The cover art for the DVD (and Video) claims "The Ultimate Terror". Sorry, it could have been, but wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I do like the movie, even bought the DVD, but, what could have been the fright of your life didn't happen simply because this, like so much of Stephen King's material, winds up as a Television movie/mini-series.
I read Salem's Lot twice while stationed in Korea, not from boredom but, because next to Dracula, this was the best vampire story I'd ever read (sorry Anne Rice fans, with all due respect, her work doesn't match this book for me). I returned stateside to find that it had been made into, I believe, a 2 part mini-series, and I couldn't wait for its airing. Boy, was I disappointed. Okay, I don't require tons of violence or gore in my movie, but, I like it to be at least somewhat realistic in what it's trying to portray. The downside to this show is that there was either a freeze frame exiting to a commercial, or a freeze frame cutting to another scene whenever a vampire went for someone's jugular. Bad. Really Bad.
The video came, and was drastically edited (about 70+ minutes), and it showed (it has been re-issued as a restored version, I believe). Even without the commercials to disrupt the effect of the movie, there was so much missing that I really didn't enjoy it.
The DVD is restored and complete, minus the commercials. However, one of the more distracting attributes of this version is that the commerical break fade-outs are still there. And, of course the freeze-frame effects are still there. This is not to say that I found it totally BAD. No, the sets were very good. The Teleplay stayed resonably close to the book, as I remember it. And the acting is fair to excellent. It is creepy, VERY CREEPY in parts. Much more so than I remembered. For the horror fan who doesn't have to have tons of gore and violence in his movie, or those who are too young for the R-Rated material, this is basically one of the best to watch. I don't regret purchasing the DVD. Actually, I'm very glad I got it. To see the entire show un-edited again has improved my opinion of this effort. I just wish that Tobe Hooper, or a competant director, will one day take on the task of doing a re-make that isn't overly gross or violent (that doesn't always make it better), and keeps strictly with the story line and characters as Stephen King wrote it. That would be something to see.
DVD is the format I would suggest that you get for viewing Salem's Lot. The movie runs non-stop, and that effect alone makes for superior viewing, as well as the incredible quality of the DVD reprodution.
I read Salem's Lot twice while stationed in Korea, not from boredom but, because next to Dracula, this was the best vampire story I'd ever read (sorry Anne Rice fans, with all due respect, her work doesn't match this book for me). I returned stateside to find that it had been made into, I believe, a 2 part mini-series, and I couldn't wait for its airing. Boy, was I disappointed. Okay, I don't require tons of violence or gore in my movie, but, I like it to be at least somewhat realistic in what it's trying to portray. The downside to this show is that there was either a freeze frame exiting to a commercial, or a freeze frame cutting to another scene whenever a vampire went for someone's jugular. Bad. Really Bad.
The video came, and was drastically edited (about 70+ minutes), and it showed (it has been re-issued as a restored version, I believe). Even without the commercials to disrupt the effect of the movie, there was so much missing that I really didn't enjoy it.
The DVD is restored and complete, minus the commercials. However, one of the more distracting attributes of this version is that the commerical break fade-outs are still there. And, of course the freeze-frame effects are still there. This is not to say that I found it totally BAD. No, the sets were very good. The Teleplay stayed resonably close to the book, as I remember it. And the acting is fair to excellent. It is creepy, VERY CREEPY in parts. Much more so than I remembered. For the horror fan who doesn't have to have tons of gore and violence in his movie, or those who are too young for the R-Rated material, this is basically one of the best to watch. I don't regret purchasing the DVD. Actually, I'm very glad I got it. To see the entire show un-edited again has improved my opinion of this effort. I just wish that Tobe Hooper, or a competant director, will one day take on the task of doing a re-make that isn't overly gross or violent (that doesn't always make it better), and keeps strictly with the story line and characters as Stephen King wrote it. That would be something to see.
DVD is the format I would suggest that you get for viewing Salem's Lot. The movie runs non-stop, and that effect alone makes for superior viewing, as well as the incredible quality of the DVD reprodution.