KOLCHAK: The Night Stalker Complete Series COMING SOON to Blu Ray (1 Viewer)

[dana martin]

While I have been unable to locate any evidence that Crackle of Death and The Demon and the Mummy telefilms were released on VHS tape, The Ripper and The Vampire were released on VHS tape under the title "The Night Stalker: Two Tales of Terror": See on Amazon

All of the the episodes on both DVD releases (2005 and 2016) run in the 50-51 minute range which suggests they are complete and uncut.

Sean,

yep, that is exactly the first place I checked as well, then started looking on ebay and nothing, I know for a fact that I have seen them both on TV accouple of times, along with Gargoyles and Duel think that was part of a package that local stations could get mid 80's maybe, trying to think of some of the others, like The Resurrection of Zachery Wheeler.

just the presentation alone should be awesome, if they can get back to the original 35mm, because the current presentation on METV OTA broadcast is only 480i,

and I hope no one laughs too hard, but living in the south for the last 35 years or so, I happen to own a seersucker suit, blue in color (its comfortable as hell in the hot summer and formal enough) , and drive an old beat up mustang(runs fine so why change), all coincidences

 

[Darby67]

Sean,

yep, that is exactly the first place I checked as well, then started looking on ebay and nothing, I know for a fact that I have seen them both on TV accouple of times, along with Gargoyles and Duel think that was part of a package that local stations could get mid 80's maybe, trying to think of some of the others, like The Resurrection of Zachery Wheeler.

just the presentation alone should be awesome, if they can get back to the original 35mm, because the current presentation on METV OTA broadcast is only 480i,

and I hope no one laughs too hard, but living in the south for the last 35 years or so, I happen to own a seersucker suit, blue in color (its comfortable as hell in the hot summer and formal enough) , and drive an old beat up mustang(runs fine so why change), all coincidences

Dana:

I bet you and I were unknowingly crossing paths on the Internet today as I was also searching Amazon, Ebay, etc. for any evidence of the two telefilms being released on VHS tapes. Like Jeff, I had a gut feeling that they were released on tape, but my memory must have been faulty...

So you own both a seersucker suit and a mustang? I'm insanely envious

 

[Matt Hough]

I had that entire Columbia House VHS set of Kolchak tapes and gave them to a friend when the DVD series set was first released. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this Blu-ray set will leave them all in the dust quality-wise.

 

[JoeDoakes]

All of the the episodes on both DVD releases (2005 and 2016) run in the 50-51 minute range which suggests they are complete and uncut.

According to some at the CHFB, there were some small differences between the US and UK DVD editions, with the UK edition having some extra seconds here and there. Doesn't sound like a syndication print type difference.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

While I have been unable to locate any evidence that Crackle of Death and The Demon and the Mummy telefilms were released on VHS tape, The Ripper and The Vampire were released on VHS tape under the title "The Night Stalker: Two Tales of Terror": See on Amazon

Ah, thanks for that, Sean! That must have been the VHS title that I remembered seeing. Good to know that I'm not going completely senile!

I have the Region 2 DVD set of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, but to my eyes the transfers look a wee bit worse than the R1 DVD edition. Neither are much to write home about, frankly, but I've been happy to have the show in my collection all these years and have probably watched it through at least twice.

I think we can rest easy that the transfers on Kino's upcoming Blu will blast both of those sets (and those old Columbia House VHS tapes of yours, Matt!) out of the water.

 

[dana martin]

Dana:

I bet you and I were unknowingly crossing paths on the Internet today as I was also searching Amazon, Ebay, etc. for any evidence of the two telefilms being released on VHS tapes. Like Jeff, I had a gut feeling that they were released on tape, but my memory must have been faulty...

So you own both a seersucker suit and a mustang? I'm insanely envious

I wasn't thinking Kolchak back in the VHS days, but tried to talk my then wife into letting me get the star trek original series releases, till she figured out how many tapes it would be , and got vetoed


it's white, not yellow, and is at the point of not so great gas milage, but to and from work daily without any major hitches, at 14 years old.

 

[darkrock17]

I came across this earlier today, think some of these promos might end up on this set?

 

[dana martin]

From the CBS late night programming block

 

[Jeff Flugel]

and I hope no one laughs too hard, but living in the south for the last 35 years or so, I happen to own a seersucker suit, blue in color (its comfortable as hell in the hot summer and formal enough) , and drive an old beat up mustang(runs fine so why change), all coincidences

But do you have a straw hat like Kolchak, Dana?

