Salems Lot the Movie

In case you didn't know, Salem's Lot is a vampire movie. Not just a vampire movie, one of the very best, and probably the scariest to date. Yes, I know it was made for TV in 1979, but this is truly one of the scariest movies out there, and that's because they chose to make a vampire that actually looks like a vampire. The "Master" in Salem's Lot is a blue version of Count Orlok from "Nosferatu," and that's scary, man! But the horror doesn't stop there. All the lesser vampires are scary too! I'm talking SCARY! There are some scenes in this film you will never forget, like the summoning at the window, or the "Look at me, teacher!" scene. You may scoff if you watch this with friends, but I warn you not to try watching it alone! For the most part the cast is perfect (not making a comparison with the book, that is), especially those great old 70's/80's staples like Geoffrey Lewis and Fred Willard. James Mason is his usual, creepy self, and that's very creepy, but not as creepy as Reggie Nalder who played the horrific Mr. Barlow. The least stunning cast members were the two starring lovebirds, David Soul and Bonnie Bedelia. David was adequate, but not that inspiring, while Bonnie seemed anesthetized most of the time. On the other hand, Lance Kerwin did an excellent job as the magic and monster obsessed teen, Mark Petrie. I have to disagree with reviewers who felt he was too old to play as a kid interested in monsters and magic. They sound just like the boy's father asking, "When are you going to grow out of this stuff?" If he's truly interested in such things, he's not going to grow out of it. Where do you think magicians and movie effects guys come from? Anyway, Director Toby Hooper outdid himself again with this modern masterpiece; easily one of the all-time scariest movies out there, complete with great effects and a haunting score, despite being a TV miniseries from the 70s. This DVD keeps the entire two-nighter intact, along with one bonus feature: the foreign theatrical trailer. "Salem's Lot" was the first DVD I bought when I got my DVD player, and I'm glad of that. It's A LOT of entertainment for a VERY reasonable price! Definitely one of the best Stephen King films, alongside Silver Bullet, The Shining, and Carrie.