It was
time for another themed marathon for the Horror Dude Blog. This time I thought
it would be fun to spend some time tracking down and watching made for T.V.
movies. Back in the ‘70s and early ‘80s the big three networks (ABC, NBC, and
CBS) had time to fill and ended up creating some original movies. This became a
breeding ground for talent on the way up and a paycheck for those on the way
down. Time for some Made for T.V. marathon! Click the links to see the full
review.
1.
Ghost of Flight 401 (1978) – I thought that I’d start off the
marathon with a cool old ghost story. Here we have Ernest Borgnine starring as
Dom, an airline pilot that everyone loves. He is a nice guy that cares about
his family and friends. That makes it especially sad when he is killed in an
airplane crash. But does he know he died?
2.
Spectre (1977) – Next up I chose to check out
this Gene Roddenberry project that stars Robert Culp as a brilliant criminal
investigator who has discovered that the supernatural is real! He is cursed and
in need of a doctor, so he recruits a former friend to monitor his heart and
heads off to do battle with a demon! Got to love the ‘70s.
3.
Death Cruise (1974) – Time for a little something
different. Don’t worry there will be killings, but this is more of a murder
mystery than it is a horror flick. Kate Jackson and Edward Albert star as a
couple who end up on a cruise ship with some others who have all won a contest.
Only thing is everyone that won the free trip is getting knocked off… Who is
doing it and why? Good times.
4.
The Midnight Hour (1985) – Hey we have one from the ‘80s!
What happens when a bunch of damn kids decide to break into a museum and read a
spooky old scroll in a graveyard? Well it isn’t good I can tell you that. This
one is fun and has a lot of faces that would get famous a few years later.
Also, Dick Van Patten is a vampire dentist… Hells Yeah!
5.
Killer Bees (1974) – Well ’74 must have been the year
of Kate Jackson and Edward Albert because they are back playing another couple.
This time they aren’t married yet but are headed to Albert’s family winery to
announce their engagement. The family isn’t too happy about it, but hey that
happens. Only not everyone’s in-laws have a hive of Killer Bees at their beck
and call!
6.
A Cold Night’s Death (1973) – Robert Culp makes his second
appearance in the marathon. This time he and co-star Eli Wallach have to carry
the movie as they portray scientists sent to finish and experiment at an
isolated mountain lab. Of course, after arriving a big storm blows in and cuts
them off from the rest of the world. Creepiness ensues.
7.
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo (1977) – So far, we have had Killer Bees
on the made for T.V. marathon but I know we can do better. How about some
creepy spiders crawling around? Yeah that is the ticket. This movie has a great
cast including Tom Atkins in a small role. That dude is awesome.
8.
Scream of the Wolf (1974) – I can’t believe I’m eight movies
into the marathon and this is the first time I’m mentioning Dan Curtis! I mean
the man was the master of made for T.V. genre flicks with Kolchak, The Norliss
Tapes, and Trilogy of Terror coming immediately to my mind. Scream of the Wolf
is one that I’ve never seen before, but stars Peter Graves and Clint Walker
(who we shall see again shortly on this list). This is a great werewolf movie
that keeps the audience guessing until the very end. Check out the full review
for more details.
9.
Killdozer (1974) – Any marathon or list of made for
T.V. horror/sci-fi movies wouldn’t be complete without Killdozer. This might be
the most absurd of the bunch, but it is also awesome. Clint Walker appears on
the list again. This time he is playing a construction foreman that has to do
battle with a Bulldozer possessed by an alien! Classic bit of ‘70s cheese.
10. Satan’s Triangle (1975) – Now this is an interesting one.
When I was considering my next big theme at the Horror Dude Blog this movie
inspired me to do a made for T.V. marathon. I had always remembered being
freaked out by the final scene of Doug McClure treading water in the ocean with
a creepy look on his face. I hadn’t seen this one in years but found it quickly
enough on YouTube. So, what did I think? Check out the link to my review above
to find out.
11. The Night Stalker (1972) – Well you can’t have a made for
T.V. marathon without eventually talking some Kolchak. It honestly doesn’t get
any better than this when it comes to genre movies made for the small screen.
This is also Dan Curtis’s second mention in the marathon, but it won’t’ be his
last. And since I covered The Night Stalker I should go ahead and talk about…
12. The Night Strangler (1973) – …the sequel to the Night
Stalker. Here Carl Kolchak is now located in Seattle after having been run out
of Las Vegas. Dan Curtis directs this second movie that would then spawn a
short-lived television series. Instead of a vampire our intrepid reporter is
chasing down a killer that is targeting women. Of course, things take a strange
twist. I wonder if we will see Dan Curtis on the list again? Spoilers… yes!
13. Salem’s Lot (1979) – No made for television marathon
could be complete without this amazing effort from director Tobe Hooper based
on an equally amazing book from Stephen King. Not only is this a great movie
but it has also held a special place in my heart as my first exposure to King’s
scary universe. I’ve been hooked ever since.
14. Gargoyles (1972) – So the previous three entries on
the list have been better known to what I’d consider casual horror fans. This
is a great example of what can be done with a smaller budget and under the
constraints of the censors. Gargoyles is still very scary with cool creature
effects work from the late great Stan Winston.
15. Moon of the Wolf (1972) – Well we have had a werewolf
movie that didn’t actually have a werewolf in it so maybe it is time to
actually get our Lycanthropy on! Here you have veteran actor David Jansen from
the classic Fugitive series doing battle with a Loup Garou. Which is French for
werewolf… Toss in some romance and Geoffrey Lewis being a victim to another
classic monster (vampire got him in Salem’s Lot) for some fun.
16. Snowbeast (1977) – It is crazy that it has taken me
this long to get to a Bigfoot movie. I mean the hairy fella was a big deal in
the ‘70s and made several appearances on the small screen. Here we have the
Snowbeast (Bigfoot) preying on some people who are out for some harmless fun
with winter sports. Lucky for the potential victims Bo Svenson is there to do
battle with the creature. Much fun ensues.
17. The Norliss Tapes (1973) – Dan Curtis mines familiar
territory with another movie about a writer investigating rumors of the
supernatural. Here our main character is David Norliss a novelist who is
working on a new book to debunk tales of ghosts and their ilk. During his
research he finds himself stuck in the middle of a situation he can’t explain.
Good times are had.
18. Ants! (1977) – Time for things to get creepy
and crawly here at the marathon. Ants! was one of those movies that I remember
freaking me the heck out when I was a kid. I can honestly say that this one
still gets to me. But I had a bad experience with ants in my childhood so that
might be why it is still effective…
19. The Savage Bees (1976) – I hadn’t seen this one in years
and honestly had forgotten all about it until I started putting my list
together for this marathon. Michael Parks plays one of our leads and does battle
with a hive of Africanized Bees that are trying to ruin Mardi Gras in New
Orleans. Maybe one of the goofiest but most entertaining endings of any of the
movies on this list.
20. Terror
out of the Sky (1978) – This sequel to The Savage Bees picks up with the
lady friend of Michael Parks character working for a company that breeds queen
bees. They do this to make the hives more resistant to the killer bees, but of
course something goes wrong, and they ship killer queens to the public!
© Copyright 2018 John Shatzer
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