Macabre...ish Horror Review: Salem’s Lot 2004

Salem’s Lot, 2004/ 181 min.

This is a miniseries adaptation and the story of Salem’s Lot begins with a whisper, “Jerusalem’s Lot”, spoken by Ben Mears, from a hospital bed. He was put there by Father Callahan.

Ben tells his story of how he returned to Salem’s Lot two years before, a successful writer, he wanted to write about the Marsten House and the suspected pedophile that lived and died there. But really it’s regrets of the past that brought him back.

The town seems picturesque, perfect but really it’s a town full of secrets, from a business man who’s sexually abusing his daughter. A Vietnam vet turned bus driver, who enjoys tormenting the children on his route. Spousal abuse. Child abuse. There’s rot in this town. And it attracts evil.

And because of that evil, the town children are sickening and dying off again. But it’s different this time and not just kids.

It’s almost like the Castle Rock disaster in Needful Things but with a different monster and different sickness.

This miniseries is full of recognizable actors. It is also creepy with plenty of jump scares. The effects range from pretty good (physical) to hilarious (CG). Rob Lowe narrates some of it and I didn’t really care for it, even though I typically enjoy a good narration.

This is also a long flashback as well as flashbacks within the flashback. Also it’s graphic and somewhat bloody and gory but not overly so. And the all star cast is devine...Rutger Hauer, Rob Lowe, Dan Byrd, Andre Braugher, Samantha Mathis, Donald Sutherland and James Cromwell to name a few.

All in all, I was entertained all the way through. Oh and Dark Tower Series fans this tells a more complete story of Father Callahan and his first interaction with Barlow. P.S. I love Rutger Hauer as a vampire!