Kolchak: The Night Stalker

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The 202 users who count themselves as Kolchak: The Night Stalker fans have written a total of 18 reviews.

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Kolchak was originally two made-for-TV movies that aired in the early 70's, and featured the adventures of Carl Kolchak, a down-on-the heels reporter who ran afoul of a vampire in Las Vegas and an alchemist in Seattle. These movies proved popular enough that they were spun off into a series, which placed... more »

Kolchak was originally two made-for-TV movies that aired in the early 70's, and featured the adventures of Carl Kolchak, a down-on-the heels reporter who ran afoul of a vampire in Las Vegas and an alchemist in Seattle. These movies proved popular enough that they were spun off into a series, which placed Kolchak in Chicago with the Independent News Service. Each week for 20 weeks he investigated various supernatural and supranatural creatures, ranging from aliens to vampires to Aztec sacrificial cults.

Although it only lasted one season on ABC, Kolchak has remained a cult favorite and been kept alive through the efforts of creator Jeffrey Grant Rice, Mark Dawidziak, and the folks at Moonstone Comics, who have two Kolchak comics going (see Links). There's an anthology of Kolchak stories coming out this year and discussion of a new Night Stalker (2005) series produced by The X-Files's Frank Spotnitz for ABC.less «

• The TV movies before it.

  Yesterday, I bought the The Night Stalker/The Night Strangler double feature on DVD. This shows Carl's life before Chicago in Las Vegas and Seattle. According to the Dan Curtis interview, when The Night Stalker first showed in theater, the audience went nuts. I highly recommend this DVD for fans of the show.

  Yesterday, I bought the The Night Stalker/The Night Strangler double feature on DVD. This shows Carl's life before Chicago in Las Vegas and Seattle. According to the Dan Curtis interview, when The Night Stalker first showed in theater, the audience went nuts. I highly recommend this DVD for fans of the show. less «

  walrus_8463 Last online 6 hrs, 4 mins ago
  9 comments, last one Aug 16, 2008 + Add Comment

• The DVDs

  anyone kno if there's DVD of entire series? and at good deal maybe? :)

  anyone kno if there's DVD of entire series? and at good deal maybe? :) less «

  trustno1files Last online Jul 25, 2008
  4 comments, last one Jul 15, 2008 + Add Comment

• Favorite (and least favorite) episodes?

  Mine is either "The Ripper," or "Horror in the Heights." Least favorite is "Mr. RING." I blind bought this series after hearing about its influence on The X-Files (one of my favorites!) and loving Darren McGavin from A Christmas Story . One of the best "blind" purchases I've made!

  Mine is either "The Ripper," or "Horror in the Heights." Least favorite is "Mr. RING." I blind bought this series after hearing about its influence on The X-Files (one of my favorites!) and loving Darren McGavin from A Christmas Story . One of the best "blind" purchases I've made! less «

  jamoon2006 Last online Jun 14, 2009
  6 comments, last one May 19, 2008 + Add Comment

•  

  10 Perfect

  There's a Vampire loose in Vegas. No one believes or wants to believe it's true. Investigative reporter and local smart alic Carl Kolchak knows it's true. The Police can't stop him, people are dying, no one's safe. How do you kill what's already dead? hide « show »

  An absolute TV Cult Gem! This movie literally scared the dickens out of me as a child, as well as literally millions of others who first viewed it back in the early 70's. Besides from setting Nielsen records for the most watched television show in history at that time, it created a new look to tv horror entertainment. This was no lame TV show, with minimal frights. This movie down right gave you the chills. It kind of placed the question in your head, did this really happen? Could it happen where I live? Am I truly safe with all the windows and doors locked? Darren McGavins voice over narration was another innovative touch and it gave the story line an even creepier feel to it. He was giving us a play by play to the terrible events that were ocurring. Ergo: There's a Vampire on the loose! The police can't even stop him! Would someone please listen to Kolchak! I was creeped out to say the least, hugging onto the covers and my dog. My only relief was when a commercial came on to breakup the downright fear I felt in my gut. As well as that touch of comedy with exchanges between McGavin and his loud mouth editor and chief Antonio Vinchenzo played by Simon Oakland. Their exchanges were both hilarious and exhilerating. Because of its well thought storyline this is a must watch, top notch thriller that still holds up solidly even by todays standards. And any child boomer of the 70's has to place this on their top notch movies to watch if they haven't already. And remember to ask yourself, did this happen, can this happen, and what if it does happen.

