Carl Kolchak(Darren McGavin) investigates the brutal unsolved murders of healthy people whose hearts were removed. It seems that an Aztec cult is offering them as sacrifices for their mummified warrior chief, needed every 52 years in a ten-cycle pattern, this being the ninth, and the fifth and final offering must be a willing one, and one man named Pepe Torres(played by Erik Estrada) seems to be that man, though if Carl has any say in the matter, may make him change his mind... Though not tightly plotted, this is still an interesting episode that makes amusing uses of its millennium theme and 52 year cycles - we'll have to watch out for the year 2027 it seems...
10 Reviews
A really fun episode.
Hey_Sweden30 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Kolchak gets wind of sadistic doings by an Aztec cult that commits ritual sacrifices, cutting the hearts out of the victims, so that one of their gods may be resurrected. Among the victims are a star football player, a Green Beret, an ambitious and capable young female Air Force captain, and a decorated cop. It's up to Kolchak to try to prevent the fifth scheduled victim from meeting their doom.
There's not much in the way of suspense in this episode, but there are still some effectively shocking moments, and some striking imagery (i.e. the cultists dressed in bright red, green & yellow plumage). Until the finale, fortunately, there are some incredibly good belly laughs to be had. One instance has Kolchak dressing up as a hotel bellboy in order to sneak past the police, and Vincenzo and Updyke recognizing him. Another has Kolchak pumping a taxidermist (Sorrell Booke) for information and having to buy an item to placate the man. The result is seeing a stuffed rodent perched atop a light on Vincenzo's desk.
As per usual, Kolchak aggravates the hell out of a lot of people, including Ramon Bieri (who'd played a different grouchy police captain in a previous Kolchak episode, 'Bad Medicine'), a perky P.R. person for a hotel (Pippa Scott), the previously mentioned taxidermist, and a professor of Mexican history (Victor Campos). Jack Grinnage as Updyke has one good moment where he thinks sticking a pipe in his mouth makes him look more intellectual, and Vincenzo curtly tells him he's not pulling it off.
Also appearing are Sondra Currie as Vicky and Cal Bartlett as cop Earl Lyons, but the cast member you're likely to remember from this story is Erik "Ponch" Estrada, as the none-too-bright hotshot having the time of his life working at the hotel; he totally rocks a pink suit at one point. The mummy at the centre of the story is appropriately gnarly looking, and figures in an amusing finale and a very amusing final shot.
Don McDougall capably directs from the great script by Arthur Rowe and the visuals are all nicely done. 'Legacy of Terror', overall, is highly indicative of the style of this series.
Seven out of 10.
There's not much in the way of suspense in this episode, but there are still some effectively shocking moments, and some striking imagery (i.e. the cultists dressed in bright red, green & yellow plumage). Until the finale, fortunately, there are some incredibly good belly laughs to be had. One instance has Kolchak dressing up as a hotel bellboy in order to sneak past the police, and Vincenzo and Updyke recognizing him. Another has Kolchak pumping a taxidermist (Sorrell Booke) for information and having to buy an item to placate the man. The result is seeing a stuffed rodent perched atop a light on Vincenzo's desk.
As per usual, Kolchak aggravates the hell out of a lot of people, including Ramon Bieri (who'd played a different grouchy police captain in a previous Kolchak episode, 'Bad Medicine'), a perky P.R. person for a hotel (Pippa Scott), the previously mentioned taxidermist, and a professor of Mexican history (Victor Campos). Jack Grinnage as Updyke has one good moment where he thinks sticking a pipe in his mouth makes him look more intellectual, and Vincenzo curtly tells him he's not pulling it off.
Also appearing are Sondra Currie as Vicky and Cal Bartlett as cop Earl Lyons, but the cast member you're likely to remember from this story is Erik "Ponch" Estrada, as the none-too-bright hotshot having the time of his life working at the hotel; he totally rocks a pink suit at one point. The mummy at the centre of the story is appropriately gnarly looking, and figures in an amusing finale and a very amusing final shot.
