This post is going to address the specific entertainment culture of the '70s by allowing my memories (& amateurish comprehension) regarding television to narrate therein.
If you were to turn back the clock to 1980, I would be 7 - 8 years old. At that time, there were three broadcast TV networks. CATV was just beginning to gain traction, but it wouldn't be 'till 4-6 years later that it became the de facto means to receive TV programming within the home (& thereby immediately expanding the number of / clarity therein of available channels). Hence, over-the-air ABC, NBC & CBS (along with PBS) served up the American people with the only TV programming available, all of which was clearly time-slotted via age-propriety (& interestingly enough, there was typically no programming broadcast at all from midnight to 5 AM).
Revenue garnered to these three networks was dependent on viewership. How? The higher the viewership, the more the networks could charge for advertising time (TV commercials). Blue chip companies, in particular, relied on TV advertising's powerful influence on the American consumer to drive revenue.
Keep in mind that EVERYONE watched TV during this era. Especially primetime TV broadcasting. Why? The broadcast content was very entertaining (mostly via novelty), and it was "free". Whether it was comedy, drama (soaps), sports or news, broadcast TV was the GO-TO solution.
As such, networks knew a lot of $$$ could be made not only from (qualified) high viewership numbers, but too, the demographic the TV programming was aimed towards (preferably white people with disposable incomes). Combined, these two guaranteed advertising "real estate" that was priced at a premium.
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The 1970s ushered in the era of supernatural horror, and this coalescence with pop culture paralleled our taste for music (heavy metal) as well as the slow embrace of / interest in all things pagan.
As such, the '70s landed such film spectacles as The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror. Even The Omen experienced deep seated cultural traction (that's still intact) as Americans tepidly (but reverently) filled the cinema seats en masse (from one end of the country to the other). Young Americans, in particular, dominated ticket sales. For these films (regarding their subject matter) were considered spectacle events and therefore were MUST SEE.
The producers / directors / screenwriters of these supernatural horror classics were very rare finds. To be adept at capturing the tone needed to terrify audiences took precise skill. Otherwise, missing the mark by simply one degree may very well relegate a huge studio investment as derivative camp. Therefore, despite the seismic cultural / monetary impact, sequels / franchise continuity were almost always massive failures. Studios therefore eventually turned to new, more novel material. And none other than a young, myopic fiction author, Stephen King (he was around 33-years old at the time), caught the attention of many a network executive.
At this time, King's fanbase was blossoming despite the fact that his books were very lengthy. This meant his stories played out slowly, allowing suspense, creepiness & dread to build chapter by chapter. Plus, in order to enjoy his stories, you ACTUALLY HAD TO READ THEM. Therefore, a certain level of intelligence / education was required of his audience.
Also, his horror stories were centered more on mood / tone and therefore tension versus standard tropes such as brutal murder / Satan's playground - ramped up exponentially for maximum shock value.
Besides, once the three aforementioned films were released, they instantly became milestones within our then cultural zeitgeist, and as you know, milestones are often touted - out of respect - but rarely truly lovingly revisited (thanks to their spent ambitions).
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Enter 'Salem's Lot. This was King's second novel. And it was perfectly written in light of TV's reach and ritual respect - at the time - within the American household.
'Salem's Lot did have one direct connection to the three aforementioned '70s horror milestones, and that was its focus on victimizing children. Whether they were teens or elementary age, child characters were integral to the story. Hence, whilst screening the 2-part TV movie version therein, viewers of all ages (late November of 1980) were horror-mesmerized by the shattered innocence integrated throughout the gratuitous content.
In summary, the story of 'Salem's Lot is one of covert exploitation via an unassumingly viral-like exchange, leaving its assaulted victims enslaved to the MO of the initial host / infector (a small-town interloper). That antagonist isn't revealed but for a very short stint (90-seconds total within the tail end of the TV movie), but alas, this / these brief scenes gave the audience sufficient shock to involuntarily empty their bladders with.
