(Click on images to enlarge.)
He may be smiling on the outside, but on the inside, his heart is breaking.
In 1972, I was 13 years old, and spending the weekend at
Grandma's house in Macon, Ga. Fortunately, the made-for-TV movie"Gargoyles" was airing for the first time that night, and I when I saw the previews I knew I was in for a treat! Earlier in the evening we had enjoyed our usual supper,
Krystal cheeseburgers that I had walked down the road to pick up, and after I spent awhile looking over my newest comic book and magazine acquisitions, we settled down to watch the movie. Looking back, those summer afternoons and evenings spent there were some of the best of my young life as I grew up.
"We paid a lot for this makeup, and we dang sure want to make sure you appreciate it."
The movie tells the story of a small group of Gargoyles, hidden in the Navada desert, who are on the verge of another 600 year hatching cycle. The struggle between man and lizard-like creatures flares up whenever this happens, but then the event is fogotten in history or relegated to myth. A couple of years back I was thrilled to find out that VCI had released the movie on DVD, and I immediately ordered it. The day I got it in the mail was a happy one, and I sat down to relive an experience from nearly 35 years before, Krystal cheeseburgers included. And did it ever take me back! The photos below are screen captures I made from the DVD that I think you will enjoy if you remember seeing the movie, and if not, it will give you an idea of why I enjoyed it so much back then, and even now when I take it out and watch it... as I did last night again.
"Watch out for those scary floating letters on the runway!"
There's no doubt but that this film was a TV movie from the early 70's, and it's because of that I enjoy it so. The whole look and feel return me to that time, the same as watching "Kung Fu", Kolchack: The Night Stalker," and the "Planet of the Apes" TV series. They all came out during that period of time that I was a young teen and any of them are able to take me back.
"Dang, my little girl's growing up! Look at those... careful there, Mercer."
Before the credits we hear the "Outer Limits" control voice, Vic Perrin, as he tells us the history over images of medievel art of devils and photos of gargoyle statues. (Perrin also does the voice of the lead gargoyle, dubbed in over Bernie Casey's acting, with a scratchy sound effect laid in.) We even get a glimpse of the main creature, as though they couldn't wait to reveal it. Obviously, they are proud of the makeup job and monster suits they paid for, as they take every opportunity to show them as prominently as possible, even in bright zipper-revealing close-ups in sunlight. Stan Winston's first break in the movies netted him an Emmy for the makeup effects, and little did I know as I watched the movie how often his work would later figure in so many of my favorite horror and sci-fi movies. (
Spoiler alert: from here on out, if you don't want to know the details, just look at the pretty pictures and skim over the text.)
"I calls it "Nicatakachinko" which is injun fer "Makum Me Heap Big Wapum."
As the appropriately goopy-fonted credits play over a scene of a plane landing, we meet our hero, Dr. Mercer Boley, (played by Cornell Wilde) an anthropologist who specializes in the occult and demonology. His teen-age daughter Diana (hotly played by Jennifer Salt) arrives on the plane, and together they drive off into the Nevada desert to meet with an old man named Willie, who claims to have something of interest to show him. The item turns out to be a skeleton of what he claims was from a living creature, which Boley laughs off. But they still stay to interview him about his knowledge of local Indian exorcism rites, and after nightfall the shack is attacked by something that rips into the roof with claws. Willie is killed by a falling timber, knocking over the kerosene lamp and setting the shack ablaze. Unable to help poor old Uncle Willie, Boley and his daughter escape with the skull of the creature, fighting off a something big that leaps onto the roof of their car as they speed away.
Not a sight you want to see at the foot of your bed at night.
Later, after leaving their damaged car at a garage, they rent a motel room from Mrs. Parks (Grayson Hall, of "House of Dark Shadows" fame) and turn in. The next day they report Willie's death as an accident to the local police, who upon investigating find a group of dirt-bike riders at the scene and assume they are responsible. Feeling the police won't believe him, Boley doesn't tell them about the creature attack on the shack or their car, and the bikers are arrested.