Don McDougall capably directs from the great script by Arthur Rowe and the visuals are all nicely done. 'Legacy of Terror', overall, is highly indicative of the style of this series.
Seven out of 10.
A worthy and entertaining episode
Woodyanders11 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
An Aztec cult attempts to resurrect an ancient god by cutting the hearts out of five people in a series of grisly rituals. It's up to Carl Kolchak (the always zesty and delightful Darren McGavin) to stop dashing hipster Pepe Torres (an excellent and sympathetic performance by Erik Estrada) from becoming the cult's fifth victim before it's too late. Director Don McDougall, working from a smart and witty script by Arthur Rowe, relates the absorbing story at a snappy pace, does an able job of creating and sustaining an eerie mood throughout, and further spices things up with several amusing and inspired moments of wickedly sharp and cynical humor. Moreover, the sound acting from a capable cast rates as another major asset, with stand-out work from Simon Oakland as Kolchak's choleric superior Tony Vincenzo, Ramon Bieri as stern, huffy Captain Webster, Pippa Scott as sassy hotel public relations director Tillie Jones, Sorrell Booke as testy, touchy taxidermist Mr. Eddy, Victor Campos as the helpful Professor Jamie Rodriguez, Jack Grinnage as prissy wimpy Ron Updyke, and ravishing redhead Sondra Currie as sexy cult member Vicky. Jerry Fielding's spooky score does the spine-tingling trick; the cult's signature flute theme is genuinely haunting and chilling. Ronald W. Browne's crisp cinematography is likewise up to speed. The thrilling climax delivers a few nice jolts. A fun and effective show.
Stalking Cultists
a_l_i_e_n22 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A cult goes on a ritual murder spree.
The victims in a series of nighttime attacks are discovered with their hearts removed from their bodies. At the site of one of these murders, Kolchak is knocked off his feet by a man who flees the scene dressed in a bizarre bird costume.
Kolchak tracks a lead at a ritzy hotel where among other things of interest, he finds an ancient mummy kept in a storage room. When the management deny having any such thing in their possession, Kolchak goes back to the storeroom and finds that the sarcophagus and it's occupant are no longer there.
Among the hotel staff, Carl comes across a surprisingly inept executive named Pepi who is being treated like royalty for no apparent reason.
After consulting a taxidermist and an Aztec history professor, Kolchak forms a theory about the recent killings: every 52 years a cult is removing the hearts of victims in the belief this will bring about the resurrection of their deity, Nanautzin. Most significantly, the fifth heart must be sacrificed willingly, and according to the Aztec calendar the hour of that sacrifice is near.
Kolchak tracks the cultists to a sports stadium where he finds Pepi, the young executive, preparing to sacrifice himself as payment for the year of pleasure he's enjoyed courtesy of the cult. Carl is discovered, but is allowed to witness the impending sacrifice. Pepi lies down on an altar next to Nanautzin's open sarcophagus, but just as the blade is about to be plunged into his chest the young man loses his nerve and flees with the cultists in pursuit.
With only a few minutes left before his opportunity to claim a 5th sacrifice passes, the mummy rises from the altar. With sword in hand, it attacks Carl who narrowly avoids losing his head. When the reporter gets up again the mummy is nowhere in sight, but checking his watch Carl notes there are two minutes left for Nanautzin to fulfill his sacrificial requirement. Suddenly the mummy appears from behind a row of seats and takes one more slash at Carl before falling to the floor as if all life has drained from it's body.
Kolchak checks his wrist watch and remarks, "Must be slow".
An unusual episode, "Legacy Of Terror" breaks from some of the pre-set conventions of the established "Night Stalker" formula. Example: while his adversaries are almost always supernatural in nature or run along science fiction themes, for the first time it appears Kolchak is in pursuit of ordinary people...well, ordinary people who happen to be committing gruesome murders. Only in the final moments does the episode fulfill the usual paranormal requirement of the series by having Nanautzin come to life.
