Gargoyles

"Gargoyles" is a film that many of us over 30 are familiar with from repeat viewings on late night local creature feature monster movie matinée type screenings, a form of television that has sadly gone extinct. It's been a pleasure to re-discover the film now in the digital age and find that not only does it hold up, but is a superior example of low budget horror trends of the era with it's stark southwestern American locations & dusty, arid themes of supernatural horror, ala "Race With The Devil", "The Devil's Rain", "Brotherhood Of Satan", et al.

The film was actually a CBS television production back in the age when made for TV movies were more than just product placement vehicles. The budgeting was tight and every dime is up there on the screen from a cast of convincing professionals (Cornel Wilde, Jennifer Salt looking fresh, Scott Glenn, good old Woody Chambliss and the scene-stealing Grayson Hall as an irascible drunk), a competently written screenplay by Elinor & Steven Karpf (who would later unleash the lovable "Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell" on unsuspecting audiences), and makeup genius Stan Winston's remarkable gargoyle creations. Sure, they are just stunt actors bedecked in rubber suits, but each of the film's gargoyle characters come across as an individual, and are a far more intriguing population that the film's human indigents. The movie manages to cast its "monsters" in a surprisingly sympathetic light and indeed the human protagonists come across as a bit barbaric as they propose a quick genocide to rid the world of the gargoyle menace.

Which is itself an interesting idea: The term "gargoyle" is actually a word of French derivation ("water-throat") that refers to ornamental fixtures or grotesques on Gothic era cathedrals who's mouths served as water spouts to facilitate the flow of rain buildup from their roofs. A quick search on Google reveals little as far as supernatural mythology of gargoyles and chimera, the non-functional grotesque variety that were added as pure decorations. Some mention is made of tales regarding the gargoyle forms as guarding their cathedrals during the night in a living form and then returning to their stoned state during the day, but such tales were created after the fact to explain why they were so commonly seen. Humans have always had a ghoulish, darker side to them and the forms stuck in the popular consciousness. So enterprising 14th century devotees came up with a fanciful explanation for why they were there for young inquisitive minds, perhaps as a put-on to scare kids into finishing their vegetables. In spite of the film's commanding prologue, however, there are no tales of gargoyles having banded together with Satan to do his bidding on Earth, and in fact the opposite is actually what is implied since they were guarding churches.

Regardless the film is quite convincing in it's suggestion that man and gargoyles have always been at odds (and that they like our women, the pretty ones at least), no doubt helped by the voice of "Star Trek" legend Vic Perrin as both the opening narrator and the voice of the gargoyle leader. His sonorous delivery has been ingrained with a sense of authority in popular culture and one almost expects him to start betting Quatloos on the newcomers as it is impossible to hear him speak and not make the connection. Unless, of course, you don't know your "Star Trek".

Anyway it's a surprisingly sober and professional affair considering the subject matter, with an interesting use of slow motion film effects to give an unearthly feel to the early gargoyle attack scenes that is actually mildly disturbing. This is a film that people remember having seen even after thirty five years, no easy feat. And if I might say, Cornel Wilde comes off as far more convincing as an anthropologist demonology expert who's handy with a shotgun than he did as the natural born Terminator survivalist he played in "The Naked Prey". "Gargoyles" is a better movie too.

8/10: Deserves to be re-released on DVD as an ode to the genius of Stan Winston, who went on to much bigger and ... well, bigger things. This movie rules.

This is one of my favorite Saturday afternoon Monster Movie Matinee (a Syracuse, NY show when I was a kid) staples. It would creep us out when the head gargoyle would flap his wings as he made an escape. There are so many glaring cinematic blunders, but MY favorite is when Cornel Wilde and his daughter are traveling through the desert (right after he first picks her up) there is a quick shot that includes the back seat area where suddenly a man's knee pops up in plain sight as the car is traversing the bumpy road! Obviously along for the ride but trying to stay out of sight. It's hysterical and I can't believe they left it in. You can't miss it.

I think I was 8 years-old when I saw Gargoyles back in 1972. It absolutely scared the pants off me. I'll never forget the sight of those clawed hands reaching over the foot of the bed. I had trouble sleeping for days and I checked and rechecked the foot of my own bed several times each night.. And while it no longer has that kind of effect on me, considering its television origins, Gargoyles still provides a few chills along the way. I admit that when I rewatched it tonight, those hands on the bed did make me jump.

To a lot of modern audiences raised on more sophisticated special effects, Gargoyles may seem silly. Sure, there are flaws with the special effects (for example, it's quite obvious that the creatures' skins are body suits), but there's something about them that makes the whole thing a lot of fun. Maybe it's the wings or maybe it's the variety of looks or maybe they just remind me of Sleestaks, but whatever it is, they work for me. The mask Bernie Casey wears is especially frightening even though it obvious he has no real movement in his face.

One thing that could have made the film better for me is if Grayson Hall had had more screen time. I always enjoy her campy, over-the-top performances. It's a shame she had so little to do and was killed off so early.

Finally, as I watched the movie earlier tonight, it dawned on me that I was not hearing Bernie Casey's voice coming from the lead gargoyle. I was probably too young to know the difference 34 years ago, but something about that voice reminded me of my childhood. And then it suddenly hit me where I had heard that voice before. After the movie was over, I checked on IMDb and, sure enough, I was right. Dr. Zin!!! That's right. The gargoyle's voice was done by the same man (Vic Perrin) who did Dr. Zin.

The original airing of this film on ABC's Movie of the Week program in the early 70s is a happy childhood memory for me. Definitely a period piece. It was made as a pilot for a series that was never optioned by the network. The movie is distinguished by some witty performances by the actors in the supporting roles. My favorite is Grayson Hall as lush on the make Mrs. Parks. Grayson is always a lot of fun to watch and she clearly had a blast with this role. Her son Matt helped paint ping pong balls which were used in making the gargoyle costumes.

This is one of those childhood films that has always stuck in my mind. As a kid, I was freaked out by gargoyles because of this movie (unlike the next generation who saw gargoyles as defenders of evil, thanks to a Disney series). Seeing it again as an adult is a different matter entirely...

For 1972, this was one helluva TV movie. The effects, though dated by today's CGI-laden standards, were spectacular -- and the Stan Winston created gargoyle suits still look good pretty damn today.

What the film lacks is a coherant story. The bare-bones 74 minute movie had potential to be so much better than 50's b-movie fare, but instead the filmmakers opted to skip a solid story and add in a group of bikers and other silliness that reflected the times. Cornel Wilde was probably in the late stages of his alcoholism, and it showed in his hokey performance as the lead. His lines are delivered with a wooden tone and no conviction. Jennifer Salt, who I liked in "Soap," seemed miscast here, though she was effective. The only really memorable human character is the horny lady that owns the motel which Wilde and Salt stay in. The REAL stars of the film were Bernie Casey, Richard Moll and all the other Gargoyles, hidden under latex costumes... with the ability to scare young children. By today's standards, this comes close to "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," "Them" and other '50s drive-in films.

Another person commented the similarities to the gargoyles and "Jeepers Creepers." While I agree that The Creeper had certain similarities, there was only one Creeper and the impact of that character certainly couldn't be what Gargoyles had on a 1972 audience. More than any other TV movie I've ever seen, I think Gargoyles should be remade today with a big-screen release, and Winston should recreate his creature suits with modern makeup technology. Although it is just a minor cult film, Gargoyles has the potential to be so much more... Just a thought.