SALEM’S LOT: How Tobe Hooper Brought Stephen King to Network TV | The Tragedy of Tobe Hooper

2021-03-11

After the disappointing reception of EATEN ALIVE, Tobe Hooper's career seemed to be floundering. But fate—and Stephen King—had other plans. As Warner Bros. began developing a film adaptation of King’s bestselling vampire novel Salem’s Lot, a savvy producer screened THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE while searching for a director. The moment he saw it, he knew Hooper was the right man for the job. In this episode, we trace the rocky road between EATEN ALIVE and SALEM’S LOT, and how the project shifted from theatrical feature to network television miniseries. We dive into the creative decisions that shaped the adaptation, the challenges of bringing graphic horror to CBS, and how Hooper helped deliver one of the scariest things to ever air on TV.

After the disappointing reception of EATEN ALIVE, Tobe Hooper's career seemed to be floundering. But fate—and Stephen King—had other plans.

As Warner Bros. began developing a film adaptation of King’s bestselling vampire novel Salem’s Lot, a savvy producer screened THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE while searching for a director. The moment he saw it, he knew Hooper was the right man for the job.

In this episode, we trace the rocky road between EATEN ALIVE and SALEM’S LOT, and how the project shifted from theatrical feature to network television miniseries. We dive into the creative decisions that shaped the adaptation, the challenges of bringing graphic horror to CBS, and how Hooper helped deliver one of the scariest things to ever air on TV.

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