Dark Intruder (1965)Police call in occult expert to help solve series of murders. Director:Harvey HartWriter:Barré Lyndon |
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Dark Intruder (1965)Police call in occult expert to help solve series of murders. Director:Harvey HartWriter:Barré Lyndon |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Leslie Nielsen | ... | ||
| Peter Mark Richman | ... |
Robert Vandenburg
(as Mark Richman)
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Judi Meredith | ... |
Evelyn Lang
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Gilbert Green | ... |
Harvey Misbach
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Charles Bolender | ... |
Nikola
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| Werner Klemperer | ... |
Prof. Malaki
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| Vaughn Taylor | ... |
Dr. Kevin Burdett
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Peter Brocco | ... |
Chi Zang
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Bill Quinn | ... |
Neighbor
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Ken Hooker | ... |
1st Sergeant
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Richard Venture | ... |
1st Man
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Holly Bane | ... |
Plainclothesman
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Ingvard Nielsen | ... |
2nd Man
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Claudia Donelly | ... |
Woman
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| Al Lettieri | ... |
2nd Sergeant
(as Anthony Lettier)
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Police call in occult expert to help solve series of murders.
Leslie Nielsen is energetic, to say the least, as Bret Kingsford, ostensibly a playboy to everyone he knows in late 19th century San Francisco. But there is more to him than meets the eye. He is an expert on the occult, and secretly helps the local police force when a horrible string of murders are committed. Somehow his soon-to-be-married friend is involved, and Bret suspects someone or something not quite human is at the bottom of it. Leslie dons disguises to meet with the police chief to protect his social status, his victorian mansion has secret doors and passageways, and he plays at being uninterested while mentally taking notes and then disappears, leaving his guest staring at an empty chair. He's somewhat miscast in this film as a playboy, but when he throws off that persona he's fantastic. The foggy atmosphere of San Francisco is used to great effect to enhance the supernatural aura of the film.
This was a failed pilot produced by Jack Laird, who went on to produce "Night Gallery" a few years later, and was released theatrically at a few theaters. It's impossible to find, but deserves to be seen as the unique production it is. In some ways it is a clear precursor to "Kolchak, the Nightstalker", and also to the wonderful demon-themed TV movie "Spectre".