22 Stephen King & Horror Easter Eggs in Salem’s Room

Stephen King’s latest adaptation ‘Salem’s place fell on Max, and it is full of Easter eggs and nods, both to the king of horror and to the horror genre in general. The long-gestating adaptation was a victim of the Covid-19 pandemic and then the writer’s strike, taking years to get to the screen. It adapts one of Stephen King’s most beloved novels, And his first foray into the vampire genre, telling his own version of ​​the Dracula History. The 2024 ‘Salem’s place The movie changes the book in significant ways but remains faithful to the spirit of the story.

Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, the new film assembles a strong cast of character actors: Lewis Pullman (Ben Mears), Makenzie Leigh (Susan Norton), Jordan Preston Carter (Mark Petrie), Alfre Woodard (Dr. Cody), Bill Camp . (Matt Burke), John Benjamin Hickey (Father Callahan), Nicholas Crovetti (Danny Glick), Spencer Treat Clark (Mike Ryerson), Pillow Asbeck (Richard Straker), and Alexander Ward as ‘Salem’s place Big Bad Kurt Barlow. The 2024 ‘Salem’s place Cast faithfully brought to life some key moments of the Stephen King book, and The movie has easter eggs and references for fans sprinkled throughout its runtime.

1

The ‘Salem’s Room 2024 Movie Poster

It is a nod to the 1979 miniseries

The first visual nod in the new ‘Salem’s place Happened before the movie was even released. A max original poster for ‘Salem’s place was released and the around for the 1979 miniseries by Tobe Hooper Immediately recognized it as an update of the poster for the original miniseries. Both posters show Kurt Barlow in his vampire form looming like a shadow over the Marsten House, clawed hands outstretched.

The framing symbolizes the evil, insidious way that Barlow’s vampirism creeps over the town, slowly taking it over. There is also a visual nod to the many shots in ‘Salem’s place From this path, the shadows grow when the sun goes down, bringing death with them. Both posters, as well as Barlow’s character design itself, are reminiscent of Nosferatu/Count Orlok, Which is often depicted in the artwork of the era and still as a shadowy presence or the shadow of a reaching, clawed hand, rather than as a flesh-and-blood figure.

2

Gary Dauberman as the director

His connection to Stephen King is in the movies

as the director, Gary Dauberman himself is a returning member of the Stephen King movie universe. He is more easily linked to the James Wan and the Conjuring universe as the writer of all three Annabelle movies and the director of Annabelle Comes HomeAs well as the writer of both The nun Movies.

however, He was also the writer of it And It: Chapter TwoBy far the biggest hit of any Stephen King movie adaptation. Considering how good the movies are, and that Dauberman expressed that the final cut of ‘Salem’s place isn’t nearly the one he wanted, it would be really interesting to see Dauberman’s original nearly 3-hour cut of ‘Salem’s place.

3

A Bangor Land Corporation paper in the opening credits

Longtime Stephen King fans know what Bangor means to King

Eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted A newspaper in the opening credits that reads “Bangor Land Corporation.” In the book, however, it is briefly mentioned during Straker’s negotiations with Larry Crockett to buy the old Marsten house and the lot that will become their antique store front: “YOur client in the matter of the house is a land corporation in Bangor.” That said, regular readers know that Bangor has a much deeper connection to Stephen King, being the Maine town where he resided for decades; the family’s old house now serves as the headquarters of the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation.

4

The movie’s logo/title card

It is a nod to the first edition

The movie logo on all promo material so far shows a simple white title with the “t” in “lot” shaped to look like a cross. However, the movie’s title card and logo that appears at the end of the opening credits is another deep-cut Easter egg, similar to the throwback poster. The logo features vintage font with a miniature version of the city of Jerusalem’s Lot framed in the “O” in “Lot.” Longtime Stephen King readers of a certain age will recognize How similar it is to the original Doubleday cover of the 1975 first editionThe design of which featured the city framed in the globe of the “O.”

5

The movie’s 1975 setting

It works on two levels

‘Salem’s placeThe 1975 setting is also a return to the original novel. Many modern Stephen King adaptations update the time in which they were written and set, including the 2004 ‘Salem’s place Miniseries. Gary Dauberman, however, stays true to the book in two ways by setting it in 1975: First, it matches the book’s mid-70s setting, and it’s also a nod to the year the novel was first published. : It hit bookshelves just in time for Halloween, releasing on October 17, 1975. By keeping the 1975 setting, the new ‘Salem’s place Honors the Stephen King original in a fundamental way.

6

A Plymouth Fury in the garage

But is it the real Christian?

One of the most obvious and loving nods to Stephen King is the red and white classic Plymouth Fury spotted in the mechanic shop in Jerusalem’s lot a little over a minute into the movie. That car is, of course, A nod to Stephen King’s possessed killer car, ChristineWhich was a 1958 Plymouth Fury painted a bright cherry red with white side panels and wings. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but given the interconnectedness of Stephen King’s universe, it’s fun to think that it might not just be a car that looks like Christine, but is The Christine, simply waiting for her next victim. Considering Christine Set in 1978, it means it’s three years before poor Arnie Cunningham buys her and unleashes his doom.

