The Five Best Made-for-TV Horror Movies

What's Halloween without a post on classic fright films? This year, we are paying homage to the best horror films made specifically for television. And since this is a classic movie blog, all of our choices were broadcast no later than the 1980s. Hey, that's the classic era for made-for-TV movies anyway!

1. Gargoyles - A rare network TV-movie excursion into visual horror, Gargoyles opens with a prologue that explains the ancient creatures are the devil's offspring and are reborn every 600 years. They exist to “battle against man to gain dominion of the earth.” This theme closely parallels horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's mythos, in which creatures known as The Old Ones lurk in a parallel world, waiting to regain control of this world from mankind. Set in Mexico, Gargoyles is a lively, entertaining film with solid performances by Cornel Wilde, Bernie Casey (as the lead gargoyle), Scott Glenn, and Grayson Hall (Dark Shadows, The Night of the Iguana).

2. Dark Intruder - Some of you may quibble with this choice since it's more mystery than horror and was originally intended as a theatrical release. That said, there is a monster and it boasts some eerie scenes on the foggy streets of San Francisco (with no Karl Malden). Leslie Nielsen plays a wealthy "chronic dabbler" who investigates a series of ritualistic murders tied to a Sumerian god representing the essence of evil. To give away any more of the surprisingly complex (and, at times, again Lovecraftian) plot would spoil the fun. There are two other made-for-TV movies that also mix mystery and horror effectively: Spectre starring Robert Culp and The Norliss Tapes with Roy Thinnes.

3. The Night Stalker - Darren McGavin stars as Carl Kolchak, a pesky reporter who investigates a series of Las Vegas murders where the victims are drained of blood. Initially, Kolchak believes that the culprit imagines himself to be a vampire—but eventually the reporter comes to realize that the killer is a modern-day vampire. Versatile horror/fantasy author Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, Duel) co-wrote this fast-paced blend of chills and humor set in Las Vegas. Unlike traditional bloodsuckers, Matheson made his vampire (played by Barry Atwater) a contemporary villain with superhuman strength and the wiles to survive in modern society (e.g., he steals blood from a hospital). This is probably the most famous made-for-TV horror film. It was also a huge ratings hit and spawned a sequel (The Night Strangler) and a TV series.

4. Trilogy of Terror - A trio of Richard Matheson short stories formed the basis for this anthology film which starred the late Karen Black in all three segments. The first tales, "Julie" and "Millicent and Therese" are interesting, especially the latter which offers a nice twist ending. However, it's the third segment, "Amelia," that earned Trilogy of Terror its reputation as a creepy classic. Black plays Amelia, a single woman who has purchased a Zuni doll with razor-sharp teeth and a spear. The doll supposedly houses the spirit of a Zuni warrior known as "He Who Kills." When Amelia is alone in her apartment, the doll comes alive and attacks her. She apparently destroys it--but all is not what it seems. Black is excellent in all three segments, especially the final one. And if all three tales had been as good as "Amelia," this film would have occupied the #1 slot.

5. Satan's School for Girls - This admittedly cheesy 1973 flick about mysterious deaths at a girls' school has earned a minor cult reputation because of its cast and plot similarity to Dario Argento's later Suspiria. It also boasts some bona fide scares. Pamela Franklin stars as a teen investigating her sister's apparent suicide at the Salem Academy for Women (just that name doesn't bode well in a horror movie). You'd think the school would shut down after another suicide, but it doesn't--which provides time for Franklin's character to discover the secret room in the cellar! The cast includes future Charlie's Angels Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd, plus Jo Van Fleet, Roy Thinnes (again), and Lloyd Bochner. Interestingly, the same year, Pamela Franklin also starred in the theatrical film The Legend of Hell House.

My 100 Favorite Films: From 80 to 71

In this third installment, you may start to wonder about my tastes in film! Keep in mind that these are my favorite movies--not a "best of" list. So, it was inevitable that some guilty pleasures would find their way into this project. (As always, an underlined title means there's a hyperlink to a full review at the Cafe.)

A colorful poster...but
no hint of the plot!

80. You Never Can Tell - A German Shepard named King inherits a fortune following his eccentric owner's death--but then is swiftly murdered. The canine angel asks if he can return to Earth long enough to catch his killer and clear the innocent woman accused of the crime. King is sent back to Earth as a "humanimal"--an animal reincarnated as human—in this case, a private eye named Rex Shepard (Dick Powell). This amusing fantasy was a childhood fave and still holds up well, thanks to a wonderfully inventive premise and a marvelous Powell performance. I can't imagine another human playing a dog playing a human!

