Salem's Lot (2024)

Last night as I prepared for the alien invasion that apparently isn’t happening, I did put some horror on as a backdrop. After hitting a werewolf film earlier in the week, I decided to go with another traditional creature, the vampire. My selection was the 2024 remake of the Stephen King classic Salem’s Lot. 

Plot: An author returns to his hometown of Jerusalem's Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover that the townspeople are being attacked by a bloodthirsty vampire.

Being a fan of the original, I went into this with some rather low expectations. There was something with the grittiness of the original that made it memorable. As I feared, this one lacked that. While the movie as a whole was entertaining, it lacked the atmosphere, character development, and tension of the original and came across rushed and unrefined. The performances were good, there were some decent scenes, and there were positive elements. Unfortunately, the modernization of this one fell flat and lacked the execution that could have taken it to another level. Maybe if this was a mini-series or a limited series it could have achieved something more. In the end, this one was average and not worth more than a single watch. 

The Lawnmower Man (1992)

 

I am definitely already feeling some seasonal depression as Halloween has come and gone.  While I like to think with my movie choices and writing,  I live that 365 days a year,  there is an emptiness when spooky season ends that seems to last a few months.  Trying to keep my mind from the doldrums, I decided to revisit the 1992 sci-fi entry The Lawnmower Man.

Plot: A simple man is turned into a genius through the application of computer. 

This sci-fi entry may appeared dated with the visual effects of 1992, but that does nothing to bring down the truths lining this story.  Technology is our nemesis and in many ways we have behind slaves to the technology.  To me,  this is more of a drama dealing with moral and ethical problems that lie in many parts of science. In some ways,  much of this was demonstrated during the pandemic as many scientists played on their "so called"superiority in knowledges as a way to manipulate the world. Maybe we would have all benefited from watching this one again during those dark days.  But, enough of that rambling.  The performances were outstanding and the storyline was nuanced and true.  Yes,  the visual effects of the day make it feel out of touch, but they were pretty interesting for the day.  If you haven't watched it,  check it out. 

Children of the Corn (2023)

I decided to take a break from my Grimm marathon and watch a few movies yesterday, I started the day with Signs, followed by Ghost Ship, and finishing it off with the 2020 (2023) Children of the Corn.

Plot: The film describes the events leading up to, and including, the massacre of the adults of a small town in Nebraska by their children, after the adults' irresponsibility ruins the crop and the children's future.

Honestly, I don't know what to say about this one, it left me speechless ( and not in a good way). I guess if there was one positive,  although outrageous and completely unbelievable, I did like the ending (as a writer). Unfortunately,  that was about it. The storyline was alright but flat, the performances were lacking, the effects were meh, and there was absolutely no tension. In fact, it was more laughable than horror and added nothing to series.  Stay away!

Pet Sematary (1989)

Yesterday I was searching for something to watch with the girls downstairs and decided to search my streaming services to find something. After some internal debate, I decided on the 1989 Stephen King adaptation Pet Sematary.

Plot/ Behind a young family's home in Maine is a terrible secret that holds the power of life after death. When tragedy strikes, the threat of that power soon becomes undeniable.

This is one of the Stephen King adaptations that have a place right in the middle of the catalog. While it is nowhere near as good as The Shining or Misery, it is not nearly as bad as Maximum Overdrive or Christine. For fans of King, this movie does have a better than average feel, mostly because King himself penned the script. The cast is an interesting mix, the scenery is amazing, the storyline interesting, the effects solid, and the performances are decent, yet even those positives cannot make this reach the potential that it held inside. Unfortunately, the characters feel underdeveloped, the atmosphere is flat, there really aren’t any scares, and a lot of the movie felt restrained to a point where things become overly predictable. In the end, this is another case where the book is much better than the movie adaptation. Is this a terrible movie? No, but it also isn’t anywhere close to being an effective horror movie.

IT (2017)

As a horror fan, it is nice to see a buzz created within the genre. Hopefully, this attention leads to Hollywood taking some time and giving horror fans more movies, we can enjoy. With that buzz, I had to actually go see this one in the theater because the daughters have been yapping about it for a week. Last night I broke down and saw the 2017 Stephen King adaptation reboot of IT.

