The Story of Salem's Lot (1979) - Review & Retrospective

[@leedobson]

Never slept with the curtains open after seeing this as a kid...a true classic, over here in the U.K. it has a fine reputation with the over 40's as the best Vampire film ever

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

I went no where near windows at night lol

[@coolmacatrain9434]

Nearer 50+ mate to be honest .... it's 41 years since it was first shown over here

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

@@coolmacatrain9434 Yeh , 52 here

[@joycegibbs5267]

Amen. It's great hearing so many other Brits reviews of it from that time. I remember it so well.

[@leedobson]

@@coolmacatrain9434 I didn't see it on the first showing, would have been some time in the early 80's

[@alejandrokim8484]

The vampire kid floating outside the window is the most creepiest and terrifying vampire scene ever made, period.

[@kevinb7126]

As a kid I can’t think of anything more terrifying .

[@andrewwelch1040]

Never forgot that scene, and the one with the vampire upstairs in the rocking chair.

[@mrmeerkat1096]

For years that scene of the first kid wearing his pyjamas floating in front of the window, made me scared of fog outside my bedroom window. That scene has stuck with me all these years, but its only until fairly recently I have found out what movie/ TV show its from.

[@duluxdog71]

I watched when 13 in 85 and that window scene scared the he,l out of m i never slept that night....obviously the curtains were full blocking the window...that night

[@tashvadj4914]

Dude… I saw it on UKTV sometime around 1980 aged 10. Way too young!! That scene absolutely terrified me 😂😂😂

[@dudelebowskithe2nd373]

"You'll enjoy Mr.Barlow. And he'll enjoy you." Best and creepiest line in the movie

[@robertstalnaker5728]

Where r u Danny darling? 😳

[@dudelebowskithe2nd373]

@@robertstalnaker5728 oh shit yeah there's another creepy line

[@OlympicLeprechaun]

"Look at me teacher."

[@dudelebowskithe2nd373]

@Jack Daw " throw away the cross! Face the master! Your faith against his faith. Could you do that? Is your faith enough?"

[@kawythowy867]

Ha. Good one.

[@thisoldetruck278]

As a 10 year old kid, I saw both parts on Television in 1979. As I recall, there were warnings on TV about not letting younger children watch because it was so scary. To date, it is still one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen. Well done on this retrospective!!

[@johnmaki3046]

This was A GREAT "movie" (mini-series?)! An AWESOME accomplishment! Kudos to ALL!

[@pooddescrewch8718]

People say this movie is scary but its likely they came to that conclusion in 1979 . To a ten year old this was pretty creepy but looking back at it now its just entertaining . There are some pretty memorable scenes Though

[@marcussmith4913]

1979 was when this came out? I was born in 78 and I remember it being on TV. I wonder if that was a re showing of the show? I likely would not of remembered the show being 1 year old and all that.

[@wstine79]

This movie stuck with me as a kid. The opening credits, the bald vampire, and the little boy hovering into his brother's room were chilling.

[@davidlewis1787]

The boy hovering scared the shit out of me..I was 8 lol

[@maxfit68906]

Same here. I was 7 when I first saw this film. I slept in fear for months. Horrified to even be alone at night near a window.

[@geecee4746]

Can't see a remake being anywhere near as good though?

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

That Vampire kid is the scene that I remember most

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

@@davidlewis1787 I was 10 but it scared me no less

[@MrKsan05]

This was my mother's favorite Vampire show. I watched it with her when I was 14 and I'm now 53 and wish so badly I could sit and watch it again with my mother.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

As we are close in age I have a similar experience watching this on TV with my mother & father. I believe it was a series & got progressively scary. 😀

[@MrKsan05]

@@r.williamcomm7693 I did not know this was made into a series, I will have to find this and watch it. Thank you for this information.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

@@MrKsan05 I believe what you & I watched in our teen years was the series. But it was only 2 parts which allowed them to have the different cuts for the European theatrical releases. Talk about changing times! Imagine having a theater market so hungry for material that a 2 part horror movie series shown on US network TV in 1979 with just a little more left in the violent scenes is sufficient for release in other parts of the world as a movie in a theater. So yes, you saw the series. Part 1 was more suspenseful but Part 2 was scary.

[@tashvadj4914]

❤

[@TinaLouise73]

First watched it on uk tv in october 1987 i was 14 years old! Fell in ❤ with lance kerwin who played mark and stil now at almost 50 years old I'm stil in ❤ wi him! I heard he passed in jan this yr(2023) broke my heart 😢

[@1962lp2h]

Still scares me after all these years, floating kids, glowing eyes, Barlows menacing looks and a solid terrifying story..........the best!!

[@jazzdub4958]

Don't forget the classic 1970s musical soundtrack that added the chills. They don't come close to this these days.

[@TheGodParticle]

Yeah, that freaked me out too, the jail scene left me physically shaking as a kid. Still creeps me out today lol

[@Taeseanblocker]

Very well made movie.

