Spectre

Concerning the question of why "Spectre" did not become a series , i would like to give my 2 cents. the 1970's saw a lot of supernatural/sci-fi themed TV movies which were obviously intended as series pilots . NBC had this film , and also "The Norliss Tapes" with Roy Thinnes. "The Questor Tapes" was a Gene Roddenberry concept. CBS had another of Gene's creations,"Genesis II". This was later redone as "Planet Earth" on ABC , which also aired "Baffled!" with Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy as a clairvoyant race car driver(!). Not a one made it to series. I believe it was a concern about not having enough plots to sustain a weekly series , expensive location shooting and f/x , and a continuing lack of support for the genre led to their demise. The failure of ABC's "Night Stalker" and "The Sixth Sense" also didn't help. In addition , "Star Trek" itself was still at that time considered a relative failure despite the beginnings of its resurgence. I think a possible answer may have been to include a series like "Spectre" as part of a rotating "Mystery Movie" type of show along with some more standard detective /thriller series. with a star like Robert Culp , older viewers may have given it a chance , along with younger viewers who were the main fans of the genre.

Take the basis of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, bring them forward 100 years and instead of crime, have them battle spiritual evil... A great idea, but unrealized here. A slightly ridiculous plot only saved by the talented Robert Culp who plays it straight down the line. A criminologist who specializes in the occult and battling evil. Gig Young was at the end of his carreer and shortly following this outing, his life as well. A sad loss of a fine comedic actor who usually didnt get the girl but did get all the best lines. Though in this film, Young basically sleep walks through the movie... Almost as if he was on sedatives. Culp and Young are recruited by a beautiful woman whose brother has recently undergone a personality change after doing some archeological investigations on his English country estate. So, off they all go to England to get to the bottom of things. This movie has a real Gene Roddenberry flavor to it. If you have seen any of Roddenberry's post Star Trek TV movies (basically, failed pilots)... Well, you'll know what I mean. But, bottom line is I liked this when I saw it in 1977 and it is still fun to watch. Not scary, but fun never the less. Look for it on The Fox Movie Network as it gets shown there often....

This would have made an excellent television series. Robert Culp has rarely been better as Sebastian, a psychic sleuth and expert on the occult. He takes on a case that threatens the world. Not bad for your introduction. An excellent Gene Roddenberry creation. I give it a "7" out of "10."

Spectre definitely isn't the type of film that'll be featured on Svengoolie. They often show horror movies that are quite lame by today's standards. It's ideal for people who like to go down memory lane and revisit the silly creature features they watched in the theater for the first time as a teen, or just to laugh at, but not if they want something that's actually frightening. I'm not big on paranormal stuff, but I thought Robert Culp was brilliant in Columbo, and that made me curious enough to check this out, despite it's spooky storyline.

He plays occult criminologist William Sebastian, who develops a heart condition after a supernatural experiment. He wants his friend, Dr. "Ham" Hamilton (Gig Young), to help him with a case that involves traveling to London and investigating a wealthy businessman, Geoffrey Cyon (Majel Barrett), partaking in the dark arts. It's funny to watch them together. I don't know about anyone else, but I got the impression they don't like each other because they both have an elevated IQ. It was humorous how in the midst of the plane having mechanical problems on their way to London, William is having a discussion on philosophical and psychological reasoning, while Ham is looking worried and nauseous. Once they arrive, they stay in Cyon's house, which is also occupied by his other family members. William and Ham encounter a demon, along with other terrifying occurrences.

Honestly, I haven't finished the movie. I managed to get about 10 to 15 minutes to the end, so I've watched enough of it to have an opinion. I wasn't scared, but I found aspects of the content to be unsettling. Demons, monsters, BDSM, possessions. It just seemed wrong to be watching as a Christian. I know people say it's only entertainment, but it's more than that to me. Anything you take in through your eyes and ears can have a powerful influence on you. It had become quite disturbing, so I'm hesitant to see what the ending is like. I think it had a negative affect on my brain, honestly. I watched it on a Tuesday night, and woke up the next day thinking it was Saturday. That probably came from me being tired, because my job is hectic - the constant business always has me feeling exhausted - but I doubt this helped. It's a weird movie. Not appropriate for family night, so if you have kids, I'd stick with Svengoolie. Unless you don't mind taking a chance on having unsettling dreams, then by all means, check this out, but otherwise, I would skip it and go with something that doesn't have so much creepiness.

What a disappointment to learn that this wonderful occult thriller is NOT available neither on DVD nor VHS. Gene Roddenberry did this made for TV movie and it is superb! The best role for Robert Culp and the superb Gig Young plays the sidekick in a wonderful energy with Culp. The lovely wife of Roddemberry, Majel Barrett. plays the mysterious Lilith, housekeeper of William Sebastian. The English settings and a wondrous cast of British actors make this a really exquisite example of the genre. The phenomenally talented John Hurt in a standout performance. This is what American television was capable of at one time.

Shame on the movie industry for letting this classic of horror and the master Gene Roddenberry disappear. SHAME ON THEM!!