The Night Strangler (1973 TV Movie) User Reviews (59)

Kolchak is back in a superior follow-up to The Night Stalker!

[The_Void · 7/10 · 10 February 2008]

The Night Strangler is the follow up to the successful 1972 TV movie 'The Night Stalker'. Aside from featuring similar titles, the films also share similar plot lines, and it could be said that this is something of a remake of the first film with a slightly more in depth story. I won't profess to be a big fan of the first film in the series, although I found it to be a more than decent TV movie and I did enjoy it. This film isn't a big improvement over the first one, although I would say it's an improvement; with a longer running time and a more well thought-out plot, this one delves into it's subject matter more and feels more like a proper movie than a made for TV movie. Darren McGavin once again plays Kolchak; a maverick reporter who this time finds himself in Seattle after being ran out of Las Vegas (probably for annoying everyone with his constant persistence!). Coincidence strikes and pretty soon he's on the trail of yet another vampire! He discovers that every 21 years for over a hundred years, a group of people have been killed within a small time period and thinks the murders are connected.

The thing that stands out most about this film is most definitely the central performance from Darren McGavin. His portrayal of the stubborn reporter is great to watch and always ensures that the film is entertaining. A lot of the film consists of our unlikely hero trying to convince the relevant authorities that his suspicions are fact and them disbelieving them. These scenes are fairly clichéd, although they are fun to watch; and again it's mostly because of McGavin's excellent impersonation of the central character. Since the film is really about the detective on the trail of the vampire, there's not a great deal of actual bloodshed or bloodsucking in the film, although that isn't much of a hindrance because as a thriller it works very well and director Dan Curtis does manage to create several moments of suspense that kick the action up a level. It's always obvious where it's all going, and the ending doesn't come as a surprise; but it's a fun time getting there. This film and the first one were pilots for a TV series and obviously they did the trick because Kolchak was solving more mysteries in his own TV series a year after this film was released.

Great follow-up to The Night Stalker

[capkronos · 8/10 · 3 January 2006]

Second pilot episode (following THE NIGHT STALKER) to the TV series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," this is about on par with the terrific original. Driven out of Las Vegas by the corrupt officials, reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) and editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) have relocated to Seattle, Washington. Both begin working for The Daily Chronicle, a newspaper owned by stern publisher Llewellyn Crossbinder (John Carradine), who reminds the boys, "Mind your p's and q's!" A new string of murders, all young women, begin in the Pioneer Square district; each victim having been strangled to death by a madman so strong he crushes their necks. A little blood is also removed with a syringe. Doing some research, Kolchak discovers that the same exact style of murders have been going on in the city (6 killings every 23 years) as far back as 1889! Witnesses claim the killer, an alchemist old enough to be around for the Civil War, who lurks around the shadows of the city in a top hat and trench coat, takes up residence in an underground city with the skeletal remains of his long dead family and is described by one witness to have "the strength of ten men and the face of a corpse!"

Again blessed with a well-balanced script by Richard Matheson, this has ample does of comedy and terror and follows the same format as the first film without losing much of the freshness of the concept. The ending, which resolves the story in convoluted 'mad scientist' terms is slightly disappointing, but otherwise, this is an excellent follow-up. And the supporting cast is first-rate; Jo Ann Pflug as a fast-talking dancer/psychology undergrad, Wally Cox as a researcher, Scott Brady as the police captain who wants to keep the murder spree a secret, Al ("Grandpa Munster") Lewis as an unshaven drunken tramp living underground and Margaret Hamilton as an anthropology professor who explains how to make "the elixir of life."

The ending, with Kolchank, Vincenzo and Pflug on their way to New York City, and presumably more cases of supernatural phenomena, is a set-up for the TV series.

Same Story, Different City

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 19 September 2006]

This was a second pilot for a television series that aired after this movie was shown. Another pilot, "The Night Stalker," a year earlier. This one actually kicked off the series, called "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," which ran only two years. It seemed to be popular so I don't know why it didn't last longer.

At 90 minutes, this was longer than the first pilot but very similar in plot. The only major change is in the cities. Here, our intrepid reporter-hero "Carl Kolchak" (Darren McGavin) is hunting down a serial-killer werewolf in Seattle instead of Las Vegas.

He has the same common opponents, meaning his newspaper boss "Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) and a hostile police chief (played by Scott Brady). Along the way you get to see a bevy of beauties including Jo Ann Pflug and Nina Wayne. You also have brief appearances by somewhat-famous actors John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, Al Lewis and Wally Cox.

The story will keep your interest and has good suspense at the end. The only annoying part - at least for me - is the overdone yelling between McGavin and Oakland, and McGavin and Brady. Every single time - every time - that pairing is on screen it is nothing but a shouting match. Can you say "abrasive?" It's just too much. Thankfully, on DVD, I can use the English subtitles and mute the sound button so I can turn off these screaming lunatics. Unfortunately, those shouting sessions take up a good chunk of the movie.

