♠ Old-time TV movies ♠

[Mr. Gorman]

♣

[slaytonf]

Isn't It Shocking? 1973

The Norliss Tapes 1973

[Mr. Gorman]

Speaking of 'THE NORLISS TAPES' it was released by Anchor Bay on DVD, but I reckon it's OOP now.  The prices for it on Amazon are kinda steep; no doubt some chancers trying their luck to see who'll bite for a ^high^ price! 

 

I've never seen any homevideo release (so far) for ISN'T IN SHOCKING?  I saw it on Tv many moons ago, but have not run across it since on any format. (*Sigh*)

 

I like the challenge of trying to find some of those old TVM's on video.  I found a few that were only released overseas on tape.     

[blumphf]

Fun list, Mr. Gorman!  Here's a couple I watched recently you should add

:

 

HAUNTS OF THE VERY RICH -- Twilight Zone-type story of a group of vacationers stranded in a Fantasy Island-setting who can't seem to remember ever making plans to be there. Featuring an unbelieveable cast that could only be assembled for a 70's TV movie:  Lloyd Bridges, Cloris Leachman, Anne Francis, Ed Asner, Robert Reed, Donna Mills...! 

 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY --  Mentioned by more than a few viewers as one of the worst made-for-tv horror films ever, I actually found it kind of fun, in a goofy sort of way. Just don't expect it to be anywhere near the quality of the original '68 film and it might be enjoyable.

 

SNOWBEAST -- or, "JAWS" at a ski lodge.  A sasquatch-like beastie appears near a financially-challenged ski resort and finds skiers are a tasty treat.  Bo Swenson, Clint Walker, and Yvette Mimeuix try to stop it.  Most horrifying moment:  seeing almost 80 y.o. Sylvia Sidney actually get jostled and knocked to the floor during a riot scene!

[darkblue]

Don't forget 'Gargoyles'.

[Mr. Gorman]

Thanks for the updates.    I cannot believe I forgot 'GARGOYLES' and 'SNOWBEAST'.  I've got an old-time Worldvision clamshell of "Snowbeast" and watched it 3 times and still it escaped me when I typed out the list.  Ugh!  I've added those 2 TVM's + "Haunts of the Very Rich" and "Whatever Happened to Rosemary's Baby?". 

 

       If memory serves 'Haunts of the Very Rich' was released on video circa 1985/86 by 'VIDMARK Entertainment'.  I've got a few old VIDMARK releases, but not 'Haunts of the Very Rich'.  I should try and snag it in the near future!  I thank you for reminding me of it, blumphf. 

 

      I've not seen a U.S. VHS release of 'Whatever Happened to Rosemary's Baby?', but I did see a PAL-tape from England of it. 

  

     One of the most disappointing Tvm's in the 'Suspense' genre I've seen was 'NIGHT TERROR' with Valerie Harper.  It was so obvious she wasn't driving the same station wagon at various points of the movie I couldn't believe how easy it was to spot.  > I try not to be too big of an 'armchair critic', but for whatever reason, that particular mistake really soured me.     

[slaytonf]

Speaking of 'THE NORLISS TAPES' it was released by Anchor Bay on DVD, but I reckon it's OOP now.  The prices for it on Amazon are kinda steep; no doubt some chancers trying their luck to see who'll bite for a ^high^ price! 

 

I've never seen any homevideo release (so far) for ISN'T IN SHOCKING?  I saw it on Tv many moons ago, but have not run across it since on any format. (*Sigh*)

 

I like the challenge of trying to find some of those old TVM's on video.  I found a few that were only released overseas on tape.     

If it's anything to you, they both can be seen on YouTube, though the quality is not good.

 

If murder mysteries count, there is also Missing Pieces, with Elizabeth Montgomery.  I have not seen it in a long time, but I remember liking it.

[Mr. Gorman]

A few years ago I snagged an Australian tape of 'MISSING PIECES', but I've yet to watch it.  I sometimes trade videos with some collectors I know in Oz.  I funnel them American tapes and they send me Aussie vids in return.  It's worked out well.       

[johnm001]

All those made-for-television movies are the true "lost films".  We have to settle for inferior youtube videos, or dupes, if we can find them, at all.  Would love to see quality releases of them.  Hell, I'd be happy if the myriad channels that show old shows and movies would include them in their schedules.  I really don't need another release of METROPOLIS.  I want WOMEN IN CHAINS!!

