Fresh off of the daytime drama, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, Andrea Marcovicci took another dramatic turn in the harrowing but flawed Cry Rape, which predates the better known (and, frankly, better made) A Case of Rape by mere months. In Cry Rape, Marcovicci is Betty Jenner, an unassuming young woman who comes home from a normal day at work and is attacked by a serial rapist. Mustering up the energy to follow up the assault with police action, Betty is run through a system that seeks to continually victimize the victim. After a man is apprehended, more women step forward, but as the trial and investigation continues it becomes apparent that these women have wrongly accused the defendant.
Both Cry Rape and A Case of Rape landed in the top ten most watched telefilms of the 1973-74 season, with Case coming in at #2, boasting a 33.1/44 rating, and Cry settling in at #8 with a rating of 27.6/43. Almost half of America was finally opening their eyes the problems of a justice system that may have good intentions, but used very poor methods to solve a heinous crime. In this respect, Cry Rape is an essential film. It does indeed offer a fairly realistic look at the system, and does so through a strong character determined to see that justice prevails. Unfortunately, Betty only bookends a movie that is all about the misidentified culprit and his plight to prove his innocence (or more aptly, the police department’s plight).
Novelization for Cry Rape
In an interview to promote the movie, screenwriter Leonard Freeman stated that he was aware of the production of A Case of Rape and hoped it would change the system. He said, "Look at the newspapers, the news magazines, the legal journals - the concern about the growing incidence of rape, our antiquated laws on rape, the horrible treatment by the police and the courts of women who are willing to press charges... No, I'm not in the least surprised that these two stories would emerge simultaneously. I am surprised that both of them are in prime time where they will be seen by a wide audience - not hidden in some Sunday afternoon ghetto."
In the end, I had very mixed feelings about the way the film played out. I appreciate the effort to bring attention to a sensitive topic that absolutely needed addressing. However, disregarding Betty for more than half of the film is troubling. It reminds me of 1976’s Revenge for a Rape with Mike Connors. In Revenge, the assault takes a backseat to the heady action scene at the end, which features Connors, not the victim, "getting revenge" (and, if memory serves, has a similar twist). With this approach, the survivor is put under question when it’s revealed that she accused the wrong man. In both of these films, rape is merely a plot device.
At the same time, I did like the ending of Cry because it doesn’t just pat Betty on the back and assume life will resume some kind of normalcy for her. In this respect, it is reminiscent of Are You in the House Alone?, which does a better of job of telegraphing that notion, and, of course, that telefilm is told from the female’s point of view, giving it a gravitas and a sense of realism that Cry lacks.
This is not to say that Cry Rape should be completely disregarded. It’s a very watchable telefilm, with great acting, especially from Peter Coffield and Joseph Sirola (who I know best from his many appearances on Quincy). As a mystery film, it does have its intrigue, and it is an efficient, and sometimes energetic entry into the early days of the telefilm. Mostly though it is an important cultural artifact, because it got to the gate first, and made an honest attempt to depict the horrors of sexual assault. The scenes with Betty are harrowing, and I appreciate that the script makes sure that not every male character is a jerk. It also invites us (all to briefly though) into another survivor’s life, and manages to give viewers something to think about. I just wish those moments were longer, and the mystery aspect played down.
Without knowing much of the history behind the pilot telefilm Death Among Friends (the Mrs. R was added later), it would seem that NBC was hoping that putting a gender twist on their trusty ratings lion Columbo would lead to viewing gold... and maybe they were right. Kate Reid is Mrs. R., a dowdy but undeniably kind and smart female police detective, who along with her uniformed partner, Manny (A. Martinez looking all of 20 years old) investigate the murders surrounding a Hugh Hefner type magnate.