Down Another Dark Alley With Kolchak

[a_l_i_e_n · 10 July 2006]

The original network thriller "The Night Stalker" was such a mammoth ratings hit that the following year ABC broadcast this highly successful sequel that proved the character of Carl Kolchak had the potential for still more adventures.

The approach of "The Night Strangler" pretty much follows the formula of the original tale in which reporter Carl Kolchak searched for a killer who turned out to be a modern day vampire. In "The Night Strangler", while victims are being murdered by yet another mysterious killer, the variation here is that he doesn't bite their necks but rather crushes them in his grip. Only then does he remove a small amount of blood, but drawing it through a syringe rather than with the use of fangs.

Other basic conventions carried over from the original include an action-packed sequence in which police attempting to capture the strangler discover that, like the vampire, this killer is too powerful to subdue with the use of conventional methods. There's also the climactic encounter in which, once again, it's Kolchak who tracks the killer to his lair. Oh, and of course there's the tie-up at the end where Carl is once again prevented from reporting the facts of the case.

However, distinguishing "The Night Strangler" from the original and elevating it above a simple carbon copy is the interesting back story of the killer (supplied by the imagination of the brilliant Richard Matheson). We learn here that the "Strangler" is actually Dr. Richard Malcolm, a 19th century surgeon who'd been experimenting with a method of extending life beyond normal human length. He eventually develops an elixir made from, among other ingredients, human blood.

In a scene that's both riveting and amusing, Kolchak explains his theory to skeptical police officials that the bloody trail of murders can be traced from the then present day Seattle of the 1970's all the way back to the previous century.

Indeed, Dr. Malcolm is not a ravenous vampire in search of food, but rather a mad scientist in need donors. When they eventually meet, Dr. Malcolm reveals to Kolchak that he considers these murders a small price to pay compared to the benefits that his blood-based elixir will bring to mankind.

Seattle's underground city turns out to be an inspired setting that greatly enhances the eerie atmosphere of the conclusion when Kolchak descends into it's musty depths in search of the killer. Playing the murderous Doctor is actor Richard Anderson who alternates his performance between a cultured sophistication and an explosive menace. This is probably his best work as an actor.

One other thing that sets this sequel apart from the original is the script's somewhat greater emphasis on humour amid the spooky elements. Thankfully, this works quite well without diminishing the suspenseful aspects of the story. Particularly memorable are the scenes between Kolchak, the reckless, pit-bull of a character who refuses to give up on his story, and Tony Vincenzo, the harried newspaper editor more desperate to please his employers than in committing the professional suicide of backing his ace reporter. Their exchanges are extremely funny and actors Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland carry them off with great élan.

Of course it's debatable whether "The Night Strangler" is actually a superior film or more frightening than "The Night Stalker". Certain touches in the original (like the vampire's hungry, black eyes presented in spine tingling closeups) are perfect, indelible and hard to top.

There is a case to be made that silent characters just seem more mysterious and frightening than those who have a lot to say (like "The Night Strangler's" more loquacious villain). The vampire of the first film doesn't utter a single word, but instead hisses like some vicious beast and this makes him seem more alien in nature than the refined, well-spoken mad Doctor. At the same time, the Strangler crashing through a window to attack a young girl is a pretty startling moment, too, as is his degeneration at the end into a living corpse. Indeed both films contain some undeniably memorable chills courtesy of their titular characters.

It does seem the over-all tone of the "The Night Strangler" (with it's well balanced, dead-on ratio of humour to horror) is what the subsequent "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" series most seems to have been trying to emulate. If you're interested in that series, you can click on the a_l_i_e_n link for reviews of all 20 episodes.

Every 21 years a formidable strangler is on the loose in Seattle

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 25 April 2018]

RELEASED TO TV IN EARLY 1973 and directed by Dan Curtis, "The Night Strangler" chronicles events in Seattle when the strangled bodies of several young women are found. Intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) discovers that the same kinds of murders occur every 21 years dating back to the late 1800s. Simon Oakland plays Kolchak's bellowing boss while Jo Ann Pflug appears as a genial belly dancer who assists Carl. Scott Brady plays the police captain while Wally Cox is on hand as a helpful scribe. Richard Anderson has a key role.

"The Night Strangler" was the follow-up to the highly successful "The Night Stalker" (1972) and led to a series that ran for one season from 1974-1975 (20 episodes), not to mention numerous Kolchak books. The two pilot movies are the best of the batch and established the template (formula) for the series and books.