[@Swat-ed5bt]

This used to (and still does) scare the crap out of me. David Soul and James Mason did an amazing job 😍

[@markpritzlaff7065]

As a kid, that vampire Glick boy scared the crap out of me.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

Yep yep yep yepI....me too

[@Odin029]

You're not the only one

[@wickedcatsrodriguez]

Yeah, that scene still kind of freaks me out.

[@danielc1978]

Exactly! I was 8 watching this movie with my 13 year old brother; he left the room when that scene came on , and I was begging him to come back in, I was so scared!

[@gaylemalone5897]

I’m 58 years old and this movie still scares me like no other movie I’ve watched. The vampires freak me out! Also the music was itself very frightening and set up each scene perfectly.

[@christophermcgiboney6368]

I had nightmares for 3weeks when if first appeared on tv 📺!!

[@jazzdub4958]

Glad you mentioned the music, everyone seems to forget the music makes the film that more terrifying 😮😂

[@pooddescrewch8718]

I was 10 . The perfect age to watch a good spooky movie . You are aware enough to follow the story and subtexts but not experienced enough to be jaded

[@sskoog]

Yeah. I think Harry Sukman’s fantastic score doesn’t get anywhere near the credit it deserves; the atmospherics just wouldn’t work without em.

[@jj68]

I remember when this 1st aired in the Uk was in 2 parts. My folks owned a B&B in Blackpool in those days people didnt stay out late and SL was on the tv in the bar...Almost immediately everyone (about 40 guests) stopped talking and started watching. The next night was the last part and folks had cancelled shows and the bar was packed to watch this...After it finished it was very quiet and many had drunk too much for dutch courage. Well my dad jumped out from behind the bar in a sheet and mask he had stashed! pints went up in the air and screams could be heard down the street...For people to stay in whilst on holiday just shows how genuinely creepy and scary this was for the early 80's especially as it was shown on BBC1...Thanks for the memories.

[@garypeach8945]

I love this story!!

[@HorrorMetalMaestroRedrusty66]

Great story mate, I can picture that jump scare moment and the pints flying. I was raised on The Grange (Grange Park) in Blackpool so I can imagine the reaction first hand considering the population of the time. I was only like a 10 year old yob but I giggle at the adults screaming and losing their pints lmao

[@chrisgreene2623]

Lol that is a really good story

[@jj68]

@@HorrorMetalMaestroRedrusty66 I was about 13 myself, loved Blackers back in the day, great place to grow up. I was living on Chepstow just before I moved in 2005 Grange Park had this killer rep but I enjoyed my time there.

[@jj68]

@@ezeztztztz Yeah, school was buzzing, back in the day TV was so different, when something good was on everyone watched it!

[@Thinladiun]

Brilliant, still holds up well. James Mason is fabulously creepy, by far the best of the King miniseries adaptations. Love how the first half plays out as a creepy melodrama and then part two accelerates as the town spirals

[@shawnmckee8809]

A perfect example of a movie where everything just worked. Pure magic, and what a cast! I love how Tobe Hooper emulated Hitchcock and brought his own artistic sensibilities, shooting it like a film and not just a TV movie.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

The visuals were done almost as a comic book , a horror comic , would be layed out

[@derkeheath5172]

From what I've read, the schedule was ridiculously tight, which makes the mini-series' success all the more impressive. I always looked forward to deleted scenes being unearthed some day, but Hooper crushed my hopes by stating that every single bit of film got used because the shoot was so tight. He said Reggie Nalder's claims that many of his scenes were cut after filming was not true - they were cut BEFORE filming.

[@ocramidajzj]

A classic. So many scary scenes and the fact that children were victims increased the stakes and tension. The rocking chair scene with Ryerson, the morgue with Mrs. Glick, the floating vamp kids at the windows (all those scenes profoundly creepy even today); honestly the entire production was first-rate. Makes a lot of current horror movies look cheap and superficial. And Harry Sukman's classic score is both dramatic and subtle in it's ability to really amp up the creepiness. Of course Stephen King's source material can be thanked for pushing this production in the right direction. Mr. King's method of grounding supernatural experiences firmly in the real world(coupled with fantastic cinematography) makes it all the more convincing.

[@garypeach8945]

I was 11 when it first aired on TV in the UK. It's my go to horror film and always will be. Mike Ryerson in the rocking chair at Jason Burke's house was a stand-out moment, "look at me teacher!" Outstanding acting from everyone, especially David Soul.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

There are so many memorable seens like the cellar scene with the vampires in the back ground coming ever closer to Lance Kerwin

[@GregBreden]

Definitely, I remember we talked about that scene at school the next day, it was the eyes that made it so other-worldly and we were all wondering how they did that. TV horror films were always wimpy and vanilla compared to cinema but this one was a nerve shredding exception.

[@AllOuttaBubblegum123]

"LLOOOOK AT ME TEACCCCHERR"

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

@@AllOuttaBubblegum123 Creepy

[@dhh488]

One of my all time favorites.

[@timothyhanner8118]

This movie scared the piss out of me as a child. That kid floating and scratching the window still gives me chills. The music was also a big part of scary scenes. Very well done flick. The book is great too.

[@animusvids]

Even after all these years I'm still traumatized by the vamp kid scratching the window xDDD

[@Frank-dv4zu]

me too

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

Me too , too

[@ColetteGarsyth]

And me

[@royhill9298]

And me!!

[@Bahama3ay]

That scene scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. Tap, tap, tap: *"Open the window. Open the window Mark."*

[@leximojito1218]

Rewatched Salem's Lot last night after many years. Had to turn on the lights and leave them on, I was not expecting it to scare me sideways all over again!. It is definitely the best book and best Vampire film of all time.

[@captainyossarian388]

Same here. The bleak horrific atmosphere is as potent today as it was back then.

[@vonniedemers5683]

I love this one... Scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. The Glick boys are still my reason for not looking out the window at night.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

I am so glad there are so ,any others who think so ....I never let on how much that scene stayed with me cuz I was 10 and feigned toughness ...lol

[@vonniedemers5683]

@@georgeelmerdenbrough6906 you aren't alone. Carrie's hand coming out of the grave is my other one. I blame my mom, RIP, she was my movie buddy. She'd let me see them all she knew I loved scary movies, especially vampires.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

@@vonniedemers5683 RIP Mom .

[@gaylemalone5897]

Definitely I keep my curtains drawn shut!

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

@@gaylemalone5897 lol

[@johnrichmond.4783]

It was weird to have such a modern and 'hip' star like David Soul in the lead. Weird because he was really so GOOD! I think it was difficult for people to 'place' such an effective performance.

[@chrisking2799]

I remember this coming on TV. I remember that this was the scariest movie I had ever seen. I, also, remember that this was an exceptional movie being on TV. This scared me. Still does. Brilliant. Terrifying vampire. Mason was brilliant.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

This movie never left my mind . TV movies used to be big deals especially as horror flicks .....The Glick kid scared me green rapping on the window

[@danielc1978]

Agree with all the comments completely! A unique tv experience...

[@jacquelinedeigan776]

It was. I remember sitting watching this film with my elder brother. I wasn't much into horror films but he was .and he refused to watch it in his own. Our parents were out I think I was about 16 .We spent the night jumping every few minutes..on the edge of our seats and too scared to go to bed..lol

[@beverlyburzstyn3569]

All these years later, I want to hide under the bed. Very well done. Still scares the **** out of me!!!?😮

[@pooddescrewch8718]

We were so naive and innocent back then, weren’t we ?

[@3373-g8z]

RIP David Soul! Gawd, i was just watching this last week! It hurts so bad whenever we lose a 70s icon. I was a 70s kid, and am a 70s junkie now. This one hurts more than others though...almost as bad as losing James Garner. David Soul 80 years old. Damn. 1/6/2024

[@mellybelli8267]

AWESOME vid! David Soul is terribly underrated, and I wish he would have been in more movies like this.

[@konstantinoskaragiannis1596]

"Salem's Lot"(1979) is one of the best Vampire horror movies of all time, and the most scariest of them for sure!

[@johnmaki3046]

A TRUE HORROR CLASSIC!

[@lynn1464]

It sure was and they show you can make a really good scary movie and don't have to have all that core I'm afraid that when they do the remake they're going to add Gore and it'll be terrible

[@danielesteve8359]

That shit of Gary Oldman was complete scum compared to this

[@rangerwhite5165]

This scared the absolute crap out of me as a 10 year old when it was on.

[@kevinevans5921]

Same here i was 10 when it debuted in 1979, so scared I didn’t watch part 2 a week later. But I have seen it numerous times since!

[@1987MartinT]

I'm 34, and it scares the absolute crap out of me NOW!

[@nasalpolecat091]

@@1987MartinT Yeah...remember the jail cell scene? When Barlow pops up.....😲😲😲😲

[@1987MartinT]

@@nasalpolecat091 Yeah. Jeez!

[@antonysimpson6288]

@@nasalpolecat091 Absolutely! Still makes me jump! And the bit where the two guys are trasnporting the crate from the docks in the back of their lorry, and it starts creeping towards them!

[@roadhound101]

Am 52 years old.... saw this for the first time back when I was about 12 or 13 years old...... scared the hell outta me!...... And STILL one of the scariest vampire films I've seen to date!

[@ScorchedEarth-cd5cl]

Me too. I watched it for the first time back in 1981 when I was 11.

[@tinaingram9472]

Same here

[@michaelb.42112]

55 years old here and totally agree. It's a masterpiece.