Another break from the norm: Kolchak often spends the course of an episode running all over Chicago, but nearly the entire first half of "Legacy Of Terror" takes place around the ritzy hotel where Carl in his cheap suit looks hilariously out of place. One scene has him attempting to sneak into a restricted area dressed as a waiter. For avid any fan who's watched this guy dressed in nothing other than his cheap white suit and old straw hat, the sight of Carl Kolchak in a bright red jacket is as startling as if a black and white TV were suddenly endowed with a Technicolor picture.
In another amusing scene that nicely displays his reporter's ingenuity, Kolchak dangles a tape recorder just above two detectives discussing the gory details of a murder. When he's discovered, Carl comes down the steps apologizing to the two irate cops who never notice that as he steps over the body he points his camera downward and snaps a picture of it.
Director Don MacDougall attempts to give a stylish look to the ritual murders, and Gill Melle' and Jerry Fielding are credited with the memorable high-pitched music that accompanies each of the attacks.
Unfortunately, because of prevailing TV standards of that time, the violence occurring in these scenes could only be hinted at. Plus, the colourful, long-feathered bird costumes seem an unlikely attire for the cultists to wear when they are trying to conceal themselves from their unsuspecting victims.
As for the look of the mummy, the makeup appears a touch too thin around the eyes of the actor playing Nanautzin. Still, he does cut quite a creepy figure when he rises, sword in hand, ready to make Kolchak his next victim.
A neat final chill thrown in literally at the very end: with the mummy once again lying in it's sarcophagus, Kolchak comments how he won't be around in 52 years to see if Nanautzin claims his 5 victim and then asks of the audience, "will you?" Director MacDougall then cuts to a close up of the mummy's face and literally frames before the scene fades out...it's eyes open.
The guest star appearance by a pre-"CHIPs" Erik Estrada is a bit of a surprise, too. Playing the inept young executive who agrees to be Nanautzin's willing sacrifice, Estrada manages to engender some real sympathy as a street kid so dissatisfied with his low prospects in life that he's willing to die in exchange for a year of being treated like a king.
While "Legacy Of Terror" is flawed by those distracting costumes and some inadequately visceral murders, the pace does draw us along nicely through a largely fresh setting and features villains who, for the most part, are kind of unique among Kolchak's adversaries. So, for commendably striving to be a less formulaic kind of "Night Stalker" episode, this one earns a 7.
The victims in a series of nighttime attacks are discovered with their hearts removed from their bodies. At the site of one of these murders, Kolchak is knocked off his feet by a man who flees the scene dressed in a bizarre bird costume.
Kolchak tracks a lead at a ritzy hotel where among other things of interest, he finds an ancient mummy kept in a storage room. When the management deny having any such thing in their possession, Kolchak goes back to the storeroom and finds that the sarcophagus and it's occupant are no longer there.
Among the hotel staff, Carl comes across a surprisingly inept executive named Pepi who is being treated like royalty for no apparent reason.
After consulting a taxidermist and an Aztec history professor, Kolchak forms a theory about the recent killings: every 52 years a cult is removing the hearts of victims in the belief this will bring about the resurrection of their deity, Nanautzin. Most significantly, the fifth heart must be sacrificed willingly, and according to the Aztec calendar the hour of that sacrifice is near.
Kolchak tracks the cultists to a sports stadium where he finds Pepi, the young executive, preparing to sacrifice himself as payment for the year of pleasure he's enjoyed courtesy of the cult. Carl is discovered, but is allowed to witness the impending sacrifice. Pepi lies down on an altar next to Nanautzin's open sarcophagus, but just as the blade is about to be plunged into his chest the young man loses his nerve and flees with the cultists in pursuit.
With only a few minutes left before his opportunity to claim a 5th sacrifice passes, the mummy rises from the altar. With sword in hand, it attacks Carl who narrowly avoids losing his head. When the reporter gets up again the mummy is nowhere in sight, but checking his watch Carl notes there are two minutes left for Nanautzin to fulfill his sacrificial requirement. Suddenly the mummy appears from behind a row of seats and takes one more slash at Carl before falling to the floor as if all life has drained from it's body.