Like the first film, there's a lot of intrigue, action, ravishing women, horror and suspense, plus a percussion-oriented jazzy score that's even better. "The Night Strangler" adds a little effective comedy and the antagonist is more complicated. The underground lair is mysterious and the mummified family is creepy, but the details of the alchemist's elixir and strategy seem contrived.

It's good to have Kolchak team-up with someone (cutie Pflug), which rarely happens in the ensuing series, but it was welcome when it did ("The Energy Eater" and "Demon in Lace"). There are a few peripheral beauties (Regina Parton, Nina Wayne and Francoise Birnheim), which the rest of the series mostly lacked, except for the debut episode, "The Ripper," and "The Werewolf."

Since this is a TV flick from the early 70s don't expect much gore.

THE MOVIE RUNS 90 minutes (with the original TV release more streamlined at 74 minutes) and was shot in Seattle and the Bradbury Building in downtown, Los Angeles, with studio work done at 20th Century Fox Studios. WRITER: Richard Matheson (teleplay) & Jeffrey Grant Rice (characters & formula).

GRADE: B+

Grand Horror With a Comedic Twist

[BaronBl00d · 10/10 · 15 July 2000]

Part of the success of The Night Stalker and this its sequel has to be the ever-present humour created throughout the script in the character of Carl Kolchak. He is a character that is as stubborn as ever andone that despite his need/desire for a story shows more humanity and ethical standards than the system which continually steps on him. He is at one point a caricature...sneakers and the same suit and the same straw hat....and yet possesses common sense, intelligence and wit. These contradictions in character often provide a lot of comedic relief in the Night Stalker/Strangler movies and the television series as well. No one better understands this than Darren McGavin who essays the role of the obstinate reporter. Each of his performances is a real treat. And although I have been genuinely frightened by these films and the series...many of my fondest memories are about the funny things..the character traits(and outfit) of Kolchak, the discussions between Kolchak and super veteran character actor Simon Oakland(his boss), the situations Kolchak faces out of lack of care, and so on. In many ways The Night Strangler is a better film that the first one...perhaps not as scary..but better written and acted. Great character actors abound with the likes of Al Lewis, Margaret Hamilton, Wally Cox, and John Carradine. The story this time deals with the secret of a man who kills young women for their blood...a need he must satisfy every few years. He lives in a city below a city...and the shots of this subterranean polis are visually striking. Great story, great acting, wonderful sets, and lots of scary moments and funny ones make this a triumph of the small screen.

Pretty good

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 31 October 2018]

Follow-up to the 1972 TV movie "The Night Stalker". Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) is now in Seattle. It seems women are being killed and drained of their blood. It also seems this happens every 21 years. Kolchak investigates helped by a wacky woman (Jo Ann Pflug).

This is nowhere near as good as "The Night Stalker" despite having most of the same crew involved. The story is kind of vague and the comedy and scares don't really work. Still it looks fantastic, has great atmosphere and good acting. McGavin and Simon Oakland reprise their roles and are great. Pflug is too but her character is annoying. This lead to a TV show called "Kolchak the Night Stalker" which was not a hit but has a cult following now. So this is an OK movie elevated by good acting and atmosphere.

Superior sequel.

[david-697 · 10/10 · 3 September 2004]

Relocated to Seattle, reporter Kolchak stumbles on yet another series of murders, a series which seems to be repeated every twenty-one years. Of the two movies, `The Night Strangler' has the slight edge. This is possibly down to its location, Seattle. Very unfamiliar to me, it adds certain freshness to the story, while the underground ‘old' Seattle is a fantastic location, macabre and memorable; it sticks in my mind long after watching the movie. The candle lit, cob-webbed corpses are perhaps one of the most vivid images in American genre television.

Also of note is Richard Anderson's villain, a crazed, immortality seeking Doctor, he is far more impressive than the original's vampire. A more assured script (which is genuinely funny in places), plus some enjoyable cameo's (Carradine, Hamilton), help make this a rare sequel which is better than the original.

Sadly, plans for a third movie were abandoned and instead a short-lived, inferior television series (without Matheson's involvement) resulted. A patchy effort, despite McGavin's best efforts it never attained the quality of the two movies.

This time stubborn and loudmouthed reporter Carl Kolchak starts investigating a series of murders in Seattle

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 26 January 2022]

¨The Night Strangler¨ is the second Pilot and follow up to ¨The Night Stalker¨ film for the TV series . It finds reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren Mcgavin who wore a full hairpiece) is a veteran reporter for a Los Angeles newspaper who moves to Seattle , Washington State . After being run out of Las Vegasc, Kolchak heads for Seattle and another reporting job with the local paper where again finds his former boss (Simon Oakland) . Through more accident than design he ends up investigating homicides, many of which involve supernatural forces that lead him to believe a modern-day vampire is stalking Seattle . It seems that every 21 years, for the past century, a murderer kills a certain number of people, drains them of their blood and then disappears into the night , that is until the next 21 years passes, resulting in the killer's desscription is always the same . Kolchak turned his investigative skills to vampires , but in the end he always failed to convince his skeptical editor, Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland who held same role in the series) , that the stories weren't products of Kolchak's own overworked imagination. One man's quest to uncover the truth. 140 years ago he began to kill, rising from the caverns beneath the city to claim his victims. Every 20 years he must kill...to live. A vampire killer loose in Seattle? It's hard to believe, isn't it? . A real horror story. Television's Greatest Chiller Movie Becomes a Weekly Series! Ultimately, rather than reporting on the crimes, he solves them.

