The series starred stuart townsend as carl kolchak, an investigative reporter whose wife was murdered. Stalker movies general discussions tcm message boards. Stalker was an american police procedural crime drama television series about victims of stalking and the detectives of the lapds threat assessment unit who investigate the crimes. Jun 07, 20 a complete timeline of the night stalker s gruesome murders april 10, 1984. Kolchak the night stalker s01 ep11 horror in the heights part 01 hd watch. When it comes to horror that was shot for tv it just doesnt get any better than kolchak the night stalker.
Starr is also a copywriter and marketing consultant through diamond pacific media group. It featured a fictional chicago wire service reportercarl kolchak, played by darren mcgavinwho investigated mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those that law enforcement authorities would not follow up. The night stalker, the uniquely eerie mystery series that paved the way for the x files, comes to dvd for the first time with all 20 original episode from the 197475 emmy r nominated series. With stuart townsend, gabrielle union, eric jungmann, cotter smith. The complete series dvd, 2006 at the best online prices at ebay. With kellie martin, adam macdonald, dylan neal, camille pennel. Why stalker is the film we need now a new restoration of andrei tarkovksys 1979 classic functions as a contemporary parable of environmental politics. Richard dean starr is an american entrepreneur, editor, screenwriter, and author of fiction, comics, and graphic novels.
The night stalker gets some life with a clear english dtshd ma 2. The second television film,kolchak the night stalker the night strangler, was also turned into a novel written by jeff. Contentsshow plot reporter carl kolchak, now in seattle, washington having been run out of las vegas at the end of the last film is assigned to the story of a series of killings, in which the victims, all exotic dancers, are strangled, their necks crushed, then. With bellamy young, lou diamond phillips, louis herthum, annalisa cochrane. It features an alternatereality theme, in which a second nuclear disaster occurs at the chernobyl nuclear power plant in 2006 and causes strange changes in the area around it. The classic male stalker is one who if a female rebuffs them, they become angry and bitter and are out to make the females life miserable, since the stalker believes no woman has the right to. There is also a list of films he has produced and his appearances in television. The night stalkerthe night strangler dvd, 2004 for sale. The night stalker is an american television series dealing with the themes of the supernatural, monsters, aliens and strange happenings. The night stalker tv series the first movie is the night stalker 1972 which was the primary inspiration for the xfiles, one of the most successful and longrunning scifi tv shows, of whose subjects. The night stalker aired on abc on january 11, 1972. Darren mcgavin, carol lynley, simon oakland, claude akins and janos skorzeny. With darren mcgavin, simon oakland, jack grinnage, ruth mcdevitt. This post contains spoilers for the american horror story.
Mcgavin is best known for his role as the father in the christmas story but was mike hammer in the 1950s tv series and also the founder of the xfiles in that franchise among many other roles in stage film tv. The complete series carl kolchak returns in a new series of spinetingling adventures. The television show was created after a movie called the night stalker was a big ratings hit. Theres something stylishly scary at work here, says the new york times. Mei leung, 9, was found dead in the basement of a hotel basement where ramirez was living. As a television film, the soundscape for this film isnt all that dynamic but it gets the job done.
In addition, there is a comic book based off the premise first published in 2003 by moonstone books and two short fiction anthology was published in 2006 and 2007. The night stalker is an american television series that aired on abc during the 19741975 season. Will johnny depp star in edgar wrights reboot of the night. Starring the late character actor darren mcgavin who will be forever remembered as the dad from a christmas story, the show followed newspaper reporter carl kolchak as he investigated mysterious crimes which often involved. Dan curtis talks richard matheson and the night stalker by flyingbearfilmmorgue. Oct 29, 2016 the night stalker is the 1972 madefortv horrordetective film starring darren mcgavin.
Darren mcgavin stars as carl kolchak, a headstrong. R shadow of chernobyl is a survivalhorror first person shooter video game by ukrainian developer gsc game world, and published by thq. The success of the night stalker and the night strangler caused abc to reconsider plans for a third movie installment early plans included the possibility of marketing the three movies in syndication as the trilogy of terror and the network decided to produce a weekly kolchak series instead. Instead, many viewers perceived the shortlived series as a thinly disguised xfiles spinoff, with former xfiles producer frank spotnitz apparently hired to recycle xfiles plots in a slightly. Another helping of rod sterling with the house episode from the first season of the night gallery. The filmography of american actor, director and producer, nicolas cage includes the year the film was or will be released, the name of his character, the director, and other related notes.
