What was the last movie you watched? Part 2

[Milk Tray Guy]

X

 

[squeekness]

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone

 

[Frodo]

KOLCHEK THE NIGHT STALKER : THE VAMPIRE ( 1975)

Kolchak : The Night Stalker was one of those programs that aired just a few years before I was born, but unfortunately never re-ran in my neck of the woods, until I was well into my 20s .

I pretty sure this was the first episode I saw of it , but it'd be a while since I watched it .

Playing the title character was Darren McGavin, entertaining as always , and in his latest adventure, he's hot on the trail of a mysterious and seductive Vampiress , whose prowling the streets of Los Angeles.

Of course, as per usual, Kolchak runs afoul of local law enforcement and of his editor , as he hustles his to get to the bottom of the story.

It's hystical and entertaining as always .

Airing on October 4th, 1974, the number one song was by Billy Preston.

 

[Brutikus]

 

[Broseph44]

As Above, So Below (2014)

 

[KaijuDude1992]

(The Elixir)

6.5/10



7/10



5.5/10

 

[Frodo]

DEADLY MESSAGES ( 1985)



In a a bit of diversion from 1970s Telefilm Horror, is a thriller gem from the 1985, Deadly Messages .

The film stars Kathleen Beller who also appeared two other good telefilms , Are You In House Alone?from 1978, and No Place To Hide , in 1981.

In this Hitchcockian style supernatural- thriller , she gives a great performance , and will definitely be an actress whose other works I'm gonna check out.

She reminds me quite a bit of The Penguin's Cristin Milioti, in terms of her looks and acting talent.

Unfortunately , as is the case with many of these telefilms from the 1970s and 1980s, I was too young to watch them when they aired, so , there are alot of great actors I'm discovering 40 ,and 50 years, after the fact.

I was 5 ,going on 6, when this aired, and I was probably in bed when it premiered .

But, even if I'm a few decades late to the party, I tip my hat her and the production .

Airing on February 21st , 1985 , among the top ten were several songs which became classics including this power balled by REO Speedwagon

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Pearl

 

[Luigi]

Clown in a Cornfield

6/10

R. L. Stine's Pumpkinhead

7.5/10

 

[Sculder]

V/H/S/Halloween (2025)
Halloween Aftermath (2025)
Unwelcome (2022)
Tom (2022)
Mandy (2018)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Posse (1975)
The Good Son (1993)
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)

 

[ObiWanCon]

From Hell (2001)

 

[Ash J. Williams]

 

[Frodo]

A VACATION IN HELL ( 1979)



After a brief diversion into the 1980s with Deadly Messages, I continue my voyage through 1970s telefilm horror with 1979's Vacation In Hell , which ironically, stars Michael Brandon , who also appeared in Deadly Messages.

However, the headliners of the film include a trio of sitcom stars of the 1960s and 1980s, with Maureen McCormick, aka Marsha Brady of The Brady Bunch, Barbara Feldon aka Agent 99 of Get Smart, and of course, the lead of the film , Priscilla Barnes who would join Three's Company not long after this film .

I've literally been watching Barnes since childhood since Three's Company was one of my favorite shows growing up in the 80s, so, she'll always have a special place in my heart .

Having grown up watching all three shows, it was a bit of an adjustment in seeing those three actresses, from different tv show universes, working together. .




The film itself is pretty entertaining , and it was another one of those that I couldn't predict how and where it was going .

The downside is that the copy I found on line wasn't in the best of quality and had a greenish color grading to it , which made the film look muddy at times .

That being said, the performances and the atmosphere thankfully made up from the lack of quality in the copy I watched .

Ironically the film aired a week before I was born .



Airing on May 21st , 1979 , the number one was by Peaces & Earb

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Moon of the Wolf (1972)

Stars 1970s TV movie stalwarts David Janssen, Bradford Dillman, and Barbara Rush.

The killing of a local girl - initially thought to be the work of a pack of wild dogs - soon has Louisiana Sheriff Aaron Whitaker (Janssen) searching for an altogether different kind of beast. Wealthy plantation-owning siblings Andrew and Louise Rodanthe (Dillman and Rush) seem to have a connection with the victim, but suspicion falls on just about everybody at some point.

These made-for-TV movies were a staple of evening viewing in the 70s and it's great to see them again (thanks to Talking Pictures TV in the UK). It's not hard to figure out who the werewolf is, and the low-budget is obvious from how little we see the monster - although it puts in a reasonable showing at the end. It's also corny as hell, with every cliche you can think off. But it's a fun watch with good performances (as you'd expect). Nice to see Geoffrey Lewis as the town hothead.

5/10 for a solid cast and the nostalgia.

@Frodo Can't remember if you've covered this one yet (it's public domain, apparently).

 

[Frodo]

Moon of the Wolf (1972)

Stars 1970s TV movie stalwarts David Janssen, Bradford Dillman, and Barbara Rush.

The killing of a local girl - initially thought to be the work of a pack of wild dogs - soon has Louisiana Sheriff Aaron Whitaker (Janssen) searching for an altogether different kind of beast. Wealthy plantation-owning siblings Andrew and Louise Rodanthe (Dillman and Rush) seem to have a connection with the victim, but suspicion falls on just about everybody at some point.

These made-for-TV movies were a staple of evening viewing in the 70s and it's great to see them again (thanks to Talking Pictures TV in the UK). It's not hard to figure out who the werewolf is, and the low-budget is obvious from how little we see the monster - although it puts in a reasonable showing at the end. It's also corny as hell, with every cliche you can think off. But it's a fun watch with good performances (as you'd expect). Nice to see Geoffrey Lewis as the town hothead.

5/10 for a solid cast and the nostalgia.

@Frodo Can't remember if you've covered this one yet (it's public domain, apparently).

I actually don't think I covered it or gave a review here of it .

But I saw it for the first time a couple years ago , and I agree with your thoughts on the film.

I wish we'd seen more of the Werewolf , but I liked the acting .

I'll have to go back and re-watch it sometime , since I've forgotten alot of the details of the film .

 

[Brutikus]

 

[Frodo]

SOAP : SEASON ONE, EPISODE ONE ( 1977)

Made as a spoof and parody of Daytime Soap Operas, Soap was probably one of the most hysterical sitcoms of the 1970s , and was in constant re-runs when I grew up.

It probably wouldn't even get made today, and it's certainly not politically correct in the least bit .

The show featured several actors who would go on to be primetime sitcom stables in the 80s and 90s , and would result in the spin off series Benson .

The show is also notable for putting a very young Billy Crystal on the map , and he would go on to be a major film actor .

The premiere episode features the late and great Robert Urich , another actor from my childhood, as a tennis coach having an affair with a Mother and Daughter .


Premiering September 13, 1977 , In the top ten was on of many iconic tunes by Fleetwood Mac.

 

[Luigi]

Shelby Oaks

5/10

Queens of the Dead

7/10

 

[Spider-Fan83]

 

[Frodo]

I don't want to say to much about the film , but all in all, I enjoyed it .

It's definitely a different take on the source material , and I gotta say , I liked the new spin on the story and the new dynamics that it created .

While the film does feel it's length at times, this is probably one of my favorite versions of the story which has been done so many time on film and TV that it's become the subject of countless homages and parodies .

So , it's certainly one of my favorite films of the year .

 

[KaijuDude1992]

6/10



6.5/10



5/10



6/10