A superb and enjoyable made-for-televison chiller about a modern-day vampire stalking the streets of Seattle and the obstinate reporter on the trail of another string of bizarre murders similar to previous entry : Night Stalker . As the troublemaker reporter sets out in hunting down , while attempting to solve the mystery of several strangulations that recur every few years where the victims are drained of blood by a 144-year old alchemist who is killing women for their blood . This Richard Matheson's teleplay is suspensefu l, intriguing and tight . Main and support cast are pretty good . Darren McGavin is nice as the intrepid journalist on the bloodsucker's trail . Darren forms an amusing and funny couple with Simon Oakland , they often use to shout and argue . They're finely accompanied by a good cast , such as : Jo Ann Pflug , Scott Brady , Wally Cox , Margaret Hamilton, Richard Anderson , John Carradine, Al Lewis, among others . This second pilot was followed by 20 episodes in which Carl Kolchak was a reporter for Chicago's Independent News Service, and a trouble magnet for situations involving the supernatural beings as werewolves , vampires , zombies and all manner of legendary creatures, the series was the inspiration for The X - Files.

It contains an atmospheric and colorful cinematography by cameraman Robert Houser , shot on location in Seattle , Washington , though mostly shot in studio : Universal Studios , Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California. As well as suspenseful and frightening musical score by Robert Cobet. The motion picture was competently directed and in limited budget , as shooting was completed in a few weeks . Being financed by the notorious producer Dan Curtis , who created the series about Kolchak and this Night Strangler was well directed by Curtis himself at his best . He was a writer, producer and director of TV series , working from the 60s . Curtis was a specialist in terror genre as proved in ¨Dark shadows¨, ¨Trilogy of terror¨, ¨Night Stalker¨, or ¨Scream of wolf¨ and successful wartime series filmmaker as ¨Winds of war¨ and ¨War and remembrance¨ , among others . The Night Strangler(1973) rating : 7/10 . Better than average horror movie.

DEFINITELY BETTER THAN THE FIRST!

[movieboy-12 · 10/10 · 4 June 2000]

I love this movie! It's better, sexier, and even more scary than the original "The Night Stalker". I know sequels degrade the first films, but this is the best sequel besides "Scream 2" and "A Nightmare On Elm Street 3" that I have ever seen.

I love this movie and give it **** stars. SEE IT!

A sequel with no equal!

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 7 March 2018]

Kicked out of Vegas for uncovering the presence of a creepy vampire, Darren McGavin's Kolchak refuses to abide by the old adage "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!" He heads to Seattle where he runs into old boss Simon Oakland, gets a new job working with him on John Carradine's newspaper, and goes undercover to discover why half a dozen women every 21 years are being murdered in the very same area. Along the way, he encounters some creepy Seattle citizens, among them a prissy library clerk (Wally Cox), a ghoulish professor of the occult (Margaret Hamilton), a drunken tramp (Al Lewis) who has seen perhaps too much, and a group of go-go dancers, one of whom (Joanna Pflug) he brings into his investigation, and another one with a very butch female lover. The mystery involves the old underground city and a nefarious civil war era doctor whose experiments are very Lugosi and Karloff like in their sinister goals.

Obviously heading towards a TV series, Kolchak continues his witty observations about all of these freaky people and puts his own life in jeopardy just so he can get a story. It's ironic to see Carradine cast as a newspaper owner rather than one of the creepy characters involved in McGavin's investigation, and in her one scene, Hamilton is deliciously over the top and given some rather risque dialog. What could in a sense be called a variation of the Jack the Ripper case and the Boston Strangler mystery gets its own unique telling where once again McGavin's narration paves the way for intrigue, subtle comedy and a fun finale where everything is wrapped up yet left open for the potential series which came McGavin's way. A well known TV character actor gets to inhabit the role of the fiendish ghoul, a far cry from their respectable film and television roles, and chewing the scenery (and a few women's throats) along the way.

