All 14 major deaths in Salem’s lot, explained

Warning: Major spoilers for 2024’s Salem’s plot.

Salem’s place The title town is haunted by the presence of a thirsty vampire named Barlow (Alexander Ward), and the result is many deaths, with most victims returning as vampires. In 1975, Stephen King’s second published novel, Salem’s placeArrived to introduce readers to King’s style of vampires. Salem’s place It was a success with critics and readers, and is now one of King’s most popular and beloved works, so much so that it has received different adaptations. After two television miniseries adaptations in 1979 and 2004, Salem’s place Received its first feature film adaptation in 2024.

Directed by Gary Dauberman, Salem’s place Follows writer Ben Mears (Louis Pullman), who returns to his hometown of Salem’s Lot and seeks inspiration for his next book. Mears’ arrival coincides with the disappearance of a young boy, but subsequent mysterious and tragic events lead Mears and other town residents to uncover the truth: The lot is praised by thirsty vampire BarlowWho is also turning most of his victims into vampires. As a result, there are many deaths in Salem’s placeBut not all of them get a second life as vampires.

11

The family happiness

Ralph, Danny and Marjorie Glick

One of Barlow’s first victims (if not the first) is Ralph Glick (Cade Woodward). The young boy was walking home with his brother, Danny (Nicolas Crovetti), when they were approached by Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk) in his car. Straker targets Ralph, and as the boys walk through the woods in hopes of getting rid of Straker, he abducts Ralph. Straker takes Ralph to the Marsten House to propose to BarlowAnd the vampire feeds on the young boy, killing him.

Not long after, Danny is lured outside his house at night by a strange presence. Danny falls ill and is taken to the hospital, where he is said to have anemia – but in fact, he was bitten by Barlow and was in the process of becoming a vampire. Danny dies after desperately drinking the blood from his transfusion in the hospital but rises again as a vampire The night after his funeral.

Donny later targets his mother, Marjorie, who also becomes a vampireBut she is killed by Ben and Susan (Mackenzie Leigh) with a cross right after she attacks Dr. Cody (Alfre Woodward). The fate of Danny and Ralph’s father is left unknown, but it is understood that he also becomes a Vampire at some point Danny is later killed by Mark (Jordan Preston Carter) in Straker and Barlow’s antique shop.

10

Mike Ryerson

Mike was Danny’s first victim

Mike Ryerson (Spencer Treat Clark) is in the wrong place at the worst time in Salem’s place. Mike is a groundskeeper at Salem’s Lot CemeteryBut he falls asleep while waiting for Danny Glick’s funeral to be over. Mike wakes up in the middle of the night and quickly begins to fill the grave, but he hears Donnie asking for help and knocking on his coffin. When Mike opens it, Danny is peacefully sleeping, so he closes it again. However, seconds later, Danny rises from the grave and attacks Mike, who becomes his first victim.

Mike is later found by Matt Burke (Bill Camp) at the local bar, and thinking he is sick, Matt invites him to stay at his place so he can take him to the doctor the next morning. While at Matt’s home, Mike completely transforms into a vampire and tries to attack Matt, who defends himself with a cross and expels Mike from his home. Mike is killed by Ben outside the church.

9

Matt Burke

Matt was eventually killed by Barlow

Matt Burke is a teacher in Salem’s Lot and one of the few residents who welcomes Ben Mears back. Matt is the first to realize that the town is haunted by vampires And that Mike fell victim to one. It’s thanks to him that Ben, Susan, and the rest learn about what’s going on, and he’s determined to find Barlow and kill him. Matt teams up with Mark and they sneak into the Marsten house to kill Barlow, but unfortunately, Barlow and Straker are quicker and smarter.

Straker locks them in the basement, and while Mark goes up for help, Matt is surprised by Barlow himself, who kills him while Mark is taken away by Straker. Matt returns not long after as a vampire but is killed by Ben After attacking him in the basement of Morsten’s house.

8

Richard Straker

Barlow’s human acquaintance did not reach the end

Richard Straker is Barlow’s human acquaintanceAnd as such, he does a lot of things for him, such as finding people he can eat with. His association with Barlow raises questions about whether he is human, a vampire or a half-vampire, but he is actually fully human – he is just Barlow’s loyal servant. It is Straker who arranges for Barlow’s coffin to be taken to the Marsten House, who abducts Ralph, and who tries to prepare Mark to be Barlow’s next victim – and the latter is what leads to his death.

Mark, an avid magician and big fan of Houdini, manages to break free after Straker ties him up and hangs him upside down in the Marsten House. Mark waits for Straker to return to the room and hits him in the face with a piece of metalBut he makes sure Barlow’s servant is dead and hits him again. In the book, Mark only wounds Straker, but Barlow cannot resist his freshly spilled blood and drains him.

7

Susan Norton

Susan’s mother was involved in her death

Unlike other characters, Susan never seems to doubt Matt Burke’s claims of vampires taking over the place. Susan is instantly drawn to Ben and they bond pretty quickly, which makes her death that much harder for both Ben and the audience. Susan accompanies Ben, Matt, Mark, Dr. Cody, and Father Callahan (John Benjamin Hickey) on a mission to find Barlow and kill him, but no one could have imagined that her mother, Ann (Debra Kristofferson), is getting closer. To the vampire.

