 |
Made-For-TV Horror Movies
In the 1970s there developed a product that was the perfect fill-in during the week. Something that would hold us over until the weekend. It was the made-for-TV horror movie. Mom and Dad would usually watch them too.
They seemed to just pour out in the 1970s and they were a great way to end an evening of homework. They usually started at around 9PM and I had to get permission to stay up an extra half hour (school nights) to see these movies through the end.
The biggest impact of these made-for-TV horrors had to be THE NIGHT STALKER in 1972. And, one particular scene got me good. It was when the powerful vampire is caught stealing blood from a hospital and literally throws a guy through an upper floor window like he was a rag doll. I thought, whoah. Not only is this guy supernatural, scary, drinks blood…but he’s as strong as a superman. That was one monster not to be messed with.
There were so many of these in the 1970s and early 1980s. THE HOUSE THAT WOULDN’T DIE (scared me), THE HORROR AT 37,000 FEET (scared me), NIGHT GALLERY (The pilot movie…scared me), THE NIGHT STRANGLER, DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW, TRILOGY OF TERROR (Zuni doll), SALEM’S LOT (Ahhhhhh, the kid vampire at the window!) and so on.
Now GARGOYLES got me for a special reason that was a little too close to home. It featured these big Gargoyle creatures and in one scene a gargoyle (thump!) lands on the roof of the family’s station wagon. They couldn’t get away! What electrified me like a lightning bolt is that my family had a station wagon too (a silver-gray 1967 Dodge). Needless to say, I thought of that the next time I was in the backseat of the car, looking up.
Made-for-TV horror movies…their own little sub-genre of the creepy movies we love.
Ron Adams
Ligonier, PA
May 2020
P.S. – Since it’s Mother’s Day weekend…thanks again Mom. Thanks for letting me stay up late to see the end of the movies. Forever grateful.
On with the show, now let’s check out the new cool stuff and classic monster news…
|
Those Made-For TV Horrors on Blu-Ray or DVD
Many of those great made-for-TV horror movies are available on Blu-Ray or DVD….grab yours and then they’ll grab you! Here are some available at Creepy Classics:
THE NIGHT STALKER (1972) – Blu-Ray or DVD
Barry Atwater is giving Chris Lee a run for his money as a powerful hissing vampire that just won’t quit. Darren McGavin portrays Kolchak, the monster hunter for the first time. 4K restoration, interviews, featurette and more extras!
THE NIGHT STRANGLER (1973/Kino) – Blu-Ray or DVD
Follow up to THE NIGHT STALKER with Darren McGavin back as the modern day gumshoe! This time it’s a modern day Jack-The-Ripper type on the rampage…with a supernatural twist. It seems the killer has resurfaced every 21 years….for over a century! Kolchak tracks the phantom to the underground old city below Seattle. A brand new 4K restoration. Extras: commentary, behind-the-scenes featurette and more!
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (1973) – Blu-Ray or DVD
Stars Kim Darby and Jim Hutton. It’s those crazy gremlins in the furnace! A young couple buys an old house and the wife discovers evil little creatures in the basement that chase her endlessly around the house….whispering nasty things to her. Her husband thinks she’s crazy….but she knows the truth.
DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (1981) – Blu-Ray or DVD
Stars Charles Durning. From 1969 to the early eighties, hundreds of “Made-For-TV” movies were produced. A great number of them were horror films and many were actually very, very good. Spooky images, grave-digging and a top performance by Charles Durning as a sweaty pig of a man. A chilling delight. Don’t miss this one — one of the best Made-For-TV movies.
THE HOUSE THAT WOULD NOT DIE (1970) – DVD
Stars Barbara Stanwyck, Kitty Winn and Richard Egan. A woman inherits a Revolutionary War house in Amish country. It is haunted by ghosts that begin to take hold of those living in the house. Scary made-for-TV horror from 1970.