Better than the Original

[Gislef · 10/10 · 31 December 1998]

It's a toss-up, but Night Strangler is actually a better movie than the original Night Stalker it derives from. The characters are a lot more fleshed out in this one, while none of the horror is left to slide. There is an incredible range of performance from Simon Oakland, John Carradine, Wally Cox, and particularly Richard Anderson as the alchemist/murderer. There's humanity, pathos, horror, and comedy all mixed up in this one. The original is maybe scarier...but Stalker is still better.

Better Than The Original.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 3 July 2016]

This story puts Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland together in Seattle during a string of murders committed by a mad doctor left over from the Civil War. It has a fine cast of mostly over-the-hill but still well-known performers, most of them now overweight with their necks bulging out over their collars and their uniforms about to burst.

This series appeared at about the time "Columbo" was at its peak but there isn't much borrowed from the model except McGavin's curious outfit -- seersucker suit, straw hat, and white tennis shoes. His blustery, shouting reporter is the opposite of Coumbo's character.

This is one of the better entries in the series, a noticeable improvement over the original that had appeared the year before. The characters are more, well, interesting -- especially Nina Wayne as Charisma Beauty, a belly dancer. My God, a living Kewpie doll. And Margaret Hamilton scores as Miss Crabwell, as odious as the Wicked Witch.

There are little asides in the conversations that keep one's attention. Scott Brady as the police chief is having a shouting match with McGavin and he uses the word "vilification." There is a pause while McGavin looks puzzled, then asks, "You KNOW that word?"

Seattle's underground really exists but how much of what we see is real and how much is a set is impossible to say.

Sleepless in Seattle

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 16 April 2008]

Investigative reporter Darren McGavin (as Carl Kolchak) is back; this time, he's after "The Night Strangler". Once again, police officials and fellow journalists either disbelieve, or want to cover-up, the supernatural angle. Producer-director Dan Curtis presents the same basic story as his preceding "Night", with understandably less success.

Mr. Curtis assembles a fun supporting cast, included are "Dark Shadows" alumni George DiCenzo and Ivor Francis. Jo Ann Pflug (as Louise Harper) heads up a sexy collection of belly-dancers. And, although I've never seen it mentioned anywhere, that must be Roger Davis as Mr. McGavin's dining companion in an early scene, feigning disbelief in the existence of vampires!

**** The Night Strangler (1/16/73) Dan Curtis ~ Darren McGavin, Jo Ann Pflug, Simon Oakland, Wally Cox

As Good As the Original

[Sargebri · 23 October 2003]

This is the sequel to the hugely successful "Night Stalker" and unlike most sequels this one was just as frightening and just as funny as the original. The story has just the right mix of horror and humor to have made it as successful as it was. The fact that it never took itself seriously and Darrin McGavin's performance helped to make this a very memorable film. After this the critically acclaimed, but short lived series was released the next year and it like this film and its predecessor are still great to watch.

Never change a winning news team!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 17 June 2015]

As you can probably derive from the title, the movie poster and the brief plot synopsis, "The Night Strangler" is almost identical to its predecessor "The Night Stalker". Is that bothersome? Perhaps a little… But can you blame writer Richard Matheson and producer/director Dan Curtis for copying themselves? No, of course not, because the original was such an unexpected but prompt and tremendous success that a sequel had to come and it had to come fast! And besides, the plot and atmosphere of the first film were so terrific that watching a rehash of the same story isn't irritating at all. Quite the contrary, "The Night Strangler" is once again a very entertaining and reasonably fast-paced combo between horror and detective, with cool humor and delightful characters. One year after he was unjustly chased out of Las Vegas, sewer journalist Carl Kolchak is wandering around in Seattle. He bumps into his old editor Vincenzo in a sleazy bar and – out of pity – gets offered a job. His first assignment is to report the bizarre murder of a showgirl, but the obsessive Kolchak quickly discovers that several Seattle unsolved murders are related and that the same type of crimes plagues the city of Seattle every 21 years. Once again Kolchak digs up classified police information, once again he doesn't stick to reporting the facts and one again every authority figure in town aims to shut him up! The best (and only innovative) thing about Matheson's script here is the wonderful usage of its filming locations. The culprit – an alchemist that keeps himself alive through murdering young women – has his hideout underneath the ground, in the old Seattle that was destroyed by a tremendous fire. A few years ago, I visited Seattle as a tourist and also took the underground tour, so I can confirm that it forms a unique and authentically creepy filming location for a monster like this! If you're still not convinced yet, the sequel features the awesome John Carradine as a furious and loud-shouting newspaper owner! The end sequences pave the road for a third movie entry that never got made, although apparently Matheson had the script ready, and instead the legendary TV-series were unleashed.

