Kolchak: The Night Stalker - 50th Anniversary Retrospective
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- čas přidán 26. 12. 2022
- The Night Stalker would air 50 years ago this year and would break the record for the most-watched TV movie ever at that time. The film would inspire many fans of horror and science fiction and would actually go on to inspire one of the most popular science fiction TV series of all-time 21 years after it aired. On this 50th anniversary, I think it is only right we return to the dark side of Las Vegas and roam the strip alongside Carl Kolchak as he searches the night for the truth in The Night Stalker. And famous fang fan David Dastmalchian will be joining us to talk about how The Night Stalker helped inspire his own creation in the comic book Count Crowley Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter and why the original film is one of the true classics of the genre.
WATCH OR OWN THE FILM HERE: bit.ly/3jz0Oyw
Written by Jessica Dwyer
Narrated by Jessica Dwyer
Edited by Victoria Verduzco
Produced by Lance Vlcek & John Fallon
Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
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#Kolchak #revisited #joblohorror - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Can't believe it's been 50 years. I used to watch this show with my dad.
Same here. I hope that current families have something like "movie night" that they can look back on similar to watching shows with my dad. They're important memories to me!!
I watched when I was a kid too living at home. Great show and we all were riveted the whole time.
Not quite...I plan to watch it the night of the 11th, with the ABC Movie of the Week intro.
Hope to not be the only one.
Me too. My Dad used to laugh at scared I got. He thought the show was “hokey” but he loved watching my reaction.
me too
The scene in which the cops hopelessly try to stop the vampire from going on a rampage is still awesome to this day. Everything is done on camera through acting, with barely any editing, and it perfectly conveys how inhumanly strong he is.
The ending at the mansion usually gets me creeped out especially if you stupidly watch at night; yes that would be me 😅
Yeah, and it was particularly violent for '70s TV.
My favorite scene too also the night strangler with the cops and the pool.
@@toshiojohnston3732 Yeah, and when the Vampire stumbles, a pool light comes on and illuminates his face just as he turns and looks at the cops and stares right at Kolchak! Then he gets up and climbs over the fence as the cops were still shooting him! The stunt people really earned their pay on this film.
That was great.
I saw The Night Stalker, The Night Strangler, and the series when they were first aired on TV. Love Them All!
Glad I Got Them DVDs.(smile)
DITTO
@@maureencora1 👍
So did I.
@@maureencora1 you betcha
I LOVED Night Stalker when I was a kid, I only caught a small handful of episodes when it was broadcast on BBC2 in the early 90's but I was hooked. Sure some of the monsters look pretty goofy, sure the monster of the week premise wore pretty thin toward the end....but the thing that really sold it was Darren McGavin. He was just sublime as Kolchak in both tv movies and in the series. Ah, memories, we won't see the like of a show like this again 🙁
I bought the entire series and 2 movies on amazon. well worth it.
@@blachloch1 I recently did the same thing, my children love it so far.
It did wear thin and I think it was a promise broken that the stories were all unrelated . Darren McGavin had issues with the show and the fact that though he was assasitant producer he was given no credit .
@@georgeelmerdenbrough6906 The series suffered from a distinct lack of Curtis and Matheson. The series could of worked but they would have had to get away from the "monster of the week" format. Unfortunatly, Rovin, the original author, sued because the series supposed wasn't part of the original contract. The series would have gotten a second season if not for that.
@@akakjb Jeff Rice, not Jeff Rovin; two different writers. Reportedly, Dan Curtis didn't get along which is the main reason Curtis wasn't involved with the weekly series
My father and I had very little in common. He was more prone to sports, and my brother filled that role. However, Horror & Comic Books was our thing. I'll never forget sitting with my Dad watching Kolchak, even on vacation we would watch in hotel room. He is gone now, but I still watch the shows we did.
I miss both.
I watched it as a 11 year old fatherless boy in 1974/75 and would have given anything to watch with my dad . The Night stalker was one of the top 5 series of my childhood right there with Brady Bunch , Gilligan and 6 million dollar man and later Charlies Angels .
Pray & do little sacrifices for his soul Perry.
Nice memories! They sustain us for sure. Is your user name from "Fade To Black", the character played by Dennis Christopher? Fantastic film!!
Precious moments, bro. Bless you.
I also was the HORROR KID - Famous Monster magazines , Aurora Monster model kits and the Groovie Goolies !
The show inspired The X Files, Supernatural and The Winchesters.
