Customer Reviews

Gargoyles [VHS]

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A made-for-TV flick that originally aired on CBS in November of 1972, GARGOYLES tells the story of an anthropology researcher (Cornel Wilde) who, with the assistance of his adult daughter (Jennifer Salt), travels to the Arizona desert to investigate an unusual skeleton discovered there. However, when the duo try to transport the bony remains away from the discovery site, they are pursued by a number of gargoyle-like creatures who want to reclaim the unearthed skeleton, and the scientist and his daughter soon find themselves at the locus of an age-old battle between mankind and an evil race of garrulous reptilians.

Yes, it's cheesy. But for many horror fans who grew up in the 1970s, it's one of those guilty pleasures that, in spite of any intrinsic sense of good taste, will always have a special place in their nostalgic little hearts--right there next to Wacky Packages stickers and CRACKED magazine. And to be honest, it's really not all that bad, especially when compared to a lot of the other tripe spewed by the one-eyed monster during the "ME" decade.

At times GARGOYLES can be really atmospheric, especially during the night scenes in which the titular creatures attempt to reclaim the bones of their dead, but at other times it is blatantly ridiculous. The first half of the film actually plays better than the second, as the viewer is then offered only brief glimpses of the nightmarish reptilians as they swoop down on moving autos or attack folk in secluded buildings. The "magic" quickly dissipates, however, when the creatures finally appear in full view and the audience can easily see the Gargoyles for what they really are--a group of actors and stuntmen in unconvincing rubber suits. The one exception to this rule is the make-up job on the Gargoyle king, played by former professional football player Bernie Casey. This character looks like a greenish incarnation of Satan himself, and when combined with the eerie vibrato of his voice, he never fails to invoke plenty of gooseflesh.

In spite of the hokey premise of the plot and the rubber-suit monsters, GARGOYLES is definitely a must-see for serious horror fans. There are some genuinely spooky moments, especially early on, and the film is also historically notable for being the first major professional gig for make-up FX master Stan Winston. (Considering the masterful work he's produced in the years since--everything from Cicely Tyson's "aged" skin in TV's THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN to EDWARD SCISSORHANDS to several incarnations of the TERMINATOR--it's not unreasonable to assume that he was responsible for the outstanding make-up of the Gargoyle king and not the rubber suits.)

The DVD from VCI is short on extras, and the image has that same softness common to older TV shows that are transferred to disc. However, the digital transfer was made from the complete, uncut version of the film that was apparently screened only in Europe, and that means that even long-time fans of the show in North America may actually see a few bits they didn't see initially on CBS or during the film's numerous syndicated reruns. Definitely worth picking up a copy.

When I was a kid, my friends and I would watch the "Plenty Scary Movies" on channel 8 in Tulsa, Oklahoma every friday night. It was a tradition. It seemed like once every 2 months the feature would be "Gargoyles", and we NEVER got tired of it.

With a creepy soundtrack and amazing makeup by Stan Winston, Gargoyles was a fantastic scare for us. I know a lot of people will roll their eyes and say that there's nothing scary about this film, but I think that is just because we have become used to non-stop action, explosions, shaking camerawork, quick-cut editting, and CGI monsters.

When Jennifer Salt is walking back to the motel in the dark and you hear noises coming from the darkness, well, I'm sorry, but that is just creepy. When Bernie Casey (amazing as the head Gargoyle) emerges from the darkness, I still feel a chill.

This movie used to be on TBS several times a year. It was on so much that I never bothered to get it on video tape. Then when it stopped showing up on cable TV, I thought I might never see it again. Thank goodness it is available again! And on DVD!

This Halloween, do yourself a favor and include Gargoyles in your scary-movie-mix. When you hear the Gargoyle's voice (sounding like he is talking through a fan) saying "you have nothing to fear", you'll know he is lying. I just felt a shiver up my spine. I think I am going to have to go watch this movie again!

For those of us who like a touch of thought with our horror films, Gargoyles fits in nicely. The film does a superb job of physically depicting the creatures and makes them more sympathetic and human than some of the "normal" residents of the area. The clever use of unusual camera angles, subdued lighting and a "Gargoyle-view" perspective effectively counters the lack of modern special effects. Bernie Casey is excellent as the leader of his resurgent species. Certainly, this is not in the same league as "Alien" or similar efforts, but "Gargoyles" has withstood the test of time and remains an effective, enjoyable thriller through repeated viewings.

A long hibernating race of intelligent and thoroughly evil reptiles, comes back to life - not in some corner of western Europe, where Chruches and palaces are covered with their images, but in the New Mexican desert. It's up to an anthropologist and his plucky (and beautiful) daughter to save humanity.