 

[JohnHopper]

and I hope no one laughs too hard, but living in the south for the last 35 years or so, I happen to own a seersucker suit, blue in color (its comfortable as hell in the hot summer and formal enough) , and drive an old beat up mustang(runs fine so why change), all coincidences

I own two searsucker suits from Brooks Brothers and one Panama hat but no car.

Madison Fit Stripe Seersucker Suit

Brooks Brothers

www.brooksbrothers.com

 

[Darby67]

But do you have a straw hat like Kolchak, Dana?

Now that would literally be the cherry on top if he did!

 

[Darby67]

This and the other threads on here about Kolchak are proof-positive that fans of the telemovies and series are still ferociously dedicated even several decades after they first aired! I hope this series release does fantastic numbers for Kino!

 

[dana martin]

the suit looks like the one john has, but the bucks I wear are blue not white,
no hat, yet, looking for a panama myself, for now just sunglasses


that other forum is blowing up about this release as well, and i haven't even checked CHFB yet.


back to the release, after all these years, think everyone of the office cast has past on, as for the guest stars, Erik Estrada might be a fun interview, if they can make that work

 

[John Sparks]

My DVD set will suffice, which looks pretty damn good.

 

[Malcolm R]

Figures, I just bought the DVD set back in October. Will wait and see some reviews before I decide if I need to double-dip.

 

[TravisR]

back to the release, after all these years, think everyone of the office cast has past on, as for the guest stars, Erik Estrada might be a fun interview, if they can make that work

It seems rather like a long shot but after more than 20 years, David Chase might be happy to talk about something other than The Sopranos.

 

[dana martin]

It seems rather like a long shot but after more than 20 years, David Chase might be happy to talk about something other than The Sopranos.

I'm not to sure of that, he has that little thing coming to HBO Max, The Many Saints of Newark, the Soprano's prequel movie

sadly it's been 47 years, so how much behind the scenes stuff would even exist is beyond me. Not like the current crop of entertainment, where you can find bloopers and such on the internet, most of the stuff for this is probably buried in old issues of Star Log or Famous Monsters of Filmland, or may promotional art from the art department.

I will say that for just one season, what Kolchak had going for it was an impressive guest starring list, great character actors, filling in, and McGavin playing off so well against all of it, yes it was procedural at times, but seriously getting info at the morgue from John Fiedler, but only if he buys a ticket for "the numbers" rackeet the cornier is running

 

[Matt Hough]

I will say that for just one season, what Kolchak had going for it was an impressive guest starring list, great character actors, filling in, and McGavin playing off so well against all of it, yes it was procedural at times, but seriously getting info at the morgue from John Fiedler, but only if he buys a ticket for "the numbers" rackeet the cornier is running

One of my absolute favorite things about the show was its impressive list of supporting guest cast who ball out Kolchak or run him ragged and ALWAYS ignore his warnings. Add in the guest stars who played villains (or suspected villains) and the adorable Ruth McDevitt and the hilarious Simon Oakland sparring with Darren McGavin. I didn't care if some of the monsters were cheesy. Every episode was a barrel of fun, and some (like "Horror in the Heights") were genuinely scary and done beautifully.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

My DVD set will suffice, which looks pretty damn good.

Mine, too. I'm happy for those that want it on Blu-ray, but I'm tired of double-dipping (or in this case, quadruple-dipping)! LOL I used to record it off TV with my VCR, then I purchased the Columbia House tapes, then the DVD set. I thought the DVD set looked good, too, but I haven't watched it for a couple years. I guess it isn't my "holy grail" show. It's the type of show I will watch once every couple of years, but not regularly. I think maybe it's because there's only about 20 episodes.

 

[JohnHopper]

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––​

Be prepared to join back not only reporter Carl Kolchak but​

INS editor Tony Vincenzo, reporter Ron ‘uptight’ Updyke, Miss Emily​

and also Monique, coroner Gordy the Ghoul​

and many on shot characters like The Monk, Swede​

and a legion of guest police heads but only one return:​

Captain Joe ‘Mad Dog’ Siska.​

​

​

Carl Kolchak: [Voiceover intro from “The Ripper”]​

“If by chance you happened to be in the Windy City between May 25 and May 29 of this year, you would have had good reason to be terrified. During this time Chicago was stalked by a horror so frightening, so fascinating, that it ranks with the great unsolved mysteries of all time. It's been the fictional subject of films, plays, even an opera. Now, here, are the true facts.”​