Salem's Lot (1979)

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

For a two part TV movie that came out in 1979, this is superb. Great setting, acting and the best vampire ever on screen. Just wish Kurt Barlow had gotten a little more screen time. If you haven't seen this genuinely scary move, order it on demand now.

One of the first screen adaptations of a Stephen King's novel, Salem's Lot is a spooky, suspenseful & sinister piece of work from the mind behind The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and finds him making brilliant use of the foreboding atmosphere & ominous setting to create a sense of uneasiness and although the story takes a while to find its footing, it's a thrilling ride once that happens.The story of Salem's Lot follows a writer who returns to his titular hometown after years to pen a novel about an old, dilapidated manor which he believes to be haunted. But soon after his arrival, people begin disappearing or dying under strange circumstances, only to reanimate as vampires. As the sickness spreads at an alarming rate, he enlists the help of few locals to save the town.Directed by Tobe Hooper, this miniseries appears to be heading nowhere at first, for it indulges in characters & subplots that it could've done without as they only slow down the narrative. However, once the board is set, it doesn't take long for a menacing quality to permeate its images and from that point onwards, Salem's Lot remains tense & gripping until the end.The teleplay could've used a bit more refinement as the characters aren't interesting enough to be worthy of any emotional investment and the plot needed a trim or two every now n then. The horror elements are expertly executed by the director, and the film's excellent production design, stellar make-up effects, eerie ambiance & gloomy score further magnifies its grim aura & sinister tone.Made for TV audience, the violence & gore is kept to minimum, and mostly takes place off-screen but that doesn't diminish its scare factor by much as the story relies on its environment to deliver the chills. Performances are mediocre as best as none of the characters leave a lasting impression while most of its creative choices, inspired from earlier works of horror, are effectively utilised.On an overall scale, Salem's Lot commences on a drowsy note but becomes alive once the demon steps into the town. Its 3 hours runtime is felt on several occasions, especially in the beginning but things do get better as plot progresses. To sum it up, this miniseries may appear somewhat dated today but it still has some unexpected shocks & surprises in store for newcomers, and is definitely worth a shot at least once.

This is my favourite vampire movie (t.v) of all time. Although it may look a bit dated now, the scares are still the same.Widowed writer returns to his childhood town, to write a book about a haunted house. At the same time, a mysterious duo arrive in Salem's Lot. Mr Straker and Mr Barlow.What follows, is a gradual lessening of town folk, plucked from there beds in the middle of the night.Top stuff, with maybe the scariest vampire (Barlow) of all time.Watch!

This was an excellent miniseries. I use to own the full length miniseries on VHS as a kid. Idk why so many fans had a problem with making Barlow look more like Nosferatu? Honestly, I preferred this version over the 2004 one and the novel written by Stephen King himself. It just makes more sense. Barlow's appearance in the novel and in the 2004 version wasn't scary. I don't find a vampire with a more human like appearance like Dracula to be frightening. David Soul portrayed a better Ben Mears than Rob Lowe. I also liked the actor who played Mark. I found this version satisfying. Sure, it's not exactly like the novel. But then again it's Hollywood.