Throwback Thursday - Doc Savage volume # 13

Another Throwback Thursday for you my faithful readers... both of you! I dug into the archives and pulled out this review that I did for a magazine that does reprints of the old Doc Savage Pulp stories. I honestly don't remember who or what I wrote this for so the blog seems like a good place for it. 

This is a bit different review for me.  I’ve always been a big fan of the old pulp novels of the 1930s and especially fond of the Doc Savage character. When I found that a company called Nostalgia Ventures had started reprinting some of the stories that appeared in the old magazines and novellas I had to get my hands on a couple to check out. 

Volume 13 reprints a couple Doc Savage stories. The first one is Brand of the Werewolf. This story finds Doc Savage and his friends heading to Canada to visit one of the few living members of Doc’s family. But on the train trip to the remote location attempts are made on the lives of Savage’s companions and he is framed for killing the conductor! These are merely roadblocks trying to keep Savage from making it to his vacation. Unbeknownst to him some criminals are up to no good near his cousin’s cabin and will do anything to prevent his arrival. This includes murdering anyone that gets in their way. Eventually Doc and his men arrive and unravel a mystery that involves some buried treasure.

The second story in the book is called Fear Cay. This one finds Doc being attacked on the streets of New York by some criminals. Savage is too clever for them and soon gets away, but not before figuring out that some larger organization had hired them to assassinate him. It might have something to do with the person trying to reach him regarding a mysterious organization called Fountain of Youth, Inc. Before you know it they are flying off to the keys off Florida in search of a mysterious island that may or may not hold the secret of eternal youth. Toss in some flesh-eating ants, lots of gunplay, and a 130-year-old man and you are in for some fun. 

I really enjoyed both of these stories. There is just something that I really enjoy about these old adventure stories that make them unlike anything being done today. Perhaps it is nostalgia, but they are fun. I will say that the dialogue, language, and general writing style might be a bit much for a new reader. But stick with it and once you get used to it the stories flow nicely. These old pulp adventures are a blast and inspired so many of today’s biggest movies/characters that it is worth checking them out.

Volume 13 also includes a nice write up connection the stories (they both feature Doc Savage’s female cousin Pat), as well as a cool bit about the radio adaptation of Fear Cay in the 1980s by NPR. There is also a small one-page autobiography about the writer responsible for both stories, Lester Dent. So not only do you get some great stories, but you get to learn a bit about the character of Doc Savage and the history behind the stories. I will warn you that these pulp stories can be an acquired taste, but if you have read them before or want to try them then I do recommend checking out Volume 13 of Doc Savage.  For more information on this on the other nifty products from Nostalgia Ventures head over to http://www.radioarchives.com/ 

 

© Copyright 2018 John Shatzer

The Night Stalker (1972)

The made for T.V. Mayhem keeps rolling along here at the Horror Dude Blog. I figured that I’ve given you enough of the lesser known flicks that it was time for me to reward myself by reviewing a classic and personal favorite of mine. If you call yourself a horror fan and don’t know who Carl Kolchak is… then you really aren’t a fan. The Night Stalker was the first appearance of the character and at the time of broadcast was the highest rated television movie in the history of the medium! Let us take a look at the Night Stalker.

Things start off with a reporter telling his story while sitting in a seedy hotel room. The tape plays while he sits quietly on the bed listening to his dictation. Carl Kolchak is a reporter looking to make it back to the big time and out of the small market that is Las Vegas. He gets involved in covering a murder spree and ends up with more than he bargained for. The bloodless bodies that start to pile up around the Vegas strip is a big story, or at least he thinks so. Continually butting heads with the local authorities and his own editor who won’t let him print the story about a nut stalking the streets. One whom thinks he is a vampire. The powers that be don’t want a panic and are keeping a lid on it.

Eventually with the prompting of his girlfriend and after seeing the killer tear thru multiple groups of police Kolchak starts to believe that maybe they have a real “live” vampire. When he suggests that this might be the case he is laughed at, but eventually he makes a deal and helps them to track down and kill the creature. The cost of his help is an exclusive on the vampire story, one that will send Carl back to the big time. But those in charge double cross Kolchak and threaten to throw him in jail for murder (he staked the vampire himself) if he even thinks about publishing the story. Not only that but they run him and his girlfriend Gail out of town as undesirables! Adding insult to injury by separating the two so that Carl can’t find her.

