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QA's with the cast and crew of 'Salem's Lot

edited June 2004 in General news
A Conversation with Rob Lowe (Ben Mears)



Q: What role does Ben Mears play in this film?
A: Ben Mears is a character who is in a very early mid-life crisis. He finds himself successful and starts to feel that this is all there is. He’s trying to disprove the old adage that you can’t go home again. So he comes home to his town of Salem’s Lot and gets a lot more than he bargained for.



Q: Talk about Ben’s relationship with Samantha’s character, Susan.
A: As much as he would hate to admit it, I think Ben is probably in love with her. I think he’s in love with her innocence, her wide-eyed, unsophisticated look at the world and her looking at writing in particular. He’s a jaded writer who’s been to the big party and has looked behind the curtain to see the guy operating the Wizard of Oz. She’s new still and young. It’s hard for him to let go of that.



Q: Why remake this movie?
A: The movie needed to be remade. It’s one of Stephen’s most successful books. They made it years ago when the technology was horrendous. Thematically, we’re going about it in a much different way. The way you shoot it now, you couldn’t have done in 1979.



Q: Are you friends with Stephen King?
A: I do know Stephen King. I got the chance to meet him during the making of The Stand 10 years ago. He’s a humble, wonderful, family-oriented man who loves basketball as I do. Stephen King is the master of modern horror. That’s his title and he deserves it. I think what people forget about his work is that it’s all based on really strong character storytelling. The good adaptations of Stephen’s work embrace the storytelling and the people because they’re really finely drawn. They’re amazing snapshots of American life.



Q: What was it like working with this talented group of actors?
A: This group is really extraordinary, James Cromwell, Andre Braugher, Donald Sutherland and Samantha Mathis. I’m fulfilling a lifelong dream of working with Donald. It is such a group of heavy hitters. They each bring a seriousness of purpose. We’re not making a silly vampire movie.

Comments

  • A Conversation with Andre Braugher (Matt Burke)



    Q: Why do you think it was decided to remake SALEM’S LOT?
    A: I think we can do a better job than what was done 20 years ago. I think with a little bit of discipline we can tell a more frightening tale. Peter Filardi has really put together a very interesting script. It was a page-turner. It is a provocative, well-designed, well-crafted world. This is a well-done adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.



    Q: How would you describe this film?
    A: I would describe this film as a modern day vampire tale. I think it’s a disturbing and visceral tale because no one believes in vampires these days. Consequently, they can infect a population rather easily because no one can actually bring themselves to believe there’s a vampire scourge in our town. The characters in this film battle for their own sanity, as well as try to convince other people that this phenomenon is real.



    Q: How are the vampires in this film different than films past?
    A: Vampires in this film are extremely powerful in terms of their ability to influence human behavior. They demonstrate a kind of guile in getting human beings to allow them into their homes. They attack, devour and prey on human beings. They also have a very powerful sexual nature, which is a relatively unexplored aspect of the vampire lore. People willingly submit to the power of the vampire. They have a very strong connection to the most elemental part of the human being, which is sexuality.



    Q: What dramatic elements come out in SALEM’S LOT?
    A: The drama in SALEM’S LOT comes from the fear--mindless, blind fear. There’s something you feel down in your bones.

  • A Conversation with Donald Sutherland (Richard Straker)



    Q: What was it like working with Rob Lowe?
    A: Rob was charming, elegant and lovely. I have worked with his brother Chad Lowe and had a wonderful time with him, as well.



    Q: What scares you most?
    A: I suppose not being able to find the truth. That’s what my job is—to find the truth. Passion alone is a remedy against boredom. So, even the pursuit of truth is a passionate exercise. I guess if I were denied the opportunity of working, that’s always an actor’s fear.
  • A Conversation with Samantha Mathis (Susan Norton)



    Q: What images come to mind when thinking of vampires in this film?
    A: In terms of creating the look for the vampires in this, we’ve tried to do something unique. We’re trying to do something specific and different than the previous Salem’s Lot, and even different than how Stephen King originally conceived the characters. It’s been really fun to have the creative process with the makeup and hair. Mikael created a specific look that is haunting and eerie, yet also sensual and sexy. There’s also been something very erotic about them. What we’ve tried to achieve is the fine line between being scary but also alluring.