Kolchak checks his wrist watch and remarks, "Must be slow".
An unusual episode, "Legacy Of Terror" breaks from some of the pre-set conventions of the established "Night Stalker" formula. Example: while his adversaries are almost always supernatural in nature or run along science fiction themes, for the first time it appears Kolchak is in pursuit of ordinary people...well, ordinary people who happen to be committing gruesome murders. Only in the final moments does the episode fulfill the usual paranormal requirement of the series by having Nanautzin come to life.
Another break from the norm: Kolchak often spends the course of an episode running all over Chicago, but nearly the entire first half of "Legacy Of Terror" takes place around the ritzy hotel where Carl in his cheap suit looks hilariously out of place. One scene has him attempting to sneak into a restricted area dressed as a waiter. For avid any fan who's watched this guy dressed in nothing other than his cheap white suit and old straw hat, the sight of Carl Kolchak in a bright red jacket is as startling as if a black and white TV were suddenly endowed with a Technicolor picture.
In another amusing scene that nicely displays his reporter's ingenuity, Kolchak dangles a tape recorder just above two detectives discussing the gory details of a murder. When he's discovered, Carl comes down the steps apologizing to the two irate cops who never notice that as he steps over the body he points his camera downward and snaps a picture of it.
Director Don MacDougall attempts to give a stylish look to the ritual murders, and Gill Melle' and Jerry Fielding are credited with the memorable high-pitched music that accompanies each of the attacks.
Unfortunately, because of prevailing TV standards of that time, the violence occurring in these scenes could only be hinted at. Plus, the colourful, long-feathered bird costumes seem an unlikely attire for the cultists to wear when they are trying to conceal themselves from their unsuspecting victims.
As for the look of the mummy, the makeup appears a touch too thin around the eyes of the actor playing Nanautzin. Still, he does cut quite a creepy figure when he rises, sword in hand, ready to make Kolchak his next victim.
A neat final chill thrown in literally at the very end: with the mummy once again lying in it's sarcophagus, Kolchak comments how he won't be around in 52 years to see if Nanautzin claims his 5 victim and then asks of the audience, "will you?" Director MacDougall then cuts to a close up of the mummy's face and literally frames before the scene fades out...it's eyes open.
The guest star appearance by a pre-"CHIPs" Erik Estrada is a bit of a surprise, too. Playing the inept young executive who agrees to be Nanautzin's willing sacrifice, Estrada manages to engender some real sympathy as a street kid so dissatisfied with his low prospects in life that he's willing to die in exchange for a year of being treated like a king.
While "Legacy Of Terror" is flawed by those distracting costumes and some inadequately visceral murders, the pace does draw us along nicely through a largely fresh setting and features villains who, for the most part, are kind of unique among Kolchak's adversaries. So, for commendably striving to be a less formulaic kind of "Night Stalker" episode, this one earns a 7.
Surprisingly Good Late-Run Episode
Gislef5 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Although the back half of the Kolchak series is usually dismissed, it's more that it pales in comparison from the first half. While the first half is average to excellent, the second half has a few real clunkers dragging it down ("Primal Scream", "The Youth Killer", "The Sentry") and the stronger episodes are either strong for reasons other than the monsters and horror (Captain Rausch in "The Knightly Murders"), or weren't as commonly known because they were taken out of syndication for the compilation movies. "Legacy of Terror" is the latter.
"Legacy" is surprisingly well-researched. It's nothing you couldn't find out from Wikipedia in 2022, but it shows an impressive amount of research for 1975. Writer Arthur Rowe neatly wraps the 52-year old Aztec cycle in with the modern-day 1975 sensibilities. There is some updating, like Pepe's three assistant for the three traditional Aztec attendants/priestesses. Kolchak piecing it together from bits and bobs is well done.
