'Salem's Lot (2024)

[Nole-4-Life 797]

3 minutes ago, Kermit said:

Too many black performers in the last performance of Oklahoma?

Hilarious.

[Duane Moore 5,236]

22 hours ago, futureman said:

so how does ‘salem’s lot stack up as a book compared to some of king’s best like the stand or it?  those are the only long novels I’ve read, and then probably a dozen of his short stories.  but both of them were some of the most fun I’ve ever had reading anything. 

Top 5 for me among his novels. Just a great page turning story. 
 

And for those who don’t know, the short story “One for the Road” in the Night Shift collection is a terrific epilogue/coda to the novel. 

Edited September 16 by Duane Moore

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4,956]

14 hours ago, South Austin said:

You're an idiot. 

I guess in your world, the casting call for Mark Petrie should have included something along the lines of "If you're anything but a white actor, don't bother showing up."  Or, maybe, when all of the child actors showed up for the audition, casting should have called out, "Good morning, everyone, thanks for being here.  All of you who are black, hispanic, asian, or otherwise nonwhite, you can leave."

Or maybe, just maybe, the casting call didn't specify anything about Mark Petrie's race, and maybe, just maybe, that after all of the child actors auditioned, they chose the one who they thought was the most talented and best portrayed their vision of this character, and he just happened to have been black.

Simply crying out "DEI!" is lazy at best, racist at worst. 

Point of order, Hispanic people are white. Just of Hispanic origin. Which is obviously not the best kind of white. Or something like that?

[futureman 22,329]

5 hours ago, Duane Moore said:

And for those who don’t know, the short story “One for the Road” in the Night Shift collection is a terrific epilogue/coda to the novel. 

looks like there's also a prequel in night shift.  "jerusalem's lot" ...  anyone read that? 

Edited September 17 by futureman

[mchookem 15,440]

1 hour ago, futureman said:

looks like there's also a prequel in night shift.  "jerusalem's lot" ...  anyone read that? 

i did but it's been a long time...i think maybe a prequel only in the sense of location/setting, puritan americana. i recall...a literal giant demon worm bursting from the underworld?? 🤔 not vampire lore anyway.

Edited September 17 by mchookem

[South Austin 51,426]

2 hours ago, mchookem said:

i did but it's been a long time...i think maybe a prequel only in the sense of location/setting, puritan americana. i recall...a literal giant demon worm bursting from the underworld?? 🤔 not vampire lore anyway.

Right. I don’t recall a specific connection to vampires or the ‘Salem’s Lot story line. 

[LCHorn 2,527]

3 hours ago, South Austin said:

Right. I don’t recall a specific connection to vampires or the ‘Salem’s Lot story line. 

It’s in keeping with King’s trope of places themselves being evil acting as a conduit for other supernatural entities.  

[dcbc 14,193]

On 9/15/2024 at 8:05 PM, futureman said:

so how does ‘salem’s lot stack up as a book compared to some of king’s best like the stand or it?  those are the only long novels I’ve read, and then probably a dozen of his short stories.  but both of them were some of the most fun I’ve ever had reading anything. 

Salem's Lot is definitely "early King" and possibly the last of early King.  That is to say that it has all of the elements of a great story, i.e. Dracula set in 20th Century Maine, and the world-building you expect from having read The Stand and IT.  But it's definitely a much smaller scale of world building compared to those two novels, which are among his best.  And because it is shorter, the characters, although interesting enough, are less developed.  I'm not usually one to gripe about endings, but the ending of Salem's lot . . . 

 

(the Straker-killing part at least) felt rushed and anticlimactic.  The ultimate end of the novel was good though.

. . . .   With regard to its being the last of "early King," I think The Shining is a far better novel, and the one where King really hit his stride.  Salem's Lot simply is a very good read by comparison.

Edited September 17 by dcbc

[TwiceHorn 30,733]

10 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Salem's Lot is definitely "early King" and possibly the last of early King.  That is to say that it has all of the elements of a great story, i.e. Dracula set in 20th Century Maine, and the world-building you expect from having read The Stand and IT.  But it's definitely a much smaller scale of world building compared to those two novels, which are among his best.  And because it is shorter, the characters are less developed.  I'm not usually one to gripe about endings, but the ending of Salem's lot . . . 

