You'll Enjoy Mr. Barlow ... and He'll Enjoy You

I started reading Stephen King novels when I was in second grade, the year the man himself sent me an autographed copy of Silver Bullet, containing the Cycle of the Werewolf and the collection's titular screenplay.  My mother had spent the summer reading an old Signet paperback copy of 'Salem's Lot, an edition containing eight pages of photos from the 1979 miniseries.  I was fascinated -- and a little scared, but mostly fascinated -- by how horrific Reggie Nalder's Mr. Barlow appeared in those black and white photos, an homage/ripoff of Murnau's Nosferatu:  those curved, rat-like front fangs, the inhuman, glaring eyes, the gunk (obviously not blood) that exploded out of his chest after he was staked.  I read the novel myself that fall, and for Christmas that year I was gifted with a VHS copy (pared down almost in half, I discovered later; when I finally saw the entire miniseries years afterward, missing pieces such as Susan's ultimate, undead fate was explained, and I was satisfied).  I continue to enjoy the novel as my favorite of all King's work, and the 1979 film continues to stand the test of time (something about that floating Glick boy always scares the hell out of people!).

So you enjoy Mr. Barlow, as James Mason's Straker reminds us ... and he'll enjoy you.