THE HORROR AT 37,000 FEET (1973) – DVD
Stars William Shatner, Chuck Conners, Buddy Ebsen and Tammy Grimes. Little talked about, but one of the strangest and good made-for-TV horror films of the 1970s. A bodacious cast with Shatner as a disillusioned ex-priest and Chuck Conners as a no-nonsense pilot. An ancient, haunted altar is being shipped overseas on a flight from an archeological find. The thing begins creating supernatural manifestations aboard the flight….including controlling the plane and it’s climate. Reminiscent of a NIGHT GALLERY episode in feel.
NIGHT GALLERY (1969-1973) – DVD Box Set
Includes the original pilot movie and every episode of the TV show! From stories based on H.P. Lovecraft to Rod Serling originals…Serling hosts this amazing horror series that was at times thought provoking like TWILIGHT ZONE, but more often terrifying. 98 stories with stars like Vincent Price, Elsa Lanchester, John Carradine and scores more! Loads of extras.
TRILOGY OF TERROR (1975/Kino) – Blu-Ray or DVD
Karen Black in a classic made-for-TV movie. She portrays four different women in three stories. The final tale is unforgettable with the toothy Zuni hunter doll that is possessed by an evil spirit. 4K restoration. Commentary by Karen Black, featurettes and more!
SALEM’S LOT (1979) – Blu-Ray or DVD
A vampire that comes to town…maybe your town! A weird antique dealer (James Mason) knows the truth…David Soul and a young boy are out to save the town from a vampire infestation. The awesome looking vampire king, reminiscent of NOSFERATU, has taken hold in Salem’s Lot. Also stars Lew Ayers. Extras include trailer and commentary by the director. 183 minutes.
RETURN TO SALEM’S LOT (1987) – DVD
An anthropologist travels to the town of Salem’s Lot. He finds it inhabited by a pack of vampires. They capture the man and have him record their history and do his bidding.
All available in our Creepy Blu-Ray Department or Complete DVD Catalog on-line at Creepy Classics!
|
New! Who Knows What Evil Lurks….? The Shadow Knows
The original cliffhanger serial is now available from the vaults of Columbia Studios! THE SHADOW (1940) starring Victor Jory and running 15 chapters and over four and a half hours of thrills and mystery.
Get yours now at Creepy Classics for your serial collection on DVD:
THE SHADOW (1940/Complete Serial) – DVD
The 1940 serial classic! Lamont Cranston (Victor Jory), alias The Shadow is the dark mysterious crime fighter. He’s not a favorite down at Police Headquarters. But, The Shadow, takes justice into his own hands through mystic hypnotism. He battles an evil genius called The Black Tiger. 15 Thrilling chapters, over four hours!
Get your DVD now in our Cliffhangers Department here at Creepy Classics!
|
Don’t Forgot “Mum” This Sunday…Mother’s Day
Time rolls on, make a point to wish your mother, or if you’re married with kids, your wife…a very Happy Mother’s Day. Let her know you appreciate her.
|
Bela Lugosi’s Flower Power
Well, whaddah you know?! It’s a Bela Lugosi Lily. I never knew. This info and photos were sent in my reader Paul Speidel from Canada:
Hi Ron,
The other day Fran and I were haunting (pun intended) our local garden centre when we discovered this: a variety of day lily called a “Bela Lugosi”.
Of course we had to have one, though as you can see it’s already having some terrorizing effects on us! I included a picture of what the bloom is going to look like when it rises from it’s native soil.
-Paul
|
Mark Statler performing at MONSTER BASH OCTOBERFEST 2019!
|
|
Happy Birthday Monster Bash Staffer, Mark Statler
It’s Mark Statler’s birthday today (Friday, May 8).
Mark is our chief guest of honor wrangler.
You’ll never meet a nicer guy! If you’ve never met Mark, swing by the Guest of Honor area at the MONSTER BASH shows and introduce yourself.
|
MONSTER BASH is for MONSTER KIDS everywhere of every age!
Make Sure You’re Caught Up On Your MONSTER BASH Magazine Collection!
Do you have all of these pictured above?
Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, Creature From the Black Lagoon, King Kong, The Phantom of the Opera, Mr. Hyde…they’re all here, at home in MONSTER BASH MAGAZINE.
Collect them all….Click Here to get them right from the publisher (us!), new glossy mags shipped bagged and boarded for protection to you!