During the night, two gargoyles break in to retrieve the skull, but as they escape one of them is hit and killed by a semi (which keeps going). Anxious to have proof of his new discovery, Boley wants to keep the body a secret from the police, even though it might prove the biker's innocence.
"Did anybody get that trucker's license number? Oh, man!"
"Pardon me, may I have the key to the restroom?"
However, the matter (and the body) is taken out of his hands as the gargoyles return in greater numbers that night to get the body of their fallen comrade, and in the process the winged leader (Bernie Casey) becomes turned on by Diane (like much of the teenage male viewing audience, including me) and takes her along with them as they return to their cave nest.
"Smells like Teen Spirit!"
Now, we'll get a good look at those costumes!
Mama Gorgoyle, picking up on her mate's infatuation with Diane, is unhappy, even though Daddy reassures her when she goes on the attack. She may be mollified for the moment, but she keeps an eye on her, and we know that's not the end of it.
"She don't mean nothin' to me, momma! I swear."
As a 13 year old boy, that little halter top and tight jeans Jennifer Salt wore stirred things in me that I had only begun to be aware of. She's still pretty hot to watch now, even 30 years later... in a 70's kind of way.
"Ah, I don't know... I'm finding this Stephen King a little dull."
The leader acts as if he wants Diana to teach him from the books they also grabbed, but he's really interested in getting closer to her, which doesn't go unnoticed by Mama. Meanwhile, Boley has alerted the police to his daughter's abduction, and they, along with the newly-freed bikers, take off in to the desert with hunting dogs to find her. Inside the cave, the latest brood of hatchlings is emerging from their eggs, the size and maturity of 7 or 8 year olds. As the posse near the cave, the gargoyles come out and attack them, killing several and running off the rest.
"Awww, just look at him... isn't he the most precious?"
The head gargoyle confronts Boley and tells him to follow him back to the cave if he wants to see his daughter. When they get there, he is informed that they will never leave. However, Mama has had enough of that little slut trying to steal her man, so she helps him to escape, no doubt hoping he'll take along the girl also. He's unable to rescue her, but he brings back the biker Reeger played by Scott Glenn, who brings with him two cans of gasoline. As they shoot their way into the cave, Boley rescues his daugher, but Reeger is overcome by gargoyles as he douses the egg chamber with gas. His last act is to flick his Bic and blow up the eggs before more can hatch.
"All we wanted was to live in peace... after the extinction of mankind. Was that too much to ask?"
At the mouth of the cave, the leader starts to fly off with Diana with Mama bringing up the rear, but Boley breaks her wing with a rock. Now the leader must fly her out, leaving Diana, if his kind is to survive. Why Boley let them go, knowing it might mean the end of mankind in the next 600 year breeding cycle, is a mystery. Perhaps he just felt sorry for them, and after all, he figured, mankind can take care of itself in 600 years when they have flying cars and all.
Amazing how he can fly them both with those little wings!
"After all that I need a shower. Want to join me, Diana?"
Nobody played the needy, lonesome alchoholic like Grayson Hall.
Of course, there's more that happens than in my quick run-down; you'll have to watch it for yourself if you can find it. All in all, this little made-for-tv movie was memorable, and well done. Sure, the efforts to show off the monster makeup and suits was a bit overdone, and the mood and effect would have been better served by a more shadowy, slower reveal. But, it is what it is, and we get to appreciate Stan Winton's first movie job in all it's rubbery glory. It sits right on my DVD shelf beside it's 70's companions "Colossus: The Forbin Project," "Kingdom of the Spiders," "The Devil's Rain" and "Frogs." All good 70's era fun that brings back the memories!
"I know, pride is my downfall, but don't I cut a striking figure?"
"No, I am not Lance Henrickson. Why does everyone always confuse me with that guy?"
Would you buy a stuffed Jackelope from this guy?
Well, I hope you've enjoyed this monster memory as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.
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