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Salem's Lot

Play trailer 3:17 Poster for Salem's Lot PG 1979 1h 52m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 20 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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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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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 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 Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies 05/27/2022
3/4
It's a little bit long, but it's worth checking out... It holds up much better than I remembered. Go to Full Review Max O'Connell Paste Magazine 02/07/2019
Hooper comes close to creating a modern-day Hammer horror film, punctuating a steady, stately dread with moments of shocking power. Go to Full Review Jacob Knight Birth.Movies.Death. 02/07/2019
Undoubtedly one of the best Stephen King adaptations, and still manages to be scary years after it premiered in homes across the nation. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Eddie M Oct 12 The absolute best! I found it extremely scary in 1979 and still do in 2025. See more Josh H Aug 30 Basically a Universal Monsters movie directed by Tobe Hooper, with the scope of a Cecil B DeMille epic. See more Anastasios G @TasoG Aug 16 Hokey. Disjointed script. Discontinuities galore. Unconvincing acting. Not scary in the least bit. A waste of time, especially at over three hours. See more Oui L Aug 4 Very creepy Vampire movie! Must watch! See more Lau S Jul 29 I love this horror movie! Damn great! See more MT C. @scarydooMT Jul 25 I never knew Stephen King could be this bad. I’d consider myself a Stephen King fan and I hated this movie! It doesn’t even get remotely interesting until about 40 minutes in. The vampires are barely in this movie. Don’t go into this movie expecting a vampire movie, go into it expecting a snooze fest. Really boring and bad can’t recommend. 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 (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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