Weak points are the entire cult, which disappears at the end when the mummy takes center stage. The cultists just run off after Pepe at the end. One of them is Andrews, the head of the hotel chain. He gets short shrift. Kolchak suggests to Vincenzo earlier that psychosis runs in the Andrews family. So is Andrews a psychotic that is carrying out the family tradition? The original "Andrews" kept alive through supernatural means? Something else? Presumably that's Andrews at the end overseeing Pepe's sacrifice: I don't know actor Carlos Romero enough to know if the oldest head priest without dialogue is him. It seems like Andrew and the cult should get more attention from the story than they do.
Another flaw is Pepe. Erik Estrada is good in an earlier role, but we really don't see enough of him to know why he decides to throw it away and bolt. Kolchak gives him a few words about how the cult might not honor their bargain with Pepe, and Pepe... runs. I like Kolchak's bemusement with Pepe, both in the office scene earlier where the reporter seems to think there's some weird blackmail going on. And later in the locker room where Kolchak preys on Pepe's doubts. But we never see enough of Pepe to learn that he has doubts to be preyed on.
McGavin as Kolchak is good, as always. I like his admission that "I lie a lot" in voiceover. I like his weird bit about how an EMT wants to x-ray Kolchak for a concussion and Kolchak talks about dark secrets and evil plans, the Kolchak/Vincenzo scenes are always good, Kolchak using psychology on Pepe to convince him to run, and Kolchak's tumble down the stairs at the end looks both realistic and painful and McGavin does both.
There are some weird directorial flourishes and cuts that are just... weird. Kolchak is pounding on the door to be let out of the storage room, and then the police are hauling him to Tillie's office. The mummy at the end is apparently of the teleporting variety. However, Director McDougall captures the eeriness of the whole thing pretty well: with both the cultists leaping out of nowhere and killing their victims in relatively public modern-day surroundings (the cultists charging into Timmins' hotel room, and swarming Lyons), and their taking over a sports arena for their final sacrifice.
Like "Bad Medicine", the idea of transplanting baddies into a modern-day setting (a cliff-dwelling Indian in an abandoned skyscraper; a modern day Aztec cult using a sports arena as their sacrificial pyramid) is very... Kolchakish. The transplanting of the Aztec "perfect victim" into a modern setting is also nicely done.
Overall, "Legacy" is more good than bad. It tends to cut a few corners, but that's more because of the cut-short runtime than anything else. The story is good, the performances by both the regulars and the guests are good, and the directorial flourishes are mostly good. Just the corner-cutting and the final nature of the story keep it from being a classic. Kolchak "wins" because his watch is running slow. Umm, huh?
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
"Legacy" is surprisingly well-researched. It's nothing you couldn't find out from Wikipedia in 2022, but it shows an impressive amount of research for 1975. Writer Arthur Rowe neatly wraps the 52-year old Aztec cycle in with the modern-day 1975 sensibilities. There is some updating, like Pepe's three assistant for the three traditional Aztec attendants/priestesses. Kolchak piecing it together from bits and bobs is well done.
Weak points are the entire cult, which disappears at the end when the mummy takes center stage. The cultists just run off after Pepe at the end. One of them is Andrews, the head of the hotel chain. He gets short shrift. Kolchak suggests to Vincenzo earlier that psychosis runs in the Andrews family. So is Andrews a psychotic that is carrying out the family tradition? The original "Andrews" kept alive through supernatural means? Something else? Presumably that's Andrews at the end overseeing Pepe's sacrifice: I don't know actor Carlos Romero enough to know if the oldest head priest without dialogue is him. It seems like Andrew and the cult should get more attention from the story than they do.
Another flaw is Pepe. Erik Estrada is good in an earlier role, but we really don't see enough of him to know why he decides to throw it away and bolt. Kolchak gives him a few words about how the cult might not honor their bargain with Pepe, and Pepe... runs. I like Kolchak's bemusement with Pepe, both in the office scene earlier where the reporter seems to think there's some weird blackmail going on. And later in the locker room where Kolchak preys on Pepe's doubts. But we never see enough of Pepe to learn that he has doubts to be preyed on.