79. Advise and Consent - The President (Franchot Tone) clashes with the Senate and his own party on his nomination of a liberal academic (Henry Fonda) to become Secretary of State. His unyielding stance sets into motion a political chess match in which Senators take sides and people become pawns. (The chess analogy is an interesting one: Walter Pidgeon, who fights for nominee Fonda, wears a dark suit; Charles Laughton, who opposes him, wears white). This absorbing look inside Washington politics was made in 1962, but always feels timely--and the entire cast is first-rate.

Jason Robards as Cable Hogue.

78. The Ballad of Cable Hogue - My favorite Sam Peckinpah film is a wistful tale of fate, redemption, and the dying days of the Old West (a recurring Peckinpah theme). Jason Robards, Jr. plays the title character, a drifter left for dead in the desert by his low-life partners. Just when death seems imminent, Hogue finds a spring—a source of water surrounded by an ocean of sand—and this discovery changes his life. Robards is superb and gets outstanding support from David Warner as a would-be man of the church and Stella Stevens as a prostitute (easily her best role ever). However, it's the spirit of the main character that lingers long after the bittersweet ending.

Bond and Flynn as rivals-turned-friends.

77. Gentleman Jim - I'm not sure why this tremendously entertaining biography of boxing legend Jim Corbett has never taken its place as one of Warner Bros.' best films of the 1940s. Errol Flynn, often underrated as an actor, is in fine form as Corbett and he's surrounded by a bunch of veteran scene stealers in Alan Hale, Jack Carson, and William Frawley. Alexis Smith provides a feisty love interest and Ward Bond gives one of his best performances as boxing rival John L. Sullivan. Best of all, though, director Raoul Welsh creates a flavorful portrait of America just prior to the turn of the century. Funny, exciting, and ultimately heartfelt, Gentleman Jim is a classic that deserves more attention.

76. Seven Days in May - John Frankenheimer followed his classic The Manchurian Candidate (1962) with this equally original political thriller. Rod Serling’s taut screenplay interweaves the stories of three men: President Jordan Lyman (Fredric March), whose popularity has plunged as a result of pushing for a nuclear arms treaty with Russia; General James Mattoon Scott (Burt Lancaster), the influential, egotistical head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Marine Colonel “Jiggs” Casey (Kirk Douglas), a key member of Scott’s staff. Part mystery, part suspense film, Seven Days in May unfolds its audacious plot carefully; it's a rare motion picture in which the outcome is always in doubt until the climax. That uncertainty is a testament to Frankensheimer’s craftsmanship as a filmmaker.

75. The Power – Shortly after absent-minded Professor Henry Hallson (Arthur O'Connell) reveals that one of his colleagues at a research center for human endurance has “an intelligence quotient beyond the known limits of measurability,” he is found murdered. When fellow scientist Jim Tanner (George Hamilton) starts investigating, he is not only framed—but finds himself the target of a diabolical “super intellect” that can alter people's perceptions of reality. While I recognize that The Power is a film of many flaws (starting with Hamilton’s bland hero), I always enjoy it immensely thanks to its ingenious premise, Miklós Rózsa’s unique score, and a delightfully wacky twist ending. And while I don’t know many people who proclaim to be fans, I can take solace in the words of film critic John Baxter who hailed The Power as “one of the finest of all science fiction films.”

74. Gargoyles – A delirious guilty pleasure, this 1972 film stars Cornel Wilde as an anthropologist battling the title creatures in a small southwestern desert town. A rare network TV-movie excursion into visual horror, Gargoyles opens with a prologue that explains the ancient creatures are reborn every 600 years to “battle against man to gain dominion of the Earth.” Bernie Casey gives an intelligent performance as the head gargoyle, exuding menace and generating a surprising amount of sexual tension for a network TV movie of the era. The Emmy-winning Stan Winston make-up is marvelous, complete with wings, horns, a pointy chin, white eyes, and vampiric fangs. And yet, I’m hard-pressed to explain my continuing affection for this film…perhaps it evokes a certain amount of nostalgia for the many made-for-TV movies I watched as a teen in the early 1970s.

Sir Wilfrid cross-examines a witness.

73. Witness for the Prosecution - Charles Laughton stars as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, a famed London barrister recuperating from a heart attack. Though under strict orders to avoid stressful criminal cases, his pursuit of a forbidden cigar results in accepting a case involving a penniless opportunist (Tyrone Power) accused murdering a middle-aged wealthy widow. One of the finest Hitchcock films not made by Hitchcock, Witness is a clever, witty courtroom drama (courtesy of Agatha Christie and Billy Wilder). However, the film's most entertaining aspect is its unexpected humor--much it of derived from the relationship between the cantankerous Sir Wilfrid and his fastidious nurse, Miss Plimsoll (Elsa Lanchester, Laughton’s real-life spouse).

