Moviefone Editorial

Tag: salems-lot

  • Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations

    Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations

    (L to R) Joshua Odjick as Parker, Jordan Gonzalez as Harkness, David Jonsson as McVries, Cooper Hoffman as Garraty, and Charlie Plummer as Barkovitch in 'The Long Walk'. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Joshua Odjick as Parker, Jordan Gonzalez as Harkness, David Jonsson as McVries, Cooper Hoffman as Garraty, and Charlie Plummer as Barkovitch in ‘The Long Walk’. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate.

    Stephen King is the king of Hollywood!

    The famous author has had over 50 of his novels and short stories made into popular movies such as ‘Carrie‘, ‘The Shining‘, ‘Stand by Me‘, ‘The Running Man‘, ‘Misery‘, ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘, and ‘The Green Mile‘.

    The latest adaptation of one of King’s novels, ‘The Long Walk‘, which he wrote when he was only 19 and was directed by Francis Lawrence, is scheduled for release in theaters on September 12th.

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    In honor of the new film, and August 19th being “King Day”,  Moviefone is counting down the 19 best Stephen King movie adaptations of all time!

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    Let’s begin!

    19. ‘The Dark Tower‘ (2017)

    Idris Elba in 'The Dark Tower'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    Idris Elba in ‘The Dark Tower’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    A boy (Tom Taylor) haunted by visions of a parallel world aids its disillusioned guardian in preventing the destruction of the nexus of universes known as the Dark Tower.

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    18. ‘Dreamcatcher‘ (2003)

    Four boyhood pals (Thomas Jane, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant and Jason Lee) perform a heroic act and are changed by the powers they gain in return. Years later, on a hunting trip in the Maine woods, they’re overtaken by a vicious blizzard that harbors an ominous presence. Challenged to stop an alien force, the friends must first prevent the slaughter of innocent civilians by a military vigilante (Morgan Freeman)… and then overcome a threat to the bond that unites the four of them.

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    17. ‘Salem’s Lot‘ (2024)

    Author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.

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    16. ‘It Chapter Two‘ (2019)

    27 years after overcoming the malevolent supernatural entity Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), the former members of the Losers’ Club, who have grown up and moved away from Derry, are brought back together by a devastating phone call.

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    15. ‘Doctor Sleep‘ (2019)

    Ewan McGregor in 'Doctor Sleep'. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Ewan McGregor in ‘Doctor Sleep’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    Still scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) faces the ghosts of the past when he meets Abra (Kyleigh Curran), a courageous teen who desperately needs his help — and who possesses a powerful extrasensory ability called the “shine”.

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    14. ‘Apt Pupil‘ (1998)

    One day in 1984, Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro), a brilliant high school boy fascinated by the history of Nazism, stumbles across an old man whose appearance resembles that of Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellen), a wanted Nazi war criminal. A month later, Todd decides to knock on his door.

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    13. ‘Cujo‘ (1983)

    A friendly St. Bernard named “Cujo” contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.

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    12. ‘Firestarter‘ (1984)

    Charlene “Charlie” McGee (Drew Barrymore) has the amazing ability to start fires with just a glance. Can her psychic power and the love of her father (David Keith) save her from the threatening government agency which wants to destroy her?

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    11. ‘Pet Sematary‘ (1989)

    After the Creed family’s cat is accidentally killed, a friendly neighbor advises its burial in a mysterious nearby cemetery.

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    10. ‘The Life of Chuck‘ (2025)

    (L to R) Annalise Basso and Tom Hiddleston in 'The Life of Chuck'. Photo: Neon.
    (L to R) Annalise Basso and Tom Hiddleston in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.

    In this extraordinary story of an ordinary man, Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.

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    9. ‘The Monkey‘ (2025)

    When twin brothers (Both played by Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.

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    8. ‘It‘ (2017)

    In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.

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    7. ‘Carrie‘ (1976)

    Withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) faces taunting from classmates at school and abuse from her fanatically pious mother (Piper Laurie). When strange occurrences start happening around Carrie, she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers.

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    6. ‘Misery‘ (1990)

    After an accident, acclaimed novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by a nurse (Kathy Bates) who claims to be his biggest fan. Her obsession takes a dark turn when she holds him captive in her remote Colorado home and forces him to write back to life the popular literary character he killed off.

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    5. ‘The Running Man‘ (1987)

    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin "Ben" Richards in 'The Running Man.' Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin “Ben” Richards in ‘The Running Man.’ Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.

