Salem's Lot (1979) (TV)

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Stephen King (novel)
Paul Monash (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 November 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

The ultimate in terror!

Plot:

Vampires are invading a small New England town. It's up to a novelist and a young horror fan to save it.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Writer | Haunted House | Supernatural | Truck

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination

Cast

David Soul	...	Ben Mears
James Mason	...	Richard K. Straker
Lance Kerwin	...	Mark Petrie
Bonnie Bedelia	...	Susan Norton
Lew Ayres	...	Jason Berk
Julie Cobb	...	Bonnie Sawyer
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Gordon 'Weasel' Phillips (as Elisha Cook)
George Dzundza	...	Cully Sawyer
Ed Flanders	...	Dr. Bill Norton
Clarissa Kaye-Mason	...	Majorie Glick (as Clarissa Kaye)
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Mike Ryerson
Barney McFadden	...	Ned Tebbets
Kenneth McMillan	...	Constable Parkins Gillespie
Fred Willard	...	Larry Crockett
Marie Windsor	...	Eva Miller
Barbara Babcock	...	June Petrie
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Ann Norton
Joshua Bryant	...	Ted Petrie
James Gallery	...	Father Donald Callahan
Robert Lussier	...	Deputy Constable Nolly Gardner
Brad Savage	...	Danny Glick
Ronnie Scribner	...	Ralphie Glick
Ned Wilson	...	Henry Glick
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Reggie Nalder	...	Kurt Barlow
Ernest Phillips	...	Royal Snow (uncredited)

Directed by
Tobe Hooper

Writing credits
Stephen King		(novel)
Paul Monash		(screenplay)

Produced by
Anna Cottle	....	associate producer
Richard Kobritz	....	producer
Stirling Silliphant	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Harry Sukman

Cinematography by
Jules Brenner		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Pryor
Carroll Sax

Casting by
Vivian McRae

Production Design by
Mort Rabinowitz

Set Decoration by
Jerry Adams

Makeup Department
Bette Iverson	....	hair stylist
Ben Lane	....	makeup artist
Jack H. Young	....	special makeup effects

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lloyd Allen	....	first assistant director
John N. Whittle	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Mike Miner	....	property manager

Sound Department
Ron Clark	....	sound editor
Brian L. McCarty	....	boom operator
Richard Raguse	....	production sound
Jerry Jacobson	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Frank Torro	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Bud Heller	....	key grip
Ron Vargas	....	camera operator
Lawrence White	....	production grip
Paul Jacobsen	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Phyllis Garr	....	wardrobe
Barry Kellogg	....	costumer
Barry Kellogg	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Jay Alfred Smith	....	music editor (as Jay Smith)
Harry Sukman	....	conductor

Other crew
Morton Greenspoon	....	special eye contacts (as Dr. Morton Greenspoon)
Gene Kraft	....	title designer
Barry Wexler	....	crab dolly operator

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Television

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Succéfilm AB (Sweden) (theatrical)
• On Line Cinema (USA) (VHS) (as "Blood Thirst")
• Warner Bros. Pictures (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD) (also as "Salem's Lot: The Movie")
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS) (also as "Salem's Lot: The Movie")
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc) (also as "Salem's Lot: The Movie")

Also Known As:

Blood Thirst
Salem's Lot: The Miniseries
Salem's Lot: The Movie (USA) (cable TV title (cut version))

Runtime:

112 min | Argentina:115 min | Germany:103 min | UK:107 min (theatrical version) | USA:184 min (uncut version) | USA:183 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Iceland:16 | France:-12 (theatrical) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1995) (mini-series version) | UK:18 (original rating) (theatrical version) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Eureka, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

Director George A. Romero was originally approached to direct a feature film version, but after the announcements of John Badham's Dracula (1979) and Werner Herzog's Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979), Warner Bros. decided to turn Salem's Lot into a TV mini-series. Romero dropped out, feeling he wouldn't be able to make the film the way he wanted to with the restrictions of network television.

Goofs:

Continuity: After getting a visit from the vampirized Danny Glick, Mark is backing away from his bedroom window with a cross held in his outstretched hand. He then pulls the cross to his chest. In the next shot, his arm is still stretched out in front of him.

Quotes:

Eva Miller: [knocking on Ben's door in the middle of the night] Mister Mears? Telephone!
Ben Mears: [sleepily] Oh, uh, ah, all right... Just a minute.
[opens door]
Ben Mears: What is it? Long distance?
Eva Miller: No. It's Jason Burke.
Ben Mears: Oh... what time is it?
Eva Miller: It's a little after four, and Mister Burke sounds very upset.
Ben Mears: [still groggy] Oh, uh, hold on.
[comes out in his robe and Eve leads him to the phone. He picks up the receiver]
Ben Mears: Yeah, Jason? What's the matter?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)

A Masterpiece

Ah! If only ALL "made-for-TV" works were like this one! They just don't make them like this anymore. I doubt if they ever will. I've begun to notice how the quality of the arts at any given moment seem to be indicative of a culture's uprise/downfall.

I just finished watching Salem's Lot now in 2004, many years after it was made, and I still realize what masterpiece this film is. Excellent acting, intelligent scripting, intelligent direction, smart photography, professional editing, disturbing music, mysterious atmosphere, good and colorful dialogs "'ciao' is Italian for 'good-bye'.. hmm.. you learn something new everyday", many many ingredients.

This is what horror is truly all about. It has not to do with 'gore' or blood or visual effects substantially, but with an atmosphere that is reflected in all aspects of the story being told, that is, whatever you see and hear. It's an experience.

Then add to all of this nearly 4 hours for the whole thing to air on tv, which, instead of giving us a tiresome long and boring picture, gives us the progressive development of actions and situations that make this film what it is.

This film presents vampires as what they are, not stylish conversative and sometimes stupid sentient and pretty creatures, but meta-physical representations of evil in its superlative form, that is, SCARY, and I mean TRULY SCARY things to avoid like hell itself!

The vampires are not the twisted politically correct teenager role model vampires of the '90s. They are hideously mysterious, ethereal, chilling and extremely dangerous demonic things with human form. Foul, corrupt and evil aberrations whose eyes glow in the dark like some animals' do.

The actors, I'm sure, all gave their best in this effort. I don't know whatever Mr. Hooper said to them before filming, but I'd sure love to know.

This was money well spent by the makers. They have given us art. This is time well used by the viewers. You gain by watching Salem's Lot, you can't/won't lose. 10/10 anyday.