A Return To Salem’s Lot is the weirdest sequel based on a Stephen King story, which is saying something. Stephen King is the world’s most famous living author, and starting with 1976’s Carrie there have been countless adaptations of his work. From the superb The Shawshank Redemption to The Shining – though the author famously isn’t a fan of the latter 1980 movie – to outright duds like Dreamcatcher or The Dark Tower, there’s a movie flavor of King for everyone.
There also exists a strange subgenre of Stephen King movies, which are sequels to adaptations of his work there aren’t based on something he’s written. Examples include the near-endless Children Of The Corn sequels or Pet Sematary Two, none of which King had any involvement with – or approved of. It’s also led to downright bizarre follow-ups like Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace or The Mangler sequels.
A Return To Salem’s Lot is a particularly unique case. It’s a follow-up to Tobe Hooper’s Salem’s Lot miniseries from 1979, which was later re-edited into a shorter, international theatrical version. A Return To Salem’s Lot was written and directed by the late, great b-movie king Larry Cohen (Q – The Winged Serpent), with the sequel being shot back to back with It’s Alive III: Island Of The Alive, a follow-up to Cohen’s own franchise. While A Return To Salem’s Lot was earmarked for a video release, it was a given a short theatrical run too, making it a rare cinema sequel to a miniseries.
A Return To Salem’s Lot finds Cohen regular Michael Moriarty (Law & Order) as an anthropologist named Joe returning to his titular hometown with his son, unaware it’s controlled by vampires. They persuade him to write their story, offering a unique insight into the vampire lifestyle. The arrival of a grizzled Nazi hunter (Sam Fuller) soon finds Joe teaming with him to take the vampire nest down. While the sequel has a genuinely intriguing hook – which is something Cohen was always gifted with – the movie is something of a dull mess. It’s flatly shot and performed and not frighting in the least.
Famed director Fuller adds some spice to A Return To Salem’s Lot when he arrives, but not enough to recommend it. The movie also features no returning characters and plot points that conflict with the original; the poster also misleadingly features iconic vampire Mr. Barlow, who doesn’t turn up in the sequel on account of being dead. A Return To Salem’s Lot gets credit for taking a wild swing with Stephen King’s source material and being very different from its predecessor. Sadly, despite Larry Cohen’s talent, it doesn’t come together.
