My favorite Stephen King novel. Mark was hilarious in this. There’s a rumor of a three hour cut. I dont get why they wouldn’t just release that since it was direct to streaming
recently watched the 1979 miniseries on Shudder. I loved the slow burn quality, especially building up all the people that lived in Salem's Lot and how they were affected by the vampire plague.
I had never seen the original. I went back recently and watched it and was blown away by how bad it was. TV movie to the max. Slow and boring. Maybe the book was better. I'll skip the new one but can't figure out why people love the 70"s TV movie.
The original Tobe Hooper-directed Salem's Lot miniseries is easily one of the greatest Stephen King adaptations of all-time just as the book itself is one of King's greatest works ever.
Don’t be fooled but donot expect it to blow your mind away. It’s good. Better then most horror films. I never watched the original tv or movies but quite enjoyed it.
Like my enthusiasm for JJ when he reviewed a movie made by this guy: “I really believe that we need to find some way to legally stop these kinds of people from voting.” - Matt Walsh, on democracy.
That was the best. Every character was so good. This 2024 version is pure garbage. The Vampires are not even close4 to as scary with CGI and all the nonsense they have now.
“There might be people with legitimate disorders who get labeled with this one, but this one, this specific thing we refer to as ADHD, is a godforsaken lie. I don’t care who is upset by that statement, who will stop reading me because I said it, or how many angry and disappointed Facebook comments are coming my way. ADHD is a fraud.” - Matt Walsh, on psychology.
1979 was a TV movie right? Are you saying it was multiple parts? I remember it being a movie. I remember watching it with my girlfriend and her family. Better days.
@@wb6162 it was a four hour “miniseries” (four hours with commercials that is) that was shown in two parts over two nights, iirc. It has since been out on DVD and “stitched” together into a movie that’s closer to 3-1/2 hours
@@wb6162 It was originally a four hour story that played on TV on two nights a week apart. They later stitched it together for video, removing extraneous stuff and the commercials, it was then closer to 3.5 hours.
The book, the mini series, and this movie are all really different stories with some major similarities. This movie is the weakest of the 3, but it still had some interesting moments and I enjoyed watching it. I would not watch it again and I've seen the mini series multiple times. I read the book when I was a teenager and I don't remember much about it.
Yeah, but he was also just a savage Nosferatu-style vampire, nothing like the charismatic gentleman vampire from the novel. I think the 2005 version was more faithful to the Barlow of the novel.
I'm old enough to remember the 70s two parter, and I can tell you it scared the sh*t out of an entire generation. Mr Barlow gave me nightmares for ages. I believe King was against that version of Barlow initially but when he saw it he liked it. It just worked.
All three screen adaptations were overall mediocre but each version did some things very well and others ridiculously poorly. And none of them was 100% faithful to the book.
In 1979 I was a kid watching Starsky and Hutch. When I found out David Soul was in a new series I asked my parents could I watch it. We all watched it together and oh my, it terrified me haha
The 1979 version is still the best. James Mason as Straker revelling in his villainy, the confrontation with Father Callahan as his faith wavers...the whole atmosphere was class.
Is it any good? Alot of these classics have great storytelling and acting but really poor makeup and special effects on the vampires so that takes away from the immersion. Fans nowadays expect a minimum standard. 😆
Read the book back in ‘06, remembered enough to know shit was missing, fell asleep off and on by 3rd act. Didnt care enough to go back and see what i missed cuz it didn’t effect anything at all. The colors and style were nice, but it was essentially a lot of seasoning on a very raw uncooked steak. This thing should still be Mooing on a cutting room floor, it needed more time in the pan.
You didn't miss anything. They put a brown kid in where a white kid was in the past again.... Another black wash by hollywood & their little woke agenda. Snow white turned to snow brown, harley quin turned into an arab........sigh....Getting real old. Almost not worth watching movies anymore.
The Altered Beast intro was too good! I was excited for Salem's Lot but I have been hesitant since I saw no one reviewing it. Thanks for sacrificing 2 hours so we don't have to
I thought it was a good movie. It wasn’t something that should be overhyped whatsoever, but it’s worth the watch. You won’t be overjoyed, but it wasn’t a let down either.
Jeremy still waiting on your review of the movie “The Substance”. That movie had me on the edge of my seat! I’ve been a fan of your channel for over 10 years and I can confidently say you’ll love “The Substance”.
