World Famous Comics: The Night Stalker/The Night Strangler (Double Feature)
The Night Stalker/The Night Strangler (Double Feature)
Starring: Darren McGavin, Carol Lynley, Simon Oakland, Ralph Meeker, Claude Akins Directed By: John Llewellyn Moxey, Dan Curtis Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC Label: MGM (Video & DVD) Number of Items: 2 Region Code: 1 Release Date: August 24, 2004 Running Time: 164 minutes Theatrical Release Date: January 11, 1972
Product Description: This unforgettable first entry in the Night Stalker series introduced the world to the quirky reporter with a penchant for the paranormal and became one of the top-rated TV movies of all time (Chicago Tribune)! Investigating a series of Las Vegas murders Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) discovers that each victim has been bitten in the neck and drained of blood. Though Kolchak s outlandish theory about the murders gets him nowhere with the police his initiative to apprehend the killer himself gets him into hot water with a modern-day vampire!System Requirements: Running Time 74 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 027616909152 Manufacturer No: 1006768
Amazon.com: The Night Stalker Wisecracking Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) is a rumpled news hound plucked from the fast-talking newspaper flicks of the 1940s and dropped into the swinging '70s. What makes the eccentric Kolchak even more unique, however, is his nose for the supernatural, a trait that leaves his editor (Simon Oakland) exasperated and the police less than amused. When he insists that a late-night Las Vegas serial killer (who leaves his victims drained of blood and sporting twin holes in the neck) is a modern-day vampire, he's practically run out of town by the local authorities. Naturally, he stalks the vampire himself, an unlikely Van Helsing armed with a silver cross, a wooden stake, and his ever-present tape recorder and flashbulb camera. Carol Lynley is his understanding girlfriend, and Ralph Meeker, Claude Akins, Kent Smith, and Charles McGraw costar as the Vegas cops and politicians Kolchak systematically alienates with his abrasive charm and smart mouth. Directed by Dan Curtis from a witty script by Richard Matheson, the quirky mix of horror and humor turned The Night Stalker into a ratings sensation that inspired a sequel (The Night Strangler) and a short-lived TV series (Kolchak: The Night Stalker). The X-Files creator Chris Carter acknowledges the show as a major inspiration, and has cast McGavin in a recurring role as a retired X-Files veteran with an acerbic personality and a familiar rumpled wardrobe. Kolchak lives! --Sean Axmaker
The Night Strangler The Night Strangler finds down-on-his-luck investigator Carl Kolchak in Seattle, hot on the trail of a serial killer hiding in the underground city beneath the streets, a gas-lit fantasy world frozen in time (L.A.'s famous Bradbury Building--which has also appeared in Blade Runner and DOA--becomes the spooky city's architectural centerpiece). Exotic dancer and medical student Jo Ann Pflug tags along as partner and bait, and the exasperated Simon Oakland returns as Kolchak's harried editor. Genre fans will enjoy the appearances of popular character actors John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, Wally Cox, and Al Lewis. Noted horror and science fiction author Richard Matheson scripted this meandering, low-key thriller with plenty of humor, which McGavin delivers with deadpan delight. --Sean Axmaker
Where it all began When the first Kolchak movie premired on ABC Tuesday night movies in 1973 over 70 million people tuned in. No show today can come anywhere near those numbers. An interesting story, though the first film comes damned close to plagerising Leslie H. Whitten's 1965 novel PROGENY OF THE ADDER. (The lead in the book is a police detective. The scene with the used car dealer is exactly the same. Whitten's novel was set in D.C. not Vegas.) Still a wonderfully rousing tv movie with Darren McGavin as the down on his luck Carl Kolchak working on a murder story for his long suffering editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland), he discovers a link to other killings which amazingly seem like the work of a vampire. The beautiful Carol Lynly is his girl friend and Ralph Meeker plays his FBI buddy. Others in the cast include Claude Akins -- who would play a similar role a year or so later in Dan Curtis' other horror vehicle, THE NORLISS TAPES -- and Kent Smith. Look for a young Larry Linville (MASH) as the coroner. In THE NIGHT STRANGLER Kolchak turns up in Seattle. Vincenzo is having a glass of milk at the local reporter watering hole when he hears a familar voice. To the bartender he says, "Look around the corner and tell me if you see someone who looks like he just came from a roadshow version of the FRONT PAGE." Kolchak convinces him --against his better judgment -- to hire him on and once again Carl is on the trail of a killer who drains blood from his female victims and appears every 21 years! Beautiful, eerie scenes in the underground city. Also stars Wally Cox, John Carradine, Scott Brady and as the deadly Richard Malcolm, Richard Anderson (best remembered for his role as Steve Austin's chief Oscar Goldman on THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN.) Extras include two interviews with the late Dan Curtis about the films.
Night Stalker Double Feature Bought this for my wife and she is completely satisfied (she is the Night Stalker nut not me). We recieved the DVD earlier than stated when I ordered it.
The Night Stalker/The Strangler I believe these movies came out in the 70's. I was very impressed with the sound and picture quality. I remember seeing both of these movies when I was very young--they were really scary! I recommended these movies to a friend in work and he watched them with his young daugter--she had a hard time sleeping that night. It seems these two movies are just as scary today as they were when they first aired in the 70's. These movies are two of my all time favorits.
A walk down a (scary) memory lane The memories of 70's "Movies of the Week" come flooding back when watching these DVD's. The original "Night Stalker" movie was terrific at the time and still good stuff right now - amazing how a good story can make for a good movie rather than depending on high-tech special effects to bring in the audience. The "Night Strangler" was a decent psuedo-sequel - like how it showed off the Seattle underground, something not readily aware to many. Quality of both recordings is not great but still loads of fun watching these - recommended for the Kolchak fans out there.
A Must Own Classic ! Darren McGavin has always been 1 of my favorite Actors so when they made The Night Stalker series featuring him, they had my vote. The Pilot episode 'The Night Stalker' is already a classic but along with 'The Night Strangler' who features Richard Anderson, A Movie that has both of the OSI leader's from TV's 'The Six Million Dollar Man', McGavin(The Pilot) & Anderson(The Series), These two give a great performance of good vs evil...
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