Why does Kurt Barlow look so different from the other vampires in Salem’s lot

Stephen King’s iconic 1975 foray into vampire lore gets a makeover with 2024’sSalem’s placeAs well as the main antagonist of the story, the purely evil vampire Kurt Barlow. The original novel is widely considered to be one of King’s scariest stories, and it acted as a fundamental building block for the rest of his interconnected literary universe. Barlow is played by Alexander Ward in ‘Salem’s placeAnd his incarnation sticks closely to the version seen in Tobe Hooper’s 1979 miniseries.

the end ofSalem’s place In 2024 is very different from the 1979 version, and more different than King’s original novel. Both versions of ‘Salem’s place Make changes from the book, but none is more significant than their changes to the appearance of Kurt Barlow. Most of the vampires inSalem’s place Have the typical vampire characteristics and trappings, including long fangs, glowing eyes, flight and need to be invited inside. Barlow, on the other hand, looks completely different from the other vampires, and does not work under the same rules.

Kurt Barlow is a much more ancient vampire than the others in Salem’s court

Barlow is a completely different type of creature from the vampires he creates

In both the 1979 and 2024 versions of ‘Salem’s placeKurt Barlow’s appearance is reminiscent of Max Schreck’s Count Orlok from 1922 Nosferatu. He has a pale face, long, razor-sharp fangs, a completely bald head, and glowing yellow eyes in both versions, although the 1979 Barlow has two too long incisors versus the 2024 Barlow’s more even mouth. The appearance is very different from the vampires he creates in the city of Jerusalem Lot, most of them keep their normal human appearance but add glowing eyes and fangs.

The reason Barlow looks so different in the 2024 movie is related to his age. Barlow is capable of hibernating for hundreds of years, and through the events of ‘Salem’s place He is really old. He is centuries removed from whatever humanity he may have once possessed, and so the vampiric traits are much more exaggerated in him against “new” vampires. It is implied that Barlow may actually only be an original vampire, and never evolved into one from a human, making him a completely different kind of creature from the other vampires of ‘Salem’s place.

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower Books reveal that Kurt Barlow is a “type one” vampire

Barlow is among the most powerful vampires in the King’s Connected Universe

‘Salem’s place is not the only novel in which vampires appear in Stephen King’s related literary universe. His magnum opus series, The Dark TowerReveals much more background about vampires and other evil servants of the Crimson King, Stephen King’s overarching antagonist. Father Callahan of ‘Salem’s place Appear again in the fifth book in The Dark Tower series, The Wolves of the Kala, and as part of a flashback to his past reveals that he learned of three different species, or “types” of vampires.

Father Callahan reveals that Kurt Barlow is a “type one” vampire, the strongest of all vampires. As a type one vampire, Barlow has a remarkably long life, super strength and speed, and can even obtain religious objects if their bearer’s faith falls. In the novel, Barlow, as a type one vampire, is human except for long fangs and occasionally glowing eyes. Tobe Hooper opted for a much more distinct look for Barlow in 1979, and Gary Dauberman’s 2024 remake of ‘Salem’s place kept the monstrous appearance to maximize the terror incited by Barlow.