    Q: How would you describe this film?
    A: I would say it’s about a writer who comes home to this town to investigate a house that haunted him when he was a young man. It’s really interesting because it’s not just about what seems to be on the surface. I think what Stephen King was trying to look at was the nature of evil in people and this small town where you think nothing happens. It’s not just a vampire story. It’s really looking at this little town as a microcosm of life.



    Q: Do you believe the house plays an important character?
    A: I think the Marsten house is a pivotal character. It’s constantly talked about, referred to, looked at and avoided, a dark mysterious presence with a spirit.



    Q: What element is necessary for a truly scary film?
    A: You have to have suspense. I think scary music adds a lot of suspense.
  • A Conversation with Rutger Hauer (Kurt Barlow)



    Q: What was it like playing a vampire?
    A: I love the character of vampires because they are people just like actors who can change face, shape, form, tone, and dance. They can have a wide range of appearance and that’s kinda fun. Fear is an amazing engine. Once you push the button you’re hooked. This is part of the vampire’s craft.



    Q: Where does the drama come from within this story?
    A: I think the drama comes from the resistance of people to acknowledge what they see and think—it’s too far-fetched. I guess it’s part innocence and part ignorance.
  • A Conversation with James Cromwell (Father Donald Callahan)



    Q: How would you describe SALEM’S LOT?
    A: I would say it’s a scary movie. I might say it’s about vampires. I might say it’s a piece of entertainment. On the other hand, if you take a look a little closer you might see the concept which is actually expressed in one of my lines, “Evil comes from inside all of us.” The original idea of vampires, or any externalized evil, is the projection of our fear of what we feel lies within all of us, because we are hiding behind a mask.



    Q: What affect do the vampires have on your character, Father Callahan?
    A: Father Callahan has a crisis of faith when push comes to shove and is seduced by Barlow. That’s really what it is; it’s not a debate about good verses evil. It’s not rationale. It’s a seduction. It preys on something Father Callahan manages to repress through the use of alcohol, which is his lack of spiritual connection to God.



    Q: What elements are necessary when creating a scary film?
    A: To make a great scary movie, you have to surprise people. This has become increasingly difficult in this day and age when we seem to have exhausted all the possible ways of scaring people. I think there is terror in everyday reality. The question is how do you photograph it and conceptualize it in such a way that people sense there is something really wrong. You have to create a strong enough pull that people are taken out of ordinary reality into an extraordinary reality.



    Q: What was it like working with Rob Lowe?
    A: It was very nice working with Rob. I think he’s very intelligent and competent and Lord knows attractive. He has many of the same political interests that I do.
  • A Conversation with Mikael Salomon -- Director



    Q: How were you approached for this project?
    A: The first time I heard about it was from the executive producer, Mark Wolper. He sent me the script, and when I read it, I thought it was very well written. I felt it was a whole new take on the project and got fired up about it. It was a genre that I hadn’t done before as a director and was very enthusiastic about that.



    Q: Can you please give us the setup for the scene in the morgue where Rebecca Givney’s character rises off the table?
    A: I wanted to show that vampires don’t behave like normal people. They can actually behave in ways that are opposite of gravity. That’s when I came up with the idea of suspending the actors from wires so that we could defy gravity.



    Q: As a director, what elements must you have when creating a scary film?
    A: Obviously great cinematography underlies it. Great music and performances are also important. Timing is incredibly important. I’m blessed with fantastic actors that can pick up the character easily.
  • A Conversation with Peter Filardi -- Writer



    Q: What is the scariest movie that you have ever seen?
    A: The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the scariest film I’ve ever seen. The film is a nightmare. Low-budget cinema style and lean character development compliment each other perfectly. With Texas Chainsaw Massacre, you see cinema horror stripped down to the muscle and veins.



    Q: What intrigued you about this project?
    A: I consider Salem’s Lot to be a literary classic in the horror genre. I emphasize the word ‘literary,’ because in many ways the novel rivals the works of Russell Banks and John Updike. I put Salem’s Lot on the same literary pedestal I’d put Dracula or Frankenstein.