With exteriors filmed on a posh four acre estate in Bel Air, and featuring wonderfully indulgent built interiors, the setting is absolutely marvelous and one can get lost in its lushness. But no worries of staring at the wallpaper too much, because the cast is simply delish. Everyone from Martin Balsam to Lynda Day George to Pamela Hensley to William Smith to Jack Cassidy play potential suspects (or, in Balsam’s case, potential victim), and each one is given a little time to look guilty before Mrs. R. moves on to bigger prey. Clearly, the seasoned actors understand the drill, but even better, they seem to really enjoy going through the motions of this likeable, if not particularly brilliant, mystery.
Random trivia: The house used in Death was on the market at the
time of filming. Who was the real estate agent? None other than Donna
Douglas aka Ellie May Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies!
Mrs. R, which I am assuming was the potential name of the series, definitely follows the Columbo blueprint: Unassuming middle class detective interlopes on the rich, famous and powerful, using under-the-radar-charm in an effort to get the bad guys to let their guard down. Reid’s role as the indefatigable single mother is a nice fit for seventies television though, so comparisons are noted but not a detriment.
She wasn’t the only unpicked up female detective series of this era either. Stella Stevens gave it a go in 1976’s Kiss Me, Kill Me. Barbara Eden also lent her star power to Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model (1977), and Donna Mills teamed up with Quinn Martin for the unsold pilot The Hunted Lady (1977). That’s a lot of blondes with concealed weapons!
And, I’m sure that is just a few of the attempts the networks made in their search to perfect the recipe that made Police Woman, and later, Charlie’s Angels such powerhouses. What I really liked about Mrs. R though is that while the settings ooze decadence, the lead character distinctly lacks that glamour (again... Columbo). There is absolutely nothing wrong with Reid (well, despite the frumpy wardrobe), and she’s perfectly attractive. But she also looks like a single mother working long hours as a cop. And I love that the handsome John Anderson plays her affable co-worker/love interest. Even A. Martinez can’t resist this older woman’s charm, and that’s because Reid is the type of appealing that shines through at any age.
A precursor to Angela Lansbury’s similarly matured charisma as Jessica Fletcher, A Death Among Friends is an absolute delight worth discovering or revisiting. It is available on DVD through Warner Archives, and is currently streaming on Warner Archives Instant.
Yes, the day has finally arrived! You can pick up your copy of Horror at 37,000 Feet on DVD here! And, since I dubbed the whole event an official Made for TV Mayhem Holiday, I thought I’d celebrate with some of my favorite OMG TV Movie Moments!
Horror is one of the first scary movies I was able to watch, and through the years, after a lot of these wonderful TV movies stopped re-airing, I never forgot Horror's freaky deaky ending. It wasn’t just jaw dropping in its unexpectedness, it…. Well, I don’t want to ruin the end, but it made me think about the impact, if you will, of that landing!
TV movies are cool that way.
They might not be able to get all gory and sexy, but they often pushed the envelope while playing within the rules. As a kid who didn’t have access to the big screen scares, I found my love of genre films in my very own living room, and Horror was one of the first to indoctrinate me into the wonderful world of the unknown. I salute you, Mr. 37,000 Feet!
Here's my list (Reader Beware: there are definitely a few spoilers):
How Awful about Allan (ABC, 9/22/1970) - Blind Guy Drives a Car:
Why is a blind guy driving? I dunno, but he sucks at it.
A Taste of Evil (ABC, 10/12/1971) Home for the Holidays (ABC, 11/28/1972) No Place to Hide (CBS, 3/4/1981) The Ending(s):
Three
different films with one director and one distinct ending. If you’ve
seen any of these, you know how the others play out. But don’t be
fooled, despite the signature #MoxeyTwist, all three films are excellent
and stand on their own two creepy feet! Of the three, I have probably
watched No Place to Hide the most, but that might come from my girl crush for the adorable Kathleen Beller. Two of the films (Taste and Hide) were written by the great Jimmy Sangster, while Joseph Stefano (yes, the screenwriter of Psycho) lends his impressive skills to Holidays.
