The latest cinematic rendition of Stephen King’s renowned novel, Salem’s Lot, has hit UK cinemas. The plot follows writer Ben Mears as he revisits a town from his childhood to pen a book about a house that used to terrify him.
However, upon his return to Jerusalem’s Lot, he uncovers a sinister secret – a vampire has taken residence in the town, transforming its inhabitants into the undead one by one.
Mears is tasked with leading a small group to become hunters and eliminate the head vampire in a bid to save the entire town.
As with many previous adaptations, fans of the original novel should anticipate some alterations for the film’s purpose. Here are all the changes made in the 2024 version of Salem’s Lot from the original book.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for both the original Salem’s Lot novel and the recently released film version.
How Ben and Susan meet
In the book, Ben and Susan have a chance meeting at the park but in the film, they meet at an office.
Unlike the novel, they also go on a date in the drive-in and they gossip about the town’s residents. A handy way to introduce all those characters.
Cut characters
Speaking of those townspeople, there are quite a few to keep track of in the book.
Naturally, that list is trimmed down for the recent film, which is not surprising considering it is the shortest of all the adaptations of Salem’s Lot.
This includes lovers Bonnie Swayer and Corey Bryant, trash collector Dud Rogers and Ruthie. Some are just barely mentioned like bus driver Charlie Rogers and the realtor Larry Crockett who only gets one scene.
The book has subplots and backstories for many of them which show their lives before they are often confronted with the town’s vampiric invader.
Fate of Glick boys altered
In the book, Danny and Ralphie Glick are both abducted and become the first victims very early on.
The film makes a few alterations to what happens to them by making them want to get away from the creepy vampire familiar who is trying to grab them.
In addition, Ralph has a harmonica and they are taken when they are trying to get home as opposed to on their way to their friend Mark Petrie’s house.
That’s not all though as the book leaves some mystery as to one of the boy’s fate. While Danny is hospitalised with pernicious anaemia, it’s not immediately obvious what is really happening to him.
With the use of a blood bag, the film makes no question that the young boy is turning into a vampire.
After he turns in the book it’s not certain what really happens to him, apart from that he leads an attack on the bus driver along with other child vampires.
The movie sees Mark Petrie having a final confrontation with his friend.
Someone else trapped in the cellar
Teacher Matt Burke makes the fateful journey to the Marsten house in the film. In the book, it is Susan who becomes trapped there.
More Susan changes
Speaking of Susan, there are more changes for her in the film.
The role of her character in the book is clearly reflective of Lucy Westerna in Dracula, including her ultimate fate.
Her end may not alter for the film but it takes longer and she is betrayed by her now vampiric mother.
Barlow speaks
Barlow’s familiar Straker feels like the main villain for much of the book.
He is after all much more dangerous because he is stalking for victims in the day as well as helping his master at night.
However, the new film gives the actual vampire a little more presence, even allowing him to speak with Father Callahan during their big confrontation.
The film takes the nod from the previous screen adaptation in 1979, by making the character look much like the classic Nosferatu.
Susan’s mother has a bigger role
Like Susan, her mother also has a bigger part to play in the film.
She becomes Barlow’s new familiar and lures her daughter to be attacked by her vampiric ex-boyfriend and guards the drive-in.
In the book, she dies trying to kill the teacher Matt Burke in the hospital but doesn’t turn into a vampire.
Father Callahan’s fate
Father Callahan is a tragic character in Salem’s Lot book.
While he quickly becomes a part of the group working towards taking down the vampire and his familiar, Callahan stutters at the crucial moment.
Barlow leaves him severely injured but he survives although ashamed of failing to help his friends he leaves town and eventually suffers from alcoholism.
In the film, the confrontation plays out in a similar fashion with Barlow but he is killed by the vampire.
Dr Cody
The gender of Dr Cody is swapped for the film but the method of her death is also switched.
Cody dies after falling onto spikes in Barlow’s cellar in the books while Ann Norton shoots her dead in the film.
A new scene
The drive-in where Ben and Susan have their date and the place of the final confrontation with the town vampires is a brand new setting that doesn’t take place in the book.
There is also a new scene when Ben is trying to make it back to the church only to be faced with the town’s new residents.
Another part that could be considered a new scene is Mark spending the night in his tree house. It is a neat way to line up some logistical issues for the film.
He is in his house in the book when the neighbourhood vampire children ask him to come out and play.
Salem’s Lot is in cinemas now.
