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Salem's Lot

Play trailer 3:17 Poster for Salem's Lot PG 1979 1h 52m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Based on the Stephen King novel, Ben Mears 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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Salem's Lot

Salem's Lot

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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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Critics Reviews

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Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine Mar 24
Salem’s Lot is a masterclass in televisual terror. Go to Full Review Derek Adams Time Out 06/24/2006
It places the emphasis on Hooper's fluid camerawork, creepy atmospherics, and skilful handling of the gripping climax. Go to Full Review Jeff Beck The Blu Spot Mar 30
3/5
Completionists will no doubt want to stick with the original cut (the miniseries or extended movie) that gives you all of the footage, while those looking for a tighter telling of the tale will lean towards the theatrical version. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jan 1
3.5/4
Small-screen restrictions require the bloodletting be kept to a minimum, but director Tobe Hooper and scripter Paul Monash nevertheless manage to construct a first-rate chiller out of King's fertile source material. Go to Full Review Gregory Nussen Screen Rant Oct 1
8/10
Tobe Hooper's 1979 adaptation of Stephen King's Salem's Lot gets 4K restoration, highlighting its timeless horror and relevance to today's small towns. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 01/06/2024
3/5
..works as a compulsive three-hour series, watered down from the book, perhaps, but still strong meat... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Todor Y @Phantom961 3d I like this, longer than 2024 remake. In my opinion some older movies that used practical effects instead of CGI are way better. See more Bigbossbalrog T @Jigokju Mar 25 The best Vampire movie ever. Better than Dracula, better than Carmilla. The best version of Stephen King's classic! A great, awesome experience! See more Brandon K @TheKeizer Mar 14 A bit cheesey and unrealistic, but it does hold up and is still entertaining. Some fun moments. See more Duke A @I.am.me Feb 22 Glacially slow snooze fest. See more Eddie M @RT15122139 Oct 12 The absolute best! I found it extremely scary in 1979 and still do in 2025. See more Josh H @LazyZombie25 Aug 30 Basically a Universal Monsters movie directed by Tobe Hooper, with the scope of a Cecil B DeMille epic. See more Read all reviews
Salem's Lot

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Cast & Crew

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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

Salem's Lot: Trailer 1 Salem's Lot: Trailer 1 3:17 View more videos
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Salem's Lot

Salem's Lot (1981) Salem's Lot (1979) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Based on the Stephen King novel, Ben Mears 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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