The Night Stalker

The 1970s produced a large volume of made-for-TV movies, and, unlike today, they did not have to be about relevant social topics or preach political correctness. Back then, TV movies could actually be made with no intent other than to entertain--what a decade!

The Night Stalker is one of the very best of these made-for-TV films. Be warned, the production values are not as good as a feature film, but the story, the writing, the acting, and the director's mastery of creepiness make up for any other faults. From McGavin on down the line, the acting is terrific! In fact, Carl Kolchak may be McGavin's finest role. Richard Matheson's writing is up to his usual standards of excellence. Barry Atwater is a great bit of casting as the vampire. If there is one fault, and it has to be laid at the feet of the director, it is the inept use of a stunt man as a substitute for Atwater during the action scenes. In some scenes it is painfully obvious that it is not Atwater; it's a wonder the scenes weren't clipped. But this is the price that is paid for a TV movie with a short shooting schedule. As a whole, The Night Stalker is one of the very best vampire movies ever made. Don't let a few faults deter you from an otherwise classic bit of horror film-making. Remember, this is a TV movie; if you want lots of gore, don't waste your time.

And it took a TV movie to achieve this feat. But there's no denying the powerful intersection of screen writer Richard Matheson, producer Dan Curtis, and Darren McGavin in perhaps his best role (after A Christmas Story). Ably assisted by Jeff Rice's original novel, Night Stalker works on every level. The humor is there, but a bit subdued. The vampire is a feral beast who is strong, invulnerable, and drinks blood...and that's it. No lame transformations into a bat: The script's portrayal of Skorzeny the Vampire echoes that of Christopher Lee (Hammer also resisted displaying much of Dracula's superhuman abilities).

Skorzeny has none of the sexuality or personality of Dracula, but in a sense the movie isn't about him even if he's the "Stalker" of the title. It's a movie about Carl Kolchak, reporter and undeterred seeker of truth. He could be stalking a story about corrupt politicians, or mobsters, or whatever. The only difference is here, he's after a vampire. This extra supernatural element rises it above what few dramatic reporter-featured movies there are out there.

Item - Take one modern setting such a Las Vegas and tell a story of vampirism set there. Item - Add one eccentric, cynical reporter out for a good story with a great personality. Item - Add supporting characters that are interesting. Item - Add a fine cast headed by Darren McGavin as the relentless reporter Carl Kolchak. and Simon Oakland as the head of the newspaper Kolchak works for. Also add great supporting stars such as Barry Atwater, Larry Linville, and Claude Akins. Item - Have one of the kings of horror fiction...Richard Mathseon write a script based on the excellent novel by Jeff Rice. Item - Add the final ingredient of artful direction and you have one great movie that was made for television and that spawned a sequel and a television series on the title character. The Night Stalker is easily one of the best horror films ever made and certainly one of the best ever produced for television.

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. It had a great plot, good characters ... a reluctant hero and one of the best TV movie villains ever. Of course, you have to have a good villain to make a story work and Janos Skorzeny certainly fits the bill. And Barry Atwater plays Skorzeny with the perfect amount of venom and snarl, not going way over the top, which would have been easy to do.

Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak was also a role he was born to play. The rumpled suit, the trademark straw hat (which he incidentally wore along with a tuxedo to a Dean Martin celebrity roast!), the almost Columbo-like dogged questioning and pursuit. His "High Noon" showdown with Skorzeny was as good as it gets .... no one else was willing or able to take down the bad guy so the character least likely to do it reluctantly decides to save the city from a maniac.

The characters who worked for Las Vegas law enforcement were more interested in protecting their backsides and practicing CYA after being made to look foolish and incompetent by a reporter willing to consider something beyond their imagination. By sending the only people who knew the truth - Kolchak, his girlfriend and his editor, Tony Vincenzo - either out of town or threatening them into silence, the cover-up of the truth was completed.

Persistent rumors exist that there are plans to remake this into a big screen movie .... I hope not, I am having problems imagining contemporary actors who could play these roles better than the original cast.

For those who remember this television show, re-visiting it on VHS or DVD is a nostalgic experience. Darren McGavin was a likable, funny guy as "Carl Kolchak," a reporter for an independent news service who chases after vampires and assorted weirdos.

In this pilot show, "Kolchak" goes after a vampire in Las Vegas. Ah, a good place for any bloodsucker. Since this was on television back in the early-to-mid '70s, you see a thriller with no gore and no profanity and you also get to see the beautiful Carol Lynley's face again.

Darrin McGavin was an underrated actor, a guy who always seemed to make whatever character he was playing an interesting guy. He was great in this short (2 years, I think) television series.

The only annoying part of the this film and the TV series is all the hostility toward Kolchak, particularly by his loud and obnoxious employer, "Tony Vincenzo," played by Simon Oakland.