Salem's Lot (1979) Retrospective Review

[@SSGTStryker]

7:33 Thank you! As a Gen-X cinephile, I couldn’t have said it better. Hilarious, but so true and tiring.

[@FilmJournal]

It's the lens through which they see everything and Watergate was like nothing- like no big deal compared to what we're subjected to now.

[@shawnthompson5166]

@@FilmJournalthey can’t let it go because it’s the one time they think they did something. Their finest hour! Lol They brought down the man. And spoke truth to power when they were young and cool. Completely oblivious to the fact that they are what they despised so much at the time. King is a perfect exemplar of this. No one shills the company lines of big gov , big pharma, legacy media and big corpro etc like King and his fellow baby boomer war protesting hippies. It would be funny if it wasn’t so tiresome

[@greyedgamer]

Born in 62 and not a yank, the rest of the world had other highlights 😊

[@sconni666]

@@FilmJournalwhat exactly are you subjected to now that is so horrible?

[@JosephSmith-ex7du]

The 1972 TV movie "The Night Stalker" (starring Darren McGavin) supports George's assertion of how a city would be more effective at enabling a vampire to hide among the prey as opposed to a small town (something that has been duplicated again and again in lots of vampire and supernatural predator movies). Furthermore, the 1999 adaption of Stephen King's novel "Storm of the Century" really puts forward the idea of small towns having nasty secrets.

[@FilmJournal]

I actually did a fairly lengthy review on both Night Stalker and Strangler on this channel! Check it out!

[@Donathon-f6f]

Dude...then read They Thirst by Robert McCammon... takes place in LA... personally I think it's great... just saying

[@jezzalexander]

"An elegant disdain" - what a line, I salute you!

[@FilmJournal]

haha, thanks brother

[@jezzalexander]

@@FilmJournal Indeed, an elegant essay overall, nicely written - I know this TV version of 'Lot like the back of my hand but I don't quite have the lateral thinking and I enjoy the little nuances and observations you guys pull out of these things.

[@rameybutler-hm7nx]

The 1970's and 1980's were a wonderful time for the MADE FOR TV genre movies. You have the excellent Kolchak: the night stalker, and Kolchak: the night strangler, Salems lot, and Gargoyle. 4 examples of smart thrillers that didnt have to rely on gore and nudity to keep your attention. Great video.🎉🎉🎉

[@FilmJournal]

Have you watched my Night Stalker and Night Strangler review? They’re on the channel check them out! Thanks for watching!

[@JosephSmith-ex7du]

There's also the soul crushing "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" starring Kim Darby; the chilling "Trilogy of Terror" starring Karen Black; an adaption of "Dracula" on PBS that starred the commanding Louis Jourdan; as well as a shocking adaption of "The Turn of the Screw" on CBS that starred Lynn Redgrave; as well as early episodes of Night Gallery that could make you lose sleep.

[@TinaLouise73]

both Salem's lot 1979 and poltergeist are 2 of my ultimate fave movies of all time!

[@411dmwhitaker]

"F***ing Watergate from these boomers" had me rolling. 👏

[@overcomerbtboj]

Me too 🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 💯💯

[@sconni666]

A lot happened in the 70’s. So much so it’s constantly trying to be replicated today. As far as Watergate, that was just of many catalysts that inspired artists of the time.

[@FilmJournal]

Yes, I know what watergate is, I know it inspired boomer artists in the 70s. The point I’m making is that being “inspired” by watergate or mad about watergate is stupid. Hallmark of a simpler time bc what actually happened was no big deal. Big nothing boosted by the press to frame and disgrace Nixon.

[@sconni666]

@ that really depends on your perspective now doesn’t it? Nothing like that really happened before. It confirmed people’s distrust in the government, hence a plethora of work. If you find that fact stupid, fine. But I guarantee you admire something that was a result of it.

