Are you a fan of made-for-television movies?

[Schmo]

It seems that some people get confused by the term "made-for-television" movie. It is not a big-screen picture that has been broadcast on television, like Gone With the Wind. It is a movie made specifically for the small screen. ABC had a Movie of the Week series from 1969 to 1976. Two movies that stand out are Duel, where Dennis Weaver is pursued by a faceless truck driver, and Trilogy of Terror, starring the late Karen Black. The most famous segment of the trilogy is Ms. Black being terrorized by a Zuni fetish doll. Many of these movies can be seen on YouTube. You could see Hollywood veterans from the 1930s in the twilight of their careers and up-and-comers in the same movie! Many of these films have a certain "cheese factor", and you can point and laugh at your heart's content to the long sideburns and polyester clothing! God bless.

[tiredmike59]

Killdozer was a cool movie and so was that one with James Brolin where he was trapped in a department store with dogs.

[UMFaninMD]

I love those old 70's TV horror movies. A lot of it was really creepy and very imaginative. Thanks to YouTube I've seen a lot of them. I'd also catch them during the weekends on stations like TBS, TNT and USA. One of my favorites is Night Terror, where Valerie Harper is stalked by a killer during a drive in the desert. USA also had their own versions during the 80's and early 90's and those were campy but fun.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Schmo

It seems that some people get confused by the term "made-for-television" movie. It is not a big-screen picture that has been broadcast on television, like Gone With the Wind. It is a movie made specifically for the small screen.

I've never heard of anyone being confused by what a made-for-tv movie is.

[Zoneboy]

My favorite is probably Pray for the Wildcats (1974) which starred Andy Griffith, Robert Reed, William Shatner and Angie Dickinson.

Others I liked:

The Ballad of Andy Crocker
Brian's Song
Duel
The Night Stalker
Satan's School for Girls
The Six Million Dollar Man
Locusts
The Hanged Man
The Barbary Coast
Twin Detectives
The Norliss Tapes

[Schmo]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

My favorite is probably Pray for the Wildcats (1974) which starred Andy Griffith, Robert Reed, William Shatner and Angie Dickinson.

Yeah, Andy Griffith really did a bang-up job playing against type, didn't he? LOL!

[JamesG]

I like a lot of the true crime tv movies.


The Burning Bed (1984)
Silent Witness (1985)
The Deliberate Stranger (1986)
Patty Hearst (1988)
Blind Faith (1990)
Judgment Day: The John List Story (1993)
A Friend to Die For aka Death of a Cheerleader (1994)
Citizen X (1995)
Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story (1995)
If Someone Had Known (1995)
Detention: The Siege at Johnson High aka Hostage High (1997)
The Matthew Shepard Story (2001)
The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story (2004)
Natalee Holloway (2009)
Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy (2011)
Drew Peterson: Untouchable (2012)
Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret (2013)

[gidgetgrape]

I love old made-for-tv movies, but I'm usually disappointed with the newer ones. They had better writing and bigger budgets back then which makes a big difference.

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I've never heard of anyone being confused by what a made-for-tv movie is.

Me either! I remember in the 80s, "Gone With The Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz" were shown on network TV once a year, but I don't think there was any confusion about where these movies came from. If you think about it, by the times these movies were on TV, most of the leading actors and actresses were dead.

[catlover79]

Yes!!! The "woman in peril" movies starring the likes of Meredith Baxter, Patty Duke, Jaclyn Smith, Melissa Gilbert, Kellie Martin, etc., etc., etc. are my favorites.

[KurtfromPitts]

I'd like to see older '70s-'80s MOWs on either the tube or DVD. Especially films such as "And Your Name Is Jonah". Hasn't been seen in ages.

[Vahan]

Ten posts in, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned any Elizabeth Montgomery TV Movie. Back in the 70's, when Made-For-TV movies were just starting to take off, you couldn't tune in to an ABC Movie-of-the-Week, without seeing the former Bewitched star.

[OH Nuts!]

I wouldn't say I'm a fan as some I really like but have found others dreadful. I am fond of the reunuion movies like the ones for Eight Is Enough.

(My g.d. Combo unit mangled the first EIE reunion movie & I can't find it anywhere to buy. GRRRR-it's because of things like this I hate video cassettes. This particular reunion movie used to be on You Tube but had to be taken off. And that brings me to another pet peeve - if a company is going to insist a movie be taken off of You Tube then at least sell it - I can't find it anywhere and would love to have it. I'm glad I have the later EIE reunion movie even though that one was not so great.)

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Vahan

Ten posts in, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned any Elizabeth Montgomery TV Movie. Back in the 70's, when Made-For-TV movies were just starting to take off, you couldn't tune in to an ABC Movie-of-the-Week, without seeing the former Bewitched star.

What was unique about those is that in watching them, you didn't see even a glimmer of Samantha Stephens. Liz really was the first Queen of the TV Movies. The ones I've seen so far are The Victim, A Case of Rape, The Legend of Lizzie Borden and The Awakening Land - plus bits and pieces of others on YT.

[UMFaninMD]

I enjoyed The Victim. And with Halloween coming up, I also have to mention the excellent Dark Night of the Scarecrow from 1981 with Charles Durning. He played good guys and to see him be a villain is pretty jarring.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

And with Halloween coming up, I also have to mention the excellent Dark Night of the Scarecrow from 1981 with Charles Durning. He played good guys and to see him be a villain is pretty jarring.

That was a good one. It came to DVD not too long ago.