McGavin as Kolchak is good, as always. I like his admission that "I lie a lot" in voiceover. I like his weird bit about how an EMT wants to x-ray Kolchak for a concussion and Kolchak talks about dark secrets and evil plans, the Kolchak/Vincenzo scenes are always good, Kolchak using psychology on Pepe to convince him to run, and Kolchak's tumble down the stairs at the end looks both realistic and painful and McGavin does both.
There are some weird directorial flourishes and cuts that are just... weird. Kolchak is pounding on the door to be let out of the storage room, and then the police are hauling him to Tillie's office. The mummy at the end is apparently of the teleporting variety. However, Director McDougall captures the eeriness of the whole thing pretty well: with both the cultists leaping out of nowhere and killing their victims in relatively public modern-day surroundings (the cultists charging into Timmins' hotel room, and swarming Lyons), and their taking over a sports arena for their final sacrifice.
Like "Bad Medicine", the idea of transplanting baddies into a modern-day setting (a cliff-dwelling Indian in an abandoned skyscraper; a modern day Aztec cult using a sports arena as their sacrificial pyramid) is very... Kolchakish. The transplanting of the Aztec "perfect victim" into a modern setting is also nicely done.
Overall, "Legacy" is more good than bad. It tends to cut a few corners, but that's more because of the cut-short runtime than anything else. The story is good, the performances by both the regulars and the guests are good, and the directorial flourishes are mostly good. Just the corner-cutting and the final nature of the story keep it from being a classic. Kolchak "wins" because his watch is running slow. Umm, huh?
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Kolchak: "Legacy of Terror"
Wuchakk23 April 2018
PLOT: An Aztecan cult is loose in Chicago and enacting rites of human sacrifice by cutting out people's hearts. Kolchak traces the final sacrifice to a hunky Aztec descendent (Erik Estrada) who gets to live-it-up for his final year. The ritual will supposedly give life to a creepy mummified corpse and usher in the Apocalypse (or some mumbo jumbo like this).
COMMENTARY: This one's memorable for Estrada as Pepe Torres, two & a half years before his debut in the iconic CHiPs. It's also notable for the three hotties that attend to Torres' every whim: Vicky (Sondra Currie), Nina (Merrie Lynn Ross) and Lona (Dorrie Thomson), but the story drops the ball by mostly ignoring them, with only Currie getting much screen time. The mummy is well done.
COMMENTARY: This one's memorable for Estrada as Pepe Torres, two & a half years before his debut in the iconic CHiPs. It's also notable for the three hotties that attend to Torres' every whim: Vicky (Sondra Currie), Nina (Merrie Lynn Ross) and Lona (Dorrie Thomson), but the story drops the ball by mostly ignoring them, with only Currie getting much screen time. The mummy is well done.
The ancient and macabre Aztec's cult !!
elo-equipamentos11 February 2021
Tony Vicenzo (Simon Oakland) escorted by his faithful squire the sluggish Ron Updyke (Jack Grinnage) are waiting for the delayed Kolchak to an essential press meeting at Chicago's upper class Hotel, arriving there he was tuned the police channel, when he hears about a murder committed nearby, he enters in the car and slipping away in search of the news letting his boss cursing louder.
With a rare sense of smell he reach where the victim a hero soldier lays out at staircase of a federal building with his heart pulled out few degrees below, due it was happened with Football's player a week before, thus the cunning Kolchak follows his instincts to reach somewhere, as often he tries getting near of the death body, backing at Hotel always hearing Tony Vincenzo's complains, when sudden appears an old acquaintance of us Pepe Torres (Erik "Chips" Estrada) surround by three gorgeous girls, actually a vice-president of the Mexican hotel chain.