At one point, Ann meets Straker and is seduced by Barlow into serving him, setting a trap for Susan in their home. A vampire suddenly appears and attacks Susan. Despite Ben’s efforts, he is unable to save Susan from turning into a vampire, and when they arrive at the church to meet Dr. Cody, she is already a vampire. Later, at the drive-in, Ben is unable to bring To kill Susan when he finds her in the trunk of her car, but he finally does it when she attacks him once the night sets in.

6

Mark’s parents

Mark saw his parents get killed by Barlow

After getting out of the Marsten house and killing Matt Burke in the basement, the group decides to split up and later meet in the church, which is the only place where they will be safe. Father Callahan accompanies Mark to his house to talk to his parents about what’s going on, as Mark realizes Barlow and the vampires will target his parents next. however, Mark’s parents don’t believe him or Father CallahanAnd thus they cannot convince them to go to the church before it gets dark.

Barlow knocks on the Petrie’s home and Mark’s father opensOnly to be attacked and killed. Barlow then sneaks up behind Mark’s mother and kills her right in front of Mark. As Father Callahan confronts Barlow, Marks escapes to his tree house, where he is followed by Danny and other vampire kids trying to get him to let them in. Mark is the only survivor in his family.

5

Father Callahan

Father Callahan’s faith was not strong enough

Father Callahan is Salem’s Lot’s priest, but he is struggling with his faith. Earlier in the movie, at the drive-in, Susan points to Callahan’s car and tells Ben that he’s drunk there. However, Father Callahan does what he can to help Ben and the rest get rid of the vampires, but he’s eventually killed by Barlow. As mentioned above, after Barlow kills Mark’s parents, he tells Mark to run as he confronts the vampire while holding a cross.

however, Barlow knows that Father Callahan’s faith is not as strong as it should beSo not enough to repel him or even kill him. Barlow taunts him with this and the cross loses its power, leaving Callahan extremely vulnerable. Barlow kills Father Callahan, however He is not seen returning as a vampire In the rest of Salem’s placeSo his fate is unclear.

4

Parkins Gillespie

Parkins couldn’t make it out of the court

A minor character whose death is shown in Salem’s place Is Parkins Gillespie (William Sadler). Parkins is a constable in the lot And is first seen when Callahan is at the police station after getting drunk at the drive-in, and later in the movie, he goes to Matt’s house when he calls the authorities to check on Mike’s body. Parkins most notable appearance in Salem’s placeHowever, is when Dr. Cody approaches him for help, but he refuses to listen to anything about vampires.

Parkins tells Dr. Cody that he is leaving the room before it is too late And she should do the same, but she returns to the church to meet with Ben and the others. That night, at the church, after Ben escapes from the vampires and kills Mike, the vampires throw Parkin’s body through a window and into the church. It is unclear if Parkins returns as a vampire or dies.

3

Dr. Cody

Dr. Cody was not killed by a vampire

Just when it seems that Ben, Mark and Dr. Cody will be the only survivors of the lot, they encounter an unexpected obstacle at the drive-in. It takes Dr. Cody a while to accept that Salem’s lot is haunted by Vampires and that Danny Glick didn’t die of anemia. Cody is finally convinced after seeing Marjorie Glick’s body come back to life, and although Ben and Susan kill Marjorie, she manages to bite Cody.

Thanks to an anti-mutant vaccine she has in her purse, Kady staves off the effects of the bite and survives, but she meets her fate in the third act of Salem’s place. As she approaches the trunk where Susan is sleeping, she is fatally shot by AnnWho is tasked to protect all the vampires. It’s an unfair end for Dr. Cody, more so than she was close to making it to the end.

2

Ann Norton

Susan’s mother cannot be saved by her new master

As explained by Susan, Ann doesn’t want her daughter to leave the lot And will do everything she can to keep her in town, including pairing her with people Susan isn’t interested in. Of course, Anne does not approve of Susan and Ben’s romance and Sees a great opportunity in serving BarlowAlthough the details of their agreement are unknown. Anne takes her new “job” very seriously, and starts shooting at Ben, Mark and Cody in the drive-in, killing Cody.

Anne continues trying to kill Ben while Mark gets into a car and starts it, crashing against the base of the screen so the sun covers the drive-in and the vampires are burned. As Ann is closer to Ben and he has no way out, Mark suddenly appears and runs her over, killing her instantly.

1

Barlow returns

The main vampire was killed in Salem’s room

The biggest death in Salem’s place is, of course, that of Barlow. Straker first arrives on the lot to open the antique store “Straker & Barlow” and settles in the Marsten house, while Barlow is said to be away on a long business trip – in fact, Barlow is in the basement of the Marsten house and sends . Straker to find him victims. After some of the transformed residents of the lot mention “Master Barlow”, it becomes clear to Ben and the rest that he is the great enemy to defeat.

Ben and Mark come face to face with Barlow at the drive-inAnd just when it looks like Barlow is going to kill Mark, Ben comes out with a stake and impales Barlow. Salem’s place Shows the light in Barlow’s eyes disappearingJust as happens with the other vampires killed throughout the movie, leaving no doubt that the main vampire is finally dead.