Plot/ In the Town of Derry, the local kids are disappearing one by one, leaving behind bloody remains. In a place known as The Barrens, a group of seven kids are united by their horrifying and strange encounters with an evil clown and their determination to kill IT.

Last night, I finally took the girls to see IT and was actually surprised by the overall experience. While this one was not as scary as I had heard (and would have liked), I thought it was an entertaining movie and one that was perfect for the daughters. The performances were solid and the actors and characters had great chemistry between them, the make-up was outstanding, and the cinematography, use of lighting, and overall visuals were tremendous. Even the scripting was able to create a somewhat darker atmosphere and keep the subtle comedic elements in play throughout. Unfortunately for me, the scares just weren’t there. Maybe it is because I have read the Stephen King classic or maybe because I consume horror movies all the time, but I found it a touch predictable. Plus, I am not a huge fan of CGI and there were some times where that process felt overused. In the end, I did thoroughly enjoy this movie. No, it wasn’t perfect or close to the best King adaptation, but it made for an entertaining evening and again proves why Clown Lives Matter. 

IT (1990)

As I prepare to go see the new blockbuster IT, I decided that I wanted to venture back into the mind of Stephen King for a few days this week. So I figured that there was no better way to end this week than a trip back to 1990 for the King classic IT!

Plot/ In 1960, seven pre-teen outcasts fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.

As I prepared this week to go see IT, I don’t think it would be prudent to see the film unless I revisited the 1990 miniseries that made people fear clowns. First off, Tim Curry is amazing as Pennywise, interpreting the darkness of the evil clown perfectly. Based on a huge novel by Stephen King, the adaptation was sound; striking a nice balance between the materials from the novel that was necessary and unnecessary. Yes, some of it was a touch bizarre, but that fit the storyline. Other than that, the cast was interesting and because it was a made for television event the lack of gore and onscreen violence is to be expected. Unfortunately, the production values reek of lower quality television, the visuals are average at best do not capture the atmosphere in the way that it should, and the performances are a little flat. In fact, because of the run-time, it is debatable on whether or not the film is too long or short, an answer that even watching it again has me questioning. The worst part is the ending, which was somewhat of a letdown in comparison to the craziness from the source material. In the end, this was a fun and nostalgic look back at a miniseries that did leave an imprint on society. While it is rough in some spots, I feel that it is a great primer for the movie I am about to see. It may not be perfect, but if you haven’t seen it, give it a shot.

Cujo (1983)

As I prepare to finally break down and head out to see IT in a couple days, I figured that it was time to immerse myself in a mini Stephen King marathon. My first selection in this endeavor is the 1983 thriller Cujo.

Plot/ Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.

Movies based on Stephen King novels are often hit or miss and unfortunately more seem to miss. I was a huge King fan growing up and read all of the books he put out, so maybe, that is why I find the adaptations uneven at best. Most of the movies never seem to capture the characters as well as they were written. This one was a movie that when I first saw it in the 1980s didn’t meet my expectations. Watching it today, while I still find it a touch uneven, it does have a tension that I didn’t remember existing when I first watched it. The cinematography was solid, the cast and performances worked, the storyline was believable, and this was much better than the majority of animal attack films that came out during that general era. I have to admit that the realistic feel and the tone definitely took me back to my youth and the grainy look of the drive-in classics. Sure, some of the movie feels a touch dated, but that is somewhat expected after all these years. In the end, this may not be the best adaptation of his work, but it does rank in the top half. If you have not seen it, you should check it out.

The Dead Zone (1983)

After last night, I wanted to watch something that was both older and entertaining. After some searching on my streaming services, I decided on the 1983 thriller The Dead Zone.

Plot/ Johnny Smith wakes from a coma due to a car accident, only to find he has lost five years of his life, and yet gained psychic powers. Foreseeing the future appears to be a gift at first, but ends up causing problems.

