Scott LeBrun The irrepressible, stubborn, trouble making investigative reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) is back in the thick of things. Now working in Seattle - where he is once again working alongside long suffering editor Tony Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) - he discovers another baffling case. Young women are being strangled, but that's not all. They're ALSO having small amounts of blood extracted from their bodies. Acquiring a kindred spirit in a quirky records keeper named Berry (Wally Cox), Kolchak realizes that similar murder sprees have occurred throughout the city's history - every 21 years.Producer & director Dan Curtis wasn't about to muck with a winning formula, having accomplished a solid blend of humour and horror with 'The Night Stalker', the original made for television movie about the Kolchak character. Once again, he crafts a tale with a fair number of hearty laughs as well as some pretty damn effective suspense. Richard Matheson wrote the script, which makes great use of this whole other "world" in Seattle, its underground domain. Naturally, our killer is drawn to this environment. Longer, and meatier, than 'The Night Stalker', 'The Night Strangler' gets some real sparks going out of every encounter that Kolchak initiates, with his bull-in-a-china-shop approach winning him very few friends. Our favourite reporter is already behaving as he would on the subsequent, sadly short lived series, having no problem accepting the most utterly fantastic of stories.'The Night Strangler' is impeccably cast from top to bottom. Some of these excellent actors really have no more than brief cameo roles, but they make the most of them. Jo Ann Pflug is lovely and appealing as a belly dancer and university student who becomes a willing participant in Kolchaks' schemes. Oakland is wonderful as always as he and McGavin butt heads and scream at each other. Scott Brady plays the obligatory lawman who quickly loses his patience with Kolchak. Cox is fun, as are Margaret Hamilton as a professor specializing in nutty subjects, and Al Lewis as an amiable tramp. Richard Anderson plays our antagonist, and he's subtly chilling. Thankfully, he's not really seen until the climactic confrontation, helping to keep the character somewhat mysterious.Must viewing for lovers of the made-for-TV horror films of the 1970s.Eight out of 10.

AaronCapenBanner Effective sequel to "The Night Stalker" this time directed, as well as produced by Dan Curtis, this story again revolves around the mysterious murders of several women,this time in Seattle, where Kolchack happens to be. He first thinks it to be the work of another vampire, but all is not as it appears...Another fine guest cast includes Richard Anderson, John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, Al Lewis, and Simon Oakland, returning as Carl's editor/best friend, who puts up with his antics to an amazing degree.Not quite as good as "The Night Stalker", this still memorably brings back the indelible Darren McGavin as fearless Carl Kolchack, a unique, one-of-a-kind TV character that sadly we have precious little of these days.The one-season TV series followed the next year.

Radish4ever The night Stranger was a follow up to The Night Stalker. This was the highest watched TV movie ever and it was obvious a sequel would follow. The Night Strangler followed exactly one year later. Both are directed by Dan Curtis and both great but I saw Night Strangler first when I was very young and remember how scary it was for that reason it became my favourite of the two. I later found out that a night stalker TV series of 20 episodes followed but for years these had never been shown in the UK until the 90's when they showed the entire series. I had waited years to see this, long before the Internet and DVD shopping online, everything was not easy to purchase. Although the TV series was very good and atmospheric at times, not as good as the two movies. But does have a cult status and did inspire the excellent X-files TV show, in Which Darren Mcgavin appeared in a few episodes. The strangler/stalker films rely on clever slow-motion camera work, creepy sets and some great directing from Dan Curtis instead of the gore you find in modern day horror films. They don't make them like this anymore sadly. The Chemistry between Carl Kolchak and his long suffering boss Tony Vincenzo works a real treat. Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland are two superb actors and they just work so well together on screen there is a ongoing humour running throughout the film The dialogue is well written and witty. Vincenzo spends half the film frustrated and shouting at Kolchak's demands. The two reprised the same roles in the TV series after the third Night Stalker film did not get off the ground, which was rumoured, was planned as a direct sequel to part one.The plot is easy, reporter Karl Kolchak begins life in Seattle, after being run out of Vegas in the previous Night Stalker film, after a cover up of a real life vampire was found. He bumps into his old boss Vincenzo, who it transpires, was booted out too and went to Seattle for a quite life, which he knows wont happen when he finds himself working as Kolchak's boss again at another newspaper office. Thing begin to get interesting when 2 murders happen in a few days. When Kolchak investigates, he find similar murders have happened in the past. Spanning over a hundred years in fact. Every 21 years, six females are strangled by someone with superhuman strength and speed. They have their necks broken and blood drained via a syringe, and dead rotting tissue is left from the assailant. Apparently an alchemist aged 144 years is responsible and the movie is then about Kolchak once again fighting the authorities that get in his way and look for clues to find out who the mystery man is. Easy these days with DNA but its all about clever detective work in the 70's from our investigating reporter. Makes this riveting entertainment.Recommended if you can find this rare film. Night Stalker is easier to get hold of, this one is worth the extra hunting down and a must watch for all fans of 70's horror films.

Chase_Witherspoon The intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak (McGavin) returns to familiar paranormal territory as he uncovers a case of an apparently 'undead' fiend, maniacally bumping off hot models for their blood. Typically, his agitator brand of journalism and puritanical pursuit of integrity, rubs his superiors the wrong way leading to another double edged sword. Not as good as the predecessor ("The Night Stalker"), but still entertaining fare with another capable cast and effective chills.The characterisations are, essentially, the same as the aforementioned picture, with different actors in the respective parts; Scott Brady is in the Claude Akins role, John Carradine vice Kent Smith, Richard Anderson vs Barry Atwater, Jo Ann Pflug in for Carol Lynley etc etc. Despite the carbon copy, the set design is superior here, and the storyline involves a few more angles, even if the comedic tone is more pronounced. Dialogue remains taut and functional, and Simon Oakland is again borderline self-parody as Kolchak's long suffering editor, Tony Vincenzo. Overall, the key distinction here is that director Curtis (who served as producer on the first picture) treats the subject matter with much more humour.In spite of its age and relative confinement (TV scale), brevity keeps things absorbing and the appearance of beauties Pflug, Nina Wayne and Anne Randall (in a prominent cameo as a feisty policewoman) is a welcome sight amid all the macabre.