'Salem's Lot (2024) Review

[@scuddryvr8784]

My parents also allowed me to watch the 1979 one and got a kick out of seeing how scared I was. But it was fun at the same time. I could have stopped watching but I wanted to see it. That’s why I went into haunted houses as well. As an adult I bought the DVD and let my young sons watch it and yes, they were scared but didn’t want to stop watching. As an adult now, scary movies don’t scare me so I’m glad I watched movies like this, and the Omen as a kid so I could actually get scared (the Omen was a rare instance in a remake being very well done and nearly as scary as the original). As far as this new Salem’s lot, it unfortunately has huge shoes to fill, and that’s nearly an impossible task. The 1979 is just legendary, and the special effects were great even for the time. The lack of CGI and just make up and contact lenses for the vampires is so much more impactful than the comical Barlow in this one. The 1979 musical score was dreadful, and the tone was ominous. Not so in this one. Straker was like a circus ringleader in this one. Mark was way too brave. It’s hard to be scared when an 11 year old isn’t even afraid. The scene with him under the blanket reading the comic was kind of funny. There were absolutely zero funny parts in the 1979. You really did a good job pointing out the other weaknesses…..

[@order42show]

Yeah, thinking back, you’re probably right about Mark not being afraid. Maybe I overlooked that because I thought he was one of the better things in the movie. Ah, well…thanks for the kind words!

[@richardmcnick]

i feel that this needs to be made into a series, it needs to take its time and not rush.

[@order42show]

I agree. I think the story is rich enough to warrant that…which is why they’d done two series before (1979 and 2004). I need to watch the 2004 one!

[@richardmcnick]

@@order42show wait theres a 2004? ok i gotta check that out

[@order42show]

Yeah, it has Rob Lowe as Ben Mears, Andre Braugher as Matt Burke, Donald Sutherland (!) as Straker, Samantha Morton as Susan, James Cromwell as Father Callahan and THE Rutger Hauer as Barlow! Like…what a cast! I will say though…on IMDb it has a lower rating than the ‘79 series and this one, so… 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@JeffLikesBooks]

Just found your channel. Enjoyed your take on this. For me it felt really rushed, but I liked that they kept the 70s setting, and tried to do a few new things to keep it fresh. I heard the director filmed a 3 hour version, but the execs made them trim it to under 2 hours. I think the character building and slow burn creep factor would have worked better in the 3 hour cut.

[@order42show]

Appreciate the kind words! Yeah, I don’t understand why a 3 hour cut wouldn’t have been preferable for a streaming only release…

[@CarlosSpiceyWeiner]

This is yet another terrific King horror story executive produced by Stephen King, which basically means it’s going to stink.

[@order42show]

I wish I could say you’re wrong…

[@cinemasenses]

Like you I saw the 1979 TV miniseries and was pretty scared by Barlow. Upon rewatch many years later as an over-the-hill adult I was surprised at how lame I found it to be. Then I tried the 2004 TV movie remake and struggled with so many aspects of it. It was completely forgettable. So I settled-in to watch the 2022/2024 movie version with low expectations, and I liked it better than the other adaptations. It’ll be a spooky season rewatch for me each year and I’ll enjoy it all over again. A worthy remake, in my opinion.

[@order42show]

Wow, really! I still hadn’t seen the ‘79 in many years, so it’ll be interesting to see how it plays for me now. I wish the new one worked for me as well as it did for you - glad you enjoyed it!

[@MrSwinefuzz]

In anticipation of this film's release, I revisited the 1975 novel, the 1979 miniseries and the 2004 miniseries. I'll spare y'all the breakdown of book vs film changes, there's little point. But I can say that due to this 2024 film's baffling choice to delete nearly all characterization, the book's greatest strength, to focus on action and special effects, you get just another vampire movie whose main selling point is the familiar title. And even with the focus more solidly on vampire stuff, it's shocking how unimpressive the lead bloodsucker Barlow is. Young Halloween trick or treaters with plastic vampire teeth are scarier.

