House on Greenapple Road

It's good to know that I'm not the only one who was freaked out by those chilling opening scenes! I too was a very young child when I saw this film, so I can scarcely recall any details...only that infamous kitchen footage. The title alone still gives me the creeps! It is definitely a shame that this movie is not shown on TV, and is apparently not available on VHS or DVD. I'd really love to watch it again to see if it holds up to my childhood memories! Sadly, I have a feeling it can't possibly be as frightening as I remember. Years of slasher film viewing have left me quite jaded. Perhaps I'll just read the book instead.

I saw this once when I was a kid (around 8)...all I remember is the opening scene, it scared the @#$% out of me!...a house, someone coming home, and blood everywhere...very chilling. Plus, I lived on Greenville Road so the fear "hit home" even more.

That 70's made-for-TV-movies genre is greatly under-appreciated and unrecognized. Other movies that I remember about the same time that were really creepy (you might too):

• "When Michael Calls" (Ben Gazzara, Elizabeth Ashley, Micheal Douglas)

• "The Screaming Woman" (Olivia DeHavilland)

• "Picture Mommy Dead" (Zsa Zsa Gabor)

• "How Awful About Allen" (Anthony Perkins)

• "Two On a Guillotine" (Connie Stevens)

• "The Victim" (Elizabeth Montgomery)

TV-movies, especially those from the late-'60s and early-'70s, are an under-appreciated breed (probably the least-respected in the film industry). Leonard Maltin has all but dropped them from his annual review book, and you never hear about anybody trying to preserve Barbara Eden in "Let's Switch!" or Gloria Swanson in "Killer Bees". Every once in awhile, a TV-movie gets mentioned with respect, such as "Brian's Song" or "Sunshine". I've always thought "House On Greenapple Road" could have been a theatrical film, it is produced with such style and has a great, scary set-up: a young girl gets dropped off from school, runs up the driveway to her house, opens the door and finds the entire place ransacked, with blood spattering the walls. This sequence terrified me as a kid (I was amused to discover years later that the young actress was "Brady Bunch"'s Eve Plumb!). Onto the mystery, which surrounds a missing lady (Janet Leigh) and the investigator on the case (Christopher George playing Dan August). The character of August later got his own series (starring Burt Reynolds), but this feature is more than just a pilot, it has twists and a sophisticated script. The ending doesn't cop-out, although I must say it followed a rather routine development. Overall, a neat little yarn, and Janet Leigh is just gorgeous.

This is probably one of the best TV movies made in this era. Great opening scene with Eve Plumb finding one of the bloodiest crime scenes in any movie of the era (TV or Theater). All that blood and no body! We see Janet in flashbacks to great advantage with a who's who of Hollywood at the time (Peter Mark Richman, William Windom, etc) Great locations as well, the "House" is in Pacific Palisades, the old Oxnard, CA Library serves as the police station. The old Santa Monica Beach Home of Marion Davies is the Country Club. Great acting all the way around. The flashbacks are really interesting and do not get boring. I never get tired of seeing this great movie, I wish it were on DVD! Julie Harris is also very good in a rare TV role. Too bad they didn't use Christopher George in the series, it may have lasted longer. Look for Chris' wife Lynda Day in a small role as a pothead secretary. The ending is a plot twist as well, and kind of ironic considering Janet's earlier work in Psycho.

This made-for-TV movie turned out to be a successful pilot for the immediately following series "Dan August", but the starring role went to Burt Reynolds instead of Christopher George. Chris George plays Dan August as an independent spirit who is tough in any confrontation. You don't want to be on his bad side.

The movie is PACKED with past, current, and future stars, many of whom aren't listed in the opening credits, like Ed Asner and Lynda Day George ... some in cameo roles.

I wonder how Quinn Martin sold Janet Leigh on her role?

Quinn Martin: "Janet, you've been murdered just before the movie starts. Your character is a slut who's been running around on her weak husband for years. You'll appear in a series of flashback scenes with various men while in swimsuits or your underwear."

Janet Leigh: "Sounds great! When do we start!"

LOL

The movie is well worth the watch if you're into police and detective procedural dramas. I say drama, but there are a few throwaway chuckles along the way.

It's available on YouTube with a surprisingly good picture for YouTube.