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The Night Strangler

1973-01-16 TV Movie 1hr 30m

After being run out of Las Vegas, reporter Carl Kolchak heads for Seattle and another reporting job with the local paper. It's not long before he is on the trail of another string of bizarre murders. It seems that every 21 years, for the past century, a killer kills a certain number of people, drains them of their blood and then disappears into the night. Kolchak is on his trail, but can he stop him?

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The Night Strangler

Storyline

After being run out of Las Vegas, reporter Carl Kolchak heads for Seattle and another reporting job with the local paper. It's not long before he is on the trail of another string of bizarre murders. It seems that every 21 years, for the past century, a killer kills a certain number of people, drains them of their blood and then disappears into the night. Kolchak is on his trail, but can he stop him?

  • Released
    1973-01-16
  • Revenue
    n/a
  • Budget
    n/a
  • Runtime
    1hr 30m
  • Genre
    TV Movie, Horror, Mystery, Crime
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    7.3
  • Production
    ABC Circle Films

Crew

Dan Curtis
Director
Richard Matheson
Writer
Dan Curtis
Producer
Keywords:
sequel investigative journalist

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Cast

Darren McGavin

Darren McGavin
Carl Kolchak
Jo Ann Pflug

Jo Ann Pflug
Louise Harper
Simon Oakland

Simon Oakland
Tony Vincenzo
Scott Brady

Scott Brady
Capt. Schubert
Wally Cox

Wally Cox
Mr. Berry
Margaret Hamilton

Margaret Hamilton
Prof. Crabwell
Richard Anderson

Richard Anderson
Dr. Richard Malcolm
John Carradine

John Carradine
Llewellyn Crossbinder
Al Lewis

Al Lewis
Tramp
Nina Wayne

Nina Wayne
Charisma Beauty
Virginia Peters

Virginia Peters
Wilma Krankheimer
Kate Murtagh

Kate Murtagh
Janie Watkins
Ivor Francis

Ivor Francis
Dr. Webb
Diane Shalet

Diane Shalet
Joyce Gabriel
Anne Randall

Anne Randall
Policewoman Sheila
Francoise Birnheim

Francoise Birnheim
Restaurant Woman
Regina Parton

Regina Parton
Merissa (Ethel Parker)
David Armstrong

David Armstrong
Police Officer (uncredited)
Margaret Bacon

Margaret Bacon
Reporter (uncredited)
Al Beaudine

Al Beaudine
Reporter (uncredited)
Loren Brown

Loren Brown
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Bill Clark

Bill Clark
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Robert Cole

Robert Cole
Reporter (uncredited)
Tony Dante

Tony Dante
Reporter (uncredited)
George DiCenzo

George DiCenzo
Underground Tour Guide (uncredited)
Rudy Doucette

Rudy Doucette
Man on Tour (uncredited)
Bob Harks

Bob Harks
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Chester Hayes

Chester Hayes
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Alan Marston

Alan Marston
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Bill McLean

Bill McLean
Charlie the Bartender (uncredited)
Joe Phillips

Joe Phillips
Detective (uncredited)
Al Roberts

Al Roberts
Police Officer (uncredited)
Arnold Roberts

Arnold Roberts
Reporter (uncredited)
Hank Robinson

Hank Robinson
Police Officer (uncredited)
Bob Templeton

Bob Templeton
Bar Patron (uncredited)
George Tracy

George Tracy
Bar Patron (uncredited)
George Washburn

George Washburn
Police Officer (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

The Night Strangler
The Night Strangler
The Night Strangler
The Night Strangler
The Night Strangler
The Night Strangler
The Night Strangler

Movie Reviews

Reviews for The Night Strangler
reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 7.5

Written by John Chard on 2015-07-28

I just saw your "so-called killer" wipe up the street with your so-called police force! After the success the previous year of The Night ... read more

I just saw your "so-called killer" wipe up the street with your so-called police force! After the success the previous year of The Night Stalker, Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) returns for another feature film. The intrepid reporter with a quip on the lips and a disdain for the unbelievers in the suit wearing echelons, is now in Seattle and quickly realises that the current spate of killings are more than just the work of a serial killer. But can he convince the authorities of this? The formula is exactly the same here, Kolchak simultaneously locks horns with his editor and all the law enforcement people in his arc. He does a voice over for us, proves to be clearly better than the law officers in charge of the case, drops sarcasm as pearls of wisdom, and of course has charisma in abundance. The difference here is that the villain, elegantly played by Richard Anderson, has a voice, a sort of Count Dracula for the modern setting, a Eugene Tooms in embryonic form, he's a great villain and this in turn gives Kolchack more to get his teeth into. Of course the ending is never in doubt, but there's a whole bunch of fun and 70s style scares to enjoy during the ride. Joining the ever enjoyable McGavin are Jo Ann Pflug, Simon Oakland (again great foil for McGavin), Scott Brady, Wally Cox, Margaret Hamilton and John Carradine. A TV series would follow, such was the popularity of the character and its monster of the week formula, and it would influence none other than The X-Files some years down the line. Kolchack, legacy earned and warranted. 7.5/10

reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 7

Written by Wuchak on 2018-04-25

Every 21 years a formidable strangler is on the loose in Seattle RELEASED TO TV IN EARLY 1973 and directed by Dan Curtis, "The Night Stra... read more

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

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by John Chard

I just saw your "so-called killer" wipe up the street with your so-called police force! After the success the previous year of The Night Stalker, Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) returns for another feature film. The intrepid reporter with ...

reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 7.5

Written by John Chard on 2015-07-28

I just saw your "so-called killer" wipe up the street with your so-called police force! After the success the previous year of The Night Stalker, Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) returns for another f...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 7

Written by Wuchak on 2018-04-25

Every 21 years a formidable strangler is on the loose in Seattle RELEASED TO TV IN EARLY 1973 and directed by Dan Curtis, "The Night Strangler" chronicles events in Seattle when the strangled bodie...

read more