In the same night the US's Air Force's Captain Madge Timmins who was one of the lectures at Hotel meeting was kidnapped of her Hotel's room and found dead on staircase of the city park at night, the corpse had the same way of the previous ones, heart removed, Kolchak appears on the spot, being attacked by someone covered by feathers, on the Hotel Kolchak pretends be a service room to reach in the corpse until be spotted by angry security guard, he hiding at basement in a secret room where he finds an ancient Aztec mummy.
Baffled he decides make a researching at bird's taxidermist Mr. Eddy (Sorrell Booke) asking for the origin of the feathers that he catch previously from the birdman, the wise man indicates that such feathers comes from south Mexico of a specific and colorful parrot, later searching more profoundly our bold hero learns from the annoyed Professor Jaime Rodriguez (Victor Campos) about an ancient Aztec's legend where each 52 years all those hearts withdraw from the four heroic early victims.
however the fifth person must to be a free will to offer his life on the macabre ritual of death to rebirth of a Godhead called Nanautzin, this cult will takes place at Chicago's greatest staircase, emulating those long Mexican Pyramid's staircase, Kolchak tries figure out what is the place that fits in such depiction, funny and weird episode!!
Thanks for reading.
Resume:
First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5
With a rare sense of smell he reach where the victim a hero soldier lays out at staircase of a federal building with his heart pulled out few degrees below, due it was happened with Football's player a week before, thus the cunning Kolchak follows his instincts to reach somewhere, as often he tries getting near of the death body, backing at Hotel always hearing Tony Vincenzo's complains, when sudden appears an old acquaintance of us Pepe Torres (Erik "Chips" Estrada) surround by three gorgeous girls, actually a vice-president of the Mexican hotel chain.
In the same night the US's Air Force's Captain Madge Timmins who was one of the lectures at Hotel meeting was kidnapped of her Hotel's room and found dead on staircase of the city park at night, the corpse had the same way of the previous ones, heart removed, Kolchak appears on the spot, being attacked by someone covered by feathers, on the Hotel Kolchak pretends be a service room to reach in the corpse until be spotted by angry security guard, he hiding at basement in a secret room where he finds an ancient Aztec mummy.
Baffled he decides make a researching at bird's taxidermist Mr. Eddy (Sorrell Booke) asking for the origin of the feathers that he catch previously from the birdman, the wise man indicates that such feathers comes from south Mexico of a specific and colorful parrot, later searching more profoundly our bold hero learns from the annoyed Professor Jaime Rodriguez (Victor Campos) about an ancient Aztec's legend where each 52 years all those hearts withdraw from the four heroic early victims.
however the fifth person must to be a free will to offer his life on the macabre ritual of death to rebirth of a Godhead called Nanautzin, this cult will takes place at Chicago's greatest staircase, emulating those long Mexican Pyramid's staircase, Kolchak tries figure out what is the place that fits in such depiction, funny and weird episode!!
Thanks for reading.
Resume:
First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5
Estrada with a headdress!
BandSAboutMovies28 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Among the philosophers, the great thinks and the common Joes of this world, no question is more controversial than truth. Remarkable as it may seem, I can attest that the following events did occur, whether you believe them to be true or not."
Despite this great starting line from Carl Kolchak, this is sadly near the end of the series. Ramon Bieri returns as a cop, but no one realized that in "Bad Medicine" he was Captain Joe Baker, not Captain Webster. It also has the future Boss Hogg, Sorrell Booke, as a taxidermist named Mr. Eddy.
The story revolves around a 500-year-old Aztec warrior rising every 52 years to claim five victims. The mummified form of this monster of the week is played by Mickey Gilbert, who was also the villain in "The Ripper." But the real reason to tune in is to see Erik Estrada, just a few years away from superstardom as Ponch on CHiPs, playing Pepe Torres. Estrada dressed as an Aztec priest? I'm here for it. He also has on a pink disco suit and plays the flute in a scene, so this is prime Estrada gold for you to mine.
The cast also includes Dorrie Thomson (Policewomen, Operation Petticoat), Merrie Lynn Ross (Class of 1984) and Sondra Currie (who played Zach Galifianakis' mom in The Hangover movies).