[@OneofInfinity.]

Saw it in '82 at 11, I was so scared after the first part I wasn't allowed to watch the second one, I bought the VHS (that I still own) as an adult to finish watching it and still scared the crap out of me.

[@kathyheyne6030]

I was 14 and it scared me, too. The window scene still hasn’t been bested- including by the 2024 remake.

[@Chadwickzilla]

Watching this in November 1979 was an experience. One that has aged like fine wine.

[@robertstalnaker5728]

I’m really curious about the big screen adaptation. Praying they do it justice

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

I recently watched it and with my 52 year old eyes I can see its not as good as my 10 year old eyes told me it was ...but still , I loved it

[@nealmceneaney3771]

Has the movie or your experience aged so well?

[@neurohack9038]

This KZbin video came out two weeks ago lol

[@MichelleCWeber]

I’m still terrified of the kid floating outside his window.

[@sausagefestcity5078]

Mrs. Glick returning to life in the morgue is one of the scariest vampire scenes ever.

[@geecee4746]

Agreed

[@jonathansimons5715]

Mrs Glick was played by James Mason`s wife. Very tense scene !!

[@EmlynBoyle]

This might be the nearest thing we'll ever get to a filmed documentary on an absolute classic. I really enjoyed that, and well done! Subscribed.

[@LaytonEversaul]

Thank you!

[@greyeyed123]

It's so difficult to get a genuinely scary image on a tv screen...and this miniseries had several that are still effective today.

[@goodowner5000]

Remember so well being terrified by "Salem's Lot" as a 13 year old kid- Halloween coming twice within a three week period of '79. Thanks for a really great overview of this Stephen King Television Classic. Enjoyed this so much! 👏

[@zq9m3xh8]

I've watched HUNDREDS of horror films, and in my humble opinion, NO ONE demonstrates pure terror better than David Soul in the latter part of this film, particularly in the morgue scene, where Mrs. Glick begins to revive from the dead right in front of him. He's trying to say the Lord's prayer as this is unfolding, and he begins yelling for his friend Bill, and his display of abject terror is as good and convincing as it gets. A truly gifted and underrated performance and actor.

[@Bloomcycle]

Exactly. I was 13 in 79 and this scene is the best

[@lisajoyce6803]

If I remember correctly David soul is sitting at the morgue desk making a crucifix for protection from 2 tongue depressors and taping them together and then he or the dr stabs her with a scalpel or scissors when she wakes up and sits up on the autopsy table and she pulls her sheet off and then he puts the cross on her forehead she screams in pain and fear she’s got a burn on her forehead and she disappears from the funeral home she is transported back to the marsten house in the basement where her boys and the other vampire victims are and you are right Michael wise David soul is very underrated and undervalued actor

[@derkeheath5172]

I always liked the way Ben Mears was portrayed in both the novel and series. He's not a classic hero at all - he's a bit of a wuss and his plans for fighting the vampires are scattershot as hell. I always liked how, in the British theatrical cut of Salem's Lot that doesn't contain the epilogue with Susan as a vampire, Ben leaves Susan in the Marsten House to die seemingly because he's too scared to search for her. That bothered me as a child, but also seemed understandable considering the situation.

[@starmnsixty1209]

Ben remembered enough of the Lord's Prayer despite his overwhelming fear.

[@RobYoung-ol2ym]

BiiiiiLLLLLLL !!!!!!

[@DaveMcGarry]

Wow! Comprehensive doesn't even begin to describe the amount of work you put into this. What a labour of love. I appreciate the work and detail. I love all the extra information, right up my street.

[@LaytonEversaul]

Thanks!

[@r1verman]

So in 1979, I was 8 years old and begged my parents to let me watch this on TV. The first half scared me so bad that I then begged them to not watch the second half. They refused as they wanted to see the end. I spent most of the second half listening from the kitchen. The vampires in this still give me chills.

[@colmlynch2732]

I saw it on the BBC in 1984 and I still cannot bring myself to watch it again. The production values being so good, Still puts ice up the back watching this brilliant review.

[@TTony-tu6dm]

Still the scariest movie/tv show I’ve ever seen. A master class in how to create effective horror without excessive gore.

[@mrjones29]

The conversation between David Soul and Lew Ayres in the diner where Soul talks about his memories of going up to the old Marsten House as a kid on a dare was and still is bone chilling stuff. The 1970s was a masterpiece decade of classic horror films.

[@josebro352]

I agree. I like the fact that they're keeping the upcoming remake set in the seventies. They just finished filming in Ipswich, Massachusetts which is a quaint little New England town.

[@mrjones29]

@@josebro352 ok but I don't like the fact that they are remaking the novel yet again and especially in these days of woke identify politics. They will have the two antagonists as gay lovers or some rubbish.

