The Night Stalker (1972) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

John Llewellyn Moxey

Writers:

Richard Matheson (teleplay)
Jeffrey Grant Rice (novel)

Release Date:

11 January 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

An abrasive Las Vegas newspaper reporter investigates a series of murders committed by a vampire.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Vampire | Blood | Murder | Newspaper

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Darren McGavin	...	Carl Kolchak
Carol Lynley	...	Gail Foster
Simon Oakland	...	Tony Vincenzo
Ralph Meeker	...	Bernie Jenks
Claude Akins	...	Sheriff Warren A. Butcher
Charles McGraw	...	Police Chief Ed Masterson
Kent Smith	...	District Attorney Tom Paine
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Mickey Crawford
Stanley Adams	...	Fred Hurley
Larry Linville	...	Dr. Robert Makurji
Jordan Rhodes	...	Dr. John O'Brien
Barry Atwater	...	Janos Skorzeny

Also Known As:

The Kolchak Papers (USA) (original script title)
The Kolchak Tapes (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Not Rated (DVD) | USA:TV-PG | Iceland:16 | UK:PG (1998 video re-issue) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Shot in just 12 days.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Kolchak is taking pictures at Skorzeny's nighttime assault at the hospital, his camera's flash isn't working.

Quotes:

[about his vampire story]
Carl Kolchak: Judge for yourself its believability, and then try to tell yourself, wherever you may be, it couldn't happen here.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: The Night Stalker" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Manhattan

One Heck of a Movie

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.