If you want to see how director John Llewellyn Moxey uses other similar elements in Taste and the ultra-awesome The Strange and Deadly Occurrence, you can read my comparison/contrast review here.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (ABC, 10/10/73) - The Ending:
There are plenty of hair raising moments in Dark,
but it’s the gut-punch of a downbeat ending that made this movie one of
the most traumatic of my childhood. Poor Sally. (Check out my week long
tribute to Darkhere)
Legend of Lizzie Borden - The Murders (ABC, 2/10/1975):
Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.
Need I say more?
Trilogy of Terror (ABC, 3/4/1975) - The Ending:
I
think I’ve mentioned this before, but I remember one bright and lovely
Saturday afternoon when I came in the house for lunch. My parents’ eyes
were transfixed on the television screen. From the doorway, I could only
see their expressions and had no idea what they were watching. I slowly
walked over to our living room table and turned towards the television.
What I saw was beyond words. All I knew was that some tiny little
creature was chasing a woman around her apartment. Instant fear! I
was not prepared for the ending, which featured a very primitive
looking Karen Black exposing a grotesque maw full of sharp, rotting
teeth. Egads. The stuff of nightmares.
Night Terror (NBC, 2/7/1977) - Cop Shot By Creepy Man in Front of Helpless Housewife:
Taking
a long road trip, Valerie Harper runs into all kinds of freaky trouble
when she accidentally witnesses Richard Romanus killing a police
officer. This triggers (no pun intended) a taut chase across the
desolate desert. A bone chilling start to a great TVM!
A Vacation in Hell (ABC, 5/21/1979) - Love Interest Goes Down The Tubes, err, A Waterfall:
A Vacation in Hell is one whacky movie. I love it for so many reasons, one being that it throws you for a loop every so often. If it isn’t Maureen McCormick dancing provocatively for a Vaseline smeared camera lens, then it’s a twist or turn you weren’t expecting. Losing hopeless but adorable Michael Brandon part way through the film was a shocker! And I love the film for going there (and there and there too. Seriously, this film is insane).
The Possessed (NBC, 5/1/1977) - Diana Scarwid is Flammable:
Underneath the ivy and school girl uniforms, The Possessed
is really all about sexual repression. So, it doesn’t seem all that
strange that a young student finds herself engulfed in the fires of
suppressed passion (literally). It’s all the more sexual and telling
that only a young Harrison Ford can extinguish her flames!
Amityville: The Evil Escapes (NBC, 5/12/1989) - Garbage-Disposal-Fu:
OK, OK, OK. Amityville: The Evil Escapes isn’t exactly the scariest movie ever made. In fact, most of the time it is pretty darn silly. But if you will allow me to go back to 1989, when I was a teenager and this was a new horror movie. I’m sure you can image that my excitement clouded any and all problems with the film. And if nothing else, Amityville keeps with the theme of 80s excessiveness in its gleeful over the top moments. Case in point, when the high school jock comes to help the family with their garbage disposal problem, he learns the hard way that good guys don't win. I did not see Amityville again until 2013, and was not surprised that I remembered every single moment of this scene. It still makes me shriek! I hope this kid has another career goal, because I think the football team is just about to drop him!
High Desert Kill (USA, 5/1/1989) - This:
My list went well over ten, and I'm sure I'd be happy to swap some titles with others on any given day. Honorable mentions go to:
The Norliss Tapes (NBC, 2/21/1973): Frankenstein/Hulk creature rips off a car door! Scream, Pretty Peggy (ABC, 11/24/1973): The killer's reveal! Satan's Triangle (ABC, 1/14/1975): The ending! Dead of Night (NBC, 3/29/1977): Bobby! This House Possessed (ABC, 2/6/1981): Blood shower, anyone? Don't Go to Sleep (ABC,12/10/1982): The ending! Nightmare at Bitter Creek (CBS, 5/24/1988): Joanna Cassidy gets her vengeful groove-on!
... and so many more!
What are some of your favorite small screen OMG moments?
Mark your calendars for March 18th, a day that will be remembered as The Day of the TV Movie.
