It couldn’t happen here, It couldn’t happen here…The Night Stalker-updated with late breaking news!!!!
Above-newspaper prop -used i The Night Stalker
Click above link for your reading pleasure- Bob Cobert’s atmospheric and undoubtedly one of the spookiest soundtracks.
Kino Lorber has released both The Night Stalker and it’s sequel The Night Strangler in glorious Bluray editions with all the bells and whistles…so keep tuned here for more updates and look for reviews on both titles right on this very “program”… and
Below- the first audible chapter of The Night Stalker by Jeff Rice and narrated the author of this article, Chris Nersinger****
ABC Network- back in the early 70’s. Two films and a series that relied on blanket advertising on it’s own network, radio campaigns and publications like TV Guide…and word of mouth…here is a what can be done with a limited budget. It resulted in creating some genuine scares..more than effective- the public and viewers including yours truly were more than rattled by the ads and the actual full length product.
** Trivia ABC Movie of the Week ran from 1969 -1975 offering films & pilots for proposed TV series. All the features were made specifically for Television. This anthology series helped establish ABC Network as a true competitor to NBC and CBS. Aside from the Night Stalker other films included critically acclaimed Brian’s Song — never a dry eye with this one( James Caan and Billy Dee Williams). Duel-1971 Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut. The films aired mainly on Tuesdays the first couple of seasons. But increased production prompted additional nights including Saturdays and Wednesdays as well. The animated sequence was created by Douglas Trumbull (2001, A Space Odyssey)
It was early in the spring of 1972 and the Television audience was about to get a shock of their lives. A vampire maybe loose in Las Vegas. The police have not idea who or what is stalking the female populace late at night. But he is leaving some very unusual clues behind. Our intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak is up to his neck in trouble with the local constabulary and they think he’s a pain in the a**. But he maybe be the only one who knows exactly what the city is up a against. corpses with very little blood are being found crumpled up or they have just plain disappeared…mysterious thefts at the local blood banks..the city is in a panic or almost. “Look Gentleman whether you like it or not this guy thinks he’s a vampire and he has killed 6 or more girls and if you don’t start treating him like one he is going to go on killing…” That is Carl’s basic statement to the powers that be hoping that someone will listen to him. The premise is very believable and done almost at times like an unfolding news story with voice overs and handheld shots edited in..Has to be seen to appreciate that this was a film way ahead of its’ time. and so was the TV series.
Below-Kolchak and Editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland- The Sand Pebbles) having one of their weekly arguments…
The Night Stalker series debuted on ABC in Sept of 1974 … after the airing of the two very successful made for TV Movies of the Week both starring Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak that ever persistent pain in the neck reporter that gave Seer sucker suits a bad name. The setting changed to Chicago and made for a great backdrop to the story line. All the episodes started out with Kolchak narrating a story still giving it that feel for something that could happening right at this very moment. A real time concept.
Above: art work for the continuing adventures of Carl Kolchak
The series has many times been attributed to the creation of the X-Files. This was show that kept me tuning in every week . even after it’s short lived one season run it surfaced on late night TV for several years airing after the 11:00 news. Probably the most appropriate time slot for a show of this nature. It provide scares and welcomed breaks of humor to ease the suspense with Carl always squably with police, good ol “uptight” Updyke and of course Simo Oakland as Tony Vincenso Carls’ warring editor. Darren McGavin and cast had an incredible chemistry and even amongst the scares there must have been times when it was almost impossible to deliver a line for fear of cracking up…
Kolchak was kept busy each and every week as not only the seeker of truth(sound familiar) but as a resilient and resourceful monster hunter. For ever researching. Remember that. It is the key to a good reporter and writer. Within the first few episodes and through out the run of the series Kolchak would find himself up against the likes of vampires, fire eaters, vanishing Indians, Spanish Moss monsters, robots, invisible aliens and a headless “biker”.
Above- TV Guide ad fall 1974
However two of the scariest episodes featured Jack the Ripper and a zombie. Watching Kolchak trying to “beat the Clock” -racing to sew a zombies mouth shut with salt to keep it from rising in time and him hiding out in Jack’s house while the Ripper is quitely searching for what maybe be an intruder is nerve racking-nail biting at the least. The music score and the opening title are superb with just the right overtones of spooky and suspense. This was truly a unique show at the time it had its’ premiere run.
The talent went beyond it’s regular cast. There were numerous guest stars including Milton Berle, Larry Linville, Claud Atkins, Hans Conrad, Erik Estrada, Julie Adams, Alice Ghostly, Dick Van Patten, Richard Kiel, William Smith and many others. Far too many to mention here.
To the left-Richard Kiel guest starring in the episode-Bad Medicine
Behind the scenes was a vast crew including producer Dan Curtis who was no stranger to scaring the people, especially ABC audiences in the mid ti late ’60s and early ’70s with Dark Shadows. A show which also had a vampire that figured quite prominently in the story arch. Barnabas Collins played perfectly by Jonathan Frid.
Pay close attention to Barry Atwater who is Janos Skorzeny in The Night Stalker, quite a resemblance to Frid/Barnabas.
Barry as Surak on Star Trek-TOS from the episode The Savage Curtain
Believe it or not The Night Stalker, for which the title had been shortened to before the end run only saw one season. And like most of the public and at least in my circles(I was 12 then and heavily in to Monster Mags including Famous Monsters of Filmland, Hammer Horrors and Castle of Frankenstein. We were crushed. Not understanding why. Was it too scary, maybe.
But we (friends & neighbors) were thrilled when it jumped networks and became a staple of CBS Late Movie in May 1979, run during the summer. And I was back to constantly checking behind me on my way home from a midnight viewing at my friends house…thank goodness he only lived right next door..lol
To this day The Night Stalker movie still holds the record as the largest tune for a TV movie. I remember myself walking in to school the next day and everyone was talking about it. In fact this movie still scares after almost 40 years. and I was just turning 10 that year in 1972. Well now in just a few weeks you can have that luxury of being scared out of your pants .. well make sure you pull the drapes if that happens. Kino is bringing out the big guns and Night Stalker and it’s sequel are among the most sought after titles for a Bluray release. But you’ll have to see the reviews in a few weeks of both editions.
The films and the series have been a major impact on movie making and story telling for decades. Chris Carter, creator of X-Files has said over and over again that if it had not been for Night Stalker there would not have Scully nor his series. Which itself has gone to reshape our views on TV and Horror.
I say in all earnest I hope that Universal decides at some point to release Kolchak, The Night Stalker series remastered and in a Bluray format. For it really deserves the treatment :o be preserved as a most influential show-one of importance. So for now I bid you good evening, it;s getting dark and I point out that the sun has nearly set and if your least bit superstitious I say you best be on your way and stay out of dark alleys and deserted streets especially if your in Vegas or the Windy City of Chicago. And remember if the hair on the back of your neck stands on end …just keep saying it couldn’t happen here. It only happens in the movies or on the small screen. It can’t be real or could it? This Carl Kolchak, daily reporter at INS saying be well and stay safe and if in doubt always carry a clove of garlic for it seems to do the job with many of the things that go bump in the night. See ya next time.
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Link to Amazon:
