The new film adaptation of Stephen King’s vampire novel “Salem’s Lot” premieres October 3. Directed by Gary Dauberman, the movie brings King’s beloved 1975 story to the big screen. Dauberman faced challenges in adapting the lengthy novel into a feature film. He had to cut some minor characters to focus on the core story and characters.
Lewis Pullman, who plays author Ben Mears, said it was “scary” taking on such an iconic story. He praised Dauberman’s work honoring the novel while making changes needed for the movie format. Pullman noted Dauberman aimed for “visual and conceptual” horror rather than just jump scares.
Adapting the extensive novel tested Dauberman. His initial script was as long as the book. Dauberman revealed struggling to balance fidelity to King’s work with effective storytelling. He showed emotion holding King’s first published short story featured in the movie.
King himself endorsed the adaptation despite some deviations. He called it “quite good” and complimented its “old-school horror” approach. King especially liked a scene from the book faithfully recreated. While not fully agreeing with all changes, King felt the film largely stayed true to his original work. His approval importantly supported the film’s release.
As the latest addition to recent King adaptations, “Salem’s Lot” blends classic scares with modern techniques. Whether it satisfies devoted fans or attracts new audiences remains unseen. However, with acclaimed director Dauberman at the helm and King’s blessing, the film seems poised as a standout horror title this Halloween season.