72. Victim – When I first saw 1961’s Victim, I had no idea what it was about. The film unfolds as an engrossing mystery involving blackmail, suicide, and an affluent barrister played by Dirk Bogarde. For the sake of those unfamiliar with this landmark movie, I won’t divulge any more of its plot. At a future date, though, I’ll do an in-depth review and address why it’s one of those rare films that seamlessly integrates a well-told story and social commentary. Bogarde shines in the lead role, though Sylvia Sims manages to upstage him in their potent scenes together near the climax.

71. The Winslow Boy – When a boy is expelled from a British naval academy for theft, his father has only one question: Did he do it? When the son proclaims his innocence, the father sets out to right the wrong—even it means taking on the House of Commons. The compelling story, sharply-etched characters, and sparkling dialogue can all be attributed to Terence Rattigan’s brilliant stage play. Still, this film adaptation stands on its own, anchored by a sensational cast. Robert Donat—who appears well into the proceedings—has the showy role as the son’s barrister and delivers his two big scenes with maximum impact. However, my favorite performances come from Cedric Hardwicke as the never-wavering father and Margaret Leighton as the feminist daughter. Her closing scene with Donat concludes the film on a perfect note.

Next month, I'll count down 70-61, which will include another Flynn film, the first of multiple Sidney Poitier appearances, a Renoir classic, and a Cornel Wilde cult film!

31 Days of Halloween: Gargoyles Take Flight in an Offbeat 1972 Made-for-TV Film

A rare network TV-movie excursion into visual horror, Gargoyles opens with a prologue that explains the ancient creatures are the devil's offspring and are reborn every 600 years. They exist to “battle against man to gain dominion of the earth.” This theme closely parallels horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos, in which creatures known as The Old Ones lurk in a parallel world, waiting to regain control of this world from mankind.

Set in Mexico, Gargoyles gets off to a slow start, with anthropologist Dr. Mercer Boley (Cornel Wilde) and his daughter Diana (Jennifer Salt from Sisters) visiting an isolated, rundown tourist trap called Uncle Willie's Desert Museum. The skeptical Boley thinks it's a trick when Uncle Willie (Woody Chambliss) shows him the skeleton of a gargoyle, but he's intrigued enough to listen to the old man. Willie tells Boley and Diana about the folklore surrounding Devil's Crossing, an area of mountain caves where strange creatures were believed to live. As night falls and the winds howl, the three humans hear the sound of flapping wings. Something lands on the roof of Willie's shack and a claw tears through the thin aluminum. The shack suddenly caves in on Willie and catches fire. Boley and Diana abandon the old-timer and escape with a gargoyle skull.

Jennifer Salt as Diana.

After another winged creature attacks them on the road, the father and daughter seek safety in a nearby town where they check into the Cactus Motel. The following night, the gargoyles steal the skull, but during their escape, one of the them is struck by a speeding truck. Boley takes the gargoyle corpse back to his motel room and makes immediate plans to transport it to Los Angeles. However, a short time later, the gargoyles return with reinforcements. They knock Boley unconscious, recover the dead gargoyle—and kidnap Diana. Boley’s attempt to rescue his daughter results in an offbeat ending for broadcast television of that era (but I'll leave it at that).

Bernie Casey gives an intelligent performance as the head gargoyle. He exudes menace and generates a surprising amount of sexual tension, especially in a scene in which he kneels over an unconscious Diana and fondles her face and hair. The Emmy-winning Stan Winston make-up is marvelous, complete with wings, horns, a pointy chin, white eyes, and vampiric fangs. Sadly, the supporting gargoyles don't look as good as their leader, undoubtedly the result of a low budget.

Cornel Wilde and Jennifer Salt.

The scenes inside the gargoyles’ lair add some depth to the film. The gargoyles look very human-like as they cuddle their newly-hatched babies. Except for their leader, they don't look or act evil. For a brief part of the film, these lizard-like creatures come across as misunderstood victims. It's only when the head gargoyle threatens Boley that we realize these creatures are mankind's enemies.

I first saw Gargoyles on the CBS Tuesday Night Movie in 1972. It struck me as refreshingly different from the majority of made-for-TV movies. That distinction has only increased over the years—and so has my affection for the film (despite its obvious flaws). I fear, though, that I may be in the minority. That said, I am lucky enough to have family members (especially my wife) who willingly watch it with me because they know I enjoy it. A Gargoyles fan couldn't ask for more!

