• Release year: 2024
• Director: Gary Dauberman.
• Producers: Michael Clear, Roy Lee, James Wan and Mark Wolper.
• Screenplay by: Gary Dauberman.
• Cinematography by: Michael Burgess.
• Music by: Nathan Barr and Lisbeth Scott.

Shotgun Commentary: AWESOME vampire-themed horror movie, scary as hell and absolutely engrossing.

Review

Salem’s Lot is the second cinematic adaptation, third if you count the miniseries, made from Stephen King’s homonymous novel. The protagonist of the story is Ben Miers (Lewis Pullman). He is a novelist who goes back to his childhood town only to discover it’s being appropriated by vampires. With bare minimum knowledge of vampires, improv as their main weapon, and lots of guts, he and a few other survivors will fight against the supernatural plague.

Good ingredients = great meal

There isn’t much to say about the story itself other than it being pretty faithful to the original narrative. Like most King novels, the development of the story is riveting and horrifying at the same time. All the twists and turns of the tale contribute to the experience, hitting exactly where the nerves are and tapping into your worst fears like few accounts can.

While having a good text is definitely a plus, the atmosphere plays a huge part in this case, both in terms of image and of audio. The soundtrack makes your blood run cold from the very beginning. Even when only snippets of the story to come are shown very conceptually during the initial credits. From then on, its use along with audio effects and the constant volume changes only add to the chilling atmosphere. It is not common for a score to respect the volume of conversations. In fact, the constant highs and lows between scenes can totally ruin the experience and, while this issue seems to be on its way to solved, few movies can brag about having a proper sound configuration. This is one of those few.

As for the image, it has been curated so carefully that one can’t help but be in awe of it during every single shot, even when simultaneously you are feeling your continence failing you.

Looks are EVERYTHING

The first thing one can notice is the sepia filter on the film. From a retro-looking titles to a retro looking town, everything seems to be bathed in a yellowish filter that makes you wonder if they are not in Texas instead of Massachusetts. However, the colour palette drastically changes after the first tragedy of the film takes place. From then on, cold tones and blunt contrasts take the reins of the visuals.

In addition to the general colour palettes, the scenes themselves are a wonder to behold, especially the most horrifying ones. The use of fog, silhouettes against a colourful sunset sky, or subjective points of view are just some examples with which the cinematography controls the narrative during horror scenes.

The variety of strategies directs your eyes in order to follow each moment exactly as you are supposed to. It brings innovation into what could have been some pretty standard and boring story telling. There are tons of formulas for horror in terms of jump scares, tension and reveals. Salem’s Lot manages to surpass those “template” shooting configurations in order to bring you a new, more dynamic experience.

The A-Team

Another incredible part of the feature is, of course, the characters. Lewis Pullman has been quite busy lately. He’s managed to break free from the shy, smart guy role with films like Skincare (2024) and Salem’s Lot (2024). While he goes back to playing the nice guy in this movie, Ben Miers’ demeanour is definitely a new one for Pullman. Luckily, he nails this role like all the others, making a pretty simple character into a very likeable one. As for the rest of the cast, they are as brilliant as their characters. Jordan Preston Carter in the role of Mark Petrie is wonderful, knowing how to make the most of an incredibly charismatic character.

Surprising no one, Alfre Woodard plays heroine Dr. Cody. The only one with enough cool head to act logically in an emergency and to point out obvious nonsense when it comes up. John Benjamin Hickey, Bill Camp and Spencer Treat were made to play their respective roles of drunk priest, nice teacher, and low-life. The casting made so well that even without any prior knowledge about the narrative, you will be able to read each person to perfection.

All in all, Salem’s Lot is one of the best horror films of the year, and that’s not an easy feat in 2024. It brings back the classic supernatural horror with a bang. From the drop-dead gorgeous cinematography, to the fantastic cast and the chilling score, everything works in this feature. If you are a horror/vampire fan, this is a must-watch for sure!

Thanks to Warner Bros for big screen access! Salem’s Lot will be released the 11th of October in UK.

Advice to take from this movie:

• If a vampire has just tried to kill a man, maybe don’t leave him alone straight after and in the middle of the night?!
• If your town is being stalked by vampires, wear crosses everywhere: accessories, clothes… Tattoo them if you have to!
• One smart kid can accomplish more than four semi-competent adults.

What’s your take? Have you watched Salem’s Lot? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