Sequel to "The Night Stalker" boasts a more intricately woven web of murder and begat the short lived teleseries

[kevinolzak · 9/10 · 27 July 2020]

"The Night Strangler" was screenwriter Richard Matheson's sequel to "The Night Stalker," completed in Aug. 1972, only seven months since the original was broadcast, Darren McGavin returning as intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak, Simon Oakland also back as his 'bilious grouch' editor Tony Vincenzo. Instead of a modern day vampire on the loose in Las Vegas, Matheson recalled a tour of underground Seattle, the ruins of a 19th century culture that stirred him into creating a killer from another time ("The Time Killer" was one alternate title), committing a series of six murders of young women over a period of 18 days, only to disappear for 21 years until the next spate of killings. Kolchak finds himself happily employed once more due to a chance meeting with Vincenzo, but the honeymoon doesn't last long as a new story even more incredible begins to take shape due to the diligence of Daily Chronicle librarian Titus Berry (Wally Cox), who helps connect the dots by starting with a previous set of similar crimes from 1952, all detailing a loss of blood from a needle puncture at the base of the skull, rotted flesh left on each woman's crushed throat: "as if they had been strangled by a dead man!" Continuing their research further back, they discover that the same number of victims covering the same span of days dates all the way back to 1889, another lead arriving via author Mark Twain, describing a chance meeting with Dr. Richard Malcolm (Richard Anderson), a former Union army surgeon during the Civil War who believed that immortality was achievable through an 'elixir of life.' Margaret Hamilton puts in a splendid cameo as Prof. Crabwell, whose pontifications on the nature of alchemy conclude that the main ingredient necessary for this potion to succeed is human blood. All of this is too much for a beleaguered Vincenzo and aging publisher Llewellyn Crossbinder (John Carradine), compared by Kolchak to Cotton Mather (Vincenzo: "don't underestimate him, he may be old but his fangs are potent!"), while equally exasperated police captain Roscoe Schubert (Scott Brady) handles the case his own way, until all six victims are claimed by the 18th day. The connection between Dr. Richard Malcolm and a clinic named for Dr. Malcolm Richards leads Kolchak to the fabled Seattle underground and a final date with destiny, revealing a 144 year old culprit ready to disappear for another 21 years once he ingests the final dosage. McGavin may have clashed with producer/director Dan Curtis but it doesn't show in his performance, a spirited, robust presentation of facts (or 'screwball speculation' in Vincenzo's opinion) that even Carradine's publisher can't ignore, until such time that the reporter finds himself unemployed yet again, too damn effective for his own good (both McGavin and Oakland would repeat their roles in all 20 episodes of the subsequent series). As simple and straightforward as the first Kolchak outing was, this sequel is at least its equal with so many intricate threads tied together to weave a web of murder spanning more than a century, with another superb cast bringing it all to vivid life, and special kudos to the set design for the hidden underground, shrouded in fog and a marvel to behold with the rotted corpses in attendance.

Another Night Menace For Kolchack.

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 17 August 2013]

Effective sequel to "The Night Stalker" this time directed, as well as produced by Dan Curtis, this story again revolves around the mysterious murders of several women,this time in Seattle, where Kolchack happens to be. He first thinks it to be the work of another vampire, but all is not as it appears...

Another fine guest cast includes Richard Anderson, John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, Al Lewis, and Simon Oakland, returning as Carl's editor/best friend, who puts up with his antics to an amazing degree.

Not quite as good as "The Night Stalker", this still memorably brings back the indelible Darren McGavin as fearless Carl Kolchack, a unique, one-of-a-kind TV character that sadly we have precious little of these days.

The one-season TV series followed the next year.

"The killer had the rotted features of a CORPSE?!"

[drmality-1 · 9/10 · 25 May 2008]

Carl Kolchak is my favorite TV character, hands down. So yes, I am pretty biased towards anything Carl appears in. This pugnacious misfit was an anachronism even in the 1970's...he would have been much more comfortable in the wild-and-woolly journalistic days of the 20's and 30's. He's clumsy...tactless...socially inept...and completely fearless in pursuit of the truth. He gets beaten up, but never beaten down. Plus, I like his hat.

Following the humongous success of "The Night Stalker", it was only natural that a sequel be commissioned. With Dan Curtis and Richard Matheson teaming up on the creative end, there were no worries that "The Night Strangler" would be second-rate or inferior. Even though in many ways it is a virtual remake of the first film, the sequel manages to be even eerier and more frightening, while containing many humorous touches and character bits.

Kicked out of Las Vegas after the Janos Skorzeny "vampire" debacle, Kolchak makes his way to Seattle...just in time for a rash of mysterious murders of young women to break out. The victims have had their throats crushed by a man with incredible strength and a small amount of blood has been syringed out of the base of their skulls. Obviously more than just a typical serial killer is at loose. Digging through the moldy archives of the local newspaper (with the help of Titus Berry, played by the great Wally Cox), Kolchak discovers that every 21 years since 1889, six women have been strangled during a period of 18 days. In each case, the killer was described as having superhuman strength and in some cases looking like a corpse.