I'm almost afraid he won't cover cuz it looks 'Too Smart' for him. And he's not the type to Review a lot of Indie stuff either, which is a shame, since there's a lot there that is really up his alley.
11 year old boy didn’t have any emotions. He pretty much killed every vampire and a few humans. He wasn’t afraid or shocked after his parents were killed. He was a robot.
THIS! Yet loads of reviews I’ve read single him out for praise. But of course it was the now obligatory diversity hire, who can’t but be patronisingly and dishonestly praised. The kid just had the same blank expression throughout the movie, no matter what was happening.
The '79 mini series was terrifying, especially for network TV. Watched it again a few years ago and all the creepy stuff still held up (his first appearance, YIKES).
The David Soul one?! Omg, I somehow saw that when I was young, that scene with the kid outside the window asking to be let in, still gives me the heebie jeebies 40 years later!
@@Mad_Titan_Paresh That was so creepy, especially the overblown music and the creepy smiling between the two brothers. The most horrific bit for me was when the second brother was in hospital and the nurse comes in, and his dead body is on the bed, eyes open, slightly out of focus. I screamed as much as the nurse did and I was about 10 when I saw it.
@@6661313 if that movie had come out just a few years later, we'd have been called racist for not watching it 🤣 Seriously though, the dark tower books are some of my favorite ever and that movie felt like being spit on.
@@Lemminjoosethey already greenlit a new adaptation a year or two ago. It’s in the works by Amazon but Mike Flannigan is the one behind it so maybe it’ll be good
I started watching this with my wife who hadn't seen or heard anything about the story. After about 10-15 minutes I grabbed the dvd of the 2000's Salem's Lot and we watched that instead.
Ok I've always felt a connection when it comes to your content, but when you shouted out Needful Things I actually out loud giggled in excitement lol cheers my dude
No one will ever top the original 1979 Tobe Hooper version of 'Salem's Lot. That is, until someone comes along who actually understands the material enough to do a proper adaptation.
Yeah I hear ya. It's hard to stress just how shocking it was to see something that scary on TV back then. Our culture is drowned in horror films nowadays, so it wouldn't phase anyone now. But back then you could be watching a rerun of Gunsmoke, and then later that night they drop THIS on you.
The cinematography was beautiful. That shot of the boys walking home through the woods was excellent. But you can't do Salem's Lot with a two hour runtime. It was doomed from the beginning.
Waited and waited for this version. Will forever be grateful for James Mason and David Soul for working with what they had in 79. Some originals were just made to stand the test of time.
That thumbnail face already tells you everything you need to know, lol. I haven't even heard about the new Salem's Lot, and my first thought just now was: "Another one?" Edit: Favorite vampire movie, easy: 30 Days of Night.
@@Dongately1111 He is referencing the 1988 game Altered beast you dummy.. thats why i said that not every can get it because not everyone was able to play it!!! Go ahead, I'll wait ur reply ..
Barlow created absolute dread for two reasons in the original film and the book: He was directly attached to the dark mysterious past of the Marsten house, and now he was the new darkness to dwell within its walls. The Marsten house anchored the story, it was the ‘fortress of evil’ that cast its shadow across the Lot from upon the hillside it sat on. Absolute dread. The second reason is because we never see him until the end. Knowing ‘The Master’ evil exists and hasn’t been dealt with kept me riveted to the book and the 70s film. We knew HE was coming and that increased the terrible anticipation exponentially. Also, the book and 70s film took their time with the characters so that we cared when they met their end. This was just rapid fire, it didn’t give me even a hint of a reason to care when townspeople began to be picked off. The ending in the drive-in was silly. The house was the evil, the evil slumbered there during the day. That’s the point! The drive-in car coffins were ridiculous, as was the fast pace of the setting sun, and ultimately the woefully underpowered Barlow who meets a cartoonish ‘Evil Dead’ end. See what I did there? Ultimately, the film is a monstrous disappointment. Dreadfully terrible.
Needful Things was my first Stephen King novel, too. I was in 8th grade and a paperback copy was in the breakroom of an office my mom worked at. I picked it up and it changed my life.
Much like Stephen King himself, I didn't think it was that bad. It wasn't great, it wasn't an instant classic or anything, but it was ok. I thought the cinematography was good, the 70s setting was great. Definitely should have been longer, but it was a decent Vampire flick.
