Ordeal (1973) wastes no time getting started. Before we even know why Kay Damian (Diana Muldaur) is so eager to leave her husband, Richard (Arthur Hill), for dead when he’s thrown off his horse and tumbles over the edge of a small cliff while visiting a dude ranch, it happens. If you suspect that the…

The President’s Plane is Missing (1973) is like a version of 24 mixed with a little bit of The West Wing viewed through a filter of the early to mid-1970s. That is to say, it shares the mystery and intrigue of those shows, just at a more leisurely pace. I mean, a very leisurely pace……

As many of these 1970s TV horror films as I remember seeing when they first aired, I do not recall Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. My first real viewing occurred when I bought the Warner Archive DVD prior to release of the 2010 remake, which, due to the sale of Miramax Films, was delayed…

This is a strange one, but wonderful. IMDb calls Isn’t It Shocking? a comedy-mystery. It’s certainly the latter; however, it’s the former due only to the fact that the characters are surprisingly well-written and developed in the movie’s 73-minute running time. I didn’t laugh at any events, but I laughed anytime Alan Alda expressed his…

On the TV-movie side of the 1970s disaster film craze came this one about a runaway train, appropriately titled, Runaway! (1973.) The title comes with the exclamation point; I didn’t add it. It’s typical in every way, although its obligatory character drama is a little lighter than usual, focusing on fewer characters. Somehow, though, it…

She Cried Murder (1973) has a simple plot, but its surprises all happen up front, leaving nothing for the rest of the film except an extended game of cat and mouse. This gives the illusion that it’s either action-packed or suspenseful, but it’s neither. It is fast-moving, though, which means it isn’t boring. Depending on…

Satan’s School for Girls (1973) is probably a 1970s TV movie that people remember fondly. However, I’m willing to bet that a modern-day viewing will leave you at least a little disappointed. It’s such a product of its time and, while it does have some spooky moments, it doesn’t hold up very well overall. The…

Warning! This review contains spoilers! If not for its disappointing letdown of an ending, Dying Room Only (1973) would undoubtedly be one of the best 1970s TV movies I’ve watched during the series so far. It’s The Twilight Zone feel for 99% of the running time is not surprising considered it was written by Richard…

With Terror on the Beach (1973), we’ve arrived at a point where one of these 1970s TV movies feels like a compilation of several others. I’d call it a sort of “greatest hits,” but that’s the wrong term for this particular movie, which isn’t really very good. With both its cast and storylines, it borrows…

As a special treat this week, I present another excerpt from a feature I wrote for the upcoming We Belong Dead publication, Masters of Terror. In it, I discuss the influence of gothic literature on Dan Curtis and how it was reflected in a number of 1970s TV horror films that he produced, as well…