Since we're in a Halloween mood tonight, let's talk about Night Gallery, one of the scariest shows I remember from my childhood. Conceived and hosted by The Twilight Zone's Rod Serling, the series ran from 1970 to 1973 and featured some well known actors, including William Windom, Burgess Meredith, John Astin and James Farentino.
While The Twilight Zone always seemed more sci-fi based, Night Gallery had more of a horror feel to it and featured more ghostly, psychological stories. In short, it scared the crap out of me. One of the scariest episodes focused on two stories about some spooky real estate: "The House / Certain Shadows on the Wall."
In "The House," Joanna Pettit plays Elaine Latimer, a woman who has the same dream for years -- of driving on a country road and coming to a beautiful house. Upon being released from a sanitarium, she finds herself driving in the country and comes upon her dream house (literally -- the house in her dreams). "Certain Shadows on the Wall" is a story about (of course) some shadows on a wall that simply will not go away. Oy, just thinking about these episodes creeps me out.
Watch them for yourself and see if I'm just a big scaredy-cat, and catch other scary shows and movies on SlashControl.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-31-2009 @ 11:53PM
kittikin said...
I'm old enough to remember watching it on network tv as a kid. That was a great, great show; several episodes still haunt me after 30+ years. And the theme music! Still gives me chills. Thank you for highlighting such a fine program.
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11-01-2009 @ 12:20AM
the dude said...
i remember an episode that revolved around a mini african warrior doll that became animated and chased a woman (?) around her home and had a twist ending. the doll scared the crappola out of me.
11-01-2009 @ 2:07AM
Jim said...
I believe you're thinking of "Trilogy of Terror" starring Karen Black. The final segment dealt with her and a Zuni fetish doll that she unwittingly brought to life, chasing her around her apartment, slashing at her underneath the bathroom door, etc.
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11-01-2009 @ 6:54AM
Cindy Gibson said...
YES!, I remember that Zuni Doll. I was young and after seeing that I would not let any part of me hang over or out of the bed at night cause I thought it would get me in my sleep. That scared me more that any other childhood movie. But I watched Night Gallery every week.
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11-01-2009 @ 6:37PM
kittikin said...
"Trilogy of Terror" was great! They knew how do do horror back then ...
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11-02-2009 @ 8:04AM
Sir Yuck-Yuck said...
the lady on the right of the picture looks like Grayson Hall who played Dr. Julia Hoffman in Dark Shadows 1966-71
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11-09-2009 @ 6:10AM
csttar63 said...
another ep that scare the bejesus of me as a kid was this picture on a guys wall kept showing a guy get out of his grave and come towards the very house the guy was in. the man keeps looking at the picture as the zombie gets closer. finally the picture shows the zombie knocking on the door as the man in the house hears a knock on his door. the picture shows the man being choked by zombie. the end. still scary. Paranormal Activity bah humbug. Night Gallery was scary.
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