    By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style ‘The Running Man’, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian (Richard Dawson), where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.

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    4. ‘The Green Mile‘ (1999)

    A supernatural tale set on death row in a Southern prison, where gentle giant John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) possesses the mysterious power to heal people’s ailments. When the cell block’s head guard, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), recognizes Coffey’s miraculous gift, he tries desperately to help stave off the condemned man’s execution.

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    3. ‘Stand by Me‘ (1986)

    After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Vern (Jerry O’Connell), Chris (River Phenix) and Teddy (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys’ adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

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    2. ‘The Shining‘ (1980)

    Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd), must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren’t prepared for the madness that lurks within.

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    1. ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘ (1994)

    (L to R) Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in 'The Shawshank Redemption'. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
    (L to R) Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

    Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates — including an older prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman) — for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.

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  • Movie Review: ‘Salem’s Lot’

    (L to R) Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    (L to R) Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Landing on Max on October 3rd, ‘Salem’s Lot’ is hoping to entice the Halloween movie crowd with its old-school Stephen King chills.

    Yet the movie, which has been sitting completed on a shelf at Warner Bros.’ New Line arm, struggles with its less-than-entirely fresh treatment of the genre and some predictable characters.

    Related Article: J.J. Abrams Will Produce and may Direct Stephen King Film Billy Summers

    Does ‘Salem’s Lot’ get its teeth into you?

    John Benjamin Hickey in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    John Benjamin Hickey in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    It says something when a film by a writer who has been partly responsible for some of the biggest recent horror hits can’t secure a solid theatrical release. Admittedly, we live in an age where studios and other companies are seemingly quick to banish anything to their streaming services in hopes of propping up their flagging subscriber counts.

    Yet the move also does cause you to worry about the quality of the movie itself –– even with Gary Dauberman, who worked on ‘It’, that film’s sequel and several of the ‘Conjuring’ universe entries (including directing ‘Annabelle Comes Home’) –– at the helm, the result is something caught between two stools.

    Script and Direction

    'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Dauberman certainly has the credits and drawing from one of Stephen King’s other classic novels might be cause to think this one is a slam dunk. And yet… ‘Salem’s Lot’ has some big issues in both tone and plotting.

    While the movie certainly boasts an impressively retro style (it evokes the 1970s setting very well, with song choices, art direction and cinematography all doing their job on that front), the throwback nature of the plotting is a problem. This is a movie that feels, even though it runs close to two hours, like chunks have been chopped out of it, characters knowing information you’re not sure how they gleaned, and plot developments skipping ahead with key connective tissue missing.

    Filmmakers place value in “show, don’t tell,” but here the occasionally extra moment of “tell” would not have gone amiss. Vampire lore is apparently something everyone is well versed in, but there’s little reason to suspect why.

    The style also extends to the effects work, and while some imagery, such as crosses that seem to glow with angelic light when they come into contact with vampires is cool, it’s also distracting in places. Dauberman seemingly has a handle on what makes King’s stories creepy to begin with but falls down when it comes to more climactic moments.

    Performances

    With Lewis Pullman scoring a well-earned starring role, the film also features some good work from respected character performers, though one or two from the cast let the side down.

    Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears

    Lewis Pullman in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    Lewis Pullman in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Pullman has been a supporting actor for years, waiting in the wings for lead roles. Mears offers him one (though the movie was shot in 2021, so he’s been waiting longer than planned), the King stand-in who anchors the movie.

    Mears is a troubled yet likeable type, with an easy charm that Pullman can handle with grace and attitude, the everyman archetype coming naturally to him. And the role puts the actor through the wringer, having to deal with the growing supernatural threat. A large part of what works about ‘Salem’s Lot’ hangs firmly on his shoulders.

    Makenzie Leigh as Susan Norton

    Makenzie Leigh in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    Makenzie Leigh in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Leigh manages to infuse what could be a relatively standard love interest with some spirit. A wannabe realtor stuck working as the secretary for a scummy local agent, she quickly bonds with Ben. And when they are drawn into the mystery of what’s happening around time, Leigh makes her paranoia and fear believable.

    Bill Camp as Matthew Burke

    (L to R) Jordan Preston Carter and Bill Camp in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    (L to R) Jordan Preston Carter and Bill Camp in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Camp is an actor I appreciate in pretty much everything –– he brings a grumpy gravitas wherever he goes. Here, as local teacher Matt Burke, he’s allowed to more than just sit at desks and deliver speeches; and he grasps the opportunity with both hands.

    Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody

    Alfre Woodard in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    Alfre Woodard in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Woodard, just as accomplished as Camp, doesn’t get as fair a shake, though her doctor certainly has a few moments that stand out, her foul-mouthed reactions to vampires rising from the dead as entertaining as her calm medical demeanor.

    Pilou Asbæk as Richard Straker

    Pilou Asbaek in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    Pilou Asbaek in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Asbæk gives good villain, though here he’s mostly the manservant to the actual threat newly moved to town. Still, for what he gets to do, he’s certainly watchable, even if he’s introduced in slightly clumsy, ‘Dracula’-referencing fashion (as much King’s issue as it is Dauberman’s.)

    Supporting cast

    A few other performances pop –– Spencer Treat Clark is good as local handyman/grave digger Mike Ryerson, who becomes one of the early victims of the vampiric plague that begins to sweep the town. John Benjamin Hickey does well as Father Callahan, the local priest who also happens to be the town drunk. And Alexander Ward, though his role is limited to playing the main vamp, Kurt Barlow, is solid as the creature causing the chaos.

    If there are weaker links among the cast, it’s in some of the other supporting players, who rarely break out of the stereotypical roles they’re handed. Though credit to Jordan Preston Carter as Mark Petrie, who gives the most memorable performance from the town’s kids.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in 'Salem's Lot'. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    (L to R) Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in ‘Salem’s Lot’. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Dauberman certainly deserved better than to have his movie sit in limbo and then get shunted straight to Max. ‘Salem’s Lot’ is far from perfect, but it’s an entirely watchable adaptation of King’s novel, and might well have rustled up some business were in released in cinemas.

    ‘Salem’s Lot’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the plot of ‘Salem’s Lot’?

    Author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot, still haunted by a family tragedy.

    He’s hit town in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover the place where he grew up is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Salem’s Lot’?

    • Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears
    • Makenzie Leigh as Susan Norton
    • Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody
    • William Sadler as Parkins Gillespie
    • Bill Camp as Matthew Burke
    • Pilou Asbæk as Richard Straker
    • John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan
    • Jordan Preston Carter as Mark Petrie
    • Spencer Treat Clark as Mike Ryerson
    • Nicholas Crovetti as Danny Glick
    • Cade Woodward as Ralph Glick
    • Alexander Ward as Kurt Barlow
    'Salem's Lot' premieres October 3rd on Max. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.
    ‘Salem’s Lot’ premieres October 3rd on Max. Photo: Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max.

    Other Steven King Movies:

    Buy Stephen King Movies On Amazon

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  • Beyond Fest Announces Full 2024 Line Up

    Beyond Fest runs September 25th - October 9th, 2024.
    Beyond Fest runs September 25th – October 9th, 2024.

    Preview:

    • Beyond Fest is back in Los Angeles for its 12 year later this month.
    • ‘Salem’s Lot,’ ‘The Brutalist’ and more will receive premieres.
    • Filmmakers including Sam Raimi, Shane Black and more will present retrospectives.

    Now entering its 12th year, the highest-attended genre film festival in the US, Beyond Fest is back offering even more exciting screenings and talks with filmmakers.

    The event, which has brought first looks at new movies and more to fans for years, is back this month, boasting 82 features, including 16 World Premieres, 4 International Premieres, 1 North American Premiere, 3 US Premieres, and 25 West Coast Premieres.

    Related Article: Beyond Fest’s Full 2023 Line Up Includes ‘The Creator’, ‘The Toxic Avenger’ and More

    When and where is Beyond Fest 2024 happening?

    (L to R) Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in 'Lethal Weapon'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (L to R) Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in ‘Lethal Weapon’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    This year’s event runs between September 25th – October 9th.

    In partnership with the American Cinematheque and presented exclusively by distributor NEON, Beyond Fest will screen at the Egyptian Theatre, Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3, and Vista Theatre.

    Here’s what Head of Programming Evrim Ersoy has to say about this year’s fest:

    “Combining a celebration of cinema whilst firmly focusing our gaze on the next generation of filmmakers has always been at the heart of the Beyond Fest. And this year we have even more opportunity to bring together the full spectrum of genre filmmaking to the community that is at the core of everything we do: from Kiyoshi Kurosawa to Brady Corbet, Jennifer Kent to Sam Raimi, we have created a program that embraces all corners of the cinematic spectrum.”