[@josebro352]

@@mrjones29 Again I have to agree with you. They have Alfre Woodard playing Dr Cody. What the hell is up with that?!?! They've changed both the doctor's gender and race. The actor playing Mears looks closer to how the character was described in the book though. But I doubt he'll ever match the perfection of David Soul.

[@mrjones29]

@@josebro352 😮 is the cast known and on IMDb now then? I love Alfre Woodard in most things and the woman has to work for a living, but this is what's going on nowadays. Gender and race swaps for Twitter points serving the woke loonies. The only ones that get hurt and aggrieved are the real fans of the classic horror book and film.

[@josebro352]

@@mrjones29 I couldn't have said it better myself. I didn't see it on IMDb but I got some information from Wikipedia. I agree with you about Alfre Woodard too. Don't get me wrong I think she's a fantastic actress and I really enjoy her work but she just doesn't seem to fit the part. But I could be wrong. Perhaps she'll do a phenomenal job. We'll have to wait and see. The guy playing Ben Mears is Lewis Pullman. He's Bill Pullman's son and he's not very well known but as I said before he looks more like how Stephen King describes him in the novel. I'm also looking forward to seeing their interpretation of The Marston House. The one from the original was so creepy.

[@Imagination_Station2224]

This was a fantastic documentary on one of the greatest vampire movies ever created. I'm 34 now and I remember watching it as a kid. Barlow scared the absolute crap out of me and actually gave me nightmares as a kid. Even now, he atill gives me the chills every time he shows up on the screen. This movie has become a staple for me every October and will continue to do so for many years to come!

[@fredleggett923]

A wonderful retrospective. I do, however, disagree about David Soul being rather vanilla in any part of the 2-parter. He immediately commands attention the moment he appears onscreen and has a genuine intensity that actors today can only ape. I also disagree somewhat about Bonnie Bedelia, as she comes off as bookish and forgettable, at least in the first part, often mumbling her lines to the point that they can hardly be heard (her performances in the two Die Hard films are much better). That said, she does fare better in the 2nd part, so perhaps she just needed some time to become accustomed to the character. I have a memory that the open-end to the series in Guatemala was a deliberate choice to hopefully spin off a TV series. It's a shame it never came to fruition, though it might've been for the best since Soul was looking to get out of the medium and would probably not've been onboard. While Kerwin is fine in the role and might've jumped at the chance, Soul's almost overpowering performance would cast a huge shadow over such a production. While some of the effects are probably considered anachronistic by the kewl and hip kids of 2021, I think they're creepy as hell and understated while still being hellaciously menacing. And the Bates-inspired Marsten house will forever be encoded in vampiric imagery, both its exterior and interior.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

Lance Kerwin did nothing for me .... I think he was just the pinup boy du jour

[@chrisgreene2623]

You are right about that David Soul does bring intensity

[@joycegibbs5267]

I think David Soul is one of the best actors I've seen.

[@leaiplussize]

well said , I agree

[@SmartCookie2022]

I agree. Soul gives a very earnest performance and helps elevate the material. What's also impressive is how David Soul can make you forget he was Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson only one year previously.

[@jamesb821]

Fantastic video, really well done, Salem’s Lot still scares me to this day.

[@HOLYPARISHOFDOOM]

Alongside The Dead Zone, Salem's Lot remains my favorite adaptation of King's work. Had the old snap jewel case dvd then upgraded to the bluray upon discovering it has the Tobe Hooper commentary. I was born in '69, so saw the original mini series airings as a kid ...and what I recall most is how since it played around the holidays, both parts I ended up watching at different relatives' homes as my family were visiting on both of those nights. One in particular I remember a bunch of my cousins and I watched it while the adults played cards/drank, ha Anyway, thanks for this fantastic overview upload! Well done.

[@galesito1733]

The Dead Zone and Salem's Lot are easily my favourites too.

[@GeoWool70]

Lol i still have the old snap case dvd

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

I was born Jan of 1969 , myself ....I remember from 1972 onwards ...what a great time ...

[@DaveH-10]

This was one of the best mini-series of all time. It differs from the book but it's one of the few times in my opinion is better than the book. You did an awesome job with this video.

[@keiththorpe9571]

'Salem's Lot'... Back before vampires were moody, prettier than my girlfriend, and sparkled in the sun.

[@mark83175]

😅

[@jshaers96]

Sorry about your girlfriend, but Ingrid Pitt was drinking the blood of virgins back in the '60s and she was a right sort.

[@johnmaki3046]

Back when vampires weren't "sexy", THEY WERE MONSTERS!

[@TF80s]

I was so terrified as a kid watching this that when the second part came on the next night, l closed my eyes as soon as it began and refused to open them again until my parents realised how scared l was and sent me to bed...that scene with the dead kid scratching at the widow was the scariest thing I'd ever seen.

[@handsomestik]

David Soul was so damn cool.

[@jacquelinedeigan776]

He was..Ace..can't imagine anyone else playing his part

[@daddystabz]

@@jacquelinedeigan776 I just read the novel and had him in my brain as the main character the entire time.