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Now let me remind you, once again, that I was around 7-years old in late November 1980 when 'Salem's Lot was broadcast (Saturday at 8 PM CST). Because it was two parts, the network used two subsequent weekend time slots to cash in.
I wasn't reared by parents who were all that more mature than your average teenager. And this was due to their youth (they were in their late teens when they had Rob). Plus, they'd both been reared in rural MS (my mother grew up impoverished).
As such, watching network TV was THE ABSOLUTE Turner evening centerpiece - no matter what night of the week it was. I can remember vividly the "TV Guide" magazine always being prominently displayed on top of the stained walnut coffee table in our den. But I digress...
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I've always been a highly visual male. It's one of the primary motivators for me pursuing the career of architecture. As such, certain TV / film programming, especially during my childhood, had a profound impact on my developing brain.
'Salem's Lot's narrative firmly planted the idea of being cursed and therefore recognizing one's inability to escape a certain dark fate, and in turn, sympathizing with the horror of watching those you care / love haplessly fall in steed. If you've ever read Poe's The Masque of the Red Death, you see the exact same theme except there it plays out within distinct waves.
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When I look back on my life, I credit the gospel firstly with upending my cursed outlook, and from there, it was my wife.
Now, let me expound on the former.
When I reference the gospel, I'm referring mostly to the gospel lived out. Demonstrated. And mostly, of course, in and through adults that were either paid to or genuinely (or some combination of the two) cared for Rob. If I were forced to list those, it would take pages and pages. This is my good fortune. I saw Christ in these supporting characters, and this powerfully drew me in.
My wife though is a whole different story. For she willingly loved / loves me. And this truly detonated a path forward for me that dismantled completely any musty misgivings of cursed(ness). I could never disavow / discount owning her gaze and allegiance and perpetual trust. This served as a powerful reminder of God's love for me.
For I'm telling you, I knew even as a small child that Satan was real and that he was intent on taking me down. How did I know this? Mostly through dreams but also via what always felt like the makeshiftedness of my 3-person family. A family that put so much of its faith (like so many others of this era) in the ongoing cultural novelty of the status quo. For I knew that video entertainment wasn't anything more than such, but it was its influence (on my young brain) that was lost on me as to how best to manage.
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So here we are. Fall of 2024. A lot of time has passed since 1980.
'Salem's Lot will very soon be released as a feature film. On TV, no doubt. I've watched the trailer dozens of times and even gone back to YouTube to watch fanatical pieces pertaining to the original 1980 TV production.
As a result, my 7-year-old self has been stirring deep within the recesses of my grey matter.
And it's been so very emotive and opportunistic in terms of truly sitting with my boyhood self.
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A few weeks back, I screened a horror film with my middle school daughter (who also is a highly visual person). And just so you know, the film is a courtroom drama firstly (this child has a noteworthy interest in the practice of law). Hence, my justification.
But it is a very disturbing film (as all great horror films are).
So disturbing in fact that she slept with me afterwards (& we only screened the first 50 minutes).
But, as you know, there's a big difference in age 7 and 14. Nonetheless, we spent (& have continued to spend) mucho time discussing said film (at least the portion we've watched) in anticipation of finishing it off.
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Evil exists. Humanity truly is cursed. Our comprehension of secure shelter for ourselves is misguided. This world of woe is overseen by Lucifer. Those are genuinely frightening truths. Especially to helpless children.
But...
There's an assemblage of humanity that's been predestined to survive this wretched curse. But not by our wits or sacrifice or resistance. By favor.
For though evil is manifest, God is ineffable, and his propinquity is not unlike the very air we breathe.
In closing, as young King David boasted about in 1 Samuel, our God is living.
Vampires, in so many ways, depict Satan almost too well. As the undead who feast on the hapless living for survival, their very existence is cursed.
There's one misgiving though regarding this analogy. Children get a pass 'till they're mature enough to be considered accountable to an understanding of the gospel. Picture a lei of garlic cloves hanging 'round their necks as a sign of their judgement day immaturity. Perhaps that's why these tales are all that more harrowing.
