Mike Flanagan surprised audiences in 2021 with Midnight Mass, a thoughtful and emotionally resonant story about religion, following his popular series The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. The seven-episode show unfolds gradually, building to a rewarding conclusion, and many viewers have been hoping for similar content.
After watching a movie or show, it’s always interesting to explore what inspired it. While you might be eager to check out the 1979 Salem’s Lot miniseries or the upcoming 2025 remake, Mikael Salomon’s 2004 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel actually feels most similar to the recent Netflix series. This TNT miniseries had the biggest stars of any Salem’s Lot version, with Rob Lowe heading a cast that also featured Andre Braugher, Donald Sutherland, Samantha Mathis, Rutger Hauer, and James Cromwell.
The 2004 Salem’s Lot Miniseries Matches Midnight Mass’ Atmosphere Perfectly
Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot helped bring back the truly frightening, monstrous vampires that were popular in films like Nosferatu from the 1920s. It moved away from the more glamorous depictions of vampires and focused on a darker, more realistic feel. Though all adaptations of Salem’s Lot capture the vampire aesthetic well, the 2004 version is particularly successful at creating that bleak and unsettling mood, a quality director Mike Flanagan emphasizes.
The film’s success is largely due to the directing of Mikael Salomon, who is highly regarded for his visual style as a cinematographer and photographer. He’s known for his work on films like Ron Howard’s Far and Away and Arachnophobia, and he even received two Academy Award nominations – one for Best Effects on Backdraft and another for Best Cinematography.
Salomon excelled at building atmospheric, suspenseful environments while still keeping things visually clear, and cleverly used the surroundings to heighten the tension – a perfect fit for King’s New England vampire tale. The story’s gradual build-up to an explosive climax was both faithful to the book and reminiscent of another work.
This version of the story didn’t rely on quick, cheap frights. Instead, it built genuine creepiness through unsettling performances. While Rutger Hauer’s portrayal of Kurt Barlow wasn’t as visually frightening as the original actor, his performance was more than enough to make up for it. Donald Sutherland, playing Barlow’s accomplice, was just as unnerving, bringing to mind the clever and disturbing Bev from Midnight Mass.
No Adaptation Has Been Able to Capture the Essence of King’s Novel
The 2004 miniseries is considered the most faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s novel in terms of capturing its atmosphere and setting. However, while Rutger Hauer delivers a strong performance, his portrayal of Kurt Barlow differs from the more monstrous versions seen in the 1979 and 2025 adaptations. Hauer imbues Barlow with a surprising amount of charm and humanity, essentially taking on much of the manipulative role that the character Straker plays in the book.
While several versions have been made, none fully capture the essence of the main characters, Ben Mears and Father Callahan. Rob Lowe and James Cromwell give the strongest performances, but even they can’t fully bring these characters to life. The connection Ben Mears has to the town and his complex relationship with Susan Norton often feel rushed or incomplete. While some changes are expected in adaptations, altering key personality traits or backstories simply doesn’t work well.
Mike Flanagan’s work clearly draws heavily from Stephen King’s novel, and that influence is evident throughout his series. However, if you’re looking for something similar to the Netflix show, the 2004 adaptation is the closest. It effectively builds a sense of creeping dread that ultimately feels devastating, and it emphasizes the escalating horror rooted in religious themes.
Considering it’s over 20 years old, the 2004 version of Salem’s Lot actually feels quite similar to modern horror TV shows, making it likely to appeal to today’s viewers. While it’s not currently available to stream, you can rent or buy it on Amazon Prime Video.
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2026-04-05 13:08