Not for the beautiful sunsets, the magnificent desolation or even the pristine beauty of the desert has this TV movie become a classic. No some magic, perhaps owing to race memories of the gargoyles draw us. Or maybe it's just some childhood memory of Jennifer Salt in a halter top fleeing the gargoyles. How old were we when we saw this now little-seen gem? 5? 6? 4? How many made-for-TV chillers have we forgotten about since then? Probably too many. Yet this will stick in our minds, and not even the lovely Jennifer Salt, though perhaps the first true damsel-in-distress my TV-pure brain had ever seen. As the anthropologist's daughter, she attracts an inordinate amount of the beasties'attention. Yet, beyond that, there is the moral ambiguities of the main charachters (a bunch of bikers, first suspected for the Gargoyles' reign of terror, become the heroes), and the seeming open-ended finale. There's an understated (probably unintended) message that the Gargoyles really should win out. Strangely, with the cult status of this flick, nobody has ever given thought to a sequel. Lucky for us - there is something very kookie 1970's about this flick that'd be impossible to reproduce today.

"Gargoyles" is the greatest made-for-TV movie ever made about gargoyles starring Cornel Wilde. Seriously, this movie scared the heck out of me as a kid and my elementary school classmates were in an uproar the following day. We spent many a sleepless night imagining those gargoyle claws slowly reaching over the foot of the bed - yikes!

There are additional memorable images from this silly horror film, and perhaps this well-remembered monster movie is the perfect choice for kids on Halloween night. When viewing "Gargoyles" today, I am genuinely impressed by the makeup effects of the gargoyles. Actor Bernie Casey is unrecognizable as the lead gargoyle, and he gives a menacing performance. "Planet of the Apes" had come out a few years prior, and its pretty clear that sci-fi classic inspired this film. Watching the gargoyles hop around, snorting and sniveling, I was reminded of Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter in full makeup, frantically trying to save Chuck Heston from a lobotomy.

Wilde is an eccentric anthropologist who likes to toodle around New Mexico in a puke green station wagon (this movie was filmed on location in Carlsbad, with the cave sequences I am assuming filmed in Carlsbad Caverns). His daughter (the lovely Jennifer Salt) hitches a ride and they discover a skeleton of what appears to be a gargoyle. Well, all hell soon breaks loose as the surviving gargoyles try to take the skeleton back, and then for no apparent reason, kidnap Wilde's daughter.

While Jennifer Salt, adorned in white halter top and skin-tight jeans, has intellectual conversations with the king gargoyle in the echoing confines of Carlsbad Caverns, a frantic Wilde forms a posse made up of the local Barney Fife's. They recruit a long-haired motorcycle gang led by a very young Scott Glenn (in one of his first roles), and they head to the desert with everything from torches to pump shotguns. They then precede to take pot shots at anything that moves.

It's all fun, and about the only violent scene you'll find is a blood-covered seat in a pick-up truck. But when watching "Gargoyles" today, I feel a sense of warm nostalgia during these ugly days of Reality TV. Little Movie-of-the-Week horror films were quite common during this late 60s/early 70s era. Many a night I recall watching "Crowhaven Farm," "Something Evil," "The House That Would Not Die," "A Taste of Evil" and "The Night Stalker" (which later became a famous TV series) and walking to school the next morning with friends to discuss the eerie particulars. It was an innocent time, and "Gargoyles" is a perfect example of that great TV period.

I HAVE WATCHED THIS MOVIE DOZENS OF TIMES AND IT JUST GETS BETTER. BERNIE CASEY AS THE GARGOYLE HAS A VOICE THAT SENDS SHIVERS UP MY SPINE. WHEN DIANNA IS READING THE STORY OF THE INCUBUS IT MAKES YOU WANT TO BE A STUNT DOUBLE AND PLAY HER ROLE. BELIEVABLE? NOT A CHANCE! EXCELLENT? YOU BET!

I first saw this movie when it aired on TV during the early 70's. It absolutely terrified me at that time; I was only 4. Seriously, for several years, I had nightmares about the Gargoyles in this movie. I've only seen it once since that first time and I'm thrilled that it's being released soon on DVD. I'm definitely adding this classic to my collection. I recommend it not only for nostalgiac reasons, but for those into true horror as well!

'Gargoyles' is a made-for-television movie from '72. I fell in love with this film immediately. How could anyone resist, ancient creatures thought to be nothing more than myth and legend are living in an isolated American desert region patiently breeding in the darkness of caves and caverns watching their numbers grow as they await the day to step out into the light of day and wage war against mankind as they did in aeons past. Now that's a storyline I can get into!

Cornel Wilde plays the part of a university professor specializing in demonology who uncovers the gargoyle community with his daughter played by Jennifer Salt (I had a crush on her for awhile).

Good, old-fashioned '70's entertainment that was able to frighten the viewer without having access to all the special effects one has come to expect today.

I heard the younger generation saying how scary Jeepers Creepers was, so I went and saw it. As the crowd shrieked and moaned I saw a remake or the 1972 T.V. Cult Classic Gargoyles. Seeing it as kid gave me chills and living on the gulf every sea-gull out at night was transformed into a winged beast coming to get me. Jeepers Creepers may have better costumes and special effects, but this classic has it beat hands down. I find you just can't improve on some things and sometimes everything new is just cheap remake.

I saw this movie when I was a child, it scared the hell out of me. I saw it again at the age of 30, it still did. Ok some of the costumes were cheesy, the special effects were limited and the acting pretty much stunk, but that creepy music.....oh man. I thought this movie was psychologically scary.

This is a timeless B movie classic.