OK, perhaps I am exaggerating a bit, but this is indeed a day that TV movie lovers will rejoice, as Paramount unleashes the cult TVM Horror at 37,000 Feet on DVD. I know, how amazingly cool is that?!?
As many of you know, Shout Factory released the double disc TVM pack The Initiation of Sarah and Are You in the House Alone just last December, and Amazon is streaming some pretty decent flicks from the genre (updated list coming soon). This is turning out to be a truly great time for small screen films!
Fanning the flames!
I hope that even if you have a **cough** copy **cough** of these films, you pick up, or stream the legitimate releases. Trust me, as a starving student I know that is not always possible, but if you can support the small screen films that could, it may lead to more releases, commentaries or a gazillion other types of extras. It's a great way to document these films and properly preserve them... That's the wishful wannabe-archivist-dreaming in me, but you know what? These movies been good to us, they deserve some love!
I love Henry Winkler. Truly. Arthur Fonzarelli is one of the most lovable and enduring characters from my childhood. And I’m always pleasantly amused when someone busts out with an “Ayyye!” And that happens more often than you'd think! Of course, we loved Fonzie because of Winkler’s wonderful performance that held just the right amounts of machismo, over the top humor, with a little pathos thrown in to keep us on our toes.
A newspaper promo for An American Christmas Carol
However, I would be lying if I said I had seen a lot of Winker's non-Happy Days work. Oh, certainly, I've gotten a taste of his range, in movies like Scream, and his fantastically sinister turn as an abuser in the 1993 TVM The Only Way Out (a movie I’ve been dying to revisit. I have very strong memories of watching it when it premiered), but I’ve missed out on his more famous work such as Heroes and Arrested Development. So, I was eager to expand on my knowledge of Winkler’s filmography when I sat down the other day with An American Christmas Carol. This film is an obvious rift on the Charles Dickens’ classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, only now we are in Depression-era America, and Scrooge is Slade, a sinister old man who finds pleasure in repossessing important items from struggling customers on Christmas Eve. Ack. However, he’s due for a visit from a few spirits who hope to show him the errors of his ways.
A few years ago, I was in a class that concentrated on film adaptations. I chose to make a presentation on A Christmas Carol because it gave me an excuse to re-watch A Muppet Christmas Carol, and because I had never actually read the book. I had to watch quite a few Carol movies and enjoyed them all. The story resonates to some extent with just about every era, because as much as we want to wax nostalgic about the past, there is always some kind of struggle with inequality and indifference. Dickens’ reminds us time and again that we should always remember that compassion is free, so give it away, dammit!
OK, he doesn’t get all extreme on the reader or anything, but indeed, it is a great story that teaches us that good will isn't just a thrift store.
So, we get that I love the story and relate to it, but what is Winkler and company going to do with this version of it? Ah, the million dollar question!
An American Christmas Carol is both a gorgeous success and a bit of a bore at the same time. It’s never terrible, not by a long shot, but at certain points, it’s slow and, gah, even a bit dull. The pacing in the second half is almost too meticulous, and I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open. And that was a bummer.
That said, An American Christmas Carol is still a beautiful trip back in time. The costumes and sets are splendid, and the crisp cinematography of Richard Ciupka is stunning (btw, Richard also did the cinematography for Ilsa Tigress of Sibera. I think I’m in love!). The visuals alone make this a film worth checking out.
As for Winkler, I’ve read some across-the-board reactions to his performance. Many felt that the odd old age makeup hampered his abilities to fully flex his actor muscles. With regards to the outlandish makeup, I have to agree. Thirty years later, and Hollywood still hasn't gotten old people makeup right, so imagine what audiences were thinking in 1979! Otherwise, I feel Winkler does a good job as the older Slade, and I enjoyed that vigorous step he gets from the joy of taking from the underprivileged because it is turned into a sprightly bounce after he develops a compassionate outlook on life. Joy to the world!