This movie often is overlooked when talking about David Cronenberg and his resume. Yet, this one may be one of his best films, albeit one that is nowhere close to being as graphic of some of his other films. Based on the novel by Stephen King, this one is definitely more of a thriller than straight horror film and it sits near the top of the King adaptations. Incredibly, this film holds up rather well considering its age and is a flick that is both atmospheric and enlightening. The performances are solid with Christopher Walken not only embracing his role, but also carrying the sadness of the part perfectly to add to the atmosphere. The entire cast works, the cinematography is outstanding, the soundtrack adds depth to the film, and the storyline is well constructed. Yes, there are some costuming elements that feel dated and the pacing is a touch slow, but for a thriller, neither of those do anything to damage the feel of the movie. In the end, I am not usually a fan of King adaptations, but this is a story that I loved when I read it, I loved the first time I saw the movie, and I still enjoy today. Plus, with it on Prime, it is a great movie to catch for free and feel a sense of dread.

Cell (2016)

While I know this is Friday the 13th and I should be doing a review of one of those films, the one I grabbed (and am watching right now), I have already reviewed. So, to fill that void, I am writing up the movie from last night, 2016s Cell.

Plot/ When a mysterious cell phone signal causes apocalyptic chaos; an artist is determined to reunite with his young son in New England.

I have never read this book by Stephen King, but honestly, that was probably a good thing because it is often difficult to watch adaptations of his work if you are familiar with the source material. From watching this and the disjointed storyline, I definitely imagine that was the case. More of a philosophical thriller than zombie horror flick, there were some elements of the story that were intriguing. In many ways, this is the world that we live in and I could see society suffer with some type of psychological trauma if something similar happened. The scripting was honest; the performances decent, and there were some atmospheric moments that made this somewhat interesting. Unfortunately, the cinematography and effects make this more of a low budget B-movie destined for the SyFy Channel than anything else, a surprising fact when you see that John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson take on the lead roles. In the end, this one is nothing memorable and I imagine that the book was a better time. Is it watchable? Yes, but, have I seen worse? Absolutely!

Children of the Corn (1984)

After diving into something that was somewhat out of my normal selections last night, I decided that it was time for me to go back into some of the films from my youth on Shudder. After some thought, I decided on the 1984 horror flick Children on the Corn.

Plot/ A young couple is trapped in a remote town where a dangerous religious cult of children believe everyone over the age of 18 must be killed.

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Growing up a huge Stephen King fan and loving horror movies during the 1980s, I clearly remember this one from when it came out. At that time, I was a touch disappointed by the lack of blood and gore, but I also did not quite grasp the intricacies of atmospheric horror. All in all, this movie is quite tame (although there are some creepy moments sprinkled it). The performances are solid, the storyline works well with some suspenseful moments, and the soundtrack is perfect. Yes, it does lack the blood, guts, and nudity that were staples of most 1980s horror, but it is an entertaining trip into the occult/religious cult ideologies that saturate some parts of society. In the end, this may be one of my favorite King adaptations and a movie that struck a cord with me (I grew up next to a corn field). If you have not seen it, give it a shot you could do much worse.

Mercy (2014)

As I continue to struggle through the final days of this miserable college math class, I decided that it was time to throw on something supernatural to assist in my learning. After some debate, I decided on the 2014 independent entry Mercy.  

Plot/ Two unruly boys move with their mom to grandma’s old farmhouse to care for her and discover that grandma has a pact with ancient beings that bestow on her special powers. Now they must survive the terrifying presence in the farmhouse.

I often cringe when I see something listed as a Stephen King adaptation, as usually they can never live up to the source material. Unfortunately, while this movie is not as bad as some, it definitely struggled to capture the atmosphere and creepiness of the original short story Gramma. While there were some positives in the film within the extremely short run time, with a decent cast, some solid performances, and the pace kept things interesting. However, even with those positives, the lack of atmosphere and some strange cinematic decisions with the lighting brought this down to average at best. In the end, this one again failed to match the potential of the sources King work, and becomes another in a long list of movies that fail to capture the magic. Is it terrible? No, but it is not great either. If you love Stephen King, give it a shot, if not, there are better options out there.

Salem's Lot (1979)

While I have been splitting time between Fringe and Ancient Aliens, I did find my way to Pittsburgh to hand out with my cousin Jennifer (visiting from Seattle) and her brothers, Jonathan and Jason, as they performed with their band, The Dumplings last night in the city. It was so awesome watched Jennifer hit the stage for an Alice Cooper cover to close the show. Today, I decided to venture back to my youth while doing some homework with the 1979 classic Salem’s Lot.