7

William Sadler as Parkins Gillespie

He is a familiar face to fans of Stephen King

The early scene in ‘Salem’s place That first introduces protagonist Ben Mears to audiences is also the scene that introduces William Sadler’s jaded, tired Constable Parkins Gillespie. Parkins Gillespie is known to readers of the book, the aging city constable who just wants to relax and log easy hours behind a desk until he can retire. however, William Sadler, the actor playing him, should also be familiar to Stephen King fans And those who watched various works of his work. If Sadler’s face looks familiar, it’s both because he’s a great character actor and horror movie stalwart, but also because he’s already been in several Stephen King adaptations: ‘Salem’s place is his fourth.

8

Mark Petrie’s Creature from the Black Lagoon T-Shirt

The creature appears in several places

Mark Petrie is established early in the movie as a kid fascinated by all things spooky and scary, an avid reader of campy horror comics and a watcher of B-lot popcorn goodness. His immediate acceptance of vampires and intuitive knowledge of what to do and not do with monsters is what saves him in the book and movie. Therefore, it is fitting that when Mark was first introduced in ‘Salem’s place, He wears a Creature from the Black Logan t-shirt. Those paying attention to the credits may also have spotted the creature’s face in the opening titles.

9

Mark’s horror monster figurines & stickers

Classic monsters litter his place

Of course, the Creature from the Black Lagoon isn’t the only classic horror movie monster Mark loves. Indeed, The first scene in his room shows just how deep his love of horror goes, With Universal Classic Monsters plastered all over its space. The first shot focuses on his radio, which has stickers of Dracula, Frankenstein and a zombie. Another shot in the room shows a partial toy skeleton sitting on his desk, while other shots reveal figurines of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Phantom of the Opera, as well as a model graveyard. For Mark Petrie, monsters are as real as anyone in the city.

10

The carrier poster in Mark’s room

It’s a deep B-movie cut

One of the deepest and funnest b-many references in Mark’s room is a poster on his wall. This orange and black poster is for Trog, the 1970 British sci-fi horror movie starring Joan Crawford. At the time, it was panned by critics, and understandably so. The plot is wild, with an Ice Age caveman, or a “troglodyte,” being discovered in modern Britain and accidentally unleashed on a modern population. It has since been reevaluated as a kitschy classic and appreciated on its own terms, but in 1975, It would have been exactly the kind of cheesy late-night horror movie that Mark would have watched and loved.

11

Meryl’s photo

“Merrill” is a familiar name

The city of Jerusalem’s lot is stuffed full of little Easter eggs and nods, And while most of them aren’t technically Easter eggs, but named locations in the book, a few of them stand out. One of these is a sign for Merrill’s Photo, shown in the first third of the movie as the camera pans over different streets and storefronts. “Merrill” is a name familiar to King fans. Ace Merrill is, of course, a recurring antagonist in multiple Stephen King books and short stories.

Reginald “Pop” Merrill, Ace’s uncle, is also known to readers, running the Emporium Galorium in Castle Rock. The store’s name is perhaps a cheeky nod to How Pop Died in Stephen King’s universe: A supposed “paranormal” camera he bought exploded while he was holding it, spewing a glob of molten plastic onto his face and neck.

12

The balloons in Danny Glick’s room

The Pennywise connection is strong

The night scene in Danny Glick’s room when he hears the sound of a harmonica coming from outside also reveals another Easter egg. When he stands at the window and listens, his bed shows a bunch of balloons. It is not clear what it is – a table lamp, most likely – and the balloons are in various colors. The package is strongly reminiscent of the scene in the 1990s it Miniseries Where Pennywise is spotted in the daytime with a bunch of balloons. Another shot when the lamp is in the background shows the red balloon prominently at the top. Few people can watch or read a Stephen King story and see a red balloon, or even balloons in general, without immediately thinking of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, aka it.

13

The scene of vampire Danny Glick hovering in front of Mark Petrie’s window

This is the most iconic scene of Salem’s plot

Arguably the most memorable scene in both the original ‘Salem’s place book and both the 1979 and 2004 adaptations Is the one where a now-reversed and vampiric Danny Glick comes to Mark Petrie’s window to entice him to let him in. It is a haunting visual of an eldritch child with glowing eyes suspended in the air, nothing but darkness and the night behind him. Stephen King has crafted many striking visuals over the years, and certain adaptations have driven them home, including this scene. While it plays out just like in the book, with Mark driving him away with the toy cross in his model graveyard, it’s the haunting image of Danny heaving in front of his window that lingers.

