Warning: This article contains spoilers from Salem’s Lot.
In ‘Salem’s Lot, the town is a character unto itself, which made it imperative for the 2024 adaptation to find the right filming locations to bring the classic Stephen King story to life. The fictional town of Jerusalem’s Lot is located in Maine, which is where King is from and where many of his other books, including Carrie and It, take place. Jerusalem’s Lot has been incorporated into a number of Stephen King’s other books along with the fictional Maine towns of Castle Rock and Derry.
Filming for ‘Salem’s Lot began in 2021 and concluded in 2022, with all filming taking place in the state of Massachusetts. The movie’s release was then delayed for approximately two years, leading to uncertainty about whether it would be released in theaters, debut via streaming, or shelved as other projects unfortunately have been in recent years. Following encouragement from King for it to be released, the new ‘Salem’s Lot adaptation was finally announced to be debuting on Max in October 2024, where its various filming locations could finally be showcased.
Ipswich, Sterling, & Clinton
Multiple Towns Were Used For Jerusalem’s Lot
The town of Jerusalem’s Lot was primarily filmed in the towns of Ipswich, Sterling, and Clinton, all of which are located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Interior and exterior shots of ‘Salem’s Lot characters‘ homes took place in Clinton (via Telegram & Gazette). The 1970s time period of ‘Salem’s Lot‘s story meant that modern cars on the street outside the homes being filmed in Clinton needed to be temporarily moved, as their appearance would break the immersion of when the movie is set.
A tavern in Sterling was used to film the scene where Matt Burke (Bill Camp) encounters Mike Ryerson (Spencer Treat Clark) after he has been bitten and turned into a vampire by Danny Glick (Nicholas Crovetti) (via Telegram & Gazette). As for Ipswich, it was utilized in several general scenes, including the use of the town’s police station and jail cells (via Ipswich Local News). This location is featured when Father Donald Callahan (John Benjamin Hickey) wakes up in a cell at the Jerusalem’s Lot police station after being inebriated the night before.
Princeton Public Library
The Jerusalem’s Lot Library Is An Important Location
The Princeton Public Library was used to film the scenes for the interior and exterior of Jerusalem’s Lot Library (via The Landmark). The town of Princeton received $20,000 in exchange for filming that took place in the library over the course of three days. Since ‘Salem’s Lot takes place in the 1970s, work needed to be done inside the library to temporarily remove computers and other electronic equipment that did not exist during the story’s time period. Locations scouts were impressed by the visual details in the library’s interior and exterior that fit the time period well.
The library helps bring Ben and Susan together and reveals more about the town’s culture.
In the movie, author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) goes to the library to conduct research about Jerusalem’s Lot and reconnect with his past there as he seeks inspiration for a new book. Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh) happens to go to the library with her mother (Debra Christofferson) when Ben is there, and loudly makes a point of how she will be going to the drive-in theater that night, making it clear she wants Ben to overhear and meet her there. The library helps bring Ben and Susan together and reveals more about the town’s culture.
Where Were The Previous ‘Salem’s Lot Adaptations Filmed?
The 1979 & 2004 ‘Salem’s Lot Adaptations Were Not Filmed In Massachusetts
Prior to the 2024 adaptation of ‘Salem’s Lot, there was a movie version made in 1979, and a 2004 miniseries starring Rob Lowe and Donald Sutherland. The majority of the 1979 movie was filmed in the town of Ferndale, California, including all scenes that take place in the Marsten House and the cemetery where Danny Glick is buried (via Giggster). Some other scenes, such as the location of Ben and Susan’s first date, were filmed at Burbank Studios in California.
Character | 1979 Actor | 2004 Actor | 2024 Actor |
|---|---|---|---|
Ben Mears | David Soul | Rob Lowe | Lewis Pullman |
Susan Norton | Bonnie Bedelia | Samantha Mathis | Makenzie Leigh |
Richard Straker | James Mason | Donald Sutherland | Pilou Asbæk |
Kurt Barlow | Reggie Nalder | Rutger Hauer | Alexander Ward |
While the 1979 and 2024 ‘Salem’s Lot, now streaming, were not filmed in Maine, they were still filmed in the United States. The 2004 ‘Salem’s Lot miniseries, surprisingly, went to Creswick, Victoria, Australia to create Jerusalem’s Lot (via The Age). Storefront exteriors were transformed to make Creswick look like a Maine town, and it was made to look like the town had recently seen a snowfall. Between Massachusetts, California, and Australia, the various ‘Salem’s Lot locations have traveled across the globe to tell King’s chilling vampire story.
Source: Telegram & Gazette, Telegram & Gazette, The Landmark, Giggster, The Age
