Heavy metal impresario Rob Zombie exploded on the movie scene with his first feature film House of a 1000 Corpses in 2003. Already a veteran behind the camera from directing his music videos, his first film (and his second) featured a lot of “heavy metal” montage shots and utilised an almost guerrilla style of film making.
Zombie then went on to re-imagine the Halloween verse in 1 and 2. He next film, he told interviewers, would be a sort of Ken Russell directs The Shining. Far be it from me to argue with Mr Zombie’s own definition of what his film is, but I would argue that it is more like Ken Russell meets Rosemary’s Baby.
I will not go any further down that particular road as I don’t want to give anything away.
Written and directed by Zombie, The Lords of Salem stars Sherri Moon Zombie as Heidi Hawthorne. She is a local radio personality who works as part of a three person team in Salem Massachusetts, home of the infamous Salem witch trials. A wooden box is left for Heidi at the radio station’s reception desk. It contains a record by a group called The Lords.
When the record is played on the air, it affects the female listeners of the audience, causing them to have visions of the olden days in Salem. Heidi is very affected by the music (which, for the record, would never have been featured on American Bandstand) and after she’s heard the music her landlady invites her to meet two old friends.
The film was obviously shot on location in Salem as the statue of television’s Bewitched character Samantha Stevens (aka Elizabeth Montgomery) can be seen no less that three times. It’s as if Zombie wants to remind us that this is really about “fake” witches in Salem.
Besides this reminder running through the film, a lot of black and white films play in the background in a few scenes. Heidi is watching an old “cop” film (featuring that loveable old heavy Jack Elam) and later when her boyfriend/radio partner Whitey (Jeff Daniel Phillips) is watching a film, he is watching something with Charles Laughton (better known as Captain Bligh and Quasimodo).
There is, in fact, a lot of black and white themed sets in the film and Heidi’s apartment features a lot of black and white pictures and patterns. I’m not clever enough to know what the director is aiming for with this preoccupation with this particular colour scheme, but it’s obviously a clue of what is happening in the film. Perhaps it’s yet another allusion to the “olden days?”
The character of Heidi is a good one for Sherri Moon Zombie and she adds a depth to her acting that hasn’t been seen before. The film has a lot of Zombie’s “stable” in it. Sid Haig, Michael Berryman and Ken Foree are all Zombie “regulars.” The film also boasts the legendary Dee Wallace, Judy Geeson and Meg Foster. Most of his films feature a cadre of genre stars from old horror movies.
It was nice to see Andrew Prine after he had to step in for the late Richard Lynch due to health issues.
Zombie has hit a level of subtlety that has, till now, been missing in his films. Where he has relied on over-the-top violence, blood and gore with villains that came close to being almost cartoonish; Salem strikes a sly and almost underrated performance from all the key players.
A quick shout out to Bruce Davison as local Author Francis Matthias. He shines in his short performance and it was a pleasure to watch him in the film.
All the actors delivered exceedingly well and although the film had a bit of an ambiguous ending (to me at least) it kept me glued to the screen until the end credits had finished.
This may not appeal to the “normal” Rob Zombie fan. If you are expecting his usual fare of Heavy Metal Horror, you’ll be disappointed. But if you are ready to see a Rob Zombie who’s learned the art of insinuation and easing his audience gradually into the horror at hand, you’ll enjoy this latest effort.
I’d have to give The Lords of Salem a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’ve taken the .5 off only because the ending left me a little baffled. Despite my shaving off a half point, I don’t doubt that this will become a cult favourite.
Bravo, Rob Zombie.
Related articles
- The Lords Of Salem (15) (morningstaronline.co.uk)
- ‘The Lords of Salem’ Movie Review: It’s More than Priest Rapes & Devil Dicks (lefthandhorror.com)
- Rob Zombie and Sheri Moon Talk The Lords of Salem (dreadcentral.com)
- The Lords of Salem Movie Review (shockya.com)
- Film Review: The Lords of Salem (pop-break.com)
- Movie Review: ‘The Lords of Salem,’ From Rob Zombie (movies.nytimes.com)
- The Lords of Salem (2012) (headinavice.com)
- Review: the Lords of Salem (2013) (monsterzeronj.wordpress.com)
- The Lords of Salem (moviefiendsblog.wordpress.com)
- Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem – Images of Meg Foster, Sid Haig, and Michael Berryman (dreadcentral.com)
Thanks! I have to agree, he certainly did seem to rely on the old bottom shots of Sherri and it didn’t make any real sense. I think he did capture the subtlety well, but it was a little disjointed. Overall though I was impressed with his effort, perhaps a bit too much because, as you said, Zombie fan that I am, I’m giving him too much credit! Great feedback my friend! Cheers! 😀
I’m going to have to disagree with you Mike , well written review by the way. Rob was going for subtle i can agree on that , and all he came up with for a lack of better word was boring . I love a good cameo but he needs to stop relying on the actors he grew up on . His wife has no range what so ever . The story needed some tuning up. I’m a big Rob Zombie fan , but I think we give him to much credit , sometimes i feel he just likes shooting tits and ass – Moviefiend
It was the first Zombie film I watched that could be called subtle! It does seem like I’m in a minority when it comes to liking the film! 😀
Yours is the only review I have read that was written by someone who actually liked the film, but the way you have described it makes me want to go see it. When I’m not digging up old trash films to review, I do enjoy the more subtle horror.
No worries mate! 😀
Good stuff Mike, and thanks for the link back! 🙂
Thanks mate! I’m a HUGE Zombie fan, 1000 Corpses, Devil Rejects…this is a pretty big departure for him in terms of style. 😀
I don’t think I’ve seen any of Rob Zombie’s movies. This does look interesting. Great review.