[@overcomerbtboj]

@@FilmJournal💯💯💯

[@shawnthompson5166]

Excellent analysis and commentary as always bro

[@FilmJournal]

Thanks 👑

[@andrewbrennan2891]

I enjoyed the book first and a couple of years later the TV 2 parter and it was a pretty good adaption given the limitations of TV, both technically and censor wise. The 79 TV show was way, way better than the 2004 attempt and I've not bothered with this years effort on Max.

[@Tolstoy111]

King’s third novel was The Shining

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

Thank you for pointing this out.

[@elmermedina1713]

The Stand was his 4th book

[@daytripperhd]

i did read it. he gets too indepth with characters but book is scary

[@VideoTasties]

Excellent as always

[@FilmJournal]

Thanks man!

[@tremblingcolors]

You really ruffled the feathers of the boomers judging from the comments section.

[@FilmJournal]

Right!?

[@overcomerbtboj]

Lol 🤣😂🤣🤣🤣

[@shawnthompson5166]

King has always had complete contempt for the average person. Most of his books scream it.

[@stretch753]

Some would argue, with good reason.

[@geecee4746]

Best vampire flick ever made

[@DebJones-dj7lz]

Ghost Story would be a great topic for you to cover.

[@FilmJournal]

David Lowry Ghost Story? Yeah I really liked that movie

[@susanb2015]

Better than the ugly short hair styles now.

[@overcomerbtboj]

I absolutely hate horror movies as a genre due to the graphic violence and gore but i have exceptions- salem’s lot being one - i absolutely love it- after just having seen the nosferatu remake ( highly recommend) i can see how stephen king was heavily influenced by it and bram stoker

[@Allen2saint]

I think it’s very hard for us today to assess what motivates writers and what is the significance of their work. He was writing vampire stories not “War and Peace.” Everything happened in small towns in horror stories back then. The city was a completely different thing to people of that time. Criticizing him saying Watergate was an inspiration? That event rocked the foundation of the country. We can’t understand the impact today. And King would not be the only person from his generation to criticize people and attitudes prevalent in his history upbringing. That’s every author who ever lived. Sounds like you’re the one with the cultural axe to grind, not King.

[@patrickhurley5604]

Interesting 🤔 but I'm from Gen x , my parents were definitely boomers, and I think you're coming at things from a modern angle, and less than from a book of it's time 😎did boomers think the worst thing was Watergate?? ...YES😜 you live in an age of information overflow, there's so much information now that you gotta sort through it to find real truth, and back then, when information only came from the 6 o'clock news, that was all they had to work with 😎😉 and as far as bad things happening more in small towns, I've worked retail for 25 years in the SOUTH, in SMALL TOWNS, I can tell you things that would make your skin crawl 😎😜your weakness in this video is that you don't look at things relevant to the times they were written 😎I don't know if that's a shortcoming of your entire generation, but I got kids too, and you all suffer from that weakness 😎 you have a lack of PERSPECTIVE 😎why don't you open up a bit, and realize that the world used to be different 👍 and if you can't, you fail as a commentator on history 👍😎

[@Lucas-qo7tt]

So sad the new salem's lot is so bad

[@beardedjohnson5654]

Casting for Ben was bad. That is all.

[@shanecasebeer1364]

Out of context, the vampire looks a bit dopey, but that probably falls away if one gets engrossed in the movie. The setting: the story might work better in a city, but I think King writes best for small town settings. It would be interesting if someone wrote an updated Dracula in an urban setting if it hasn't been done yet. Perhaps as an allegory of how the tech-bro culture has I filtrated San Francisco.

[@DelosFive]

If you're gonna use a word like 'visage', maybe don't pronounce it 'vissige' 😂

[@FilmJournal]

That’s literally how it’s pronounced wtf are you talking about

[@DelosFive]

@FilmJournal Maybe to Americans? 😂

[@FilmJournal]

Yeah I'm not British

[@DelosFive]

@@FilmJournal honestly, it was a joke. It's not that big a deal. 🤣