Salem's Lot

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3:17

Salem's Lot

PG

1979

1h 52m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Based on the Stephen King novel, Ben Mears (David Soul) has returned to his hometown of Salem's Lot to write a book about the supposedly haunted Marsten House that resides on a hill overlooking the small town. His project is curtailed, however, when he finds out that someone has bought the long-empty property. But when people around the Marsten House start dying mysteriously, Mears discovers that the owner of the mansion is actually a vampire who is turning them into an army of undead slaves.

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Critics Consensus

Director Tobe Hooper and a devilishly charismatic James Mason elevate this television adaptation of the Stephen King novel, injecting the vampiric tradition with fresh blood and lingering scares.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

It places the emphasis on Hooper's fluid camerawork, creepy atmospherics, and skilful handling of the gripping climax.

Jun 24, 2006

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

..works as a compulsive three-hour series, watered down from the book, perhaps, but still strong meat...

Rated: 3/5

Jan 6, 2024

Full Review

Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

It's a little bit long, but it's worth checking out... It holds up much better than I remembered.

Rated: 3/4

May 27, 2022

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Max O'Connell

Paste Magazine

Hooper comes close to creating a modern-day Hammer horror film, punctuating a steady, stately dread with moments of shocking power.

Feb 7, 2019

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Jacob Knight

Birth.Movies.Death.

Undoubtedly one of the best Stephen King adaptations, and still manages to be scary years after it premiered in homes across the nation.

Feb 7, 2019

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Rebecca Lea

Den of Geek

Hooper's low key approach suits the material and he's aided at all times by some terrific production design work.

Feb 7, 2019

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Jelisije J

Way too long a film or a mini series that drags the entire story of a town getting slowly infected by a vampires.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/06/24

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Landon J

I really did enjoy this vintage romp. It certainly has a 70s feel but can be quite contemporary at times. Some good/creepy effects will keep you interested throughout, but lackluster action/scars will leave some disappointed.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/31/24

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BigD J

This film was the very definition of a slow burn. Very dull and boring, at times. That said, it’s a multi piece series, so I see what they were doing with the Stephen King style buildup. The effects were pretty fantastic. I actually enjoy when vampires are somewhat easily killed, unlike nowadays, when it’s nearly impossible. The vampire(s) is legendary. I was most impressed with the jump scares! Got me good a couple times. Worth a watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/21/24

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Drew L

I couldn't even sit through 15 mins of it, The acting was so bad, the story was horrible, the casting was driving me nuts. I don't know if it was good for the time or not but this was really bad. I don't know how these critics gave it such good reviews but it appears they are not good at their jobs and should find a new line of work. Smh.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/20/24

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Peter I

What a snooze fest. Audible groaning and cringing gasps from the audience at how bad the script was. Nothing new here.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

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Jay H

I'm sure this was terrifying in 1979. Today, it's about as scary as an episode of Goosebumps. I prefer the 2004 version.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

Full Review

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Tobe Hooper

Director

David Soul

Ben Mears

James Mason

Richard K. Straker

Lance Kerwin

Mark Petrie

Bonnie Bedelia

Susan Norton

Lew Ayres

Jason Burke

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Salem's Lot: Trailer 1

3:17

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Synopsis

Based on the Stephen King novel, Ben Mears (David Soul) has returned to his hometown of Salem's Lot to write a book about the supposedly haunted Marsten House that resides on a hill overlooking the small town. His project is curtailed, however, when he finds out that someone has bought the long-empty property. But when people around the Marsten House start dying mysteriously, Mears discovers that the owner of the mansion is actually a vampire who is turning them into an army of undead slaves.

Director: Tobe Hooper
Producer: Richard Kobritz
Rating: PG
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2016
Runtime: 1h 52m

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