14

The vampires glowing eyes

The miniseries started a trend

more generally, The vampires’ glowing eyes are a visual nod to Tobe Hooper’s 1979 miniseries adaptation, Which also incorporated the neat visual trick. The new one ‘Salem’s place Has some nods to the miniseries, which is great; Similar to Mike Flanagan Doctor Sleep Movie The new movie incorporates elements from the original book as well as the equally beloved earlier adaptation, blending both.

As expected of any author whose dozens of books span decades and are interconnected, The mythology and lore of Stephen King’s vampires has grown and changed over the years and was minor reconnected. In the books, it is only Kurt Barlow and other “type one” vampires whose eyes glow, while type two vampires, like the Taunks of Jerusalem’s Lot, have yellow eyes. Tobe Hooper’s mini-series kept the yellow eyes, but also gave them the addition of them glowing in the dark, similar to an animal’s reflection, and Gary Dauberman wisely kept that eerie visual.

15

The vampire comic books, Mark reads

Stephen King was a big EC Comics fan as a kid

Of course, it’s no surprise that while teacher and scientist Matt Burke digs through ancient folklore and history to research vampires, Mark Petrie turns to his pulp comic books for information after his nightly visit from Danny Glick. Stephen King has often written about his love of old-school comics, who publishes horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy and other genre stories, and he puts a bit of his childhood into Mark Petrie in ‘Salem’s place. Specifically, Mark is reading a comic book titled Violence of the vampireWhich is right in line with the pulp horror comic books of the mid-century.

16

Father Callahan read Dracula

It suits the priest and his personal conflicts

for his own part, Father Callahan is seen holding and reading a copy of Bram Stoker Dracula During the scene where Ben, Dr. Cody, and Matt go to the church and first tell him their theory that vampires are preying on the people of Jerusalem’s lot. Besides being an obvious pop culture vampire reference, Dracula is an appropriate book for Father Callahan to read, as it deals with a number of topics that he also finds himself grappling with in ‘Salem’s place (Although most of his story was cut from the movie). Specifically, the conflicted priest is also working through questions of good versus evil and Christian salvation versus damnation. Dracula is also a fitting nod to Kurt Barlow as portrayed in the book, as a more refined and elegant, Bela Lugosi-like figure.

17

“Play with us, Mark.”

It’s a common refrain from creepy Stephen King kids

One Stephen King Easter egg is not visual, but auditory. The last night in the movie reveals a lot of bloodshed: Mark’s parents and father Callahan were killed by Kurt Barlow, and Susan Norton turned by a new vampire. Mark runs away from Barlow while the ancient vampire is distracted by the priest and hides in his tree house. As Mark frantically closes the window and trapdoor, the child vampires can be heard outside: “Play with us, Mark.” It is reminiscent of the oft-repeated lines from the ghost twins in The Shining, When they felt Danny Torrance to play with them, As well as the reanimated Gage Creed in the 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary As he asks his father, Louis, to play.

18

Ann Norton’s Whole Wife

Margaret White, anyone?

This one is less of a concrete Easter egg and more of a similar feeling, however There are definite shades of Currys Margaret White in the character of Ann NortonSusan’s mother. She is also controlling and suspicious of Ben Mears in the book, but the changes to her story in the ‘Salem’s place Adaptation emphasizes this. In this book, she is turned into a half-vampire by Susan.

In the movie, however, she becomes Barlow’s new acquaintance, and The intensity of her devotion to him and newfound zeal is strongly reminiscent of Margaret White’s religious fanaticism in Curry. This eventual fanaticism is seeded in a brief moment in the first third of the movie when Anne is playing a church hymn on the organ. The gods they are devoted to are very different, but their glassy-eyed violent fanaticism is cut from the same cloth.

19

The movies playing at the drive-in

They are awfully close

‘Salem’s place 2024 does a good job of planting the movie firmly in 1975, and small touches add to the immersion. One of the touches is the movie playing in the drive-in and shown on the drive-in marquee sign during the final battle: The Drowning Pool And Night movesBoth released in 1975. The former, with Paul Newman, and the latter, with Gene Hackman, are not firmly in the horror genre, but certainly thrillers revolving around investigators who are, much like the characters in ‘Salem’s placeTrying to put pieces together and unravel sinister mysteries unfolding in small, quiet towns.

20

The shot of Kurt Barlow standing at the drive-in office

German expressionism is strong

As mentioned above, Kurt Barlow’s design in the 1979 miniseries and the new adaptation is heavily influenced by Count Orlok in Nosferatu. There are some really gorgeous shots in the new ‘Salem’s placeAnd a very distinct visual look for most of Kurt Barlow’s scenes. His appearance brings with it new lighting and the shadowy dark aesthetic of NosferatuGerman Expressionism. The aesthetic is never more pronounced than the shot of Kurt Barlow standing on the drive-in office roof, transformed into an elongated shadow shape by backlight and dressed in a long black coat in clear homage to Count Orlok.