For a two part TV movie that came out in 1979, this is superb. Great setting, acting and the best vampire ever on screen. Just wish Kurt Barlow had gotten a little more screen time. If you haven't seen this genuinely scary move, order it on demand now.

It is never an easy task in adapting a Stephen King novel. His books include many details regarding plot and characters, with many intricate components. A sterling job has been done in bringing the bestselling book of "Salem's Lot" to the small screen. The mini series had to be a long one in order to include the various characters and plot details. The production also succeeded in that there is no foul language included, any sexual content is both mild and minimal and the violence serves a purpose. Regarding the fact that there were two different versions of "Salem's Lot" - one for television and one for the cinema - the only one to see, is the mini series. It has a superior narrative and a more thorough plot. In addition, the majority of the production is a flashback. David Soul plays a successful writer who returns to the town of his childhood so he can write a book based upon the notorious Marsden house. He is a man who is persecuted by an experience he had as a boy and it concerns entering the Marsden house. Soul does quite well as Benjamin Mears but James Mason gives the best performance as Straker the antiques dealer and guardian to his undead master. A plague and a wave of vampirism is about to be unleashed upon the town of Salem's Lot. The plot really warms up after about 30 minutes. Before then, all the main characters are depicted as we discover what their role in the story is. The atmosphere and suspense is well maintained throughout and looking at the location where the mini series was made, I can actually envision there being vampires roaming the countryside that surrounds Salem's Lot. There are so many great scenes. Amongst them, the scene where Lew Ayres is paid a visit at home by an undead creature of the night, children vampires stalking their prey, David Soul fending off a female vampire at the local morgue etc. As Mears, Soul displays much vulnerability and isn't exactly a "superhero" kind of character. He finds himself thrown into the position of being the hero but he isn't afraid to display his fear regarding the horrible events that take place. The ending could have been a bit better and I feel it was rushed. The Count should have come into the series a bit earlier. This is an intelligent and thought-provoking bit of television and it bears repeated viewing.

First things first when it comes to Salem's Lot, make sure the three- hour extended version is watched for the full experience of a fabulous film. Otherwise any shortened version that exist out there will be choppy and convoluted. There is a vast amount of defined characters, who performed great for their part, and weren't silly to the point it would hamper the movie. There is a handful of recognizable actors and actresses that aren't mainstream (Bonnie Bedelia, Ed Flanders, Geoffrey Lewis, Fred Willard) but are fantastic with a shared role. What horror fans like most about Salem's Lot however is the effect of Kurt Barlow, the vampire. There are always the mimicked comments on message boards and reviews that say "This is how vampires are supposed to look" and "This is way better than the Twilight vampires", its frankly true. Tobe Hooper will be more always more well known for Poltergeist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre but its Salem's Lot, which I personally find to be his best work.

One of my favorite adaptations of any Stephen King work. Not because it religiously follows the book, that's for sure. In many ways this mini-series improves upon it. Tobe Hooper creates a wonderfully spooky old-school atmosphere. There are several memorably creepy set-pieces, particularly those involving the vampire kid and, of course, every scene with the Nosferatu-like Barlow. The makeup for Barlow is very effective. CGI can't touch this. The cast and direction are great. Love the location shooting and '70s TV look. I'll admit it's not perfect. The Soul/Bedelia romance feels contrived and rushed. The subplot about the cheating wife adds nothing to the overall story. But even though it feels a little padded in places, catch the original full-length mini-series, not the shortened version. It's one of the best made-for-TV movies ever made and possibly the best vampire movie to come out of the '70s.