[brickdavis]

I don't see The Car on your list which I believe was 1977.

The Devil was the driving force behind a black Sedan.

[darkblue]

'The Car' - believe it or not - was a theatrical release.

[JLH]

Brian's Song -

That was a popular one - filmed here at the Columbia Ranch - the house they used was the Our Man Higgins house - later popular as Bewitched house. 

 

Check out more on http:/www/columbiaranch.net and facebookpage https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaRanch.net

 

 

it is still here and still in use with other homes on Blondie Street (Columbia movies Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead, Television's Father Knows Best, I dream of Jeannie, (Mr. Wilson of Dennis the Menace) etc.

 

now in use by owner Warner Bros. 

[midwestan]

If it's anything to you, they both can be seen on YouTube, though the quality is not good.

 

If murder mysteries count, there is also Missing Pieces, with Elizabeth Montgomery.  I have not seen it in a long time, but I remember liking it.

 

As far as I'm concerned, anything with Elizabeth Montgomery is totally watchable!  Loved her in "Mrs. Sundance", "A Case of Rape", and "Lizzy Borden".  Thank you Mr. Gorman for this impressive list of TV Movies.  Many of them I remember from the 70's as part of ABC's "Movie of the Week".  Also in the 70's, when NBC had Johnny Carson, CBS had its Late Show which was mostly low-budget movies from the 1960's.  ABC had a series after the local news too, but I can't remember its name.  I seem to recall it featured plenty of British mystery/thrillers from Brian Clements, who really put out some good stuff in the 60's and 70's.

[Mr. Gorman]

I appreciate the compliment, midwestan, and I have more to list:    

 

♣ TV MOVIES - Insects/Crawlers ♣

 

Ants (1977-Tvm) (aka:  "Panic At Lakewood Manor")

Fer-De-Lance (1974-Tvm) Snakes on a submarine!

Killer Bees (1974-Tvm)

Locusts (1974-Tvm)

Savage Bees, The (1976-Tvm)

Tarantulas:  The Deadly Cargo (1977-Tvm)

Terror Out of the Sky (1978-Tvm/Sequel to "The Savage Bees")

_________________________

 

♣ TV MOVIES - BIG critters ♣

 

Beasts are on the Streets, The (1978-Tvm)

Maneater (1973-Tvm)

Maneaters are Loose! (1979-Tvm)

Snowbeast (1977-Tvm) [i know I listed it before, but the Snowbeast IS a big critter!]

_________________________

 

♣ TV MOVIES - ((( DISASTERS:  Natural and Man-Made ))) ♣

 

Doomsday Flight, The (1966-Tvm)  Script by Rod Serling

Terror In The Sky (1971-Tvm)

Short Walk to Daylight (1972-Tvm)

Hijack (1973-Tvm)

Runaway! (1973-Tvm) (It's a runaway train, btw)

Trapped Beneath the Sea (1973-Tvm)

Day the Earth Moved, The (1974-Tvm)

Heat Wave! (1974-Tvm) Get it while it's HOT!!!

Hurricane (1974-Tvm)

Skyway to Death (1974-Tvm)

Terror on the 40th Floor (1974-Tvm) > This is the Tv edition of TOWERING INFERNO

Murder on Flight 502 (1975-Tvm)

Mayday at 40,000 Feet (1976-Tvm)

Smash-Up on Interstate 5 (1976-Tvm) 

Flood! (1976-Tvm)

Fire! (1977-Tvm)

Night They Took Miss Beautiful, The (1977-Tvm)

Pine Canyon Is Burning (1977-Tvm)

SST - Death Flight (1977-Tvm)

Express to Terror (1978-Tvm)

Fire In The Sky, A (1978-Tvm)

Ski Lift to Death (1978-Tvm) (aka:  "Snowblind")

Superdome (1978-Tvm)

Condominium (1979-Tvm) Sun, sand, surf and a pesky approaching hurricane to muck things up!

Crisis in Mid-Air (1979-Tvm)

Death of Ocean View Park, The (1979-Tvm)

Disaster on the Coastliner (1979-Tvm)

Hanging By A Thread (1979-Tvm)

Vacation in Hell, A (1979-Tvm) Lost on an island . . . jungle terror!

