#6 The Night Stalker (1972) and #5 Trilogy of Terror (Amelia segment) (1975). Dan Curtis, whom I was lucky enough to work with once in one of my first-ever writing gigs as a novice screenwriter, was a childhood icon of mine. And one of the reasons (and there were many, including Dark Shadows and so much more) was the MOW which launched the later series The Night Stalker starring Darren McGavin. Written by the great Richard Matheson (from an unpublished book by Jeffery Grant Rice which Curtis had optioned), it was a monstrous ratings hit that literally sucked the life out of the other networks programming the fateful January 11, 1972, evening upon which it first aired. It had a 54 share, which was record-shattering, and I was definitely among the enthralled at the tender age of 8. The novelty of setting the story in Las Vegas, as well as the iconic Carl Kolchak as seersucker-wearing night beat reporter of all things weird and mysterious, really tripped my youthful imagination. I also appreciated the way producer Dan Curtis and underrated director John Llewellyn Moxey staged their suave, suit-wearing vampire Janos Skorzeny (Barry Atwater in a terrific turn) as supernaturally fast and able to outrun the frantic police pursuit. This was novel in the era when Dracula and other vampires were typically portrayed as a lumbering, slow-moving types barely able to out-maneuver the inevitably rising sun. And then, a few years later, the Amelia segment of Trilogy of Terror (the third and final segment) -- most remember it as the Zuni Fetish Doll story -- also written by Richard Matheson (based on his short story Prey) shocked American audiences with its relentless, Terminator-esque portrait of a tiny aboriginal warrior who comes to life and stalks Karen Black in her high-rise apartment. Dan Curtis directed the minimal plot with great aplomb, making the most of the ironically isolated setting and Karen Blacks terrific, physical performance as the besieged Amelia, who must figure out how the once lifeless Zuni Fetish doll suddenly comes to life, intent on stalking and killing her at every turn. Both of these telefilms are as legendary as the talents who brought them to life, so to speak and deservedly so. Happy Halloween, yall! ;)
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 14:30:09 +0000
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