[@order42show]

Wow, you went all out (probably what I should’ve done if I’d prepared properly). I do wish the new one was better. I just remember the sound effect from Barlow in the ‘79 series - chilling!

[@MartinBarreby]

Watched this one yesterday and I really liked it for what it is. I read the book a couple of times, and now I am currently listening to the audio book, so yeah, a lot of things are different, but I think that is what makes this film interesting and fresh. And not sure why, but I feel a ton of Stephen King in this and I think it has that right kind of vibe to it. Of course knowing the story you fill in some blanks where it makes sense, so can't really tell how this would be watching it without knowing the story. So I guess it was great for me specifically maybe. :) I though the effects were creepy too and some shots looked great! I think this will be one of those movies I'll come back to now and then. :)

[@order42show]

Yeah, it’d be interesting to hear from someone who hadn’t read the book or seen any of the other series to see if it works for them…me, I just couldn’t abide some of the changes. And even though I liked some of the sequences, I just couldn’t shake this feeling that it might’ve worked better as a series - just not enough time to establish the characters for me. But hey…I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@mcal27]

I was 9 when I saw the 79 TV version. I think my mom had no idea it was horror… I watched both parts which were shown on subsequent nights I recall. Things get serious in the second one and like you I was terrified! I ended up making a small wooden cross and keeping it beside my bed for months lol! This remake was so disappointing… agree with your review totally

[@order42show]

Glad I wasn’t the only one scarred from the 79 version! A shame that a 45 year old TV miniseries is generally more effective than this…

[@mcal27]

@@order42show It sure is… I think the music is abit part of it too. The heartbeat used in some of the tense scenes is masterful, and when Barlow appears.. still gets to me! Theirs only one Reggie Nalder :) Alexander ward has the look, but they smothered him in CGI..such a waste

[@order42show]

Yeah, it’s baffling. People don’t like remakes…I always hope that the new version has a new take or at the very least something to say. The Thing is a great example of a remake done right.

[@Dustysrewind]

Gonna give it a watch tonight

[@order42show]

Let me know what you think!

[@careyatchison1348]

It's funny. No one talks about the Rob Lowe version for some reason. I didn't even know about it until recently.

[@order42show]

I knew about it, but still have never watched it. It’s got a crazy cast! It’s the lowest rated out of the ‘79 miniseries and this one, too, so…maybe it’s just bad. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@pinehawk9600]

I watched it and I don't remember anything from it

[@order42show]

Well, that’s not good! 😁

[@jasonburke8657]

Can You Guys please stop talking about This mess, it's too much for Me to bear. 😂

[@order42show]

🤷🏻‍♂️

[@kathytimko7730]

Original muuuuch scarier❤

[@order42show]

You’re not wrong!

[@JonathanWeihs]

Go watch midnight mass, and compare the acting. The difference.

[@order42show]

The acting was better, but I wasn’t a huge fan of how preachy it got, and it surely didn’t end well, in my opinion.

[@jimbrown2688]

I've read Salems Lot about six times, watched the Tobe Hooper and David Soul adaptation about 50 times. I watched this version last night. In short it's excrement, complete and utter embarrassing excrement on every level. Anyone saying otherwise should seek professional mental health support. Avoid this rubbish at all costs.

[@order42show]

Wow! 😂

[@gryffian]

I enjoy Steven King. I haven't read the book though. This film was not great. The story seemed overly simple. I felt like a lot was left out. It seemed rushed and just, meh.

[@gryffian]

After you saying the story was better, I am going back to watch the 1979 version.

[@order42show]

I wonder how it'll hold up. I loved it last time I watched it like...10 years ago, but someone commented that they ALSO watched it as a kid and it didn't hold up for them now, so...YMMV! Hope you like it!

[@m2t_19]

I just watched it. Personally, it's pretty boring. Had to keep fast-forwarding. A kid going after vampires doesn't really make it realistic. It's more fiction.

[@order42show]

Yeah, I mean…if it was slow with purpose, that’d work. I personally love the character of Mark, I didn’t really have a problem there. But hey…it’s all subjective.