    What could I see at the 2024 Beyond Fest?

    2024's Salem's Lot. Photo: Warners Bros.
    2024’s Salem’s Lot. Photo: Warners Bros.

    In its inimitable style, Beyond Fest is blending exciting new movies with the chance to experience old favorites and listen to the people who made them.

    Among the new movies on offer are ‘Salem’s Lot,’ the Stephen King adaptation directed by ‘It’ scribe Gary Dauberman (which opens this year’s event), Brady Corbet’s latest audacious indie ‘The Brutalist,’ the 35mm debut of Palme D’or Winner ‘Anora’ with writer/director Sean Baker and Mikey Madison in person and Marielle Heller’s scathing ‘Nightbitch’ starring Amy Adams hosted by Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus of The Bechdel Cast.

    Guy Maddin launches a special retrospective with his new film, ‘Rumours,’ Jesse Eisenberg brings road trip pic ‘A Real Pain’ and there is the Los Angeles Premiere of Ali Abbasi’s cutthroat origin story ‘The Apprentice,’ starring Sebastian Stan (as Donald Trump), Jeremy Strong, and Maria Bakalova.

    (L to R) Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan in 'The Apprentice'. Photo: Briarcliffe.
    (L to R) Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliffe.

    Closing the event will be Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s ‘Cloud‘ with the legendary Japanese auteur joining in-person to launch a 7-film retrospective.

    And for those craving a look back? Get a load of the retrospective screenings boasting more great filmmakers… Sam Raimi returns with a 35mm triple feature of ‘Darkman,’ ‘The Quick and the Dead,’ and ‘Drag Me to Hell,’ Shane Black showcases his pugilistic excellence with a quadruple bill including ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ and ‘The Nice Guys’, while Australian genre expert Jennifer Kent makes a rare U.S. appearance to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ‘The Babadook,’ paired with ‘The Nightingale.’

    Walter Hill revisits the murderous swamps of ‘Southern Comfort,’ Paul W.S. Anderson attends for a rare showing of his cosmic-cult-space-horror, ‘Event Horizon,’ and Indian auteur Tarsem Singh joins to showcase two stunning restorations: the World Premiere of ‘The Cell’ and the West Coast Premiere of ‘The Fall’.

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    That’s just a small sampling of what’s on offer. Visit beyondfest.com and americancinematheque.com for more details.

    How can I get tickets for the 2024 Beyond Fest?

    Tickets will be on sale via americancinematheque.com on Friday, September 13th at 10AM PST.

    Al Pacino in 'Scarface'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Al Pacino in ‘Scarface’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Some of the Movies Playing at Beyond Fest 2024:

    Buy ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Movies On Amazon

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  • James Wan Signs On for ‘Salem’s Lot’ Movie

    James Wan Signs On for ‘Salem’s Lot’ Movie

    FilmDistrict

    The 1979 miniseries of “Salem’s Lot” still ranks as one of the scariest Stephen King adaptations of all time. Now “Conjuring” master James Wan is producing a big-screen version of the tale about an ancient evil in a small town.

    Wan will produce and Gary Dauberman, whose writing credits include “It” and “The Nun,” will pen the script. He’ll also serve as executive producer.

    Tobe Hooper of “Poltergeist” fame directed the standout ’70s miniseries, which starred David Soul as a writer investigating mysterious deaths in his hometown, which all seem linked to newcomer James Mason. It was nominated for 3 Emmys and an Edgar Award. (A heavily edited two-hour version was also released in cinemas in some countries.)

    A 1979 sequel was directed by “It’s Alive”‘s Larry Cohen and there was a 2004 remake starring Rob Lowe.

    No director has been announced yet for the new version, although either Wan or Dauberman might opt to take on that role. Dauberman is making his directorial debut with the third “Annabelle” film, “Annabelle Comes Home,” which he also scripted.

    Wan stepped away from horror to direct “Aquaman” and “Furious 7,”  but the genre seems to where his heart is. He directed the first “Saw” movie, then launched franchises around “The Conjuring” and “Insidious.”

    Wan and Dauberman are also teaming up for “Swamp Thing,” which is set to premiere on the DC Universe platform in May.

    [Via THR]

     

  • The 21 Best Vampire Movies, Ranked From ‘Dracula’ to ‘Blade’

    The 21 Best Vampire Movies, Ranked From ‘Dracula’ to ‘Blade’