It also inspired a short lived CBS reboot with Stuart Townsend as Kolchak and Gabrielle Union as a skeptical journalist, who begins to learn that the supernatural is all too real.
And Chris Carter put Darin McGavin in The X-Files.
I remember that reboot, at the time I did not know it was a remake, it was also one of my first contacts with an open ended series due a cancellation so it was only much later I got to know that I would never get to see the resolution of the cliffhanger.
In the reboot, did anyone happen to notice in the opening sequence, a one Carl Kolchak superimposed in the background office scene?
The reboot was doomed to fail. It was NOTHING like the original. In my opinion, when sequels stray so far from the source, they should just take it a step further and have them stand as a story all it's own. They should've made it more of a horror/tongue in cheek comedy. I ALWAYS thought Andy Richter playing Carl Kolchak's son, would've been brilliant! After his Father's death, he would've received all of Carl's notes. Being an independent writer himself, his stories dealt more with the paranormal, so he's not being taken seriously, and is ALWAYS struggling. Like his Father, he has that innate drive for exposing the TRUTH even to the point of risking his life. Just to get the show off the ground, they could do the first few episodes as an homage, where Andy Richter looks into some of Carl's old (Fan Favorite ;) cases.
And why they didn't center it in Chicago like the original, I don't know!
ABC not CBS
@@potheadmike8510 The reboot was a disappointment but I do remember the actor in the background dressed as a Carl Kolchak homage. The reboot was bland with pretty young faces acting grim and pouty. It didn't capture the sarcastic Kolchak when he had to deal with the public officials.
Like fine wine, these two classic Kolchak TV movies never get old I still revisit them time and again, it's like Columbo with similar good writing and acting that you can just watch again and again.
I loved The Night Stalker and Dr Who when I was young staying up late at night watching TV. That opening music still sticks with me today.
Remember seeing the original TV movie first run, and it was one of the scariest films of my childhood. More, for a kid imprinting on tough guy pulp heroes of the day, Kolchak became my new hero. The scared, sometimes bumbling, but smart and creative hero of principle. Not the strongest guy in the room, but the last one to give up a fight for the truth. I'm also enjoying the Count Crowley books! Wonderful interview and retrospective. Thank you.
As a kid, the headless Biker back from the Dead episode scared the crap out of me
People don't like that episode - BUT it scared me!! @@TodAG69
David Dastmalchian is one of the most underrated character actors of modern day...
Agreed
He's a full on Monster Kid. And check out his comic. You'll love it.
I enjoyed his part as a deranged follower of "The Joker" in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight". Excellent performance 👏 👌 👍.
In 1972, people tuned in to watch The Night Stalker to watch the VAMPIRE. Barry Atwater doesn’t receive the credit he deserves for the movie’s success. McGavin character was absolutely incredible and amazing. McGavin deserves all the credit for the movie’s longevity. It was also my favorite show as a child and Mr. Atwater was my childhood fear!
Atwater was scary because he was in modern times and seemed more real than the period pieces from Hammer House of Horror which I also loved.
Barry Atwater played a warlock on an episode of Bewitched. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
Yes! Mr. Atwater's eyes would give anyone nightmares!
I remember watching the TV series when it first aired ('73). I was about nine at the time. Scariest moment of the series (for me) was when Carl has to stop the Zombie, climbs in to the back of a hearse where the zombie is sleeping, fill his mouth with salt and then sew his tips together... and the zombie awakens while Carl is attempting to do it ! Holy cow !!
Man.... That was some of the tensest moments in television.
It really showed just how brave Kolchak was
From my childhood I remember the haunted armor, and the headless biker.
@@kudukilla That's so funny.
Those are the only two episodes I don't like
I was a newspaper reporter for 13 years. Every time I went out to cover a story, I heard the Night Stalker theme in my head. Sometimes I’d play the theme on my car stereo. I even had a seersucker suit for a couple years. I was introduced to Kolchak on the CBS Late Movie. I didn’t know about Vampira being buried near McGavin. That’s wonderful.
One of my favourite shows. I was guted when they cancelled it after only one season. I dont think it would be possible to reboot it, but it sure was a shame we didnt get any more of Carl Kolchak
One of my favorite shows of all time, it's great to see it get is due over these past few years
I love the scene in front of the hospital in the original movie. The stunt work with the crashing motorcycle was incredible, and that was on a made for TV movie.
And the cops at the swimming pool going balls to the walls trying to catch the vampire was a really well done scene.
They were excellently done.
