Comments on: Kolchak, the Eternal Night Stalker

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 21:08:10 +0000

There were TWO “Night Stalker” made-for-TV movies: the first was about Kolchak and the vampire, the second was about him pursuing a seemingly immortal doctor in the ruins of underground Seattle. Then the TV series came. “Night-Stalker’s” influence can indeed be felt all over “X-Files” (same idea in a post-journalism culture–intrepid truth seekers stymied by sinister forces) and Chris Carter’s affection for it is obvious (down to the casting of McGavin as X-Files surrogate father agent Arthur Dales). Let us also stop to remember McGavin’s many other memorable roles, including Candace Bergen’s father on “Murphy Brown” and, as I recall, a tough-as-nails Marine DI whose life and attitudes are challenged (but not ridiculously so) by a young hippie draftee (pre-coked out Jan Michael Vincent) in an early made-for-TV movie “Tribes.”
Character actors like McGavin are the ones we remember long after the Cruises and Jessica Albas are long forgotten!
As for the oh-so-sincere Mr. Morris, let us truly hope that he has been assigned to a very Shavean hell taking a course in evolutionary biology from Darwin, Wallace, Mayr and Gould and being forced to do nothing but REAL research on the subject for eternity!

By: Carolarnt

Carolarnt — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 21:19:45 +0000

I’m a big fan of all Sci-Fi as much as I am a fan of real science. I really liked the old Night Stalker with Darren McGavin, but I also liked the new one. In fact, Darren McGavin is in the new one. They digitally inserted him in the first episode in the news room. I have all the episodes recorded & this gave me a chuckle to see him standing there.

I’m sure I’m gonna get ragged on for saying this cuz I’m passionate about real science…..but I like ALL the movies you all hate. I see the screw-ups but take the adventure & fun for what it is….Sorry Phil.

By: Gary Ansorge

Gary Ansorge — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:26:00 +0000

Kolchak? Dead? Dang, who are we vampires supposed to play with now,,,,bummer!!!

Ah, well, as Mohammed is supposed to have said as he lay dying 1400 years ago,,,” Don’t change nothing,,,I’ll be back.”

Darn, that does sound familiar, but then I AM from California,,,

Peace

Gary 7

By: RAF

RAF — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:12:03 +0000

I just realized that I “mis-read” what Joe wrote…he was talking about the second movie, I was talking about the first..

DOH!

By: DouglasG

DouglasG — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:44:10 +0000

I loved the Night Stalker! However, I can’t really bare to watch it now. The effects are so cheesy! When I was a kid, I ate it up. I also loved him in “A Christmas Story” and his “Major Award”!!! He has also appeared in many “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” episodes, that I have been watching recently. So, he had quite a long and varied career. He will be missed.

Don Knotts started off strong, but faded down the stretch. Barney Fife, Mr. Limpett, and Mr. Chicken, were all pretty good for their time. Mr. Ferley was most forgettable. However, he will also be missed.

By: JWR

JWR — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 14:40:43 +0000

We also lost Andreas Katsulis this week. He played G’Kar on Babylon 5 one of my favorite scifi shows.

By: Tom K

Tom K — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 14:26:17 +0000

Interestingly, the only thing that stuck in my mind from the Night Stalker series was an episode where some event (human sacrifice or such) was to occur when Venus was directly overhead at midnight. Even then I knew it was Bad Astronomy!