All at Creepy Classics, right now!
|
New! Dee Ankers-Denning Autographed Family Photos
Dee was a guest a few times at our MONSTER BASH CONFERENCE. She is the daughter of actress Evelyn Ankers and actor Richard Denning. She signed a very limited number of the above photos. You can get one to frame for your movie room wall now from Creepy Classics. There’s a horizontal one or a vertical one.
They’re available now in our Creepy Autograph Department here at Creepy Classics.
|
MONSTER BASH CONFERENCE JUNE SHOW Update
Our hopes are that things will be under control by the third weekend in June for MONSTER BASH.
MONSTER BASH is on as scheduled as of right now. However — It is up to every individual to exercise the amount of caution they wish to.
MONSTER BASH is June 19-21, 2020…show details, CLICK HERE!
In the event that the government and health officials are not allowing gatherings at that point, we have made arrangements with the host hotel (Double Tree in Mars, PA) to use July 24-26, 2020 as a back-up weekend. We will assess the situation on June 1st and report here by June 2.
Bash on!
|
Re-Stocked! Some of the Rarest, Coolest Films From the Vaults of Warner Brothers and Universal
New and factory sealed…these great films available on DVD now at Creepy Classics. They are re-stocked and ready for your collection:
WARNER BROTHERS HORROR-MYSTERY COLLECTION – Three DVD Set
Some of the rarest, most shocking and creepiest horror and mystery films in the Warner Brothers vault on this set: THE HIDDEN HAND ( 1942), FIND THE BLACKMAILER (1943), THE SMILING GHOST (1941) , SH! THE OCTOPUS (1937) , MYSTERY HOUSE (1938) , and THE PATIENT IN ROOM 18 (1938) .
RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT (1930s) – Two DVD Set
The complete Vitaphone Short features of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not that began in 1930. Film of the strangest and weirdest things ever recorded. The world’s weirdest things presented in this nostalgic series on a two DVD set. Hosted bt Robert Ripley himself.
BORIS KARLOFF TRIPLE FEATURE (1937-1940) – DVD
Three really good Karloff vehicles from Warner Brothers. Not “horror” movies, but just solid “B” films of thrills, mystery, suspense and adventure: WEST OF SHANGHAI (1937) , THE INVISIBLE MENACE (1938) and DEVIL’S ISLAND (1940) .
SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (1932) – DVD
Stars Gloria Stuart, Paul Lucas, Lionel Atwill and Onslow Stevens. Great mystery in a big house. Lionel Atwill resides over the proceedings. A great chase seen through the house showcases some of the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN castle sets.
THE NIGHT WALKER (1965)/DARK INTRUDER (1965) – DVD
THE NIGHT WALKER (1965) William Castle chiller! Barbara Stanwyck has strange visions and waking dreams. Murder and mystery with Robert Taylor. DARK INTRUDER (1965) Stars Leslie Nielsen, Judi Meredith and Mark Richman. A touch of H.P. Lovecraft as an ancient creature from another time is committing murders in San Francisco during the 1890s. Foggy and atmospheric as the dark cloaked creature kills again and again. Nielsen is a student of old dark religions, assisting the local authorities…and getting too close to the truth. Originally made for TV, then released theatrically.
THE MAD GENIUS (1931) – DVD
Stars John Barrymore. Marian Marsh, Charles Butterworth and Boris Karloff. An insane puppeteer lives his life’s dreams through a famous ballet dancer. His twisted mind attempts to destroy the dancer’s life in an evil power play. Boris Karloff on a small role, pre-FRANKENSTEIN as an abusive father.
SHE (1965) – DVD
Stars Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Bernard Cribbins, John Richardson, and Andre Morell. The story of an undying woman and her love for the soul of a man who has been reincarnated. An adventure-fantasy that holds the test of time…in more ways than one!
Get some of these rare films for your home screening room today in our Complete DVD Catalog…at Creepy Classics! They’re all re-stocked and ready to deliver right to your door!
|
….and now, photos of fun from past MONSTER BASH shows! Stay up-to-date with MONSTER BASH Shows:
|
|
|