When Carl proposes the theory that the same man is responsible for all the killings going back to 1889, he gets the same response he did in Las Vegas: disbelief, silence and stonewalling. His long-suffering editor Tony Vincenzo is driven almost to a heart attack by arguments with Kolchak and pressure from the police and the powers that be.

Kolchak learns that the killer may be lurking in the sinister Seattle "underground"...the remains of the 19th century town buried beneath the modern metropolis. With the help of a sexy belly dancer (cute Jo Ann Pflug), he plunges into the underground in search of the seemingly immortal maniac. The only question is: what will he do when he finds him? The villain in "The Night Strangler" is more interesting to me than the bestial Janos Skorzeny. He is more ghoulish because of his rotted features (depicted in a grisly police sketch) and yet more intellectual, because he is able to speak and articulate his mad reasoning. The scene where Dr. Richard Malcolm, the Night Strangler, converses easily with the mummified remains of his dead family sitting at a cobwebbed dinner table, communicates how utterly insane this genius has become. Richard Anderson, soon to play Oscar Goldman in "The Six Million Dollar Man", gives a chilling performance in his relatively brief scene as Malcolm.

As was typical for all Kolchak vehicles, the movie is full of well-known character actors. It's a joy to watch these old pro's in action. Scott Brady is the belligerent police Captain Shubert, cadaverous John Carradine is the publisher of Kolchak's paper, Al Lewis is a drunken bum lurking in the Seattle underground, and, best of all, the Wicked Witch of the West herself, Margaret Hamilton, is a stern college professor who gives Carl information on alchemy and immortality. She has the movie's best line. When Carl asks if everlasting youth was possible, the professor replies "If it was, I'd be an 80 year old sexpot." The scenes in underground Seattle are terrifically spooky and the sequence where the killer bursts through a glass window to get to a victim had me jumping out of my chair. The mixture of humor and horror was never done better than in the Kolchak stories.

Yes, the story is very familiar and yes, the shouting between characters gets a little overdone, but "The Night Strangler" is nothing but pure entertainment. Check it out and discover why Carl Kolchak is one of the greatest characters ever to appear on TV.

A very worthy sequel to The Night Stalker

[Stevieboy666 · 7/10 · 18 October 2021]

Wise cracking reporter Carl Kolchak is back, this time he's investigating a series of murders in Seattle, young women are being strangled with great force, crushing their spines and a small quantity of blood is being extracted by syringe. Upon further investigation these murders appear to be a pattern, repeated every 21 years and dating back to the 19th Century!

Personally I thought that Stalker is the better of the two Kolchak TV movies, however Strangler is great viewing. I think that there is more humour here though the last 20 minutes or so is pure horror. Kolchak (Darren McGavin) and his editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) bounce of each other brilliantly, very entertaining. Horror legend David Carradine has a small role, "This isn't Fun Town USA, this is Seattle!" Brilliant! Another genre actor is Al Lewis, who played Grandpa in the 1960's TV series The Munsters, here he plays a tramp. Again, good fun. Proof that TV movies could be better than many cinema ones, pity they didn't produce a planned third film. Be sure to watch the end credits, they are very cool.

A worthy sequel to the fantastic original

[Woodyanders · 9/10 · 25 June 2008]

The ever-abrasive, irritable, obstinate and incorrigible newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak (delightfully played with lip-smacking aplomb by Darren McGavin) once again finds himself elbow deep in trouble when he crosses the lethal path of ancient, but powerful alchemist Dr. Richard Malcom (an excellent performance by Richard Anderson), who every 21 years commits a series of vicious murders in Seattle, Washington in order to retain his immortality. Ably directed with tremendous skill and flair by Dan Curtis, with a smart and witty script by Richard Matheson, a nonstop zippy pace, a spirited funky-scary score by Bob Cobert, a nicely spooky atmosphere, slick cinematography by Robert B. Hauser, an often hilarious sense of deliciously sardonic humor, and several outbursts of pretty brutal violence (the female victims not only are drained of blood, but also have their necks broken), this hugely enjoyable made-for-TV sequel to the first-rate "The Night Stalker" delivers the goods with a winning blend of style and energy. The terrific acting from a top-drawer cast rates as a major plus: Simon Oakland as Kolchak's peppery, long-suffering editor Tony Vincenzo, Jo Ann Pflung as sweet, perky belly dancer Louise Harper, Scott Brady as the gruff Captain Schubert, John Carradine as hard-nosed newspaper owner Lewellyn Crossbinder, Wally Cox as friendly, helpful librarian Mr. Berry, Nina Wayne as vacuous, but alluring bimbo Charisma Beauty, Virginia Peters as Charisma's mannish, domineering lesbian lover Wilma Krankheimer, Margaret Hamilton as flaky anthropologist Professor Crabwell, and Al Lewis as a grubby, rundown old tramp. Moreover, Dr. Malcom makes for a nifty villain; he has a fascinating back story and he resides in a wonderfully eerie retro 19th century subterranean world. Granted, this movie certainly rehashes the basic plot from the first one, but does so with such great infectious verve and imagination that this is a forgivable minor flaw.

