Salem's Lot (1979): The Original Adaptation Makes Its 4K Debut in Multiple Forms (Limited Edition 4K)

The Film:

Once again we return to the seemingly-never-ending collection of films based on the work of prolific writer Stephen King, this time for what is perhaps one of the most well-known adaptations of one of his books. "Salem's Lot," based on the 1975 novel, was turned into a two-part miniseries by director Tobe Hooper ("The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," "Poltergeist") that first aired on CBS in 1979, with later releases including a shortened theatrical version for audiences outside the US and a three-hour extended movie cut that merged the two parts together.

Reactions to the film have ranged all over the place in the 47 years since its release, with some calling it an atmospheric & frightening vampire tale, and others finding it to be a somewhat slow & tedious horror outing that lacks bite, but one thing's for sure, there are quite a few King fans out there who consider it a prime telling of the horror maestro's novel (for good or ill). This makes it no surprise that Arrow Films has opted to give the classic adaptation a 4K upgrade, one that includes all three versions of the film and a hefty selection of bonus material, so now it's time to go back and revisit this eerie little tale of vampires in a small town to see how well it's held up nearly half a century later.

The film centers on author Ben Mears (David Soul), who has come to the small town of Salem's Lot to write a book about an old property called the Marsten House, which is believed to be haunted. When he attempts to rent the house, he finds out that it is already being occupied by Richard Straker (James Mason), who is in town to open an antique shop with his strangely absent partner Kurt Barlow. Ben takes up residence at a boarding house instead, and subsequently becomes romantically involved with Susan Norton (Bonnie Bedelia), a local teacher.

Meanwhile, he also reconnects with an old teacher of his, Jason Burke (Lew Ayres), with whom he discusses the evil nature of the Marsten House. After a large mysterious crate is delivered to the house, several townspeople start to become sick and die under very peculiar circumstances, with suspicion being cast on both Mears & Straker as newcomers to the town. However, it soon becomes evident that an evil entity has come to Salem's Lot, one that's decided to make it their new feeding ground. Will Ben & the other residents be able to stop it before it's too late?

"Salem's Lot" is a fascinating case in terms of how such a story would be best presented. It's a rather uncomplicated tale about a man who goes to a small town to write a book about a house, which happens to be at the same time a vampire comes in and starts reeking havoc, so naturally he and a few acquaintances have to stop him. When it comes to the miniseries/extended movie version, it becomes rather evident very early on that stretching this simple story out to three hours really doesn't do it any favors. There are pacing issues prevalent throughout, repetitive plot points, and superfluous subplots that could've easily been done away with entirely, all of which lead to it feeling rather padded out and over-extended. I've said time and time again that filmmakers must suit the story to the runtime, which is to say that if your story is not that complicated, then trying to stretch it out to a longer runtime doesn't usually turn out well, hence why the three-hour version of this tale ends up with a number of problems.

However, this is what makes the theatrical cut something of a revelation. Coming in at a much brisker 110 minutes (even less minus credits), it trims much of the fat that weighed down the extended cut. Granted, it still has some issues of its own, such as retaining part of a subplot involving an affair between two minor characters (which has nothing to do with the rest of the story) and not really doing anything to fix the rather bland final act (which mainly involves a few of the characters wandering around the Marsten House for what feels like ages), but overall, it does manage to fix a lot of the pacing problems & the repetitiveness of the longer version.

All things considered, it doesn't quite fix the inherent weaknesses of the story, especially when it comes to its finale, but it still presents a better version of what this adaptation should've been in the first place. This is certainly not to say that the original cut is bad. It's clear they were going for a dark, slow-burning, "evil in a small town " kind of experience, they just seemed to get a little carried away in trying to make it a big miniseries event, hence the over-elongated runtime & padding.

Taking the different versions altogether on Arrow Films' stunning new release of the adaptation, you get a bit of a mixed bag. Completionists will no doubt want to stick with the original cut (the miniseries or extended movie) that gives you all of the footage, while those looking for a tighter telling of the tale will lean towards the theatrical version, which is what makes it so fantastic that both are available in this incredible set. As they say, to each their own.

Video/Audio:

All three cuts of "Salem's Lot" come to 4K in 1.33:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfers of outstanding quality. The new restoration has the film looking the best it ever has, presenting a picture that is perfectly sharp & clear throughout, even in the darkest of scenes. Likewise, the original lossless mono audio tracks are fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in excellent quality. Overall, Arrow Films has done a marvelous job in both departments for the film's 4K debut.

Special Features:

Disc 1 - Miniseries/Extended Movie Version:

Commentary by Film Critics Bill Ackerman and Amanda Reyes (New)

Commentary by director Tobe Hooper

Alternate TV Footage (1 Minute)

Original Shooting Script Gallery

Disc 2 - Theatrical Version:

Commentary by Film Critic Chris Alexander (New)

King of the Vampires (21 Minute) (New): An interview with Stephen King biographer Douglas Winter.

Second Coming (26 Minutes) (New): An appreciation by author and critic Grady Hendrix.

New England Nosferatu (13 Minutes) (New): An interview with filmmaker Mick Garris.

Fear Lives Here (7 Minutes) (New): A featurette looking at the locations of Salem's Lot today.

We Can All Be Heroes (9 Minutes) (New): A featurette with film critic Heather Wixson, co-author of In Search of Darkness.

A Gold Standard for Small Screen Screams (20 Minutes) (New): A featurette with film critics Joe Lipsett and Trace Thurman, co-hosts of the podcast Horror Queers.

Conclusion:

Tobe Hooper's "Salem's Lot," adapted from Stephen King's 1975 novel, is an attempt at a slow-burning, "evil in a small town" horror outing that works best in its shorter, more focused theatrical form, as opposed to its original three-hour miniseries presentation. Luckily, Arrow Films' incredible new release of the adaptation provides both options, giving purists the full-length edition and allowing those wanting a better-paced telling to see its shorter rendition, which should ultimately please all fans of the horror classic.

Score: 3/5

Available on Limited Edition 4K starting tomorrow.

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