Oof. Really? The cinematography was horrendous in my opinion. Made everything look cheap. They were going for a Flanagan look, but it just looks like a cheap tv show version of a Flanagan look.
Yes! And as a kid my favorite was Fright Night 2, such a blast, and sexy. Say what you want about modern horror, but they sure as hell aren't fun. They take themselves way too seriously now.
That's a shame. Big fan of the novel. Just got my wife to read it and she loved it too, and we were looking forward to watching the movie together....or not I guess.
Idk, it feels like every episode is kinda the same. Oz makes a move (kind of), everyone continually tells him they don't like or trust him, Vic fucks up in some way.
@@jon_ovo3653 idk, the guy makes a point of saying any moisture or temperature change could wipe it all out, yet there there’s just walking in there without masks and shit, idk took me out of the scene.
I'd kind of heard this was coming out but I thought it was going straight to streaming. Seriously, nothing can really beat the 1979 version. The little kid having to fend off his dead friend scratching at his window is one of those terrifying scenes that always stays with you. The 2000's miniseries with Rob Lowe kind of tried to emulate this but came up just short (though a really fine performance by Andre Braugher almost sold it).
I remember watching the David Soul version as a child on television. It was event viewing and it scared the bejesus out of me. I watched so many things that I shouldn’t have.
Did you read Swan Song? It's the only McCammon book I've read. The closest comparison I can think of for it is the The Stand, but I enjoyed Swan Song more. I think I'll give They Thirst a try.
he's written quite a few good books. i like Stinger and the Wolf's Hour. That could be a fun movie, WWII Nazi's and a Werewolf special operative. Fun stuff.
@@EspenSGX I read the majority of The Dark Tower. Got to the very last book and got distracted and stopped. I gotta finish it someday. I've read the first 4 multiple times, it kinda goes off the rails after that.
200% agree. I was really looking forward to this movie, and watched it on release day. It could have been awesome if it was a mini series and they gave it the time to flesh out characters and stories, but it just rushes through the book.
In the words of Deadpool: I'm gonna fight you now. Maybe I was just happy to be there. Maybe I was just happy that a new take on Salem's Lot came out. It's my favourite Stephen King book. And I know that the book is safe. No matter what gets cut away in the movie - the book always remains the same. I considered this movie as a bonus in life. An unexpected surprise. I had a good night with it. And in that morgue scene, I was for moment a 12 year old kid again. To me, that's worth something.
I am so glad that someone besides me enjoyed the book and enjoyed this movie! I loved the original 1979, and the 2004 was ok but this was good to me! There is no way they could capture the entire book but I enjoyed this movie. Thank you for being part of the minority group. So many folks are trashing it ☹️
Did you read the original version of The Stand or the uncut version? I read the uncut and while I liked it, there were definitely pacing problems. Some characters like Trash being introduced with what felt like a full 100 pages explaining their life story.
@@samueltitone5683I read both. Meandering through the lens of Trash, in general, was difficult enough. The longer version didn't make it any easier. One thing I preferred was the inclusion if the fight between Franny and her Mom. It was an important scene and I think lent much to explaining just how cold her mother was.
Salems Lot was the first King book I ever read & I've been a fan ever since. Also remember seeing the original TV mini series when I was far too young, had recurring nightmares about the window scene for years!! I know this movie has had crappy reviews but I still can't wait to see it, it's actually in cinemas in the UK from the 11th.
Watched it last night. In the book, the part where Mike Ryerson goes back down the cellar steps to leave the keys, that was scary as hell. The priest losing his faith and what Barlow actually does to him is horrible to read about, far less horrible to see in this movie. The ending of the movie takes away the disgust and horror of what actually happens in the book. So many things. Barlow looked cool, though.
In the original that scene with the boys friend floating at the window saying ‘let me in” still gives me the scares to this day, they ain’t never gonna top that ❤
I appreciate not spoiling the book. I just started reading King (starting with 'On Writing' of all things!) then I plan on reading 'Carrie' and 'Salem's Lot' next. I had no idea there was a series in the 90's? Is that a sequel to the series that came out in the 70's or 80's whenever that was?
There was the miniseries in 79 (the best adaptation), then a movie called A Return to Salem's Lot in the late 80s, which wasn't so good, then another miniseries adaptation in the early 2000s, which was fine. Now this new adaptation.
