Derrik Draven

Salem's Lot...sheesh!!!!!

I'm a fan of this movie. Seen the TV version a handful of times, starting back in the 80's.

I always thought that the hour and a half long movie (plus commercials) was rather entertaining, even if it was a bit on the "B" side of the fence. Kind of liked the atmosphere of the whole thing.

On a whim, I bought the DVD. Just got in in the mail 2 days ago and watched it last night.

This IS NOT quite the movie I remember from television. After sitting there for 2 hours, realizing that I'm about only 2/3 of the way through, and seeing MANY scenes I never saw before, I decided to look at the box and, sure enough, total time of movie...183min!?!!?

What the f***?!!?!

Talk about gutting and cutting a movie for tv!!!!! I had NO IDEA that the movie was originally just over 3 hours long. Hell...it's as long a Braveheart!??!

I never thought that anyone would take a movie and literally rip it in half for tv.

But, to be honest...even though every single movie I've watched so far, with material added back in, I've enjoyed, this movie; however, seemed to move alot better with alot of the extra cut out.

I was getting bored by the 2nd hour.

This is the 1st movie I've watched where, I have to agree with the cuts. Not all of them but, alot of them. It really dragged in it's full glory.

...still a pretty cool vamp movie, however.

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"...better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it". - Slater, True Romance

Greg_S_H

No comment about the cuts, as I haven't seen the shorter version (and haven't seen the long version in years), but I just want to make sure you know every version was a TV version. It was a mini-series.

Also, off-topic, but I hear there are TWO new versions coming out in the near future: a feature film and another TV mini-series. Kind of overkill, but it's probably my favorite King book. Still, I'd rather him just write a sequel.

ChrisR

I just got done reading this book a couple weeks ago. Very cool. I'm looking forward to renting the dvd.

Bill McA

Greg is correct....Salem's Lot was first shown as a 2-part CBS mini-series, totalling 4 hours (including commercials).
The DVD is the 4-hour version minus the commercials, plus a little bit of extra gore that was included in overseas theatrical prints.
CBS later telecast a shortened 3-hour (including commercials) version.
There has never been a 90 minute version to my knowledge.

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DVDBeaver & My DVD Collection

Christina_DQ

Actually the shortest version i know of.....is title Salem's Lot:The Movie & is only 114mn!


I've never bothered renting it,even though i could if i wanted to. I've only seen the full 183mn version & while it may be very long-i still liked it & prefer it that way.


I finnaly read the book months ago & thought it was great. the mini-series definatly left out & changed around alot of intersting/good things that hoepfully the new version(s) will do justice?

But the movie is still pretty scary,which is what matters most,since not many adaptions resemble a book anyway.

Inspector Hammer!

It's funny but I actually remember watching the first run of it when it premiered back in the late 70's, and I was only like 6 or so at the time too, so needless to say it gave me nightmares that lasted for weeks!

I've only ever seen the full 3+ hours cut of the film, and that's the cut that I prefer. I don't have this dvd, but talking about it like this makes me have the need to get it so I think I will this weekend. That first apperance of Mr. Barlow (aka very friggen scary head vampire) in the jail cell, makes me jump out of my skin everytime I see it! Man, what a fiendish face!

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God bless the USA and the men and woman of our military and their families!

TonyD

i think christina is right it was released theatrically(sp) probably in england with a shorter run time (114 mins?)

My "B" button rarely works.
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Brian Kidd

The dvd of this is pretty good. The picture and sound are what one would expect from a TV film from the Seventies, but for $9.99 at Target, you can't beat it!

Christina_DQ

As for the length of the movie & it being hard to sit through after awhile since it's slow........


I'd recomend watching the movie in however many installments it was shown in! It works out better + keep things interesting leaving off with a cliff hanger,then seeing the rest the next day or so. Much like a book chapter ending with a punch,leaving you wanting more.

Anytime i watch The Stand,which is a great mini-series. I always watch each installment one at a time,day by day. It's over 6hrs all together,and i would'nt wanna sit through the whole thing at once + it has a more epic feel seeing it in intallments as it progress's(+was originaly shown n).


The only time i ever sat through a long min-series in one sitting was when i rented V:The Final Battle. I haven't seen it in years & since it was a 1 day rental,id have to watch the whole thing that night since i was busy the next day + had to get it back by a certain time.


It was VERY long i have to say,but the movie rules-though once it evercomes out on dvd. I'm watching it one at a time

Adam Tyner

According to the British Board of Film Classification, a 105m 44s cut was given an '18' rating on May 22, 1986.

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