As previously stated, I hadn't realised that Salem's Lot was originally a TV miniseries and thus, split into two separate discs in its DVD incarnation. I thought the ending to the first disc was the ending - and quite a bad ass one it was, too! But finally, a week later, I managed to finish the three-hours of Salem's Lot that I should've watched in the first place. And very glad I am that I did, even though it involved several cups of tea and about a hundred rice crispie cakes (I made some for Randall's birthday).
I was warned by my brother (who, for some unknown reason, is terrified of this film) to watch Salem's Lot "properly", i.e. with the blinds shut, the light dimmed, and a big blanket to hide under. Since it was raining at the time, I obliged. And funnily enough, it was also raining during my viewing of the first disc. It got me thinking about whether a horror atmosphere can be created prior to watching a film. I may write about it some time. But I'm getting off the point. Onwards!
"We can still be friends, right..?"
To be honest, Stephen King isn't somebody with whose work I could claim to be particularly familiar. In fact, I think the only other film of note, based on one of his novels, that I've seen to date, is Stand By Me which, as far as I'm aware, was based on The Body. I love Stand By Me. It's one of my all-time favourite films, and sits proudly on my too-small stack of DVDs. But a horror story it is not (not in the traditional sense of the word, anyway). And if there's one thing King is famous for, it's horror stories. Not to mention that this particular incarnation was directed by one of the great horror directors, Tobe Hooper. Thus I was delighted to find that Salem's Lot, despite being slow in places, and undeniably aged in others, does the job of a decent horror movie - it manages to scare and enthral.
The plot of Salem's Lot, such is the way with most of King's stuff, takes place in a small, quiet town somewhere in Maine, and revolves around a suspicious writer and a horror-obsessed kid. The writer has returned to town to write a novel about the Marsden house, somewhere known for being haunted, and in which he had a frightening experience as a child. He begs the question - "Can a thing be inherently evil?" and then spends much of the movie trying to convince the unassuming townspeople that yes, it can. What this film does very well, thanks in part to the unsettlingly minimalistic score, is to create an atmosphere of safety for the audience. Scenes of marital distress and childish games play out so softly and easily, that it's easy to lose oneself in the story and forget that, pretty soon, the rug will be pulled out from under us.
His hair will surely save the day
It's worth noting that, because this was originally broadcast as a TV miniseries, it is a very slow-moving, quiet film. When things do happen (and they do), the pace remainds slow and steady. Ghostly vampire kids float towards windows and scratch their long nails against the panes of glass. A shadow rises up and envelopes the screen. Marks appear on necks and the townspeople begin to get tired and weak. If Salem's Lot were being made today, it would probably concern an epidemic, as opposed to a vampire infestation. Everything happens so slowly, and the townspeople are so blissfully unaware, that it would be easy to just dismiss this as a boring character study of small-minded people in an out of the way town, who refuse to see anything or anyone outside of their little bubble as relevant. But it is, to its credit, a horror film, and a great one at that.
I'll admit that there were very few moments, during the first half of the film, where I could honestly say I was scared, but I was definitely on edge. And that tension extended far into the second part, and even further too. The first sighting of the head vampire, in the local jail, made me scream and jump out of my seat in shock. It's not just that he pops up out of nowhere - he is genuinely terrifying to look at, even today after I've been desensitised to most villains besides a dude with a big knife. And after vampires have been so ruined by the bullshit that is Twilight, it is truly inspiring to see a real, snarling, bloodthirsty creature of the night, the way it should be portrayed.
The scariest thing my grandmother has ever seen
When Barlow, the head vampire, transformed from a black cape on the kitchen floor, to his full form, I felt the real fear of knowing something terrible was about to happen, even though I knew the screen would fade to black before it did (another nice touch, and one that gives the film a genuinely creepy edge). The kills are quick and the audience sees practically nothing, but somehow that just adds to the tension.
My grandmother told me recently that this is the scariest film she has ever seen and, although Salem's Lot probably isn't as relevant today as it was twenty years ago, it is still definitely worth a look, and sits rightfully next to newer films, such as 30 Days Of Night, that show proper, genuinely terrifying vampires, as they are meant to be shown - as monsters who will suck the blood out of anyone they choose, as opposed to sparkly statues who eat deer and write lullabies for fat emo kids. May it live forever as the antithesis to Twilight and give us hope that vampires can be, and are, still scary.
Next time....finally! Red State! Will it be as good as predicted? Will it be better? You'll find out next time.
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