Kolchak Saves the Night, Again

[hrkepler · 7/10 · 1 June 2018]

Item: supernatural murder mystery. Item: vicious and creepy villain. Item: cool and occasionally eerie soundtrack. Item: tension and scares. Item: sly and witty humor. Item: charismatic and relentless journalist.

'The Night Strangler' is sequel to 'The Night Stalker' where, again reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin reprising his role without discount) is on the tails of mysterious killer who leaves behind victims drained from blood and with their neck crushed. This time the playground is Seattle. Kolchak relentlessly tries to convince authorities about his fact based theories while, again, he is left without help, as no one takes him seriously.

Maybe not as dark as its predecessor, but equally enjoyable.

*For a Sequel, This Kicks Butt.....!!!

[riverheadestelle · 10/10 · 4 November 2005]

*(Riverhead Free Library)

Kolchak is back and better than ever! After being forced to leave Las Vegas under the threat of a murder charge for killing the vampire, Carl finds himself in Seattle, Washington. And wouldn't you know it, he runs into Vinchenzo, who, for some unknown reason, gives Carl a second chance by helping him land a job at his paper.(For more details on this second pilot, see my comments for 'The Night Stalker'.)

One of the great things about the series is the enduring, albeit, troubled relationship between Carl and Vinchenzo. The two are friends - perhaps not in that smarmy, fuzzy way, but the two men seem to be kindred spirits of a sort. Usually, sequels are a major disappointment, but this second pilot for the series breaks that stereotype. I'm sure the ABC network realized that it had a hit and a potential gold mine on its hands back then.

****************************************************************** However, I'd like to digress to say a few words about another matter. I just received the video for the second pilot in the mail today from one of the Ebay stores. Those of you who read my commentary know that I'm a big supporter of Riverhead Free Library. I'm happy to say that the 'Night Stalker' series, pilot movies and episodes are complete once again. The two pilots had been missing for a considerably long time. I had originally donated the entire series to the library about two or three years ago. Somebody took them out and never returned them.

Please support your library by not only returning materials on time, but making donations of videos, books or money. Remember, it's your tax dollars. When somebody steals from the library, they steal from all of us.

In this day of disappearing job security, and people who can't even afford cable, more reliance is falling upon libraries for everything from special classes to entertainment. I'm a classic television and film nut, and donating movies and series to my library is my way of sharing that joy. In fact, quite a few of the supernatural flicks I comment on can be found at Riverhead Free Library. I'll begin to leave a symbol marking the films that can be found at Riverhead if you're ever in the neighborhood and want to see them.

Same story, different faces

[Chase_Witherspoon · 7/10 · 9 July 2010]

The intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak (McGavin) returns to familiar paranormal territory as he uncovers a case of an apparently 'undead' fiend, maniacally bumping off hot models for their blood. Typically, his agitator brand of journalism and puritanical pursuit of integrity, rubs his superiors the wrong way leading to another double edged sword. Not as good as the predecessor ("The Night Stalker"), but still entertaining fare with another capable cast and effective chills.

The characterisations are, essentially, the same as the aforementioned picture, with different actors in the respective parts; Scott Brady is in the Claude Akins role, John Carradine vice Kent Smith, Richard Anderson vs Barry Atwater, Jo Ann Pflug in for Carol Lynley etc etc. Despite the carbon copy, the set design is superior here, and the storyline involves a few more angles, even if the comedic tone is more pronounced. Dialogue remains taut and functional, and Simon Oakland is again borderline self-parody as Kolchak's long suffering editor, Tony Vincenzo. Overall, the key distinction here is that director Curtis (who served as producer on the first picture) treats the subject matter with much more humour.

In spite of its age and relative confinement (TV scale), brevity keeps things absorbing and the appearance of beauties Pflug, Nina Wayne and Anne Randall (in a prominent cameo as a feisty policewoman) is a welcome sight amid all the macabre.

Average horror flick with weak leading actor

[adrian-43767 · 5/10 · 17 February 2019]

Frankly, I had never heard of the Night Stalker series, or the Night Strangler film, but it is all B material. Direction by Ian Curtis is pedestrian, acting by Darren McGavin wearing a laughable little straw hat and running on tiptoe with bandy legs, plus the preposterous plot all combine to make this an average horror flick and an immediately forgettable experience.