Salem’s Lot. However, whereas I feel the style worked brilliantly for his cannibal masterpiece the same praise cannot exactly be employed for his blood-sucking fiends. Mood, atmosphere, character build – these are all established in the novel. Stephen King brilliantly makes the town of ‘Salem’s Lot a lead character. That’s almost impossible to do, and only a master of the art can pull it off. Not only that, but his main character for the story is the Marsten House, a demonic abode standing – looming – over the sleepy town and acting like a live beacon drawing to itself very evil things. Naturally, drawn to the house is our ancient vampire, Barlow.

image via Stephen King Wiki

The movie follows this same thought, but it would be damned tricky to make a movie where the main characters are both a haunted house and a doomed town. And here is where we stop comparing to the book, because otherwise that would be self-destructive. Last I’ll say on the subject: go read the book!

This may not be my favorite Stephen King film adaptation, but I did enjoy it. The movie works in spite of it’s flaws. The differences from book to film are certainly there, but not enough to ruin some good-old fashioned spooky cinematic fun. Yeah sure, Barlow’s looks are taken straight out of Nosferatu, and his suave old-world hypnotism is replaced by grunts and growls; and yeah ok, his right hand man is no longer the gaunt, bald, menacing presence as he was in the novel, but here acts more like a Disney villain, but it’s still a fun watch nonetheless.

image via Amazon

That being said I can’t neglect to praise where this film rocks! I have to give it to the ‘window scene.’ That moment still works and it’s been the nightmare fuel for many viewers over the years. Also, even though I may not have cared for Barlow’s (Reggie Nalder) growling performance, I did love the vampire makeup and effects. Seeing the undead fiends hovering above the ground with eternal hunger and predatory patience makes the movie a must-see experience.

image via giphy

There is a 2004 remake floating around out there, and yeah I’ve seen it. I just can’t remember the damn thing at all. It was that forgettable. This one though will stay with me and it deserves to be considered a classic.

Ok with all that said, I can’t help but think this story is set for a PROPER remake. Stephen King’s works all seem to be part of a remake craze right now, and good thing too! I’m excited. With things like IT, The Stand, and Tommy Knockers all slated for the future I’d like to return to the shadowy streets of ‘Salem’s Lot.

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Movies

‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

Published

6 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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Movies

‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

Published

7 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

^{Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott}

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

_{Great Movie Ride}

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

_{Alien Romulus}

^{Alien (1979)}

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

Published

9 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Cameron McFarland

Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.