It would seem Winkler felt that giving Slade a spring in his step was all part of the process. In an interview, the actor said the filmmakers wanted to put weights on his feet as a way to keep him slow moving. But, Winkler said, “I realized that the elderly want to be younger and so I took off the weights immediately after the first day of shooting and made him more spry.”
Winkler also confessed that he spent a total of 96 hours in the makeup chair during the seven-week shoot! In the end, the actor was very happy with the results, although he was initially hesitant to take on the role because he felt the media was set on pigeonholing him as The Fonz. However, the consummate Winkler decided his career was all about risks. This has obviously paid off, and while An American Christmas Carol is not a perfect film, it does hit the holiday spot and is definitely worth a watch.
You can either buy An American Christmas Carol on DVD or you can watch it on Amazon Instant Video!
This is some kind of awesome double feature, and just in time for Christmas!
I'll just re-post what they said on the facebook page, and I expect to see everyone with a copy by the end of the year!
From Scream Factory:
Scream Factory "TV TERRORS" are coming to your tube soon!
Two made-for-TV horror films (both from 1978) will be coming to DVD for the first time at a low-price on 12/10.
THE INITIATION OF SARAH - Starring Key Lenz (House), Morgan Fairchild (The Seduction), Shelly Winters (The Poseidon Adventure), Morgan Brittany (Dallas), Robert Hays (Airplane!) and Tisa Farrow (Zombie).
ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE ALONE? - Starring Kathleen Beller (Dynasty), Blythe Danner (Meet the Parents), Ellen Travolta (Human Experiments) and Dennis Quaid (Jaws 3-D)
As we mentioned earlier when we announced this release at Comic Con, made-for-TV films typically have had a history of not selling well (aside from some notable exceptions out there that have huge fan bases) so we are testing the waters here to see what happens. If this performs well, we would love to tap into some other great televised favorites and bring to you a "Volume 2" in the future.
I wasn’t old enough to watch A Cry in the Wilderness when it originally aired as a Tuesday Movie of the Week back in 1974, but I do have hazy and warm memories of catching this awesome little thriller on our local channel. However, I had mostly forgotten about Wilderness until just a few years ago when a friend of mine took me to meet the director, Gordon Hessler! I’m not quite sure how I got invited to that event, but I do openly admit to drinking Manhattans with Mr. Hessler and talking about movies. I had a total flashback when the title came up.
Skunk Gone Wild
Hessler dabbled in both small screen and B movie fare, and Wilderness is a decent combo of the two. At times I felt as though I was watching a potentially caustic drive-in flick, while other times felt oh-so-TV-movie. And I loved it!
George Kennedy is Sam Hadley, a rough and tumble big city factory worker who longs to return to his country roots. He buys an isolated piece of land and dreams of selling fatted cows at the local market. Dream big, Sam! He brings his wife Delda (Joanna Pettet looking every bit the big city girl) and their son Gus (the adorable Lee Montgomery who was not so cute when he played Bobby in Dead of Night) along for the ride. They have only been enjoying the outdoors for about a month when Sam is bitten by skunk while pulling out a tree stump. Since they are about two days from civilization, Sam puts off a doctor visit until he finds the skunk dead. Apparently this little guy had traces of rabies and now Sam might find himself in the same predicament.
George Kennedy Gone Wild
Like all sensible farm folk, Sam chains himself to a pole in the barn and sends his wife off for help. He know the emblems of going rabid-cray-crazy, and warns his son that if he shows any sign of hydrophobia (a fear of water), or tries some kind of sly Tom Foolery on Gus as a way to get unchained, he’s gone off the deep end and Gus should run. Of course, this coincides with a flood heading straight towards their home! So is Sam going insane or just protecting his family and property?
Chained to his love
Wilderness was beautifully shot by veteran Harry L. Wolf, who worked primarily in television. I won’t kid you, this movie relies on a threadbare plot, but it is visually stunning and that helps move the film along. The flashback scenes are eerie, and there is a great shot of Delda in a car with a potential rapist. Good lord! Her story almost veers into total exploitation, but luckily it's prevented from going too far thanks to FCC standards. Never thought I’d thank the FCC, but there you go. At any rate, it's intense.
