Aquilone finds much to like in Rice’s source novel and had fun revisiting it for the new edition. “I found it still held up. It’s a great look at the newspaper industry of the 1970s. Jeff was a Vegas journalist himself and the book reads more like non-fiction than a novel. It’s a great read in its own right, but for a Kolchak fan, it’s definitely worth it for the extra details. Additionally, the new Monstrous Books release adds illustrations by Russ Braun, a foreword by Late night with the devil star David Dastmalchian, an afterword to Killadephia writer Rodney Barnes and a profile on Jeff Rice by Mark Dawidziak.

Two TV films and a cult TV series

It is difficult to criticize Kolchak’s two TV films, especially The night stalker: Matheson’s acerbic humor, dark atmospheric accents and Bob Cobert’s evocative, jazzy theme frame McGavin’s delightfully witty and laconic performance and highlight two irresistibly chilling mysteries. The night stalker benefits from Barry Atwater’s terrifying incarnation of Janos Skorzeny, a terrifying but strangely tragic vampire slaying his prey on the unfeeling streets of Las Vegas, where the lights are bright and the shadows long. Its follow-up, The Strangler of the Nighttakes banished Kolchak deep into Seattle, a city built on layers of history that will prove to be the key to solving the mystery of who drains murder victims of their blood…

As for the short-lived TV show, there’s a reason it gained cult status and captured the imagination of budding horror writers, including Chris Carter. The stories may have become repetitive and the emphasis on humor over horror may not have always hit the mark. But at best, Kolchak: the night stalker ranks among the best of its kind. Dawidziak’s episode choice is one at the top of most fans’ lists: the devastating story of a besieged Jewish community living in fear of a killer who seems to embody anti-Semitic hatred. Starring the legendary Phil Silvers, “Horror in the Heights” is about as good as television gets. “There weren’t many horror writers working on the series, but Hammer veteran Jimmy Sangster wrote ‘Horror in the Heights,’ and it gives us the captivating idea of ​​a monster who comes to his victims in the form of the people they love most. Just a great horror concept.

Aquilone adds a few more recommendations for new viewers. “I recommend watching both films first – The night stalker And The Strangler of the Night. It’s hard to top Richard Matheson’s screenplays. As far as the TV series goes, I think the best episodes are “The Ripper”, “Zombie”, and “Horror in the Heights”. But it’s “Firefall” that I find the creepiest. This lookalike always gives me goosebumps. A macabre tale of seemingly spontaneous human combustion, “Firefall” is a lesser-known chiller centered on Fred Beir’s memorable performance as a classical music conductor threatened by his own contemptuous image, as his loved ones are inexplicably reduced to dust and smoking ashes. .

The TV show has its own charm; even when this week’s monster fails to succeed, it’s endlessly watchable thanks to its quality casting. Simon Oakland (Vincenzo) is the only actor to join McGavin in both films, and their often hilarious banter is a constant joy. The cast is rounded out by Kolchak’s colleagues at INS: his nemesis Ron Updyke (the wonderful Jack Grinnage), much-maligned nepotism hire Monique Marmelstein (Carol Ann Susi), and advice columnist Miss Emily (Ruth McDevitt ), who has the honor of being the only person Kolchak trusts. Put it mildly – ​​who knows what evil you might summon – but the prospect of spending an episode in the company of this gang without a single trace of the supernatural in sight would be a very welcome prospect.

An influence on everything from The X Files to Supernatural

It’s this strange mixture of comic and cold-bloodedness that makes Kolchak: the night stalker so memorable: summed up by Gil Mellé’s theme tune which begins with Kolchak’s playful whistling (his first mistake, like Mr. James would have been quick to point this out…) before suddenly plunging into darkness, as a sinister presence enters the INS offices. The show’s writing talent is also worth mentioning; it included a number of names that would eventually become touchstones in cinema history, both big and small. Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale gave us “Chopper,” with its headless biker terrorizing his old enemies, while David Chase was writing about gangsters in “The Zombie” long before Tony Soprano entered the pop culture pantheon . In terms of guest stars, Bond icon Richard Kiel lends his unique physicality to several of Kolchak’s supernatural foes, while Scatman Crothers and Antonio Fargas appear in “The Zombie” and a pre-Stranger Tom Skerritt takes center stage as a corrupt politician who sold his soul to Satan in “The Devil’s Platform,” an episode that takes the darkest elements of Chicago politics down some very dark paths.