[@BFSOM]

Nobody with that haircut could be considered "cool"... even in '79

[@daddystabz]

@@BFSOM BS. He was cool as hell.

[@BFSOM]

@@daddystabz that haircut

[@ovidionieves855]

I remember not able to sleep alone for days after watching this movie for the first time! Truly one of the most scariest made for TV movie to date. Great cast truly horror.

[@FART-REPELLENT]

How would you react if Kurt Barlow sank his fangs into your swollen fart?

[@boris1932]

One of the greatest vampire films of all time! The reason it holds up , is that it has atmosphere! A lot of today's films are too glammed up with a bunch of CGI and needless gore. A little can go a long way. Just watch the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there is really not much blood and gore. It had atmosphere also. Letting the story build and take the audience on a ride of terror. You can also take a look at most of the great horror novels they do the same thing.

[@lynn1464]

So agree with you

[@perpetualmotion357]

And both involve Tobe Hooper

[@nomiddlenamenmn427]

A Stephen King story brilliantly told through the direction of Tobe Hooper from start to finish. I came to love the characters and it felt like denial as their hometown was overtaken by evil. Great video.

[@gigyoung7181]

If I remember correctly, I was 10, this played out over 2 nights (Mon.Sun.). There was a small blizzard in Northern Virginia and it created a cozy atmosphere, perfect for watching a 2 night horror mini-series…with the added bonus of school-closed-cushion for those of us too scared to sleep.

[@starmnsixty1209]

👍👍

[@walterfechter8080]

When this made for TV movie premiered on CBS in November of 1979, I was "house-sitting" for a pal and his wife. Their house was a semi-restored century house located in a rural setting. The nearest neighbor was a few miles away -- yeah, isolation. During the scene in the movie where the little Glick boy was scratching at the window, a wind-blown tree branch scraped against the window next to where I was sitting. Talk about the full effect of momentary fright. Thanks, Layton Eversaul, for this informative and fun video.

[@BoogeyManBen]

This was absolutely incredible. Thank you so much for your hard work and attention to detail. Salem’s lot premiered when I was five years old and it absolutely terrified me to my core. Over time the film struck a cord with me and became my favorite film. It has remained my favorite film and just two years ago I had the opportunity to attend the 40th anniversary event for the film in the town of Ferndale CA. Ron Scribner who played Ralphie Glick was in attendance and I had a great conversation with him. I covered the film extensively on my channel in memorabilia and on location videos which includes the 40th anniversary event. Again, this a wonderful retrospective/ break down of the film and I thank you for all of the hard work that went into it

[@LaytonEversaul]

Thanks for watching!

[@PEMBYSGAMINGWORLD]

This film truly portrays what the vampire is truly about - a nightmarish blood-sucking ghost. Few films have nailed it like this one.

[@JamesWilliams-z3h]

Agreed, this is real horror. Not like the vampires of today that glitter and have great hair and clothes.

[@wstine79]

Layton Eversaul has emerged from his crypt to bring us an awesome retrospective. Let's hope his next video is just as chilling.

[@LaytonEversaul]

I won’t be back in my crypt until after the start of the new year.

[@Chloe-un7qv]

Excellent video. First saw this film as a teenager after reading the book. I'm only 25 but have a nostalgic love for this film/tv series. Love all of the extra information mentioned, as well as the comparisons between the novel and tv series.

[@kevinevans5921]

My favorite horror movie of all time, been watching for 40 years, Great review!

[@saransong5547]

Same!

[@tandy139]

Easily one of the best vampire epics I ever saw and still stays with me to this day. Great review, thanks for making it.

[@quantumparadox2518]

Saw this way too young, 6 or so, because ferndale is right down the road from where I grew up in Humboldt. Still a favorite that I revisit often.

[@kennethdesmondmosley1075]

Used to drive up the road where the house facade was. Very creepy

[@mikemcconville2495]

I was born in 74. If it was on TV I was allowed to watch it. My childhood was quite traumatic to say the least!

[@ConglomerationCat]

@@kennethdesmondmosley1075 Bluff Street.

[@en6278]

James mason is definitely the class in this film. His presence gives it an elevated feel.

[@RisingEdge111]

👍👍👍

[@peterproductions5015]

Last week, I couldn’t stop thinking about this and The Dark Half (both novels and adaptations) for some reason. Watched your Dark Half video, and now you’ve satisfied my craving!

[@jacquelinecallejas1390]

Agree the first kid and then his brother trying to get to Lance Kerwin are classics. Considering we can now use CGI to watch people being dismembered on screen it is amazing how scary those scenes are without even any blood. Masterful work.

[@Dead-dudes]

You deserve far more attention, man.

