Salem's Lot (1979)

David Soul: Ben Mears

Photos 

Quotes 

• Straker : English

  Ben Mears : [holding antique fork in hand]  Georgian.

  Straker : You have some expertise.

  Ben Mears : No, not really. I just happen to know something about silver. My aunt had some Georgian and we had to sell it when she died.

  Straker : What an unfortunate way to acquire knowledge.

• Jason Berk : [at a restaurant, asking Ben about his new novel]  Marsten House still the centre of the story?

  Ben Mears : Yep.

  Jason Berk : How about the Glick boys? You connect them with the house?

  Ben Mears : Everything in Salem's Lot is connected to that house. You can see it from every part of the town. It's like a beacon throwing off an energy force.

  [Mike Ryerson stumbles against the table] 

  Jason Berk : Mike!

  Mike Ryerson : [weakly]  Hello, Mister Burke.

  Jason Berk : Mike... are you on something?

  Mike Ryerson : No.

  Jason Berk : Drugs?

  Mike Ryerson : Sick. I feel sick.

  Jason Berk : Since when?

  Mike Ryerson : First... I found my dog dead. Then there was the funeral yesterday. I fell asleep on Harmony Hill. Didn't wake up until morning.

  Ben Mears : This was after Danny Glick's funeral?

  Mike Ryerson : Ayuh.

  Mike Ryerson : I went back to finish... Royal wasn't there. Started to feel... sick.

  [looks around for a waitress revealing bite marks on his neck as he turns his head] 

  Mike Ryerson : Can I have a drink?

  Ben Mears : [to waitress]  Miss? Whiskey?

  Jason Berk : What *do* you remember, Mike?

  Mike Ryerson : Singing.

  Jason Berk : Singing?

  Mike Ryerson : Sweetest singing I ever heard. And a feeling like drowning. And eyes... eyes.

  Jason Berk : Whose eyes?

  Mike Ryerson : Bright... scary.

  Ben Mears : Whose?

  Mike Ryerson : Don't remember.

• Ben Mears : [looks at make-shift crucifix]  Bless this cross in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. No atheists with false thoughts... The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me... He maketh me to lie down in... beside still water. He maketh me to lie down. He maketh me... He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He restoreth my soul.

  [appears scared as dead body starts stirring under sheet] 

  Ben Mears : He leadeth me in the paths of the righteousness for His name's sake.

  [shouts] 

  Ben Mears : Bill! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. Bill!

  Majorie Glick : [hissing under sheet] 

  Ben Mears : [holds crucifix before him]  I will fear no evil. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

• Ben Mears : [startled on seeing a blue light emanating from bottle of holy water in his hand]  They've found us again... Another has found us.

  Mark Petrie : [approaches]  We have to go further.

  Ben Mears : Not yet.

• Mike Ryerson : [Mike is describing his nightmarish dreams after falling asleep at Harmony Hill Cemetery]  I dreamed...

  Ben Mears : You slept there all night?

  Mike Ryerson : Yeah... All night.

  Jason Berk : What about last night?

  Mike Ryerson : I remember... a dream.

  [gestures with his hand] 

  Mike Ryerson : Somebody... out there. And I... let him in.

  Ben Mears : [engrossed]  Who?

  Mike Ryerson : [weakly]  I don't know.

  Jason Berk : Listen to me, Mike. Mike?

  [Mike focuses and listens] 

  Jason Berk : Mike, I want you to stay at my house tonight. Will you do that for me? We'll arrange to see Doctor Norton tomorrow.

  Mike Ryerson : [weakly]  All right. I don't care.

• Dr. William 'Bill' Norton : We haven't completed our tests, yet but it could be... and I'm trusting you to keep this to yourself... it could be pernicious anemia.

  Ben Mears : Coming on overnight?

• Eva Miller : [knocking on Ben's door in the middle of the night]  Mister Mears? Telephone!

  Ben Mears : [sleepily]  Oh, uh, ah, all right... Just a minute.

  [opens door] 

  Ben Mears : What is it? Long distance?

  Eva Miller : No. It's Jason Burke.

  Ben Mears : Oh... what time is it?

  Eva Miller : It's a little after four, and Mister Burke sounds very upset.

  Ben Mears : [still groggy]  Oh, uh, hold on.

  [comes out in his robe and Eve leads him to the phone. He picks up the receiver] 

  Ben Mears : Yeah, Jason? What's the matter?

  [listens] 

  Ben Mears : Well, give me about ten minutes.

  [listens] 

  Ben Mears : Well, hell, no, I'm a... I was a Baptist... Jason?

  [hangs up phone and turns to Eva] 

  Ben Mears : Do you have a... a rosary? Or a crucifix?

  Eva Miller : In my bedroom. Mister Burke ask for it?

  Ben Mears : Yes, please.

  Eva Miller : Well, he's not Catholic. I don't even think he goes to church.

  Ben Mears : [tries to hurry her although he doesn't understand the request himself]  Please?

• Ben Mears : You'll have to get some hawthorn.

  Susan Norton : Okay.

  Ben Mears : And put it all over the house.