Night The City Screamed, The (1980-Tvm)  A city on fire!

Cave-In! (1983-Tvm)  Apparently this Irwin Allen disaster production was filmed 4 years earlier

Night the Bridge Fell Down, The (1983-Tvm) Another Irwin Allen Tv disaster film shelved for years

Starflight One (1983-Tvm) Space disaster!

__________________________ 

 

     . . . and I don't know where to categorize this:  TRIBE, The (1974-Tvm) Color/78m.        

[darkblue]

Did you list "Trapped' (1973)?

 

James Brolin stars as a man locked into a department store overnight that is patrolled by vicious guard dogs.

[Mr. Gorman]

Yep.  'Trapped' is listed on the first post. 

 

   I really like the TVM "Black Noon" from 1971, but have only been able to see it on a ropey 3rd or 4th generation copy that's barely watchable.  On the other I've got a nice copy of "Crowhaven Farm".  A mixed bag . . .

[midwestan]

I remember "Tribes" from 1970.  Jan Michael Vincent was a frequent cover on teen magazines after that show.  Darren McGavin was the bad-**** drill sergeant.  Also, do you remember "Night of the Lepus" from 1972?  Giant, mutant rabbits terrorize the Arizona countryside!  That one had Rory Calhoun, Janet Leigh, and Stuart Whitman in it.  IDMB gave it a paltry 3.9 rating.  It was waaaaay better than that...say 4.6 or 4.7 at least ! 

[Mr. Gorman]

TRIBES was released on 'CBS/Fox Video' circa 1987.  I've got one upstairs, but I've not yet got 'round to watching it. 

 

NIGHT OF THE LEPUS (1972)  I've seen it.  Bugs Bunny ain't got nothin' on these rabbits!  This was one of the very few movies DeForest Kelley appeared in that was non-Star Trek related after the series ended.

[Mr. Gorman]

Here's a few pictures of some video boxes for some of the Tv movies listed; I don't have any of these TVM's, unfortunately, but I saved photos of the box art to my harddrive so I'd not forget about them.  Maybe I'll run across them at some point, but I won't hold my breath. 

 

[Sepiatone]

Of course, "DUEL" had to get mention.  What's absent is "GO ASK ALICE"(1973)

 

Sepiatone

[Mr. Gorman]

'Go Ask Alice' would be in the same vein as TVM's like 'Angel Dusted' and 'Desperate Lives':  The Teen Drug Abuse Category.   I reckon I'd have to start another 'section' one o'these days for TVM's with that kind of subject matter.  Maybe I'd call it "Booze, Drugs, Suicide and Domestic Hell!"

 

    ALSO:  I just remember another lurid TVM from the '70s . . . NIGHTMARE IN BADHAM COUNTY with Deborah Raffin.  The overseas version is extra lurid with nudity.

[Mr. Gorman]

In case you stop by this thread again, blumpfh, here is the picture of the 1987 VIDMARK Entertaiment release video box for 'HAUNTS OF THE VERY RICH', the 1972 Tvm.  Also, I found a picture of the British video box on the UK label 'CIC/Arena' for LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY.  The box art used by 'CIC/Arena' is non-descript, to say the least.

 

     

[Dargo]

Being an avid motorcyclist, I remember watching the TV movie PRAY FOR THE WILDCATS (1974) when it first aired, and a story in which Andy Griffith would make a return to playing an unseemly bad guy(as in his Lonesome Rhodes) and who among William Shatner, Robert Reed and Marjoe Gortner(you remember him...the wacko in "Earthquake") take off on a long motorcycle venture and wherein mayhem ensues.

 

[darkblue]

Yeah, ol' Andy comes off as real warm and cuddly in that one, doesn't he.

 

I remember reading an interview with him around 1969 - he was a very frustrated actor from all the nice guy roles he'd been playing for the past decade. So, when he got the chance in the early 70's it was like releasing the inner hounds.

[Mr. Gorman]

Andy was also featured in the '74 Tvm "SAVAGES" as a bad guy, but I've not got 'round to watching it yet. 

 

♣ The earliest Tv movie I've ever found on video was the 1966 Rod Serling-penned suspenser "The Doomsday Flight".  MCA Home Video released it in 1986.