I was all of 8 years old when I saw SALEM’S LOT on television in 1979. I’m sure it is the reason for my love of and fascination with horror. It took my little brain, and even with the restrictions of television ratings, and terrified it. But, I think, because of Lance Kerwin as young Mark Petrie, it heartened me to see even a kid show an ability to resist the darkness that was descending.
Tobe Hooper will be forever known for his monster indie flick that changed the face of horror films, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but tonight I thought we should take a look at his adaptation of Stephen King’s superb novel, SALEM’S LOT, because it had such an impact on me.
When David Soul’s Ben Mears returns to his hometown as a successful writer, he finds the town undergoing a terrifying transformation. Richard Straker, played by James Mason, has bought the Marsten House and is opening a store in town. This is when the deaths begin and the strange curse of vampirism begins to plague the town.
What follows is a battle between good and evil for the soul of the town and the lives of it’s people.
It is a superior television movie.
It is a great horror film.
Here’s a bite-sized taste:
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