Kolchak: The Night Stangler- Cult Movie Review
A while back, I watched the 20 episode television series of Kolchak, after having had the DVD collection for years. I had heard it mentioned often when The X Files was at its peak. I thought the series was excellent and could understand why it had achieved cult status over the past 50 or so years; it had a late night pulpy horror charm. I’d also watched the first movie and found that the production values were high in this slower paced affair. The tightness of the film made it watchable and exciting, even with the dated makeup effects.
It was with some excitement that I watched the follow up movie, Kolchak: The Night Strangler. It follows our intrepid investigator as he is down in his luck in Seattle a year after the incidence in Las Vegas. A chance meeting with his old editor Tony Vincenzo places him on a path to track down a serial strangler in Seattle. Every 21 years, a sequence of murders occurs within the same few blocks and so Kolchak seeks the killer who has possibly discovered the elixir of life.
Like its predecessor, the show is well produced with great cinematography highlighting the cityscape of Seattle. The story is intriguing and Kolchak (Darren McGavin) has lots of fun interactions with the office staff as he is trying to save the case. The old Seattle catacombs are an excellent location for this mystery and lends the whole film that 70s griminess.
I like Kolchak, the intrepid reporter who deals with the supernatural in the most unorthodox of ways. This film is a great watch and, even after nearly 50 years, is well worth your time.
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