I was like 10 years old when the TV movie 'The Nightstalker' was aired.. Loved it, I was big into horror as a kid, 2nd TV movie and the TV series.. It was great. I've watched the 'Night Stalker' a few years ago to see if it held up over the years and yes it does.
I was ten too, can't believe it has been 50 years.
👍
I love Kolchak! I re-watched both movies and the TV show this year, and also listened to both novels on audio for the first time. I didn't realize it was the 50th anniversary. I'm happy I did that this year.
I caught this in its original run as a young teen in the mid-'70s and it was my favorite show at the time. Despite the success of the TV movies, the series performed badly in the ratings, which ticked me off because I knew my favorite show would be yanked off the air because nobody was watching it. Time and wisdom have prevailed, as was the case with the original Star Trek which at least was given a chance for a reprieve at the time. Still, to this day, I've rarely seen anything scarier than the episode where Kolchak has to seal salt in the mouth of the zombie inside the car in the junkyard. That is masterful tension at its best.
the 1974 TV Season was VERY important to me! Kolchak AND Planet of the Apes TV show - BOTH on Friday Nights !!!!!!
Kolchak was so great and entertaining with a fun cast!
Besides the thriller aspects, I think the ending with the police coverup, blackmail of Kolchak, ending his career upgrade, and disappearing his girlfriend, gave the story special depth.
Watched these back in the early 70s. This movie and Gargoyle were two that made quite the impression on me :)
Don't forget ABC's werewolf movie The lucarough
I remember watching the show periodically on Syfy channel, chiller, and now on METV. Darrin McGavin was great, the monster stories were cool. It was nice seeing Darren McGavin play a pseudo version of Kojak on The X-Files.
Kolchak
@@cha5 Lol, "Who loves ya, baby?" 🤔
Easy mistake to make.
I remember watching the tv movie and the following tv series, with my mom & dad, when I was little.
Sweet piece. I actually saw the TV movie when it originally aired and even love its follow-up "The Night Strangler" the next year (with scenes shot in the Bradbury Building). I also thought I'd mention, that same year Dan Curtis tried it again with another pilot called "The Norliss Tapes" about a different investigative reporter confronting the supernatural while writing a book debunking it. The demon "Sargoth" was played by an actor friend named Bob Schott who was an actual ghostbuster, but I digress. I grew up with "The Invaders" also, so when "The X-files" aired it brought all these shows great homage. HAPPY 50th.
I seriously do need to make one about The Norliss Tapes. Not enough love.
@@JessicaDwyer THANK YOU! And I will be there.
@@JessicaDwyer The Norliss Tapes is quite well done, and very creepy. It's caught a lot of grief over the years for reasons that escape me.
In a way with so many Americans watching at the same time, it was a factor that bound us all together. Now with hundreds of channels, we are quite splintered.
I grew up on Kolchak reruns and even enjoyed the short lived reboot series a while back. Darren McGavin will always be Kolchak to me no matter what else I see him in. This was a lovely video and the interview was a blast! Definitely going to check out Count Crowley now that I've been alerted to its existence!
You’ll love the comic !!
I worked nights when the reboot aired . So , I never saw it though I did hear it had none of the charm . The common criticism was that it tried to be too dark and edgey to be an effective reboot .
Shame on you for even mentioning (let alone enjoying) the reboot version, which was both an abomination and an atrocity and also so foul the universe weeps that everyone who worked on it did not have lifelong careers selling shoes instead.
@@MisterRlGHT you said it friend.
Watched this in reruns in the later 70's. Ten years old watching it in the dark ;late on a Friday night. And watching it on a black and white 12" portable TV sitting on me and my brother's dresser.
So glad that Kolchak is finally getting recognition. I vividly remember the series in its original run and was so pissed when it was cancelled. There will never be another show like it again. I just can't believe it's been 50 years.
Thank you for not only paying tribute to Carl Kolchak but also Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows, two of my childhood heroes. (yes, I had a vampire as a childhood hero.)
I've loved Kolchak since I was a kid. He's one of the reasons I started writing genre novels and directing horror films.
I was 6 when this aired in 1972 and watched it that night on tv with my mom , it was amazing !
Watching the tv series weekly was also something so great when it aired ,I looked forward to watching each new episode an amazing time for sure.
I too discovered this at a pretty young age during unsupervised late-night viewing of the CBS network. I was never the same afterwards. Thank goodness I found it.
