Stephen King compares new Salem’s Lot to The Great Escape
Warner Bros. TelevisionAuthor Steven King has seen the new reboot of Salem’s Lot, and calls it a “horror movie version of slow-burn movies like The Great Escape.”
Salem’s Lot is a vampire story that’s Stephen King‘s answer to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The book was first published in 1975. While in 1979 it was turned into a truly terrifying two-part miniseries.
Another TV version hit screens in 2004 to far less acclaim, but there hasn’t been a movie adaptation, until now.
Announced in April 2019, Gary Dauberman has written and directed the new Salem’s Lot, with James Wan producing. There’s no word on a release date yet, with rumors recently circulating that the film will go straight-to-streaming. But Stephen King has seen the finished flick and has been posting his thoughts on social media.
Stephen King compares new Salem’s Lot to The Great Escape
Taking to Twitter/X to review the new movie, Stephen King writes: “The Warner Bros. remake of Salem’s Lot, currently shelved, is muscular and involving. It has the feel of “Old Hollywood,” when a film was given a chance to draw breath before getting to business. When attention spans were longer, in other words.
“It feels like a horror movie version of slow-burn movies like The Great Escape. It builds very well. There are diversions from the book I don’t agree with, but on the whole, faithful.
“Best scene: Danny Glick in the hospital, trying to claw down a blood bag. The Glick scene could have been directed by John Carpenter in his prime.”
What is Salem’s Lot about?
Here’s the official synopsis of the Salem’s Lot book: “Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem’s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book.
“But when two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work. In fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the borders of this small New England town.”
Top Gun: Maverick star Lewis Pullman plays Mears, while Pilou Asbæk – so good as Euron Greyjoy in Game of Thrones – is head vampire Richard Straker.
There’s still no word regarding how Salem’s Lot will be released, but rest assured we’ll let you know when details are announced. For now, you can check out more of our horror coverage here.