"Kolchak's Coming Back...In Style!"

The 1970s was a great decade for TV horror fans. The genre flourished in the made for television movie genre with films like Trilogy of Terror, Gargoyles, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, and of course, The Night Stalker. Based on a novel by Jeff Rice, the now-classic 1972 telefilm told the story of a vampire-like killer on the loose in Las Vegas, and the efforts of a down on his luck reporter named Carl Kolchak to convince the authorities that the killer actually was a vampire. The movie effortlessly blended horror and humor, as Kolchak hunted down the vampire, while butting heads not only with the authorities, but also his long-suffering editor, Tony Vincenzo. Scripted by genre veteran Richard Matheson, and directed by John Llewelyn Moxey, The Night Stalker was a ratings smash, and a sequel, The Night Strangler, followed in 1973. That film was once again scripted by Matheson, but behind the camera this time was Dan Curtis, of Dark Shadows fame, who had produced the original movie. The story pitted Kolchak, now relocated to Seattle, against another eerie menace, an immortal man whose killings had stretched across decades. The Night Strangler was another ratings success, and after plans for a third telefilm didn't work out, ABC decided to produce a weekly television series.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker premiered on September 13, 1974. The series featured McGavin, back in his rumpled seersucker suit as Kolchak, and Oakland returning in his role as Vincenzo. Set in Chicago, the series found Kolchak battling werewolves, zombies, witches, and aliens. While it only lasted one season, the series left an indelible impression on a generation of kids, including myself. One of those kids was Chris Carter, who went on to create The X-Files. Carter cited the series as a significant influence on the adventures of Mulder and Scully. Kolchak: The Night Stalker featured a lot of great talent behind the scenes on the show. David Chase, who also worked on The Rockford Files and later went on to create The Sopranos, was a writer and story editor for the series. Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, years before their success with Back to the Future, penned the episode "Chopper," about a headless motorcycle rider, and Hammer horror veteran Jimmy Sangster scripted “Horror in the Heights” which is widely considered by fans to be one of the series' best episodes.

The complete series has just been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. The label previously issued well done special editions of both The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler. Kolchak; The Night Stalker: The Complete Series features all twenty episodes of the show, which have been given excellent 2K hi-def restorations. There are commentaries for all of the episodes by noted writers and film historians like Kim Newman, David Schow, Amanda Reyes and Gary Gerani. I've listened to several of the commentaries at this point, and they’re insightful, engaging and informative. Also featured are interviews with David Chase, who discusses his time working on the series, and Dana Gould, creator of Stan Against Evil, who talks about the series influence on him. Another fun bonus feature included in the set are 14 original ABC network “coming attraction” promos for the series. There's also a booklet with an essay by Mark Dawidziak, author of The Night Stalker Companion. 

Darren McGavin is perfect in the role of Kolchak, and Simon Oakland is terrific as his editor and friendly nemesis, Vincenzo. Their scenes together are a marvelous (and entertaining) acting duet. The supporting characters in the newsroom, portrayed by Jack Grinnage and Ruth McDevitt, are also wonderful in their roles. And if you’re looking for a who’s who of 1970s TV personalities, legendary comedic actors and classic era movie stars, look no further than this show, where you'll spot Carolyn Jones, Phil Silvers, Larry Linville, Jim Backus, Keenan Wynn, Cathy Lee Crosby, Tom Bosley, Lara Parker, Nina Foch and Tom Skerritt in supporting roles. The show also features some genuinely frightening moments, in episodes such as “The Vampire” and “The Zombie,” which can still send a chill down your spine, even all these years later. The other aspect of the series that holds up well today is the suggestion of cover ups by the authorities, who often try to conceal the supernatural or otherworldly aspects of the menaces that Kolchak faces. The show was airing in the shadow of Watergate, and it sometimes echoed the conspiracy themes of films like The Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor. It’s no surprise that Chris Carter took inspiration from the show when he was creating The X-Files.

I’m a long-time devotee of both the TV movies and the series, and have great affection for McGavin and the show. It's a lot of fun to revisit these episodes, and while not all of them are classics, there are a few, such as "Horror in the Heights" and "The Spanish Moss Murders" that are very effective terror tales. Even the weaker episodes offer the fun of watching this terrific cast, led by McGavin in his definitive role (along with some cool guest stars) work their magic. If you’re a fan of the series, this set is a must have. It’s clearly produced by people who paid care and attention to this release, and wanted to give the series the best presentation possible. Kino Lorber has done a spectacular job with these episodes, as well as their previous editions of The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler TV movies. Kolchak: The Night Stalker: The Complete Series is highly recommended. Here’s a link to Kino Lorber's site for more info: https://www.kinolorber.com. As Kolchak says in the The Night Stalker telefilm "Don't look now, baby, but Kolchak's coming back...in style!"