Plot/ Young novelist returning home to Salem's Lot after many years is disturbed by the strange behavior of its people. He begins to believe that the source of the trouble may be the eerie old Marsten House that overlooks the town.

Its funny, I had remembered much of Salem’s Lot, but almost forgot just how good this miniseries was. It is amazing to see exactly how much the quality put on our televisions has dropped over the past few decades. This was a solid entry that featured outstanding performances, solid scripting, dark and heavy atmosphere, and a soundtrack that backed it up perfectly. Sure, as a made for television entry, it lacks gore and nudity, but that does not bring this one down at all. In fact, it makes for a perfect vampire primer for the younger generation as it depicts the genre in the way they should be portrayed (sparkling vampires suck). In the end, Salem’s Lot may be one of the better King adaptations from the 1970s or 1980s, and it is a movie that must be seen. If you have not watched it, find it and check it out!

Carrie (2013)

Everyday I think about what movies I plan on watching and often have mini debates inside my mind as I figure out what genre I want to venture into. Once in a while, there are movies that come out that cause me strife, as my emotions are torn on whether it would be worth viewing. This was one of those, the 2013 remake of Carrie. 

Plot/ A reimagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White, a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother, who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom. 

I have been on the fence about watching this one. As a fan of the original, it would be hard to see this one live up to that one. Usually, when a remake hits the street, they never compare to the original. That, in some ways is the case with this one. While it does not match the original, it is a solid an entertaining remake. The cast works well, especially Julianne Moore who nails the role of the religious freak mother. Even Chloe Grace Moretz, was better in the role than I expected, sure she is different than and plays the role differently than the iconic Sissy Spacek, but it works. While it is more of a remake /update than revision, it does add a few elements from the Stephen King novel that were left out of the original. yes, there are some pacing issues and some of the characters do not match the actors, but overall, it works and is entertaining. In the end, it may not have the atmosphere or shock value of the original (how could it), but it is an entertaining flick. If you watch it with an open mind, you should enjoy it, just do not expect the magic of the 1970s masterpiece.

The Shining (1980)

When thinking about Halloween and the dark, eerie times we live in, it is hard not to search for that perfect supernatural horror flick to make you look over your shoulder. While these are becoming rare, some classics leave a lasting impression.  Being in a Stanley Kubrick mood, I decided to take a trip down memory lane to 1980, and his classic, The Shining.

Plot/ A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.

The adaptation of the Stephen King classic may be one of the best horror / supernatural movies of the 1980s. While King was not a fan of Kubricks’ vision, it is truly a masterpiece. The atmosphere is dark and foreboding, the acting is outstanding, the cinematography is amazing, and the scripting perfect for the downward spiral into an abyss. Sure, there were some slow moments, but those are easily overlooked. In the end, The Shining is one of the most frightening films from my youth and one that stands-up to the test of time. If you have not ventured into this masterpiece, you are wrong. This is a must see for all horror fans. 

Bag of Bones (2011)

I love a chance to watch something different, especially when there is nothing on television. After finishing my first article for Steelers101.com last night, I decided to finish watching the A&E mini-series Bag of Bones based on the work of famed horror maestro Stephen King.

Plot/ Best-selling novelist Mike Noonan cannot stop grieving after his wife Jo's and their unborn child's sudden death. Writer's block and nightmares force him to return to the couple's former summer home beside a lake in western Maine. Once there, his ability to write quickly returns, in addition to more nightmares. At the house, he continually gets visits from the spirit of a blues singer, Sarah Tidwell. Through her visits, his nightmarish dreams, and clues hidden in his previously unpublished work, he learns truths about himself and the town.

When I saw the preview for this, I did not know what to expect. It is no secret that for whatever reason Stephen King novels rarely translate onto film. That is not saying that they are not entertaining, because most are, they just lose something in the translation. I had never read Bag of Bones, so in watching it, I had no comparison and I actually liked what I saw. Yes, there were some flaws, the acting was uneven, the cinematography/direction so-so, and it is chalked full of cliché moments, but overall it was entertaining. For me, the plot kept me interested and there was some violence and gore.  In the end, I felt this was a decent mini-series, I would not run out and buy it when it finally hits DVD, but I would watch it for free if it was on.