  Reveal hidden contents

(the Straker-killing part at least) felt rushed and anticlimactic.  The ultimate end of the novel was good though.

. . . .   With regard to its being the last of "early King," I think The Shining is a far better novel, and the one where King really hit his stride.  Salem's Lot simply is a very good read by comparison.

I'm re-reading the Lot for the third or fourth time.  I think you're right.  But one thing I notice that I hadn't before is that he has a lot of lengthy description of the landscape ala the natural realism of Thomas Hardy or some such.  Possibly some literary pretension there that he later dispensed with.

I have often wondered if 'Salem's Lot is something of a play on Salem, as in witchcraft trials, and lot, as in one's lot in life, so that the place (Salem) is cursed with an unfortunate "lot."

 

Edited September 17 by TwiceHorn

[dcbc 14,193]

5 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

I'm re-reading the Lot for the third or fourth time.  I think you're right.  But one thing I notice that I hadn't before is that he has a lot of lengthy description of the landscape ala the natural realism of Thomas Hardy or some such.  Possibly some literary pretension there that he later dispensed with.

 

I've read SL twice at this point, both times as an adult.  I enjoyed it more the second time.  I reread Bram Stoker's Dracula last year and it might be that his landscape descriptions are a nod to the inspiration-novel.  There's a lot of that in the early chapters/letters/diary-entries in Stoker's novel.  Also, how it has taken this long to put Stoker and Straker together in my mind, I cannot explain.

Edited September 17 by dcbc

[SubliminalHorn 6,333]

23 hours ago, Nole-4-Life said:

Whatever you say.

I'm  not worked up. I made an observation and the whole board lost it's mind about it. Y'all are the ones worked up.

No one cares about your observations regarding the race of characters. It’s rooted in racism. If you can’t see that, then I don’t know what to tell you. You’re also free to go to one of your shitty FSU sites. 
 

Regarding the book, it’s one of my favorites. I can’t wait for this movie even if the kid is Black now, the horror!

[CooterBrown 17,698]

Is this a movie or a mini series?

 

[South Austin 51,426]

12 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Is this a movie or a mini series?

Looks like a movie, and I read the producers pivoted from a theatrical release to streaming.

[Nole-4-Life 797]

1 hour ago, SubliminalHorn said:

No one cares about your observations regarding the race of characters. It’s rooted in racism. If you can’t see that, then I don’t know what to tell you. You’re also free to go to one of your shitty FSU sites. 
 

Regarding the book, it’s one of my favorites. I can’t wait for this movie even if the kid is Black now, the horror!

You're free to go fuck yourself.

We agree on the book.

[Ten Bears 2,436]

What's a little overt racism when your team has shit all over itself the first 3 games of the season.

Must be rough.  We should give him a break.

Edited September 17 by Ten Bears

[Ten Bears 2,436]

My mom told my 14 year old self "You won't read that book alone in your room."

"Yeah, right Mom."

 

Narrator: She was right.

[Davis Lane 5,500]

On 9/12/2024 at 1:48 PM, Deej said:

Nothing creeped me out more than that kid floating outside the window.

 

 

Fucking fuck you, motherfucker!!!!!

[Nole-4-Life 797]

1 hour ago, Ten Bears said:

What's a little overt racism when your team has shit all over itself the first 3 games of the season.

Must be rough.  We should give him a break.

What fucking overt racism?? I point out a difference between the book and the upcoming movie and because it's a black guy I'm suddenly David Duke.

Typical internet bullshit.

[SubliminalHorn 6,333]

1 hour ago, Nole-4-Life said:

You're free to go fuck yourself.

 

Way ahead of you pal

[futureman 22,329]

7 minutes ago, SubliminalHorn said:

Way ahead of you pal

[NorthLoop 13,910]

2 hours ago, Nole-4-Life said:

I point out a difference between the book and the upcoming movie and because it's a black guy I'm suddenly David Duke.

 

You called it a DEI hire. Nice try walking it back. 

[Nole-4-Life 797]

2 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

You called it a DEI hire. Nice try walking it back. 