I saw this movie first run as a teen. EVERYONE talked about it and how fantastic it was... and still is. Enjoyable chat, thanks for posting 😁
A great TV movie but also one of the best vampire films of all time in my opinion. A perfect mix of classic horror, film noir in the perfect voice overs Kolchak does, and a very modern setting filmed with the gritty realism of late 60s and early 70s cinema. Such a well rendered character and one of the most memorable in the history of TV.
👍
It's a Must own on Physical Media..... watching the series over and over is so much fun!
I was in High School when Kolchak:The Night Stalker when it original aired...I watched the first TV movie....I have The Original Movie, The Night Strangler, and Kolchak:The Night Stalker all on DVD...I still watch the reruns on TV...plus I remember watching reruns of the Kolchak:The Night Stalker on CBS on the Late Show...after the local news and Top of the Pops....KOLCHAK THE NIGHT STALKER NEVER GETS OLD.. I'll watch it forever..
I still watch Night Stalker every Saturday night.
Me tv!!
I own both Kolchak movies as well as the TV series collection and love all of them!
Thank you for you're awesome tribute! 👹
Our pleasure!
I was there as well ,my mom on the couch ,me sitting Indian style on the red ,yellow shag carpet, Between Bobby Darin,and Darren McGavin,well I had a name ,I'm Darrin,do kinda have little bit urban history,nice to remember from your experience,and that it had swept you up for that moment! Thanks for sharing 💯☮️❤️ always 😜
Side note that carpet was its own horror show lol
Thanks for the tribute. I became a big Rhys Darby fan (pronounced ‘Reese’, like Reese’s Pieces) with Our Flag Means Death. Rhys is one of the hosts/founders of The Cryptid Factor podcast, so he’s a Kolchak in real life, always chasing Bigfoot and aliens. 😂
I’ve been a Kolchak fan since first run. So, having Rhys (a natural ‘ginger’) dressed as Kolchak in the xfiles ep, is WONDERFUL !
Kolchak is so delightful. The monsters are great, but the interplay between Darren McGaven and the character actor(s) of the week, as well as the regulars, is what makes the show for me.
Darrin McGavin was a phenomenal and versatile Actor! Top drawer!
Darrin McGavin played the father in the film, a Christmas story. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
@@harperstacey9604 ~ Where I live, that one is a daylong TV marathon X- mas classic!
@Harper Stacey ~ "Commanding" in By Dawn's Early Light (1990).
Loved this show. It was on, when my parents started leaving me alone for the 1st time (I think I was 10 or 11). Friday nights I got really scared and left the all the lights on. Loved it.
Supernatural horror at its finest! Love this show so much
How about "Grimm" (2011-2017)?
Night Gallery
@@Otokichi786 God that was a awesome show, so cool that considering it took place in Portland it was complete non-fiction
The Night Stalker was fantastic! Right up there with The Prisoner. Thanks for celebrating this anniversary.
Awesome interview with David D. Thank you Jessica D for posting this 50th Anniversary of The Night Stalker. Fan forever JoBlo!
You’re so welcome!!
Thank you for making this video. Carl Kolchak is one of my favorite characters. I was 8 years old when the series was on, and been a fan ever since.
I always like how he would always contact experts in the TV series.
Thank you for the wonderful video, when this ran in 1972, an 8 year old me ran from the living room in terror during the Hospital Scene. My parents never let me live that down for nearly 50 years,
I ran from the opening titles to Jonny Quest....of course I was 2. Best derned animated show ever.
My wife ran from the titles to The Crisis (also 2 or 3).
I was 8 when the first movie Night Stalker aired. I remember watching it with my mom as well as the follow up Night Strangler. When it became a series that was amazing. I remember my Mom had no issues letting me stay up past 10 to watch it because it was a Friday night. I have the movies and series on blu-ray and watch them frequently still. Awesome series! They don't make anything this entertaining anymore. It is indeed a treasured and wonderfully entertaining show.
Great post!
✌️❤️🙂
This is a hidden gem 💎
I love your enthusiasm for this series.
I was 7 yrs old when I first saw this on the Tuesday night ABC Movie of the Week back in '72! Scared the hell out of me!
I loved how Kolchak could worm his way into pretty much any briefing even if it was closed to the press.
The Night Stalker was the best scary series ever. As a kid I loved it while it scared me at the same time.
The 2 things that made "the Night Stalker" a hit and regenerate the vampire genre were:
1. The modern day aspect; throwing a vampire in Vegas and showing us how easily it worked.
2. The narrative. Kolchak was a reporter recording his story and it reminded us of the old radio shows, building the scene, the suspense. And McGavin milked every second of it.
