RELEASED IN 1989 and written/directed by Randolph Cohlan, "Night Shadow" (originally titled "Lycanthrope") concerns a humble Los Angeles newscaster (Brenda Vance) who returns to her home town on vacation as several people crop up dead, as if by a vicious animal. Alta LaFlame plays the sheriff, Rick Scott a mysterious hitchhiker, Stuart Quan the protagonist's kung fuey brother and Kato Kaelin his friend.
This is akin to a modern Syfy creature feature, but with a production quality a notch below that prosaic level. The serviceable score, for instance, sounds like it was performed entirely on a Casio keyboard (and no doubt it was). There's also too much marking time. Still, the cast is likable, the small town setting is quaint and the monster is pretty effective for a man in a suit, but you have to wait till the final act to see him.
Vance is a more-than-agreeable protagonist, but the film drops the ball in the female department, as far as taking advantage of the resources (and I'm not tawkin' 'bout nudity or sleaze). But there's a lot of martial arts action due to the presence of Quan; and the late 80's ambiance is to die for (take, for instance, Quan's absurd bra-like billie shirt and Kato's hideous mullet).
THE FILM RUNS 91 minutes and was shot in Hanford & Fresno in the heart of California.
GRADE: C
