This seminal 1979 Stephen King adaption may start off like a Peyton Place inspired nightime soaper but by the end of its nearly four hour run viewers were witness to some of the most terrifying scenes on network television. Tobe Hooper's less then faithfull adaption takes it time, but its pacing only adds to the palpable atmosphere of dread. Lingering shots and long moments of silence are seldom taken advantage of in contemporary horror films. Here they are utilized to create unbearable moments of suspense, and perhaps one of the last truly great gothic vampire films.
INDELIBLE SCENE(S):
- The young vampire floating outside the window surrounded by backwards moving mist, scratching at the glass
- A glowing-eyed Geoffrey Lewis getting up from his rocking chair to demand "loook at meeee teacher!…"
- Nosferatu inspired master vampire Barlow appearing in Lance Kerwin's kitchen to knock his parents skulls together
I have only known about your wonderful site for about a week but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it and visit it dailey. Trying to think up some of my own KINDERTRAUMAS that haven't been mentioned yet I thought about that little kid floating outside the window in SALEMS LOT! I'm surprised more people haven't written in to complain about him! He was freakin TERRIFYING and I couldn't look out windows at night for a very long time (Come to think of it, I STILL don't!)
The commercials alone for this movie made me wanna wet my pants! I remember watching the movie as a teenager and being pretty bored by it's slow pace and long running time….and then THAT KID popped up and I was curled up in a fetal position weeping again. That kid deserved his own movie! He was a KINDERTRAUMA Goldmine!!!
"Look at me, teacherrrr!"
I remember reading that King was extremely displeased over Barlow's depiction as a bald, blue rat-face (yeah, I could see how he might be unhappy), but wow, oh wow, did he scare the crap out of me when I was little! Not to mention some of the other "beauties" on parade. Yikes!