We officially ended the look back at Lovecraft adaptations and work directly inspired by the author, so let's take a look back at some indirectly inspired. Also with Leslie Nielsen.
We open to turn of the last century San Francisco. A woman (Claudia Donelly) rushes madly through the fog covered streets, but it's no use as a cloaked figure pounces on her, knife at the ready...
Brett Kingsford (Nielsen) starts looking into the mystery, much to the delight of his assistant Nikola (Charles Bolender). Brett officially is a man about town, but unofficially he is a detective. An occult detective, to be precise.
Brett's friend Robert Vandenburg (Peter Mark Richman) is deeply worried, as besides the woman in the opening, there have been several other murders throughout the city. Bringing to mind the fairly recent Ripper killings in London, there is another detail about the recent killings that unnerves Robert. At the feet of each victim there is a small statue, showing a man's head with a demon emerging from the back. Each new killing shows the demon being more pronounced than before. The killer, from what little we see, seems to have some rather twisted hands ending in claws, so that clears Robert, right? He has a marriage to plan of his fiancé Evelyn Long (Judi Meredith) and surely he can't be distracted from that.
Brett consults with the police under a variety of disguises, but learns most of the important info from antique dealer Chi Zang (Peter Brocco). Inside Zang's shop Brett sees a hideous figure, similar to the figure at the crime scenes. The mummified being is a demon, according to Zang, of an ancient race that ruled once and waits to rule again. The figure is near a wheel, which Zang declares has a vital significance. You see, each wheel is a victim, and when all seven victims are slain the demon shall be of flesh once more...
So much potential and yet so much wasted. This began as a pilot for NBC, who found it too scary for broadcast so they sold it to Universal who in turn released it to the drive-in circuit. Nielsen as Brett is good, but there is one element that sticks out like a sore thumb. In order to keep his reputation as a dandy and not jeopardize his work, he finds it necessary to disguise himself before meeting with Commissioner Misbach (Gilbert Green). Okay, so far not bad and a way for Nielsen to put on a wig and use a funny voice. Except the first time he does this he goes as...an Englishman! With a hat and no attempt at all to hide his face in anyway, shape, or form. Not even a phony mustache!
There is also no backstory for any characters. Why does Brett investigate the supernatural? How did he hook up with Nikola? Where did he get a screaming mandrake plant that warms him of evil? I assume most of those questions would be answered had the series been picked up, but as it stands all we have left is this one show.
No comments:
Post a Comment