Movie Overview
Director: Rob Zombie
Actors: Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel, Sheri Moon Zombie
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Overview
The Lords of Salem is a 2012 American independent horror film written, produced, and directed by Rob Zombie, and starring Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace, Jeff Daniel Phillips, and Meg Foster.
Storyline
Heidi, a blond rock chick, DJs at a local radio station, and together with the two Hermans (Whitey and Munster) forms part of the “Big H Radio Team.” A mysterious wooden box containing a vinyl record arrives for Heidi, a gift of the Lords. She assumes it’s a rock band on a mission to spread their word. As Heidi and Whitey play the Lords’ record, it starts to play backwards, and Heidi experiences a flashback to a past trauma.
Later, Whitey plays the Lords’ record, dubbing them the Lords of Salem, and to his surprise, the record plays normally and is a massive hit with his listeners. The arrival of another wooden box from the Lords presents the Big H team with free tickets, posters and records to host a gig in Salem. Soon, Heidi and her cohorts are far from the rock spectacle they’re expecting. The original Lords of Salem are returning and they’re out for blood. Written by UHM
Interesting facts
- Bruce Dern had to leave the production due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Bruce Davison.
- Richard Lynch didn’t have to audition for his role as Reverend John Hawthorne.
- Actors considered for some roles were Richard O’Brien (he was not available) and Hammer girl Caroline Munro, finally replaced by another genre favorite, Judy Geeson.
- According to Sid Haig, the actors were only given the parts of the script that featured their own scenes to prevent any leaks.
- Lisa Marie’s first movie in over 11 years.
- Last film of Richard Lynch.
- Billy Drago is included in all cast listings for this movie despite his leaving the project before shooting began.
- Richard Lynch was cast as Reverend John Hawthorne, but due to his worsening health, he couldn’t perform the role properly. Lynch died a few months before the open of the film.
- Rob Zombie described the film as “If Ken Russell directed “The Shining”.
- Clint Howard, Camille Keaton, and Udo Kier had supporting roles but all of their scenes ended up being cut.
- Meg Foster described working with Rob Zombie as an experience like no other in her career, comparing it to walking through “a labyrinth.”
- First film or TV project Sid Haig was ever cut from in his 51 years in the entertainment industry.
- Bruce Davison also dealt with the Salem witch trials in The Crucible.
- One of the real-life judges of the Salem witch trials was named John Hathorne.
- There are no digital effects in the film.
- Rob Zombie imagined the witches as Manson-Esque hippies.
- Rob Zombie has hinted at this film being a metaphorical and spiritual prequel to his Halloween films
