The Lords of Salem
Short description
Heidi Hawthorne is a radio DJ in Salem, Massachusetts, where she hosts a rock show with two colleagues. A wooden box arrives at the station addressed to her, containing a vinyl record described as a gift from the Lords. Taking it for a promotional stunt by an unknown band, Heidi and her co-host play it on air. The music disturbs her deeply, stirring nightmares and visions she cannot explain, while listeners embrace the record and its creators, whom the station names the Lords of Salem. A second package follows, with posters and free tickets to a party in the city, an event that turns out to be something other than a concert.
Rob Zombie wrote, directed and produced the film, the seventh title he directed, arriving after Halloween II and The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. Sheri Moon Zombie leads the cast as Heidi, alongside Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Judy Geeson, Meg Foster and Patricia Quinn, among 42 credited cast members. It was made for 2 million US dollars and returned about 1 million worldwide.
Audience response was modest: on IMDb the film holds 5.2 out of 10 from around 34,000 votes, and on TMDB 5.4 out of 10 from 937 votes. A critics' rating of 5.3 out of 10 from 62 reviews places professional opinion close to the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Bruce Dern was forced to leave the project due to scheduling conflicts, and Bruce Davison replaced him.
- Richard Lynch was cast as Reverend John Hawthorne without even an audition. He found it difficult to play his role due to declining health and passed away a few months before the film's premiere.
- Richard O'Brien could have gotten a role in this film.
- Caroline Munro was initially considered for the role of Judy Gibson.
- According to Sid Haig, the actors were only given portions of the script containing their scenes to prevent leaks.
- This is Lisa Marie's first film in the last 11 years.
- This is Richard Lynch's final film.
- Billy Drago is listed in the cast of this film despite leaving the project before filming began.
- Clint Howard, Camille Keaton, and Udo Kier had supporting roles in this film, but all scenes with their participation were cut.
- Meg Foster described working with Rob Zombie as the greatest experience of her career, comparing the process to walking through a labyrinth.
- One of the real judges who participated in the Salem witch trials was named John Hathorne in the film.
- The film has no digital special effects.
- Director Rob Zombie envisioned the witches as hippies with the mannerisms of Marilyn Manson.
- After the corpse is burned on the stake, it is visible that the hair remains untouched, although in reality, it should have been the first to burn.
- Director Rob Zombie described the film as: "It’s like if Ken Russell directed 'The Shining' (1980)."
- This is not the first time Bruce Davison has encountered Salem witches. It was also the case in "The Crucible" (1996).
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