    I was also intrigued by Salem’s Lot on a personal level. I was raised in the small New England town of Mystic, Connecticut. I had written about New England in earlier works and saw similarities between Mystic and King’s Jerusalem’s Lot. I felt that I understood Stephen King’s small town, New England setting and its characters.
    Coincidentally, Salem’s Lot was the first ‘adult’ book I ever read. My grandmother Francis had a hard cover copy from her ‘Book of the Month Club.’ I devoured the novel and have been an avid reader of horror ever since.
    This is the first time that I’ve tried to adapt another writer’s novel. By choosing Salem’s Lot, it was as if a part of my life came full circle.



    Q: How does this version of SALEM’S LOT differ from the original film?
    A: Fans of the original film will find that we give greater emphasis to the town in this version. As in the novel, Jerusalem’s Lot is treated as a character. Stephen King puts the institution of small town America on trial in his book. It’s a wonderful theme, which we embraced in this film. Our film also differs from the original in that it’s updated from the 1970s to present day. Familiar characters have been consolidated, refurbished and expanded upon…all within the spirit of the novel I hope.

    Q: What elements do you believe are necessary to create a true scare element in a film?
    A: Dread is a vital element to fear. Know dreadful aspects of the monster, then know that He/She/or It is coming for you.



    Q: What other Stephen King novels have you read? Do you have a favorite?
    A: My favorite Stephen King novels are Salem’s Lot and The Shining.
  • A Conversation with Mark M Wolper -- Executive Producer



    Q: What sparked your interest in doing SALEM’S LOT?
    A: I was walking through an airport and saw the new release of Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. The updated cover was very sexy, very cool and very hip. I said you know it’s time to make a good, hip and sexy version of the film. This script is very similar to what the original book was. I thought it was time to scare people for real.



    Q: What is most important when creating a scary film?
    A: The only way to scare the hell out of people is to believe that the horror and the environment are real. The best way to do that is casting the right people for the roles. If the audience believes that they are real people who are scared of real problems and real situations, they will be scared as well.



    Q: How has it been working with Rob Lowe?
    A: Rob very much wanted to do this project. He is a big fan of Stephen King’s, and his enthusiasm about being a part of this project convinced me to do it. Rob’s a good-looking man. We are making him look more rugged and tough for this role.



    Q: Tell me more about the all-star cast you have assembled for this film.
    A: Well, the role of Father Callahan is a quintessential piece of the puzzle and all you have to do is look at James Cromwell. He is right for this movie and an amazing actor. Andre Braugher has an amazing face and look about him that provides the realism. He has the ability to turn roads on this project that nobody else would normally be able to do. Samantha Mathis is a really attractive, powerful actress that you would believe an equal with Rob Lowe’s character. Rutger Hauer has a very strange ambience about him as an actor in terms of his look and in terms of the projects he has done in the past. To play the lead vampire, we needed somebody with that kind of weight and that ambience that Rutger Hauer does perfectly. Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer both have this amazing strength of presence of power about them.
  • A Conversation with Jeffrey Hayes -- Executive Producer



    Q: How will the vampires be portrayed in this film?
    A: We wanted to do a vampire film that was unique to the 21st century and not get into the old clichés. We sat down and figured out a way to create a look that was both sexy and horrific. We wanted something that the audience would find interesting. The vampires in this film are real people who make the choice to become a vampire. Salem’s Lot is a small city that is not immune to the evil that is introduced into it.



    Q: How are you insuring that this is truly a scary movie?
    A: A lot of that has to do with the direction and choices of Mikael Salomon. He has a lot of wonderful new ideas. He uses cinematography as a directorial tool. Through the use of lenses, he draws out the tension in a Hitchcockian kind of way. In addition, 25 years ago, the filmmaking process was completely different. The tools we’ve got now allow us to make a scarier project. The cast that we have managed to get together is a testament to the fact that good material never gets tired.



    Q: Why do you believe the Marsten house should be considered a character?
    A: The house has a history and personality. That’s one of the things Rob’s character, Ben Mears, comes back to confront. There is inherent evil in this house. It says in the script that the house is like a dark idol watching over and judging everybody. In essence, it’s at the core of what is evil about this town.



    Q: Has Stephen King seen the script?
    A: He’s aware of the project and has read the script. From all reports I’ve heard, he’s happy with what we’re doing.
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