While you can access all of the entries in the blog archive in the. The night stalker, however, is written in a very passive manner being a journalist, kolchak is often not involved in the action, but receives reports of it from people whom he interviews, while in the night strangler, kolchak is more actively involved in the story and the story is a lot faster paced presumably this is a byproduct of its. The night strangler is a television film which first aired on abc on january 16, 1973, as a sequel to the night stalker the night strangler proved almost as popular as its predecessor garnering strong ratings and eventually prompting abc to order a tv series neither writer richard matheson nor producerdirector dan curtis was involved in the tv series. The night stalker, which was inspired by the great hit tv. A satan worshipper uses a magical medallion emblazoned with an inverted pentacle the symbol of black magic to transform. These often involved the supernatural or science fiction. Criterions loving restoration of the late george romeros night of the living dead, once available only in subpar public domain versions, was a big winner, named best classic dvdbluray, best restoration and containing the best extra feature a work print of the film. If we had a wtf category on short of the week, new media ltds unforgettable short night stalker would undoubtedly be a film perfectly made for that channel. It is primarily carnivorous and while not necessarily predisposed to only hunting humans they have become a staple of its diet and feeding habits. The night stalker dark scenes are really dark, so much so that all one can see are highlights, reflections, and the occasional flashlight blotting out the entire screen. The night stalker a day, we hope youll come along for the ride after the fact and post your comments on the episodes as you make your way through the series.
This penetrating psychological thriller from seattles megan griffiths features a spinechillingly magnetic performance from lou diamond phillips as deathrow inmate richard ramirez. Night stalker is a television series that ran for six weeks in fall 2005 on abc in america. How richard ramirez became known as the night stalker. If night stalker had been given a chance to establish its own identity, this reimagining of the popular early 70s tv movies might have thrived.
In response to the evolving covid19 pandemic, the city of chicago has joined the state of illinois in issuing a stay at home order effective saturday, march 21st at 5pm ct. On an old mike douglas halloween episode from 1975 or 1976, not sure darren read a poe story heart then talked to mike. Trailer for the night stalker that was released in anticipation of the film s premiere at the seattle international film festival. Dialogue is on point and never overpowered by sound effects or scoring.
But, yup, the show began as the night stalker first 4 onehour shows then was taken off the air for a month, then returned as kolchak. The show that featured a newspaper reporter investigating strange supernatural occurrences in chicago20 years before the xfiles. Richard mathesons teleplay, about a hildy johnsonesque reporter, carl kolchak darren mcgavin, hot on the trail of an agesold vampire stalking the streets of modernday las vegas, earned an incredible 54 share on a 33. After the success of the tv film and its sequel, the novel was published in 1973 by pocket books as a massmarket paperback original titled the night stalker, with a photo of darren mcgavin on the cover to tie it to the film. You know, watching the witty and fun interplay between darren mcgavin and simon oakland, i find myself wishing. Fans of the series had little hope of ever seeing the unaired episodes. Cult movie and television fans will always hold the original the night stalker in high regard. They are the same overlydark transfers with film specs and scratches occasionally visible. The night stalker 1972the night strangler 1973 bluray directors. This penetrating psychological thriller from seattles. It was written by codirector bustillo, and is the first feature film from either director.
The night stalker does that job ably while simultaneously exploring the mans biography, in interviewflashback sequences informed by philip carlos biography. The night stalker stars darren mcgavin as a reporter named carl kolchak whose job is to. In australia, the seven network freetoair station and prime in regional areas screened the series between early june and september 2007. On offer was an original film directed by john llewellyn moxey, a british journeyman whose major claim to fame was the 1960 horror film, the city of the dead aka horror hotel. A night of fright is no delight the ghost hunting great dane is in line for a fortune if he, and his pals, can see out the night in the late colonel beauregard sanders mansion. An abrasive las vegas newspaper reporter investigates a series of. As we have noted before, one of the most imitated and rippedoff tv properties of all is kolchak. I have the new 5 disc kolchak set and the episodes look very good. The second television film, kolchak the night stalker the night strangler, was also turned into a novel written by jeff. If you liked the ninth and final episode of season 9 and even if you didnt we have a fun fact for you about its. Richard ramirez was an american serial killer who broke into california homes, raping and torturing more than 25 victims and killing at least over a twoyear rampage. Journalist, carl kolchak, investigates unusual cases involving supernatural occurrences.
Kolchak spends his time investigating other strange murders, believing they are. Then came the tv series, variously known as kolchak, or the night stalker or most often as kolchak. The night stalker is the second movie on what is to become kolchak. When the character of carl kolchak created by writer jeff rice was brought to the small screen, it caused something of a.