[@SteVibiana]

I was fourteen when this movie was originally cast, on two consecutive Saturday nights in November 1979. My mother was already a big Stephen King fan and I watched this with her. It scared the crap out of both of us :D really enjoyed your review!

[@TinaLouise73]

I first saw salem's lot in 1987 in October! Here on tv in the UK! I was 13 years old and was an instant fan!! Thus begun my obsession with the actor who playd mark petrie aka lance kerwin! And a general mega fan of Stephen king's books and movies! Salem's Lot however is n always will be my no 1 top fave of ALL horror movies I love!

[@joeasg2843]

Great stuff Layton. I really love how you take a look at movies that are often forgotten but still have interesting stories behind them. Keep up the great work.

[@rob-brown]

this is the best retrospective on Salem's Lot I have ever seen! Good job and ty!

[@123sui]

Gotta say, you did an amazing job with this

[@richardw64]

This movie, to me, was the second scariest movie made at the time, behind the Exorcist. But it was an extremely well made movie with lots of chilling moments and surprises and is my favourite. The floating boy, with his bright eyes, set the tone for that film and frightened the hell out of me. Thanks for the opportunity to see behind the scenes.

[@catspaw3092]

What freaked me out as a kid was seeing Danny with glowing yellow eyes as his coffin was opened.

[@sskoog]

I’ve been re-watching recently - an interesting bit of Savage (the Danny actor)’s performance is how he twitches and spasms his lips in his “sleep,” like a dog or wolf. I think he’s the only one who does it, though maybe Mike Ryerson twitches a little in the final root-cellar scene. (He’s not in focus.)

[@atodamadre3197]

I'm 46 now and I remember watching this in junior high on a Friday in class because we finished all of our assignments. 2 parts have stuck with me and it's all I remember. The child at the window scene and the rocking chair "look at me" scene. That type of horror is timeless.

[@jamesvolpe3581]

This is one of my favorite horror movies of all time, Barlow was so scary looking not a man sometimes and a vampire the other times he was all monster.

[@statesrights01]

I remember watching this as a boy when it first aired, was scary indeed and still is. Many years later as a young man I had a job as a security guard. We had a place where they was redoing an old hospital. With nothing but lots of time on my hands I grabbed Salem's Lot the book and started to read it. Working nights at the site was interesting to say the least, and being the only one on site had it's pros and cons. One of the wings got glass put in the windows but the metal studs for all the rooms and hallway was still without walls. Only light was one bulb at one end of this "hallway" and at the other, so between the lights.. it was very dark. Now had been reading the book and came to the part where Ralphie was floating outside the window and scratching it to be let in.. So here I came up the stairs with this on my mind.. and I seen my reflection in the glass window about 2 stories high from the ground.. my heart stopped... LOL.. Yeah.. that's how good the book was and still is. Thanks for posting the vid. Sweet dreams..

[@rmariate]

Such a great story, Sates.

[@JamesWilliams-z3h]

It is a awesome book, one of Kings best. I've read it over and over again. Oddly enough I moved to a small town and often compare it to Jerusalem's Lot. A underlying evil so to speak.

[@b.z.7618]

This is a wonderful video with some great behind the scenes information, well done. It's my favorite book and a great movie

[@jcollins1305]

True story, I grew up in a ranch house, and was reading the book one night. As I’m reading, my buddy, unbeknownst to me, was outside and starts scratching his fingernails on my bedroom window. I nearly had a heart attack!

[@kennyjacobs2041]

I remember two scenes in this movie as a kid the one with the glitch boys hovering in the window and the one with David Soul in the morgue the Blake's mother turned into a vampire the expression on David Souls face was priceless of fear this movie was truly a classic and before its time.

[@georgeelmerdenbrough6906]

Yep , great stuff ....etched into my memory

[@ianscales4347]

I watch salems lot every year. Still captures me in the same way it did when I came back late in the evening and caught it on tv, thinking it was just a thriller. Terrified me to core when the boy appeared at the window and have loved it ever since.

[@johnmanley7756]

A fantastic review and retrospective on this much loved horror classic. It’s so great to finally have an in depth analysis. Thank you Leighton

[@scottc3]

Fantastic review, thanks. Salems Lot is still my favourite vampire movie. I can remember clearly the first time I saw it on TV. As soon as the vampires appear on screen I knew this was something special. No stereotypical dandy type vampires here, Tobe Hooper absolutely nailed it with the character and make-up design. The eerie contact lenses that glow in the dark, the dank and disturbing fangs, which help convey the dirty/grimy nature of the undead. No Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee 'pearly white teeth' here... I think the fact that it is genuinely scary and builds tension and atmosphere at every turn allows it to stand above many other films that have been made since. The Rob Lowe remake was OK, as it tried to do its own interpretation of the the novel. But I am concerned that the upcoming James Wan film will try to copy the original style and look, and in my opinion will fail miserably. The original Salems Lot is a bit like Jaws. It's a classic so don't try and remake it or mess with it.

