IMDb RATING
7.3/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
A reporter hunts down a 144-year old alchemist who is killing women for their blood.A reporter hunts down a 144-year old alchemist who is killing women for their blood.A reporter hunts down a 144-year old alchemist who is killing women for their blood.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Darren McGavin
- Carl Kolchak
- (as Darren Mc Gavin)
David Armstrong
- Police Officer
- (uncredited)
Margaret Bacon
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Al Beaudine
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Francoise Birnheim
- Restaurant Woman
- (uncredited)
Loren Brown
- Bar Patron
- (uncredited)
Bill Clark
- Bar Patron
- (uncredited)
Robert Cole
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBeyond the 90-minute version, there was additional footage filmed featuring George Tobias as Jimmy "Stacks" Stackhaus, a reporter who had reported on the previous series of "Strangler" murders in the 1930s. In that footage, Kolchak tracks down the veteran reporter and speaks with him about the murders.
- GoofsSeveral of the articles shown in the archive files of the "Seattle Daily Chronicle" clearly have the headline pasted over genuine newspaper pages by the art department; this is especially noticeable on the edition from [Tuesday] 27th March 1952 headed "WOMAN STRANGLED IN PIONEER SQUARE", which is peeling away.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Carl Kolchak: [voice over] This is the story behind the most incredible series of murders to ever occur in the city of Seattle, Washington. You never read about them in your local newspapers or heard about them on your local radio or television station. Why? Because the facts were watered down, torn apart, and reassembled... in a word, falsified.
- Alternate versionsThere is a 90-minute version, which features additional footage with Al Lewis, Kate Murtagh, George DiCenzo, and Margaret Hamilton which was cut for the original TV release. This 90-minute version is the one typically released in syndication to fill the standard 2-hour movie slot.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Svengoolie: The Night Strangler (1996)
Featured review
Same Story, Different City
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.
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.
helpful•1913
- ccthemovieman-1
- Sep 19, 2006
Details
- Runtime1 hour 14 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content