The creature gets its name from its preferred method of stalking its victims from the shadows, and because of this method, along with its displays of superhuman speeds, a clear visual of it and its anatomy is almost impossible. This is a significant change from the true story because kit herself will take center stage in the movie. The stalker referred to as stalker in the credits is the main antagonist of the 2011 australian found footage horror film directed by carlo ledesma, the tunnel. The madefortv movie, called the night stalker, was a throwback of sorts but turned out to be refreshing in its newness. They are referred to as stalkers a name coming directly from andrei tarkovskis film stalker, a cult movie dated back in 1979 and from a survivalhorror videogame released in 2007 and set right into the zone named s. A womans troubled brother tracks her down after years spent apart. Following two tv movies 1972s the night stalker and 1973s the night strangler, kolchak. For the uninitiated, night stalker is based on the 1972 television movie the night stalker and the 1974 followup series kolchak. Will johnny depp star in edgar wrights reboot of the.
The night stalker is a 2016 film directed by megan griffiths based on the life of richard ramirez. The night strangler is a made for television movie which first aired on abc on january 16, 1973 as a sequel to the night stalker. The 1972 television series that aired on abc and starred darren mcgavin as a reporter trying to track down a vampire on las vegas was an originator in that it brought this type of material to television before it got popular with later shows like the xfiles. The night stalker, a television series that ran from 19741975. The night stalker and the night strangler are a must buy for the carl kolchak fans. A newspaper reporter investigates strange supernatural occurrences in chicago.
Delroy easton grant, a serial rapist who operated in london during the 1990s and 2000s, sometimes referred to by the british media as the night stalker and the minstead rapist arts and entertainment. With darren mcgavin, carol lynley, simon oakland, ralph meeker. John llewellyn moxey, dan curtis kino lorber studio classics. They remade the series in 2005 and it was cancelled after only 6 episodes. As fans of the supernatural series know, abc cancelled the new night stalker after just six episodes in early november 2005. Playing at the 42nd annual seattle international film festival. The complete series was released by buena vista home entertainment on may 30, 2006. Darren mcgavin and costar simon oakland playing da editor, tony vincenzo signed on to reprise. The show never really got the chance to take off on tv, so i thought id give i. The movie did so well, in fact, that it was released as a theatrical vehicle abroad. The bluray releases of night stalker, night strangler and trilogy of terror had recent interviews with him where he looked and sounded in very good shape. The night stalker aired on abc for a single season in 1974 1975.
He is also a former journalist and film critic who has written for newspapers and magazines. Ramirez is featured in the fifth and ninth seasons of the fx horror anthology series, firstly being portrayed by anthony ruivivar and then later by zach villa. Produced by the xfiles frank spotnitz and based on the original 70s suspense drama, night stalker updates the chilling classic in a startling new way. It concerns the attack and home invasion of a young pregnant woman paradis by a. Edgar wrights night stalker reboot with johnny depp may. In the uk the series aired in december 2007 and january 2008 on bravo.
Directed by john llewellyn moxey and produced by dan curtis, best known at the time for dark shadows, the night stalker became abcs highest rated original tv movie and the most widely viewed tv movie to date. The creature is tall, gaunt, and pale, with stringy black hair and large eyes. The 2005 tv show night stalker, starring stuart townsend and gabrielle union. By current standards, it barely passes as watchable. The night stalker 1972 had been a ratings phenomenon. Dubbed the night stalker by the news media, ramirez was one of. Mar 08, 2019 now there was the tarkovsky movie from the 1970s called stalker but it is not really about the kind of demented pursuer i am researching on film. Why stalker is the film we need now the new republic. The episodes are still missing the original universal logo after the end credits. The show ran for one season on cbs, from october 1, 2014, to may 18, 2015. Deadline is saying that disneys the night stalker will likely be rated pg because it will be tailored to fir disneys family film mandate. A linterieur is a 2007 french horror thriller film directed by julien maury and alexandre bustillo and starring alysson paradis and beatrice dalle.
This two sided dvd plays well on cheaper dvd players but did skip on the night strangler during the last 10 minutes of the movie but, played perfectly on my computers and higher end dvd unit. An atmospheric tale of a fragile women troubled by dreams of a haunted. The night strangler film universal monsters wiki fandom. The stalker referred in the film as the stalker is a highly aggressive, subterranean humanoid creature from the 2011 australian horror film the tunnel.