Dark Intruder

Dark Intruder is directed by Harvey Hart and written by Barre Lyndon. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Gilbert Green, Charles Bolender, Mark Richman, Judith Meredith and Werner Klemperer. Music is by Lalo Schifrin and cinematography by John F. Warren.

A murderous fiend is terrorising San Francisco 1890, so supernatural expert Brett Kingsford (Nielsen) takes special interest in the crimes.

A pilot for a TV show that wasn't picked up, Dark Intruder is a whole bunch of spooky fun. Clocking in at just under an hour in length, the pic makes up for what it lacks in mystery inventiveness, with sheer schlocky shenanigans. Moody courtesy of the period setting, complete with lots of fog, shadows and gaslights, the narrative indulges us in gods, oriental mysticism and Sumerian demons, whilst a dwarf, a sinister fortune teller and a mandrake plant all add quirky qualities to the play. There's even a kicker at the finale, so as to not rest on its laurels.

Recommended for sure. 6.5/10

This takes place in 1890 San Francisco. A series of vicious murders has been happening with a mystical statue is left next to each of the victims. The police call in Brett Kingsford (Leslie Nielsen) an occult expert to help them. This was originally a pilot for a TV series but no one bought it. So they added some footage to make it a short (59 minutes) but feature length movie and released it theatrically. It LOOKS great--beautiful sets and costumes and plenty of eerie atmosphere. Also Nielsen is great in his role. However the script is heavy-handed and convoluted with some truly questionable plot twists. However it's been praised to the high heavens by many critics. Use your own judgment.

Leslie Nielsen is energetic, to say the least, as Bret Kingsford, ostensibly a playboy to everyone he knows in late 19th century San Francisco. But there is more to him than meets the eye. He is an expert on the occult, and secretly helps the local police force when a horrible string of murders are committed. Somehow his soon-to-be-married friend is involved, and Bret suspects someone or something not quite human is at the bottom of it. Leslie dons disguises to meet with the police chief to protect his social status, his victorian mansion has secret doors and passageways, and he plays at being uninterested while mentally taking notes and then disappears, leaving his guest staring at an empty chair. He's somewhat miscast in this film as a playboy, but when he throws off that persona he's fantastic. The foggy atmosphere of San Francisco is used to great effect to enhance the supernatural aura of the film.

This was a failed pilot produced by Jack Laird, who went on to produce "Night Gallery" a few years later, and was released theatrically at a few theaters. It's impossible to find, but deserves to be seen as the unique production it is. In some ways it is a clear precursor to "Kolchak, the Nightstalker", and also to the wonderful demon-themed TV movie "Spectre".

Atmospheric TV movie about a Sherlock Holmes type (Leslie Nielson) who occasionally assists the San Francisco police with serious crimes. Set in 1890, the whole thing feels very Jack the Ripper-ish, and there is a Mr. Hyde styled monster running loose in town seemingly killing people at random. Nielson's breezy private detective eventually puts two and two together, and realizes the creature has something very specific in mind with each murder. Mark Richman plays a troubled acquaintance who may hold the key to the mystery, and Werner Klemperer of all people plays the Mr. Hyde-ish killer. Tame by today's standards, this low-budget but fanciful tale still packs a punch. Later released theatrically. Too bad it wasn't shot in color. Nielson, whose hair was still dark in those days, is an absolute hoot.

This was another last-minute inclusion in the ongoing Halloween Horror challenge, and one which also proved among the most rewarding viewings so far. I first knew of it from Leonard Maltin's *** capsule review in his esteemed "Film Guide", where the piece's TV origins ("Black Cloak" was actually the working title) and "one-of-a-kind" nature are mentioned. I was surprised to find it a period piece, but the end result still elicits a definite "Twilight Zone" feel – while anticipating, in concept and abrasive hero (ideally cast Leslie Nielsen and, who, incidentally, has a midget for valet/assistant!), the "Kolchak" series from the early 1970s. Despite the obvious low budget at the director's disposal, the film evokes a flawless Gothic atmosphere throughout. The fascinating plot involves a "House Of Wax"-type disfigured 'monster' – given an appropriately creepy make-up and played, of all people, by an unrecognizable Werner Klemperer of "Hogan's Heroes" fame! – causing havoc in fog-bound San Francisco (the attacks are quite vicious for a film of this kind), whose dual identity is gradually disclosed. There is, however, a method to his madness: a calling-card is left at the murder sites in the form of a mystical spoke-wheel; the period between each killing gets proportionally smaller; while the victims are eventually revealed to have been involved in his back-story. The level of suspense (and action) is considerable – especially in view of the film's very brief duration, a mere 59 minutes! – notably Nielsen's own numerous brushes with the monster (including one in which the hero spells out his suspicions to the Police Chief after yet another murder unaware that the villain is still present in the room with them!). The final twist, then, is the icing on the cake – with the tale having already reached a satisfactory conclusion, the script is seen to have one more ace up its sleeve. As can be expected, given the film's rarity, the print utilized could do with a restoration – but, really, this is no more than a minor quibble, when all the various components had come perfectly together to produce a classy (and memorable) show.