Yes I did. Not walking a damn thing back. 

[futureman 22,329]

can we agree to never speak of that shit again in this thread please

 

 

[Nole-4-Life 797]

4 minutes ago, futureman said:

can we agree to never speak of that shit again in this thread please

 

 

Works for me. Thanks.

[irishtexan 11,413]

I don't know shit about fuck, but I do know this. Mermaids are definitely white. 

Are there mermaids in this book and/or miniseries and/or movie? 

[F250 28,382]

On 9/16/2024 at 9:00 AM, South Austin said:

That's what I recall.  I read the book somewhere in my late teens after I had seen the 1979 movie as a younger kid.  It's nowhere near as long as books like The Stand or IT.  And like a lot of books adapted to film, there's a fair amount that the original film left out, likely due to just available film time.  I highly recommend.

I haven't read Salem's Lot since I was 13/14. I previously read IT and The Stand but never found IT or The Stand screen adaptations as good as Salem's Lot. With that said, I've reread IT and The Stand as an adult but never cared to reread Salem's Lot..

[notre dame joe 170]

On 9/16/2024 at 4:56 PM, Duane Moore said:

Top 5 for me among his novels. Just a great page turning story. 
 

And for those who don’t know, the short story “One for the Road” in the Night Shift collection is a terrific epilogue/coda to the novel. 

I think I started with that one 

[Davis Lane 5,500]

On 9/17/2024 at 12:26 PM, SubliminalHorn said:

Way ahead of you pal

Braggart.

[smuggs 9,304]

On 9/17/2024 at 12:13 AM, futureman said:

looks like there's also a prequel in night shift.  "jerusalem's lot" ...  anyone read that? 

 

Read One For The Road  in Night Shift. Sequel to Salem's Lot. It's very short but fucking awesome.

[futureman 22,329]

3 hours ago, smuggs said:

 

Read One For The Road  in Night Shift. Sequel to Salem's Lot. It's very short but fucking awesome.

that's a pro-tip, and one that I was unaware of.  muchisimas gracias compa.

[Sawbonz 26,741]

Man I wanted to like it but I just don’t think you can do the story justice in 2 or so hours. My 17 yo son (who hasn’t read the book) was like what’s the point of all this?

[Duane Moore 5,236]

11 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

Man I wanted to like it but I just don’t think you can do the story justice in 2 or so hours. My 17 yo son (who hasn’t read the book) was like what’s the point of all this?

Agree. Watched it last night. It felt rushed through the events of the story. The drive-in setting for the closing act was an interesting twist, but it just became like an action movie at that point, which isn’t really what this story is. The Straker character was more weird than menacing, and never was going to live up to James Mason or Donald Sutherland, who played the character before him. 
 

I did like the location they used, it very much conveyed the small New England town setting of the story, and I like that they set it in the 70’s rather than update it to the present day. 

[SubliminalHorn 6,333]

12 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

Man I wanted to like it but I just don’t think you can do the story justice in 2 or so hours. My 17 yo son (who hasn’t read the book) was like what’s the point of all this?

I was pretty bored. It needed to be a series to capture the whole book. I give it a C

[austingirl 2,172]

Disappointing. It was mostly a straight retelling of the book, down to it being set in the 70s. And while it's always fun to see Danish Josh Jackson, he didn't do much with Straker. I agree that it went too fast to fully capture the book.

[TwiceHorn 30,733]

On 9/17/2024 at 12:13 AM, futureman said:

looks like there's also a prequel in night shift.  "jerusalem's lot" ...  anyone read that? 

Correct, longer than the sequel story and a worthwhile read.  I have an ebook version of Salems Lot that contains all three.

And, apparently, there was an obscure series called Chapelwaite on epic that was fairly acclaimed. https://collider.com/stephen-king-salems-lot-prequel-chapelwaite/

[MissingInAction 24,268]

Terrible. Didn't make it 20 minutes in 

[LCHorn 2,527]

Watched it last night.  It looks good, I think the choice to set it in ‘75 was smart.  Everything else is all surface and any connection to the characters is really hindered by the run-time (it doesn’t help that they cast a lead who underplays everything and doesn’t have the charisma to make that work).  

