MovieChat Forums > Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974) Discussion > If remade ( again ) should be kept in th...

If remade ( again ) should be kept in the late 60's early 70's.

posted 8 years ago by KingstonGraves
7 replies | jump to latest

An updated version I think would suffer because of todays Tec. Easy access to info, cell phones, C.S.I teams and Dna test. It would kill the suspence and If Kolchak was trying to convince someone that something was out there. the dialog would be " Well did you check for ( whatever monster) dna? cause it sure wasn't human!" So Keeping it in a more Naive time period would keep it that either the powers that be know what's going on and their hiding the information or their just not ready to belive there are things beyond their comprehension.
Also If Kolchak had a cell phone he wouldn't have to take on the threat by himself. It would be more like " Carl follows the monster to it's lair in the old wearhouse district and calls the police on his cell phone to come and get it, if they'll belive him." A real mood killer.

Also I would like to see storys like : a Manson family type group of Vampires/ Ghouls.

A soldier who returns to the states, Cursed to become a werebeast at night after a bizzare attack in the vietnam jungles.

A hotel begins experencing fatal poltergeist activity following a supposedly accidental death.

And Kolchack being the only one who'll admit there's something paranormal going on.

As a Kid I really liked this show and would like it to retain the feel & atmosphere of the original

Any thoughts on this matter?

On a dark and lonely road, stands a harmless looking man...Pick him up at your peril

[–] Sgt_Hulka_Lives 8 years ago

I think you have a great idea there with a new remake in the '60's or '70's because the first remake was pretty terrible. You'd also have to keep the horrible suit and hat.

The problem is that Supernatural took the monster of the week idea (actually, the show was a tribute to Kolchak) and set it in the present day. They bypassed all the things you're worried would ruin it, but did a really good job. For the first 5 years at least.

[–] KingstonGraves 8 years ago

I never really followed Supernatural though I have seen a few episodes ( didn't get into it) But over the years with shows like X-files, Millienum, Buffy and Angel. yeah they carried on the frame work of Kolchak. But to my satisfaction never got the psudo noir feel that it had. I don't know if I can explane it properly but the Kolchak Charactor will alway be king of the mountain. If the could Make a new series with great writers who can give it the sort of Damon runyon vs. the supernatural flavor along with a proper casting of the main characters ( kolchak, vinchenzo, et al ) and I kind of feel that the episodes should run longer then an hour ( or at least commercial free ) so the story has time to build suspence and not be a rush job to get to the creature and resolve the story within the aloted time, some things need a bit more time to build.

I'm going to stop myself here, otherwise I'll drone on and on and lose my point entirely.

Simply put: If they want to make a reboot series or movie I hope to ( what ever Deity ) that they keep the classic style of the original series.

(( I write quickly & violently and rarely spellcheck ))

On a dark and lonely road, stands a harmless looking man...Pick him up at your peril

[–] michaellevenson1 8 years ago

Kolchak's main "weapon" of course is his camera and with everyone having a camera on their phone, his status as lone vigilante would be diluted if others also got photos of the monster of the week.
His solitariness is the crux of his character and if the authorities accepted him and his theories that's the end of the show. The original could have benefited from maybe a Columbo length of show about 75 minutes as most episodes have a bit of a rushed ending, despite that the series was good for its time and any attempt to reboot it wouldn't be as good.
Anyone seen the reboot of Hawaii 5-0 , no thanks, seventies tv has a special quality that is so unique reboots rarely work.

[–] KingstonGraves 8 years ago

I'm Glad Others feel pretty much the same way I do about the show. The need for more story development time: It did seem off that within the hour alotment, Kolchack was introduced to the strange occurance, figured out what he was up against and found the nessary way to dispatch the creature. while professional law enforcement sat around in the dark with their thumbs up their butts? More time would mean a chance for Carl to investigate maybe even go on a false lead thinking it's one thing when in fact it's another. Playing up the mystery as opposed to the straight foward monster hunt of the week.

A bit off topic but in thinking of an actor who could play Kolchak. I had in my mind Willem Defoe or Denis Leary , a wolrld weary sketchy type of guy with a good heart and a lot of connections to the seedy side of the city. The kind of a " I know a guy who knows a guy who can get something or a bit of info when needed."
Though not to knock either actor I think they would be a bit too old to play the part right. Maybe an actor of that type in their thirtys, who they can make look a bit older. That waY if ( with luck ) the new series has a long run the guy would not look like a very old man doing some things that could kill a guy half his age ( If you get what I mean ). Also if set in the late 60's /Early 70's Carl could know a guy who's a bit of a weirdo who talks about one day people will have computers in their homes and walking around with phones the size of wallets and the government being able to track people from space. It would be kind of funny while at the same time point out that todays kook might be tomorrows visionary

Once again rambling along with a point in there somewhere, that I hope is comming across?.

(( I write quickly & violently and rarely spellcheck. ))

On a dark and lonely road, stands a harmless looking man...Pick him up at your peril

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

Please die.

[–] pluckytotheend (265) 6 years ago

After that terrible remake I suppose capturing the spirit of KTNS would seem hopeless. If Kolchak was around today I think he would be an independent blogger instead of a reporter for a print or online newspaper. He would have followers passing along tips about mysterious incidents, then would travel to these locations and possibly sharing adventures with the tipsters and posting fresh blogs from those locations.

[–] strangenstein (683) 4 years ago

One way to set it in modern times but keep it old school would be to have Kolchak be a real anachronism. Maybe he’s a modern Luddite, or just prefers to be like his grandfather.

My fear for a series set in the 70s would be the expense, which may limit the series — or cause it to end too soon.