Movie Review ~ Salem’s Lot (2024)

First published in 1975, Stephen King’s second novel Salem’s Lot has haunted readers for nearly five decades, and the most recent filmed version has been haunting HBO’s shelves for the last two years.

We should back up a bit, yes?  A story as iconic as Salem’s Lot comes with hefty expectations for anyone attempting to adapt it again.  A 1979 TV miniseries directed by Tobe Hooper has its fans and significant nightmare imagery.  Still, its reputation for going soft on King’s hard material has weakened its effect over the years.  It’s best to leave the 1987 sequel, A Return to Salem’s Lot, out of the conversation entirely because it has only a passing resemblance to anything King crafted.  I never saw the 2004 TV remake starring Rob Lowe, so I can’t vouch for its validity, but no one seems to be beating any drum for its preservation leading me to assume writer/director Gary Dauberman had free reign to suggest whatever approach he wanted when pitching another go at King’s small-town vampire tale.

In an era when vampires have been reduced to generic tropes, is there truly a place for Dauberman’s take on this timeless story?  What fresh blood could the writer of the Annabelle movies and both chapters in the IT franchise spill that would make any effort worth it?  These questions were asked years ago when Warner Bros/New Line Cinema first greenlit the production, which was filmed and completed in 2022.  Losing its release date several times, its lengthy, turbulent post-production indicated it was a stinker that the studio didn’t know what to do with.  For a time, it was feared it might go the way of Batgirl and vanish forever, like a fanged fiend exposed to sunlight. 

Thankfully, due in some small part to King’s persistence and fan demand, Dauberman’s Salem’s Lot finally emerges from the shadows on HBO Max—and it’s safe to say, the wait was worth it.  This version doesn’t just linger in the darkness; it leaps out, fangs bared, with a thrilling edge that will delight longtime fans and newcomers alike.  Why the studio kept this one in its graveyard for so long is anyone’s guess; this is better than many films it has released lately. 

Set in the late ’70s, writer Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman, Top Gun: Maverick) returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot (aka “The Lot”), where he grew up as a child until his parents were killed in an auto accident before his tenth birthday.  He hasn’t been back since, but something has drawn him to his birthplace, and he’s seeking inspiration for his next novel.  What he finds is far more terrifying than any writer’s block he could imagine. 

The small town is slowly succumbing to an ancient evil that has recently set up shop: vampires.  As residents begin to disappear or fall under the spell of the bald, beady-eyed, brooding, and sharp-toothed Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward, Annabelle Comes Home), Ben joins forces with a motley group of locals including Dr. Cody (Alfre Woodard, Summer Camp), teacher Matthew Burke (Bill Camp, Presumed Innocent), plucky youth Mark Petrie (Jordan Preston Carter, Shaft), and love interest Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh, The Assistant) to confront a growing horror that only arises once the sun has gone down.

Having helped to build the universe of The Conjuring, Dauberman is no stranger to the horror genre or setting a genre film in the past, so he’s right at home here, providing confident and stylish direction that gives off an eerie atmosphere and a creeping sense of spine-tingling dread.  Using shadows, fog, and subtle movements lets cinematographer Michael Burgess’s camera linger on awkward angles to build suspense.  Dauberman and Burgess excel at transforming the mundane into the terrifying, like the familiar sequence of a character hearing a faint knock on their upstairs window only to find a vampire hovering just beyond the glass or a terrific sequence in a morgue featuring a corpse under a sheet that manipulates lighting and sound to amplify the terror.

Despite some modern touches, this Salem’s Lot stays true to the slow-burn horror that King’s fans love, and it’s not hard to recognize why King himself has been such an advocate for this seeing the light of day.  Dauberman obviously respects the source material and doesn’t rush toward cheap scares.  The movie hums along, don’t get me wrong, and it puts the miniseries to shame in terms of how fast we get to the vampire action, but even a small amount of patience between shocks pays off, creating a haunting experience that creeps you out long after the credits have completed.

His career has only skyrocketed since he initially filmed this, but Pullman exudes the same grounded charm and everyman authenticity his father, Bill, has given to countless films over the years.  His commitment to the character makes the blood-draining threat feel that much more real, and the brief romantic connection he forms with Leigh gives you something to root for.   Woodard is perfectly cast in counterbalance as a no-nonsense scientific skeptic who comes around to the supernatural horrors right about when a razor-toothed beast is pursuing her.

As the right-hand man (the Renfield) to Barlow, Pilou Asbæk (Run Sweetheart Run) has a devilishly good time with his part, walking a fine line between chilling and charismatic.  It’s tough to touch James Mason’s memorable work from the original film, but Asbæk brings his own vibe to the role, standing in contrast with Ward’s lurking presence in the background as a looming threat.  Ward’s make-up is quite frightening, and Dauberman is selective on when and how much it is shown, displaying good instincts as to how to reveal his creature of the night in all his glory.  As far as child actors go, Petrie is an MVP in the game, showing a knack for taking dialogue that would fall flat in the hands of another and making it sound realistic.

From the benign look of the East Coast town to the freaky frights of the Marsten House that Barlow calls home, every dark corner hides potential horrors, and the slow, suffocating buildup ensures that when the terror does strike, it hits hard.  Dauberman’s methodical approach to creating unsettling horror serves the material well, allowing the solid performances and rich atmosphere to keep you on a knife’s edge for a freaky fun twist on modern moviemaking retrofitted over the nostalgia of a long-celebrated King tale.   Competent, well-made, and spooky as hell, if you are seeking a return to true vampire horror and excited for this classic to rise again, set your GPS (or use your remote) to get to Salem’s Lot when it releases on October 3rd.