Podcast: A Return To Salem's Lot
Larry Cohen's gigantic whiff of a vampire movie is a critique of American conservatism in the 80's that feels way too apropos for modern times
Bring Me The Axe! Horror Podcast
Episode 92: A Return To Salem’s Lot
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Bring Me the Axe! is a comedy podcast celebrating the best (and worst) horror from a time when the video store ruled the night. Every other week, brothers Bryan and Dave White (and the occasional guest) heed the call of nostalgia and evaluate the classic 70s and 80s horror movies they loved in their childhood to determine whether the movies are still relevant today or should be allowed to fade into obscurity.
This week we’re looking at Larry Cohen’s bizarre sequel to Tobe Hooper’s hit TV miniseries, Salem’s Lot which was based on the novel by Stephen King. While the studio bent over backwards to convince video renters that this movie was also from the mind of Stephen King and also had that cool Kurt Barlow vampire, Cohen’s movie bears very, very little in common with the original.
When anthropologist Joe Weber is called back to New York to deal with his delinquent son, he decides to reconnect with the kid by moving out to an old cottage he inherited from his aunt in Salem’s Lot, Maine. When they arrive, however, they quickly learn that the town is haven to a race of vampires hiding in plain sight. They have plans for Joe and his son Jeremy and are desperately trying to maintain their ancient way of life.
Cohen set out to make a satire of American conservatism in the 80’s with this movie but the end product doesn’t quite stick the landing.
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