The Night Stalker (1972) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

John Llewellyn Moxey

Writers:

Richard Matheson (teleplay)
Jeffrey Grant Rice (novel)
(more)

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Faulkner	...	Las Vegas Policeman (uncredited)
Virginia Gregg	...	Mrs. Brandon (uncredited)
Buddy Joe Hooker	...	Interne (uncredited)

Directed by
John Llewellyn Moxey

Writing credits
Richard Matheson		teleplay &
Jeffrey Grant Rice		novel (as Jeff Rice)
Max Hodge		writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Dan Curtis	....	producer

Original Music by
Bob Cobert		(as Robert Cobert)

Cinematography by
Michel Hugo

Film Editing by
Desmond Marquette

Casting by
Hoyt Bowers

Art Direction by
Trevor Williams

Set Decoration by
Fred Price		(as Fred R. Price)

Makeup Department
Gae Clark Butler	....	hair stylist (as Gae J. Clark)
Jerry Cash	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Neil T. Maffeo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Seitz	....	assistant director (as Christopher H. Seitz)

Art Department
Robert M. Anderson	....	property master
Hendrik Wynands	....	construction coordinator (as Hendrik G. Wynands)

Sound Department
Harold Lewis	....	sound mixer
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ralph McCarthy	....	gaffer
Lloyd Isbell	....	key grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betsy Cox	....	costumer: women
John S. Perry	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Mike Crumplar	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Frank Kulaga	....	music recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mario Simon	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Lily La Cava	....	script supervisor
Robert Singer	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Dan Curtis Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (video)
• CBS/Fox (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Magnum Entertainment (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chrysler Corporation  vehicles
• Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC)  sound effects
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  filmed at

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:

The entire film was shot in eighteen days.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Jenks leaves Carl outside at the hotel pool, Carl is alone. He looks around, then suddenly gets up and walks over to answer a white telephone, seemingly somehow knowing the call is for him. We should have heard a voice over the hotel loudspeaker, asking Carl Kolchak to please pick up the white courtesy phone -- however, this line was never dubbed into the final print.

Quotes:

Carl Kolchak: Don't look now, baby, but Kolchak's coming back in style.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Manhattan

A Classic Modern Vampire Story You Can Sink Your Teeth Into!

At one point in the 1970's ABC movie of the week was the king of television movies. The Night Stalker was one of those reason why movie of the week reigned supreme. This along with movies like Duel and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark and others I can't think of off hand were the reason. The Night Stalker is probably the best of these movies. It was a good story, with a very good and experienced cast of actors. While many were character actors and second bananas, they played their roles well.All of the actors were believable in their roles.The movie was believable and the vampire element was kept simple with little or no special effects.It was not needed. I will grant some of the criticisms about how a middle-aged reporter like Kolchak was able to battle the vampire whereas the police had trouble have merit.However, this doesn't take away from the story. Remember, Kolchak was the only one armed to fight a vampire in the first place.Also, remember it was a made for t.v. movie and plus do you really think Peter Cushing could match Christopher Lee evenly in all of the Hammer Dracula movies, I mean there was a size and strength difference there too. Suspend your belief just a little.The movie was perfect for the times, towards the end of Vietnam and right before Watergate when we were skeptical of everything. This is one of the very few movies from the 70's that I remember fondly.The ending was perfect for the times as well. The Night Stalker as both a story and a movie has to rank in the top ten vampire movies bar none. This is a vampire classic that you can sink your teeth into with great satisfaction!