There's a 2004 remake with Rob Lowe that I remember being ok-ish? Been a while. Also there's an '87 sequel to the '79 version which is shockingly bad. Erased the details from my memory but I seem to remember they basically rewrote the original? Again, been a while.
Favorite vampire movie is Blades, but my favorite vampire in the video medium is Midnight Mass. I love the way Midnight Mass handled the vampire curse and the religious tones. I would love to see a companion or sequel series where the town has ready been infected to some level and it is a real look into the lives of the vampires vs their human counterparts.
I think that after watching JJ's review of the film stake all the vampires in the alley when it went out for a smoke, I am unburdened by any need to view the material. Thank you, based merchant of truth!
The new Salem's Lot was just "alright." Which is discouraging when you're in it for something more. Fave vampire movie- probably the 80's Fright Night.
They overdo it with the Vampires in that show. To the point where it's just a fantasy action rather than horror. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it for what it was. I was just expecting more horror suspense, less fantasy action.
@@victhebric66but castlevania as a game series isn't horror either. Horror themed but not horrific barring some creature designs. Halloween flavoured platformers + exploration. The scariest thing about it is how hard the NES games kicked in your teeth.
Hey don't knock Steven Seagal. His early movies are good but yeah the stuff he makes the last two decades are terrible. Even Jean Claude Van Damme movies lately are better than his stuff. In many of Steven Seagal movies he's not even in the movie and just appears in a 5 minute cameo but gets top billing. 😂
I literally got an "ad" on prime a couple days ago for this and it said it was a series !! When i saw the title of this video call it a movie I was like ugh wait what .
For what it was and how short it was it was passable BUT will say there was some amazing shots and the Susan bite scene was one of my favorite I’ve seen
@@erikkk lol it absolutely was not "unwatchable", nerd. It was a fine movie. Isn't going to win any awards but it was enjoyable for what it was. Get a life, dude.
The director said the original cut of this movie was 3 hours long and the studio edited it down to 2. So yeah your assessment at the beginning about the runtime and things missing is correct
Like any true GenXer, I started reading Stephen King books when I was too young to be reading Stephen King books. My mom gave me The Shinning to read when I was 13 or 14. His books are so hard to adapt to movies because there is so much character development through inner dialogue. I read Salem's Lot after reading Wolves of the Calla and getting to know Pere Callahan's character. This should absolutely be a mini series or a multi-part movie.
Went into watching the movie thinking it was made for TV and thought that it wasn't that bad. If this was created for a theatrical run, then I agree completely with you, Jeremy. I didn't even know this was made or needed. I think going in with TV expectations help the viewing experience...
Hollywood DEI and A.I. keeps doing wonders for the Movie industry. This is what movies are now when you fire all the artists and replace them with DEI and A.I.
Just another lazy remake from hollywood no passion went into it. Just remade from the studio for the sake of updating a classic, Were tired of these shitty remakes, If your gonna remake something do it right. Get people behind it that loved the original and want to do it justice. Big thumbs up for your review Jeremy
Literally the first time I heard about this movie is when you reviewed it. My first exposure to horror was the Salem's Lot TV miniseries and it terrified me, so yeah probably gonna give this mess a miss. Thanks for the heads up, man.
Dauberman's original cut was three hours long, but Warner's ordered it be cut .... Drastically!! Apparently, they did not want a three-hour movie. There was more to the '' confrontation " between Barlow and the priest, father Callahan (John Benjamin Hickey). Alexander Ward's Kurt Barlow is fine, as is John Benjamin's Callahan. More " cut '' stuff includes Lewis Pullman's Ben Mears fear of the Marsten House, and why he fears it so much, and his haunting childhood experience inside the said property. So much simply " cut out " . Shame on you Mr David Zaslav and Warner Bros!! 😡
The original floating kid scratching on the window scared the ever living s**t out of me as a kid. I don't have AH favorite, but my vampire Trinity is Fright Night, Near Dark, and The Lost Boys 🤘
This is a GREAT OLD SCHOOL Horror Flick. I am over 50 and “clicked” on this movie randomly, while eating a sandwich. It has the pace and filtered lens effect and colors of 70’s horror movies. I was stuck 😮 and it took me 20 minutes to finish my meal. And the cast are classic actors. When I saw Viola Davis… is when I really started to pay attention. Highly recommended ❤
Knew it was coming, was really exited, now I'm kinda like "oh, it dropped?" And all there is left is the memory of being exited for something I almost struggle to remember as I'm writing this(?).
