The Night Strangler Movie Download

9 / 10

A worthy sequel to the fantastic original
The ever-abrasive, irritable, obstinate and incorrigible newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak (delightfully played with lip-smacking aplomb by Darren McGavin) once again finds himself elbow deep in trouble when he crosses the lethal path of ancient, but powerful alchemist Dr. Richard Malcom (an excellent performance by Richard Anderson), who every 21 years commits a series of vicious murders in Seattle, Washington in order to retain his immortality. Ably directed with tremendous skill and flair by Dan Curtis, with a smart and witty script by Richard Matheson, a nonstop zippy pace, a spirited funky-scary score by Bob Cobert, a nicely spooky atmosphere, slick cinematography by Robert B. Hauser, an often hilarious sense of deliciously sardonic humor, and several outbursts of pretty brutal violence (the female victims not only are drained of blood, but also have their necks broken), this hugely enjoyable made-for-TV sequel to the first-rate “The Night Stalker” delivers the goods with a winning blend of style and energy. The terrific acting from a top-drawer cast rates as a major plus: Simon Oakland as Kolchak’s peppery, long-suffering editor Tony Vincenzo, Jo Ann Pflung as sweet, perky belly dancer Louise Harper, Scott Brady as the gruff Captain Schubert, John Carradine as hard-nosed newspaper owner Lewellyn Crossbinder, Wally Cox as friendly, helpful librarian Mr. Berry, Nina Wayne as vacuous, but alluring bimbo Charisma Beauty, Virginia Peters as Charisma’s mannish, domineering lesbian lover Wilma Krankheimer, Margaret Hamilton as flaky anthropologist Professor Crabwell, and Al Lewis as a grubby, rundown old tramp. Moreover, Dr. Malcom makes for a nifty villain; he has a fascinating back story and he resides in a wonderfully eerie retro 19th century subterranean world. Granted, this movie certainly rehashes the basic plot from the first one, but does so with such great infectious verve and imagination that this is a forgivable minor flaw.Read More