31 Days of Halloween: Sibling Rivalry and a Big Knife in Brian De Palma's Sisters

Brian De Palma is a director often accused of stealing from Hitchcock. Whether or not you're a fan of De Palma's work, it's understandable that some viewers would make such accusations. But De Palma's nods to the Master of Suspense are typically superficial, as he merely lifts the plots and presents them in a unique style. For example, Dressed to Kill (1980) begins with a shower scene. As Angie Dickinson showers, the audience is presented with her point of view (POV), and you can see a figure through the shower door. One might expect said figure to approach menacingly (an obvious Psycho reference), but it's eventually clear that he's simply using the bathroom mirror for a morning shave. Dickinson is then suddenly attacked by someone inside the shower with her. De Palma would frequently include familiar plots to play with viewers' expectations: does Jake know what he's truly seeing in Body Double (1984) [Rear Window] and is Carter suffering from murderous multiple personalities in Raising Cain (1992) [Psycho again].

Brian De Palma's first foray into the Hitchcockian thriller was his splendid 1973 movie, Sisters. Phil is a young man who is duped by a Candid Camera-esque TV show called Peeping Toms. A supposedly blind woman undresses while in a locker room with Phil, and a studio audience votes on what they believe the man will do. Following the show, Phil dines with the woman (who is, in fact, not blind), Danielle, a French-Canadian model. They spend the night together, but by the morning, Danielle is upset over an argument with her twin sister, Dominique. She asks Phil to pick up a prescription for her, and having just learned that it's the sisters' birthday, the man also stops by a bakery to have a cake made. When Phil returns, he unknowingly meets Dominique, who, in lieu of cutting the birthday cake, stabs Phil with a knife. In a nearby apartment, reporter Grace Collier witnesses the bloody encounter and telephones the police, but by the time they arrive, Danielle and her former lover, Emil, have cleaned the area and hidden the body. With the cops believing she's overzealous, Grace is determined to prove that a murder occurred in that apartment.

The Hitchcockian elements are there: a Bernard Herrmann score, shades of Psycho (check out the knife Dominique uses), etc. But the presentation of the story and the establishment of characters is vintage De Palma. One example of the director's style is the use of split screen, which he employs wonderfully after the murder: one screen shows Grace standing on the sidewalk, impatiently waiting for the cops, the other has Danielle and Emil desperately cleaning her place. It's an excellent technique to heighten suspense. He utilized the split screen to similar effect in films such as Phantom of the Paradise (1974), Carrie (1976) and Snake Eyes (1998).

Another example of De Palma's style in his frequent shifting of perspective. Keep in mind that, while Hitchcock did this in Psycho, he typically presented his protagonists' POV and stayed there for the duration of the narrative. De Palma bounces the audience around varying perspectives. Phil seems to be the protagonist, but then the viewers are suddenly with Danielle, and quickly to Grace. This is another way in which the director generates suspense, as the audience is often unaware as to people's true motives. In other words, just when the viewer believes that he/she knows a particular character, De Palma switches to an alternate perspective and said character now looks completely different. Danielle is quite innocent when she is with Phil. But she not only lies to the police when they arrive at her apartment with Grace, she's also considerably good at lying. Without giving away the ending, by the film's conclusion, a once reliable POV becomes shockingly unreliable. De Palma also toyed with perspectives in Blow Out (1981), Body Double, Snake Eyes, and even his commercial venture, Mission: Impossible (1996).

Sisters is strengthened by some exceptional acting. Margot Kidder, playing the dual role of Dominique and Danielle, is very good as both, a seemingly naive young model and a frighteningly unstable lunatic. William Finley is great at playing characters who are odd and undeniably creepy, which he proved in further De Palma productions, such as Phantom of the Paradise and a bit part in The Black Dahlia (2006). Jennifer Salt portrays Grace, and she makes a sympathetic reporter. Salt also starred in the 1972 TV film Gargoyles (another selection from this month's 31 Days of Halloween), and eventually retired from acting to pursue writing, having helmed a number of episodes of the popular FX series, Nip/Tuck. In 2006, Douglas Buck directed a lackluster remake of Sisters, starring Stephen Rea as a doctor and Chloë Sevigny as Grace.

So the next time you hear someone say, "Oh, that Brian De Palma just wants to be Hitchcock!" or if that very thought should cross your own mind, please take a step back and have another look. The director is just having fun with Hitch's theatrical plotlines. His keen visual eye and clever techiques are a grand talent not to be missed, and Sisters is one of his very best.