Basically, this episode is very similar to the aforementioned "The Ripper" while giving us Kolchak versus the Aztec Mummy.
Despite this great starting line from Carl Kolchak, this is sadly near the end of the series. Ramon Bieri returns as a cop, but no one realized that in "Bad Medicine" he was Captain Joe Baker, not Captain Webster. It also has the future Boss Hogg, Sorrell Booke, as a taxidermist named Mr. Eddy.
The story revolves around a 500-year-old Aztec warrior rising every 52 years to claim five victims. The mummified form of this monster of the week is played by Mickey Gilbert, who was also the villain in "The Ripper." But the real reason to tune in is to see Erik Estrada, just a few years away from superstardom as Ponch on CHiPs, playing Pepe Torres. Estrada dressed as an Aztec priest? I'm here for it. He also has on a pink disco suit and plays the flute in a scene, so this is prime Estrada gold for you to mine.
The cast also includes Dorrie Thomson (Policewomen, Operation Petticoat), Merrie Lynn Ross (Class of 1984) and Sondra Currie (who played Zach Galifianakis' mom in The Hangover movies).
Basically, this episode is very similar to the aforementioned "The Ripper" while giving us Kolchak versus the Aztec Mummy.
Review for "Demon and the Mummy" 1975 feature
kevinolzak24 November 2008
Like its companion feature, "Crackle of Death" (copyright 1974), this feature (copyright 1975) is comprised of two episodes of the great teleseries KOLCHAK:THE NIGHT STALKER, which ran for only twenty episodes in the fall 1974-75 season. "COD" was comprised of episodes 6 ("Firefall") and 10 ("The Energy Eater"), while episodes 16 ("Demon in Lace") and 17 ("Legacy of Terror") formed the basis for this one. This was the reason that these four entries were, for many years, unavailable in syndication, whether on the CBS LATE MOVIE or on cable's Sci Fi channel. Both features ventured back and forth between two different plot lines with often dizzying results, new voice-over work from actors Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland helping to bridge the gaps. "Demon in Lace" was about a female succubus who enters the bodies of recently deceased young women to seduce healthy male college students who die from heart attacks, with good roles for Jackie Vernon, Carolyn Jones, and Andrew Prine as an archaeologist who uncovers the secret behind the horror. "Legacy of Terror" had numerous victims being found with their hearts cut out, sacrifices to an Aztec mummy on the verge of being restored to life, with its final, willing, sacrifice being played by a young Erik Estrada. Viewing all four individual episodes is the best way to see them intact, now that the entire series is available on DVD, but these two 'features' still warrant a look for the curious, last broadcast on the Sci Fi channel in 1998.
The Deal of a lifetime
bkoganbing19 September 2017
One of the dumber things I ever saw on a Kolchak episode took place here. Simon Oakland is attending a journalist's convention and has brought Darren McGavin along. McGavin hears of a homicide over his police radio and abruptly leaves.
I can't believe that any editor was so craving his company would try to prevent and chastise a reporter for going to the scene of a crime. Just plain silly.
Of course Kolchak has his usual good relations with the cops in this case Ramon Bieri. The murders are gruesome, the victim's heart is cut right out of them. One of the victims is a Chicago Bears linebacker.
This all has to do with the ancient Aztecs and their religion which demands this kind of offering to the gods.
Right in the middle is young Erik Estrada who has been given a Faust like bargain. For him it looks like the deal of a lifetime. But is it?
For that you watch this episode.
I can't believe that any editor was so craving his company would try to prevent and chastise a reporter for going to the scene of a crime. Just plain silly.
Of course Kolchak has his usual good relations with the cops in this case Ramon Bieri. The murders are gruesome, the victim's heart is cut right out of them. One of the victims is a Chicago Bears linebacker.
This all has to do with the ancient Aztecs and their religion which demands this kind of offering to the gods.
Right in the middle is young Erik Estrada who has been given a Faust like bargain. For him it looks like the deal of a lifetime. But is it?
For that you watch this episode.
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