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  luvinthe70s Added May 4, 2008 All my reviews
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  8 Great

  Columbo Meets Frankenstein. That is how Kolchak could be described. It was a campy classic horror show that remains unrivaled by modern day rip-offs. hide « show »

  Imagine a cross between Columbo and the horror genre. What you get is Kolchak, the Night Stalker. Kolchak was a Columbo like news reporter who is always tracking down vampires, werewolves, and other spooks that go bump in the night. No one ever believes poor Kolchak although he is always right. His persona is reminiscent of Columbo except a bit more irritating and emotional. Kolchak is more in-your-face at times, but still a likable character which helps make the show work. The interaction between Kolchak and his editor is classic.
  
  Kolchak is tongue in cheek humor that mixes very well with horror and suspense. The only negative is some weak scripts. It is perhaps best that the show only lasted a year as they may well have run out of ideas and starting rehashing the same old stuff. As is, it never gets stale, despite the occasional tepid script, and remains a true classic of TV.

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  Sotaria Added May 8, 2007 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  A truly inovative TV hide « show »

  Kolchak: The Night Stalker was truly ahead of it's time. Without this show there would be no X-Files, no Buffy, no Supernaturals, Medium, Lost, Twin Peaks or even V. It was scary and funny all at the same time. The episode with the zombies is forever etched in my mind. Darin McGavin was perfectly cast as Kochek, the gruff hard nosed reporter that not only investigated these mythical monsters, he fought them.
  
  Another reason this show is so near and dear to me is that it's one of the few times my father and I enjoyed a show together and bonded over an art form.

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  ssimonds1 Added Apr 18, 2007 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  A great cult classic show derived for two high rated made for TV movies. hide « show »

  A great cult classic one season show. Darrin McGavin now works in Chicago, Illinois for the Independent New Service. He Drives a yellow colored Ford Mustang Convertible, wears a straw hat, seersucker suit and carries a tape recorder and camera. He also has the same cantankerous boss Anthony(Tony,Antonio)Vincenzo. He still does investigative reporting dealing with the supernatural, the occult, the bizarre and the paranormal. Also he deals with vampires, Wolfmen, zombies, ghosts and goblins. As usual he always bickers and argues with his boss Tony Vincenzo.
  
  A great cast of guest stars include Larry Linville(Major Burns of M.A.S.H.), Tom Skerrit, Lara Parker(Dark Shadows), Carolyn Jones(The Addams Family) and many others.

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  frank91165 Added Apr 15, 2007 All my reviews
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  9 Superb

  Without Kolchak there could never have been The X-Files or Supernatural! hide « show »

  Ah, memories! Darrin McGavin in his wrinkled seersucker suit, driving his Mustang convertible and dragging around his cassette recorder and little camera. Classic plots revolving around supernatural events that only one guy notices, and no one ever believes him. This guy was Mulder before aliens were cool, and could teach the Winchester brothers a thing or two.
  
  McGavin played this role to the hilt, even though television legend tells us he wanted the show to go a much more serious route than the one the producers took. And, during this era of television, the main character was an 'everyman' - he didn't have to be a twenty-year-old, 6'2" stud to be a leading man. He could be a little, red-headed geeky guy with no karate skills whatsoever. Okay, so, eventually the plots took a nose dive into robots and killer crocodiles, the original two pilots were actually very scary, creepy and cleverly plotted. The recent remake was unimaginatively stupid - and deserved to be cancelled after only a few episodes.
  
  Long live Kolchak - a true classic.

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  Finnegan77 Added Mar 2, 2007 All my reviews