[@powellp]

Another fantastic, epic breakdown. Loved learning all the behind-the-scenes info and the movie is still spooky AF.

[@robertotorres2734]

I was 9 years old when a neighbor yelled at me to come and keep her company, the lady could not see the salem's lot movie alone, I was a child and the movie terrified me, and at the same time I was fascinated, the music, the photography, the actors, the makeup, absolutely everything is perfectly captivating terrifying, now I am 51 years old and the movie continues to have the same effect on me, there is something strange about it, it is as if it had a life of its own, thank you I already subscribed.

[@gordonkenneth9354]

Outstanding! Is it a review? A bit of film archeology? I would call it a proper interpretation of the Salem's Lot experience, as you have experienced it. Very well done, Sir. Something to be proud of.

[@LaytonEversaul]

Thank you!

[@deeceea9488]

I'm 56 and still love the film. Like others here I watched the two part series in 1979. Scared the pants offa me. One positive thing about the Rob Lowe remake--- it does explain how and why the ancient bloodsucker arrived in Salem's Lot. See the "Eva Miller " character for more details.

[@diakonos1023]

This ranks in my top 3 King adaptations and I still watch it at least once a year. Excellent work on this review & retrospective. Best I've seen and I learned a few really cool things about the making-of that I didn't know!

[@shawngriggs3925]

So stoked! What a great dive into Salems Lot! I am from Ferndale and was a kid when this was filmed. I remember how exciting it was to see all the filming going on throughout town!

[@SirSmoldham]

EXCELLENT! I still remember the premiere over two nights. I watched it in my film school's equipment room so I wouldn't be distracted while working the night seminars. Great score by Harry Sukman with unforgettable moments courtesy of the great Tobe Hooper. Many Thanks. BTW, I like "Supernatural" as an unofficial follow-up.

[@sharonholdren7588]

This video has the honor of bring the first successful time I put it in WiFi and watched from my Smart TV! I am very satisfied that I was able to do it, not just once but twice watching it over 2 nights. While I am congratulating myself I would be remiss not to say how much I enjoyed your work and have added it to my subscription list. I was very pleased with this film adaptation and will now try to watch it again, knowing it not to be a waste of time.

[@LaytonEversaul]

I'm glad it worked out for you!

[@Sammymiff]

My favorite scary movie, and one of my favorite stories by Stephen! Thank you for this! I try to share Salem's Lot with anyone that has never experienced it.

[@brianreber8842]

Need to put original 1979 full mini-series in big theaters around the country for halloween each year!

[@unclelou4839]

Just hit refresh and this popped up! Thank you so much - this is one of my favorite films & I always enjoy your retrospectives!

[@maxheadroom4659]

I love this film. One of the few made for tv films I count as classics. The haunting music score. Even the title sequence is brilliant.

[@mscrys1908]

Nice video. This was a movie that truly creeped me out as a kid. Some of the scenes are still super scary today.

[@TrisWood]

As a Brit this absolutely terrified me as a kid when it first aired here. Most scared I have ever been. Watching Armchair Thriller, alone, comes a very close second.

[@alejandromassucco4579]

Best horror tv movie ever made. A masterpiece.

[@sskoog]

I love this deep dive, just like everyone else here -- I'll throw out in passing that the Tobe Hooper DVD commentary is so good it's worth buying the BluRay just for that feature.

[@jasontanner6547]

Thank you so much Layton! I can't wait to watch this when I get home from work!!!!

[@clown599]

what an amazing channel i've found today. thanks for this awesome videos

[@raz42071]

Yes best channel on you tube

[@alexanderlumberjack]

Its one of the channels that never disappoints

[@-MrFozzy-]

@@raz42071 I bet you say that to all the channels….you floozy!

[@allseeingi]

The way the opening credits made the old Marsten house a character in its own right along with opening score was a master stroke . The characters were also great and using the undead Danny Glick and Mike Rireson to tempt and taught their once former friends was very unsettling and memorable.

[@apex_prowler95]

Excellent commentary! The only weakness of the miniseries was not enough Kort Barlow. He was the scariest looking vampire that a young me had ever seen. The viewers needed to see him in action wrecking a little havoc in the Lot instead of a few minutes. Salute to you for your production!

[@michaeloneill3421]

Love the effort that you put into your research and videos! Always happy to see them pop up.

[@LaytonEversaul]

Thanks for watching them!

[@HHM706]

Me and my sister Emma watched this in the UK when we were kids. It terrified us! We still watch as adults every now and again. It’s still brilliant. 👌

[@robertrootes]

You have come a very long way from your first works. You have a great use of timing. I love that you infused the plot with the outline and documentary. Great way to not detract from the documentary by adding the obligatory step by step storyline. Keep up the great work!

[@LaytonEversaul]

Thanks for noticing!

[@bronzeageancientone4844]

James Mason did a heck of a job in this film.