Top Television Horror Movies of the 1970’s
In the 1970’s the major networks began producing their own horror movies brought on by the success of the Dan Curtis’ TV film, Dark Shadows, and it‘s subsequent series. At this time period more than any other, horror flicks flourished on prime-time network television. I am going to review a bunch of these flicks. Each will be posted with my “TV Horror flick logo”
The Night Stalker (1972)
Directed by John Llewllyn Moxey
Starring
Darren McGavin
Simon Oakland
Carol Lynley
Barry Atwater
Dan Curtis and Richard Matheson teamed up to produce and adapt the Jeff Rice unpublished novel, The Kolchak Papers. Renamed The Night Stalker. It held the record in ratings for the most watched TV movie up to that time boasting a 54% Market share. Filmed for ABC, it was an entertaining vampire film with an outstanding protagonist in Carl Kolchak played deftly by Darren McGavin. I remember the vampire being highly active and having tremendous strength, different than vampires in films up to the time. It was a huge event to have a horror film on prime time TV and it made for active water cooler and school hall chatter for weeks. The finale where Kolchak enters the vampires lair to drive a stake through the vampire’s heart offers rich suspense and atmosphere as powerful as any major film. This film was followed by another made for TV film, The Night Strangler, and a TV series. Unfortunately, Curtis and Matheson were not part of the series which struggled for two years before being cancelled, but there are some fun episodes in the series nevertheless. The Night Stalker is a great movie and holds up well even to this day.
related links:
The Night Stalker TV episode review
The Night Strangler review – coming soon
parlor of horror 
Good review.
I’ve watched both television movies, and agree with everything you wrote about “The Night Stalker.” I have gone through the television series about three times, and I also feel it is a shame that Curtis and Matheson weren’t involved with the series, but as you wrote, there are some fun episodes among the twenty that did air.
Thanks for stopping by Robbin. Yeah, this was really good writing and great characters. Love both films.
I love this movie. I haven’t seen it in ages but my fondness for it knows no bounds. I haven’t seen The Night Strangler but have always wanted to.
You should definitely see The Night Strangler because it is equally as good as the first film.
Where is it available? Is either film on DVD or BD?
I got the double dvd, the night stalker and the night strangler from Amazon a few years back. if they don’t have it still on amazon you could try oldies.com
I will check. Thanks, Michael!
its the MGM release that has both films, if that helps.
Cool. Thanks.
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It’s good, but I like Night Strangler better. I have trouble seeing Barry Atwater as a character other than Surak on Star Trek’s the Savage Curtain.
Haven’t seen this in a while, might have to revisit it.
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