Another thing was portraying the vampire not as a "sexy," elegant aristocrat, but more like a -- even though the term hadn't been coined yet -- serial killer. Janos Skorzeny is a lot more like Ted Bundy and a lot less like Count Dracula.
A vampire who drove a car! And rented a shitty tenement cottage! And robbed hospital blood banks! I'd say he was the first modern 20th-century vampire, and possibly the only one until Near Dark over a decade later.
(Martin doesn't count because he was more likely just a nut than a real vampire.)
Salem's Lot was kind of based on it if you think about it. Vampire, modern times, writer's story. The book and the TV film scared me silly.
@@scottodonnell7121 Yes, it dawned on me that The Night Stalker premiered three years before King's novel Salem's Lot debuted.
Yes, I saw the the Night Stalker as it was playing in its brand new showing!!! And I loved that Intro tune they played each and every show!!! Wonderful!!! 😃
I watched both of the T.V. movies and the entire series as a kid it would come on t.v. on Friday night @ 10:00p.m. I was one of the lucky ones that my mom would let me and my brother stay up and watch it every Friday night but then it was time for bed after it was over well it didn't go like my mom planned lol. YOU'RE NRVER WATCHING IT AGAIN! BUT next Friday came around and there we were, glued to everything going on in the show! Ahh fond memories thanks Mom for letting us get scared to death on Friday nights love ya
One of my most memorable shows in my life.
Saw, and loved, this on first run when I was a kid. The 1974 series helped filled the gap left by The Night Gallery which ran from 1970-73. It was very sad that there was nothing equivalent after Kolchak on prime time.
My weekend late nights as a teen. Fond memories of these shows!
I watched it as a child and loved it and never forgot it , in later years i bought the dvd RIP Mcgavin
I'm pissed at you. I saw the 50 year anniversary and said it can't be. Until I realized I was 70 years old. Liked the show and have it on my jukebox.
I'm so glad you covered this. Kolchak was and is an inspiration.
Like you , I watched this as a 10 yr old boy. And I was hooked. I watched the movies and the series , It was great and it was on late at night. It's hard to believe it's50years.
I saw this the same way you did. As a little kid in the middle of the night. You can't get those experiences anymore.
Thanks for recommending this. This was pretty good(found a decent quality version on CZcams). Hell, it was better than the last few movies I've watched while I'm out on holiday break(Looking at you 'A wounded fawn').
They did Kolchak dirty.
Loved it then and love it now
McGavin’s creepy voiceover intro at the beginning of each show was one of the best parts. It’s even better than Rod Serling’s Intros and Outros in the Twilight Zone, which were also awesome.
I LOVED this series when I was a child, and I never missed an episode, love the Hammer movies too, Peter Cushing being one of my heroes
I'm from south América so I always thought Kolchak was just a series, never knew there was a movie
I loved this TV show and my dad liked it too. It was only one of a few shows we both liked. I think my fondness for the show was that I loved it and he would watch it with me. I was pretty young so some of the episodes really scared me. The two other shows he liked were, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Get Smart. My dad was seriously smart and this is why I loved him.
I absolutely loved this show when I was a kid in the 70s.
I lived for "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" when I was a kid, and YES...first airing episodes, not reruns.
I had heard of Kolchak for several years, but never watched it until I saw the first movie a week ago. After that I watched The Night Strangler, now I've been binging the series. I absolutely love it! I can't get enough of this guy!
Kolchak is one of my favorite shows of all time. And those movies that came before are just amazing.
Btw, the diablero Indian was Richard Keil from Bond's Jaws. Not Lurch.
That was my bad. I confused those two often in my noggin for some reason.
He also played the sewer monster in that great episode.
Well done! Good tribute to a great movie and series! 😊👍
Thank you so much 🍻
Still remember when I worked at Sacramento
Metro airport many ,many years ago and was on the PSA concourse when he was the last one off the plane trying to avoid attention.
I looked at him , he looked at me and he knew he was spotted and guessed he was about to get hassled.
All I said calmly " Good evening Mr.McGavin did
you have a nice flight in
Sir?"
His face went from a panicked look to a big smile of relief and said
" Thanks I did and hope to see you again".