I’ve always enjoyed The Night Stalker, both for how great of a movie that it is and for it spawning one of my favorite genre characters. I’m a huge fan of Kolchak and of Darrin McGavin the actor that brings him to life. Here we get to see the character first encounter the unknown and watch as he goes from skeptical to a believer. This is both due to a superior performance from McGavin as well as some great writing. The screenplay is from legendary author Richard Matheson and doesn’t disappoint. The vampire story is a cool combination of classic (super strength, afraid of crosses, and of course the stake in the heart) and contemporary (using his mental powers on a used car salesman, robbing blood banks). It also has that emotional kick in the butt ending that was unexpected and perfect. I also thought that later portrayals of the character have a certain sadness that might harken back to this movie and his loss of Gail.

Kolchak rules! So does Darrin McGavin...

The movie also does a great job of building tension and paying it off with a couple of “jump” scares that work. The Las Vegas setting was an inspired choice. The place never shuts down so a weird guy walking around in the middle of the night is no big deal. I mean where would any modern-day vampire want to hang out at more than Vegas? The vampire is your basic grey skinned fanged corpse, but it works. Lighting and music are used to great effect in building the tension that runs throughout. The ending with Kolchak sneaking around the house avoiding the vampire is creepy enough and a good payoff. 

What can you say about a cast that is headlined by the wonderful and always great Darrin McGavin? His performance as the headstrong, grouchy, reporter is the heart of the show and why it succeeded (and why the heartless redo failed!). The rest of the cast is filled out with TV and genre regulars like Larry Linville, Simon Oakland, Claude Akins, as well as the great Elisha Cook Jr. This strong supporting cast serves to make the movie all that much better. There really is a lot of talent on display in the Night Stalker. But the actors aren’t the only supporting “star” on display. Shot on film like a low budget movie The Night Stalker captures the flashy colors of the Vegas Strip and the dark shadows of Vegas’s back alleys equally well. Seeing the strip in all of its early ‘70s glory is a blast. We get many scenes of Kolchak cruising along in his convertible Camaro with familiar but long-gone marquees in the background. Check out some of the headliners that are playing those casinos.

The Night Stalker is the gold standard for these Made for T.V. movies. I had to include it in the marathon. But then I couldn’t cover this one without checking out the equally fun sequel The Night Strangler, could I? Guess what the next movie in the marathon is? Until then check the link at the top of the review to watch this classic on YouTube. 

© Copyright 2018 John Shatzer

Satan’s Triangle (1975)

I’ve always associated movies with memories. Maybe the first time I saw it, who I was with, and sometimes it is just a single scene that sticks with me. Satan’s triangle is a prime example of the latter. All I remembered for years was a scene featuring Doug McClure treading water in the ocean with a creepy smile on his face. For years I was looking for this movie with little success. When I started the made for T.V. marathon I knew I had to try again. Sure enough five minutes later the first hit on Google took me to a copy on YouTube. The internet has made this too easy.

McClure plays a Coast Guard pilot, Haig, who likes the ladies. Seriously they establish right away that he loves to chase them. He is the co-pilot on the chopper so when they locate the sailboat sending a distress call it is his job to drop down for the rescue. He finds some bodies, including that of a priest, and a single survivor. A beautiful woman named Eva. They try to board the helicopter but the cable breaks, so Haig and the lady are stuck swimming back to the boat to wait for the Coast Guard ship to reach them. Over drinks they get more comfortable and Eva tells him what happened.

She was on an expedition with her “date” (she admits to being a working girl) who was fishing for Marlin. While at that they stumbled across a priest on the wreckage of an airplane. They save him, but the crew immediately leaves in a small boat. See they are in the Devil’s Triangle and are sure the holy man is going to be tested. Right away a storm blows up and everyone dies except Eva and the priest. Though he dies signaling the helicopter right before Haig arrives. She is convinced that the devil did it, but he takes her thru the deaths and explains the logical explanation for them all. Then he makes some moves and the impression given is that he is successful. Fast forward to the next morning when they are picked up and on the flight to shore things go sideways. Going to keep this spoiler free so that is where I’ll leave it.

Still creepy as hell.

Though if you really must know email me or watch the last ten minutes of the movie on YouTube. Sadly, this is a prime example of remembering something being much better than it actually is. The last scene is still quite effective, but the rest of the movie is terribly boring. All of the action takes place on the small sail boat which means they needed to have a great cast and even better story to sustain any interest. While I love McClure nothing about his various lost somewhere fighting dinosaurs or humanoids from the deep makes me think he is a great actor. Fun but not great. Kim Novak, who plays Eva, was also past her acting prime. The fact that they are saddled with a script that gives everything away too soon and ruins the big twist doesn’t help. Satan’s Triangle is boring and that makes me sad.

After almost thirty years I finally found my Doug McClure movie. I could probably wait another thirty before watching it again. Of all the made for T.V. movies I’ve watched for this current marathon this is likely the worst… at least so far. The link above will take you to the copy of the movie that I watched on YouTube.

© Copyright 2018 John Shatzer