[@geoffjoffy]

It just goes from scene to scene with nothing in between. How does everyone know everything without us seeing them learning it first hand. Everyone just knows everything. This movie does suck. It's an utter mess. I know now why it was shelved for so long. Of course the reason maybe everyone knows everything is this movie was at one time supposed to be 3 hours long, but they cut just under 1 hour 10 from it. all the explanation was cut out. Crazy. . And Lewis Pullman - well, David Soul must be turning in his grave.

[@order42show]

Yeah, maybe there is a longer cut, but good luck getting anyone to watch it at this point. It’s a shame, because I do think there are good moments surrounded by a bunch of meh.

[@geoffjoffy]

@@order42show The original cut is supposed to be 3 hours but they edited so badly, the important things that mattered, like the crucial explanations how everyone knew what they knew, was LOST. The last 45 minutes was okay, but the first hour or so ruined quite a bit.

[@order42show]

True, and like I said - what’s great about SK is his world building and the character development, which is just lacking here. I don’t know if that extra time could’ve fixed it, though - the performances overall were just not great.

[@geoffjoffy]

@@order42show Yeah, the only one I cared about was Susan. I felt a bit sad when she - SPOILER. You know.

[@joerussell9574]

This movie sucks bad(2024 version), nonsensical, and it feels like portions of the movie is missing(Marsten House is barely mentioned or shown....hell it had nothing to do with the plot seriously). It is not even worth pyrating and if you must just VPN and sail away but please give not even a wooden nickel to this total train wreck. This is a waste of time that could be used on watching the O.G or hell even the 2004 version with Sutherland and Hauer is VASTLY superior to this and I am a terrible movie fan!

[@order42show]

Yeah, the Marsten House not being a factor is a bit strange. I feel like they wanted to do something new, which they did and I can sort of appreciate, but…yeah, overall, it doesn’t really work. It’s also sort of obvious now why they decided to just put it on Max. It’s just a shame, all around.

[@joerussell9574]

@@order42show I know right! SL is probably one of my fav SK stories and the OG scared me growing up as a kid. Though the OG actress(later played in Die Hard as Bruce Willis wife Holly) was such a hottie she could bite me anytime lol. The 2004 version is crazily way better than this. O.G rating 8/10, 2004 version 5/10, 2024 1.5/10!

[@order42show]

Wow, that’s some range in your ratings! I still want to see that 2004 version just because of the crazy cast, but I’m glad I own the original. (And you’re right, Bonnie Bedelia…!)

[@joerussell9574]

@@order42show I agree it is a strange variance but King's movies/adaptations are strange lol. My ratings are through the lens of an old School King fan. I was lenient with the original because of being made for T.V and nostalgia. I was harsh on the brand new one because they should have known better :)!

[@JonathanWeihs]

I’m a horror fan, This movie was horrible. Embarrassing.

[@order42show]

Yeah, it…wasn’t great, sadly.

[@JonathanWeihs]

Nothing felt real or normal about this movie. Characters were so off and this was a clown show.

[@order42show]

You know you can put your comments all together in one, right?

[@JonathanWeihs]

@@order42show whoops. My bad

[@JonathanWeihs]

Cujo, pet semetary, good movies directing, this was garbage

[@order42show]

Yeah, very few actors felt natural in their delivery. If one stuck out, then it might be an acting issue…

[@JonathanWeihs]

This movie felt so woke and bullshit, good lord.

[@order42show]

Um…woke? What was woke about it?

[@JonathanWeihs]

@@order42show the nerdy black kid lol. I’m not racist but as a horror fan, lol

[@order42show]

Ok, so…I’m not one to argue, but…what makes that woke? There’s absolutely nothing regarding the character of Mark that says he has to be white, and I think his acting was among the best in the whole movie.

[@JonathanWeihs]

@@order42show he is a good actor but wrong roll for salems lot.

[@JonathanWeihs]

How you have grey hair and this the first story you heard from Stephen king. You sound like a bullshitter