One of my absolute favorites I remember Carl traversing under Chicago, fighting alien looking things, werewolves, vampires and I believe I am about the same age as you I’m 55 and I would love to see a movie or a revamp with the same texture as the original thanks for doing this video I appreciate it a lot we’re getting older but some of the things that were around when we were kids are gold…..
i was 12 years old the first time i seen kolchak - the night stalker on tv, watched every week with my folks on the couch, it was the only time i was allowed to stay up later. lol. good times. when the series and the movies hit dvd for the first time, my mom said, we're getting them. she much like i was a big fan of the show. when the remake came on we both said it was complete garbage.
she died last year from cancer, i haven't watched the night stalker shows since.
Wow - for the days of unsupervised TV viewing when your parents had gone to bed from a hard days work! The formative stuff I watched. We had to wait until the late 80's before Nightstalker arrived in Ireland and I was in my early twenties - the first episode I saw was "Horror in the Heights" with the legendary Phil Silvers. I was hooked ever since.
I used to watch Kolchak The Night Stalker with my dad, God Rest his soul Amen. I am now 57 years old and I still love watching the show and all the episodes.
Thank you for posting this. Kolchak is my favorite fictional character and watch the movies and shows regularly. As a kid, I didn't want to be Batman, I wanted to be Carl Kolchak.
My dad used to watch this show when he was younger.
They have the entire series on Blu Ray from Kino Lorber.
The producers went on the cheap with this series and it had all the potential for being a lot better. McGavin did a great job with what he had to work with.
Watched this for the first time in CZcams! Loved it, so funny.
My mom was a huge fan of this show! I always remember that she would call me in to watch whenever it was on. Great memories.
Flashback! Watched this the same way, unsupervised midnight viewing. Darren McGavin has always been underrated as an actor, just watch him in The Natural and you'll see what I mean or his great work on the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. So cool, thanks for the memories.
I recently picked up the DVD of the series. It's fantastic!
I'm not sure that there was ever a more perfect casting than Darren McGavin as the hapless Kolchak. He knocked it out of the park.
Kolchak was GREAT!!!! My father, brother and myself watched every time it was on and were so upset when it was cancelled.
I just got the Kolchak: The Night Stalker - 50th Anniversary Graphic Novel. Great stories. I love these TV movies & I liked the short TV series for what it was.
It's just too bad that the Blu-ray release of the complete TV series sadly looks terrible, fans better stick with the old DVD releases for the original color grading.
Loved that show, old enough to remember original airings.
Your point about only 3 networks in existence at the time is a major factor to the success of this movie. ABC's Tuesday Movie of the Week was relatively new, and only 2 months before had a giant hit with James Caan and Billy D. Williams in Brian's Song. With large audiences then being attracted, ABC promo'd The Night Stalker heavily, and it worked! They smashed all tv viewership stats of the time. I was one of them...in the 6th grade, and I still had to go out after the movie to feed my dad's dogs in their pen away from the house. I RAN THE ENTIRE WAY!!! Here we are 51 years later, and the string section along with the rest of the movie still gives me chills!!!
Funny, I’ve just been watching this again this week. Saw The Night Stalker in 1983 on UK TV, and then the follow up movie and series. Still love the exchanges between Vincenzo and Kolchak.
I have fond memories of it. I think what appealed to me was that Kolchak was scruffy, not at all a standard Hollywood hero. It was kind of like Dracula, set in modern day, with Van Helsing replaced by Jim Rockford.
FYI "Rhys" (as in Rhys Darby) is pronounced like "Reece", not "Rice".
I saw The Nightstalker in Jan ‘72 and it gave me nightmares for years. Bad nightmares. The blood bank/hospital scene, and the swimming pool scene really stuck in my head. It’s interesting that so many people watched it that night. I didn’t watch much tv as a kid, so it’s odd that I actually saw it.
I first came across The Night Stalker in the early 1990s, been with me ever since. CLASSIC.
So happy to see so many people loving The Night Stalker as much as me and my sister. We watched the original airing in 1972. I was nine and my sister was 6.
I remember when The Night Stalker first aired on ABC.
Scared the hell out of six-year-old me.
Loved it.
The shot of just his eyes still get me.
Loved the show, and have all of them on Blu-Ray.
RIP, Darren McGavin.
RIP Barry Atwater.
You’re still my favorite vampire of all time.
“Let it all hang out, Uptight!”
Yup. I watched Kolchak: The Night Stalker when it was first aired. That's why I watched your video and gave it a 'like'. Even after 50 years! I still have the same high regard for that TV movie.
Oh My God .... I loved The Night Stalker !!!! From the movies, through the series full run.... I remember talking with my school mates, about every single episode.. I love new storys, with classic looks, and feels. Thank you for sharing this.... Oh, and David, You'd make a Great Modern Day Vampire !!!!