'Salem's Lot
(Part One)
(Television Mini-Series)
(2004)
review by Head Cheeze

Time hasn't been kind to Tobe Hooper's 1979 adaptation of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot. While it still stands as one of the better films based on a King story, and maintains a resolute (if not primal) ability to scare, the frays in it's bellbottoms began to show years ago. When TNT announced they'd be remaking 'Salem's Lot in mini-series form yet again, I wasn't sure what to expect. The cast seemed to come together nicely, with Rob Lowe, Donald Sutherland, Samantha "Wow! She's Hot as a blonde!" Mathis, and Rutger Hauer signing on, but I worried that this version's scribe, Peter Filardi, would try too hard to modernise the tale. I was also wondering just how much they'd deviate from King's novel, but, with the exception of a bit of tweaking to the prologue and epilogue, this is the most faithful adaptation of a King novel yet.

Ben Mears (Lowe) returns to the town of Jerusalem's Lot where, as a child, he'd made a horrible discovery in the Marsden house that overlooks the town. Now a famous author, Mears has come back to work on a new book based on the murder/suicide he witnessed in that house, and has even made arrangements to rent the property for the duration of his stay. However, when Ben is informed that the house has been sold to a pair of mysterious antiques dealers, he is forced to set up shop at the local rooming house. Due to his controversial writings, it's not long before Ben starts making enemies, but he also manages to make a few friends, including the beautiful Susan (Mathis) and his former teacher Matt Burke (Braugher). Soon, however, his friends become allies in a war against an evil that's consuming the town in more ways than one, as mysterious deaths and dissappearances all point to the mysterious Marsden house and it's new tenants.

This new take on Stephen King's classic novel really surprised me with it's adherence to the source material. While Hooper's film created amalgams of characters and situations to focus more on the horror aspects of King's story, Filardi's teleplay embraces the subtle intricacies of the small town denizens, realising the horror lies within them. These are secretive people in a town that doesn't afford secrets. The messy affairs, shady business practises, and skeletons in the closet are matters of public record, even if they are only spoken of in hushed tones amongst "trusted" friends. While Rutger Hauer's Barlow may be the physical manifestation of the vampire here, it's the people of 'Salem's Lot who suck each other dry. Barlow simply affords them a more literate way of doing so.

Mikael Salomon gives the film a dark, dreary, and decidedly modern horror look that's quite cinematic, especially for a television mini-series. While some of the effects work could be a bit more polished, 'Salem's Lot stands toe-to-toe with a good majority of recent theatrical releases in looks and quality. The cast is also quite good, with Rob Lowe perfectly embodying the conflicted writer, Ben Mears, and a solid supporting cast of Mathis, Braugher, and a giddily over-the-top Sutherland as Straker, the mortal caretaker of Barlow, all turning in fine performances. Hauer, in limited screentime, is extremely effective as Barlow, although fans of Hooper's Nosferatu-style vampire will be sorely dissapointed, as Barlow, here, is presented as he is in King's novel. Still, he's undeniably creepy, and it's nice to see Hauer in something besides direct-to-video crap.

While I'd had a few issues with some of Filardi's tweaks to the story, I think I may have just been nitpicking, seeing as how it was so close to the source material that I may have just wanted to push it that much closer. In the end, this mini-series manages to give the viewer loads of insight into the complex character dynamics of 'Salem's Lot, and still manages to be scary, exciting, and fun as hell.

In my mind this is easily the best of the King television movies, and, possibly, the best King adaptation period. Well done!