The storm before the calm
The entire cast is in fine form, making the most of what little was offered to them. And despite focusing heavily on Sam and Gus, Wilderness crams in a few hillbillies to give it that B movie edge. Overall, it feels surprisingly epic, maintains its suspense and works despite its total WTF ending. Let’s give a point to the rabid skunk for a job well done.
She's looking for the nearest Vogue fashion shoot
Oh and by the way, Wilderness is available on DVD. Yay!
I have not seen the French Atlantic Affair, which originally aired on ABC on November 15th, 16th and 18th in 1979. Based on the novel by Ernest Lehman, which was published in 1977, the story revolves around crazy Father Donleavy (Telly Savalas) who runs the Church of the Cosmic Path (best named "church" ever? I think so). The Cosmic Path cult infiltrates a Love Boat like cruiser, and it's up to Harold Columbine (Chad Everett) and other awesome TV-movie-friendly faces to save the day! That sounds like three nights of awesomeness, yes?
Here are a couple of newspaper promo stills:
The rest of the cast includes such wonderful actors as James Coco, Carolyn Jones, Richard Jordan, Donald Pleasance and much, much more! Warner Archives recently released the mini-series on DVD! Oh. Yes.
I want to thank Matt aka Billy Witch Doctor, for the scans from TV Guide, which I posted below. This artwork was done by Bob Peak, who did a lot of great work for the magazine. Bob posted some of his covers on his website, so stop by and tell 'em Amanda By Night sent ya! And thanks again Matt for the awesome scans.
Aaaaannnnnddddd, after all of that, here is the original TV promo. It also features some clips from 240-Robert, which I'm sad to say I was completely unfamiliar with until about two weeks ago. Where was I in 1979? Not where I should have been, I'll tell you that much!
Update 5/12/14: Ugh. The promo has been removed, but Warner Archives posted this fun Preview Clip:
I have to give a big shout out to my friend Meep at Cinema Du Meep for letting me know that Killdozer is available on DVD through the Universal Vault Series! This is big news, my friends, because this weird little man vs. machine potboiler has developed quite the cult following over the years. Also, Killdozer, which originally aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on February 2nd, 1974 features an early performance by a young (and oh-so-handsome) Robert Urich. And who could forget the manly Clint Walker in a hardhat? Good times, people. Good times.
It was indeed a truly wonderful moment in TV when the cast of Dallas joined Richard Dawson, along with Eight is Enough (well, in this case five will do just fine) and the crazy crew at One Day at a Time for game show mayhem! The air date was Monday, October 8th, 1979 and several shows, including the ones mentioned and Benson (of man, I adore Benson!) all gathered to raise money for their favorite charities. The Dallas crew went with Charlene Tilton's charity, the Kennedy Child Study Center, located in St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica.
This was the first time the cast of Dallas appeared on Family Feud and they took it all the way to the $10,000 grand prize!
However, the highlight of the show happened when Richard Dawson said he thought he recognized Charlene and she told him a story about meeting him when she was seven. Apparently he offered her candy and a smile, and the dirty jokes flowed for the rest of the show! Charlene was only 19 during this taping and she seems both amused and slightly uncomfortable about the way the story unfolded in front of our sullied eyes. In short, it was awesomeness. Richard, of course, handled everything with just the right touch of humor and all in all, this is what we call great TV!
Here are a bunch of images from the episode which available on The All Star Family Feud DVD!
Let's start The Family Feud!
The crew are literally holding up JR!
However, the Eight is Enough cast look like they have problems of their own!
Here are the gorgeous Dallas contestants:
Don't fret guys, the Speed Round makes us all nervous!
The One Day at a Time cast hopes to botch J.R.'s grand success
Has Dawson finally stumped J.R.?
Nope! Even Mizz Romano had to give J.R. a hand!
Speed Round #2: Same actors, same success!
J.R. puts another notch on his belt! Only this time it's a good notch!
