Despite being made for television, this modern vampire flick certainly has a lot going for it! The film takes place in modern day Las Vegas and stars Darren McGavin as a cynical and eccentric reporter. However, the main plot line is about vampires; which brilliantly offsets the serious tone of the rest of the film. Being made for TV does hinder it somewhat - as it's very tame and the short running time doesn't allow for a very complex plot, but even so; it makes for a fun viewing and that's what is more important. The plot follows the murder of a handful of young girls, and our hero; reporter Carl Kolchak comes to believe that the murders were committed at the hands of a vampire. However, it's not easy to convince the town's officials, and soon he realises that he must deal with it himself. Darren McGavin is the pick of the acting cast, with a performance that really makes the film worth noticing, and also paved the way for a sequel a year later, and a short lived cult TV series. I will say that this film wont appeal to people who enjoy blood and gore in their vampire films, and indeed I would have it enjoyed it more if it wasn't so tame - but overall, this made for a fun watch and I'm glad I saw it.
Review of The Night Stalker