Pretty much every character acts as if each scene was its own thing rather than telling a story in which the horrors are escalating.  

Also, I think our team of heroes appear to laze about or sleep until about an hour before dusk and then get surprised that the sun is going down.  

[Viper 11,918]

Liked the beginning but it went way too quick through the kitchen scene which was one of my favorites in the book. There needs to be tension building in that scene and you get some characterization for Barlow. The movie just kind of zipped through it before you knew what happened. 

[smuggs 9,304]

This would have been much better in a 3-part installment plan. Hustled way too quickly and sloppily. Bummer.

[Nole-4-Life 797]

I enjoyed it but thought the ending was contrived. Should have followed the book for that and showed them coming back to burn the town down.

[SubliminalHorn 6,333]

Barlow was the easiest supreme Vampire Lord to kill ever 

[South Austin 51,426]

Looks like I may be skipping this one.  The Surly collective usually shares my movie opinions, and I should have listened to the reviews of the Joker sequel.  I'm too busy to waste 2 hours in front of a screen these days (except if that's reading Surly).

[dcbc 14,193]

6 hours ago, SubliminalHorn said:

Barlow was the easiest supreme Vampire Lord to kill ever 

This was my reaction the first time I read the book.

[rage-a-holic 4,237]

Wow, that was fucking terrible. It felt like the writers were deliberately trying to ruin every good part of the book and the other adaptations. And since when does staking a vampire in the head and stomach kill them? 

The stupidest part was killing off Father Callahan, who goes on to appear in 3 more King books after this one.

[rage-a-holic 4,237]

On 10/6/2024 at 8:45 AM, austingirl said:

Disappointing. It was mostly a straight retelling of the book, down to it being set in the 70s. And while it's always fun to see Danish Josh Jackson, he didn't do much with Straker. I agree that it went too fast to fully capture the book.

Yeah, no. Several significant, stupid changes.

[F250 28,382]

How it started.

South Austin: This looks interesting.

How it ended.

Surly: What a waste of my time.

South Austin: Yeah, I'm not watching this I have better things to do with my life than you losers. Thanks for taking one for the team.

[South Austin 51,426]

7 hours ago, F250 said:

How it started.

South Austin: This looks interesting.

How it ended.

Surly: What a waste of my time.

South Austin: Yeah, I'm not watching this I have better things to do with my life than you losers. Thanks for taking one for the team.

You left out the part of Nole-4-Life eating his own shit, but otherwise spot on.

[Duane Moore 5,236]

The original is on Max as well right now. Watched it on Sunday after not seeing it for years. Lots better. 

Truly a late-70’s time capsule with David “Hutch” Soul’s shaggy hair, turquoise jewelry and wide collars, an ingenue Bonnie Bedelia 10 years before Die Hard, Dynamite Magazine favorite Lance “James at 15” Kerwin, St. Elsewhere’s Ed Flanders with a bad toupee, and a straight man (as in, non-comedic) Fred Willard as the philandering real estate agent Larry Crockett who gets caught in his silk red boxers by George Dzundza (Deer Hunter, Season One Law & Order).

Vampire effects were better than you’d expect for that era and budget. The only thing a little off-putting was the town they used for filming was in Northern California and there are several shots where you can see the Pacific Ocean in the background. The town in the 2024 version may be the best thing about it. 

[TwiceHorn 30,733]

15 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

Wow, that was fucking terrible. It felt like the writers were deliberately trying to ruin every good part of the book and the other adaptations. And since when does staking a vampire in the head and stomach kill them? 

The stupidest part was killing off Father Callahan, who goes on to appear in 3 more King books after this one.

Now that's a fun bit of trivia that I don't recall.  What else was Callahan in?  Seems like King loves to include sheriffs and lawmen in different stories, George Bannerman, Andy Clutterbuck, etc.

[Duane Moore 5,236]

19 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Now that's a fun bit of trivia that I don't recall.  What else was Callahan in?  Seems like King loves to include sheriffs and lawmen in different stories, George Bannerman, Andy Clutterbuck, etc.

He showed up in a couple of the Gunslinger novels. I forget the specifics, but he got sent to the alternate worlds sometime after leaving Salem’s Lot.