NIGHTMARE IN BADHAM COUNTY 1976

Harrowing 1970's TV Woman-In- Prison 
with Deborah Raffin & Lynn Moody !!

                    

                     "The Terror Begins When Two Girls Find Themselves Alone In A Women's Prison!"

"Where Innocence is a Punishable Crime!"

    During the 70's/80's heyday of made-for-TV-movies, the networks would often jump on whatever popular bandwagon there was available to jump on while also keeping one-eye trained toward the exploitation/drive-in market all the while seeing how far they push the envelope related to broadcast standards and practices.
    Directed by the great John Llewellyn Moxey (THE NIGHT STALKER and CITY OF THE DEAD) 1976's NIGHTMARE IN BADHAM COUNTY (retitled NIGHTMARE for its theatrical version) remains one of prime time televisions sleazier entries in the small screen genre even giving the drive-ins a run for the money in the sordidness factor. Premiering Fri. Nov. 5, 1976, on ABC, it was shot on location in Greenwood, MS which lends itself to a humid sweaty atmosphere that's a rare departure from the usual dry arid So Cal settings of TV movies. Just like at the drive-ins, the woman-in-prison genre was a popular one on TV with the infamous BORN INNOCENT with Linda Blair in1974 and Susan Dey locked in a CAGE WITHOUT A KEY from 1975, both of which along with this film would make for one hell of a triple feature. CHARLIE'S ANGELS even get in on the action with the 1976 episode "Angels In Chains".
    Two UCLA students Cathy (Deborah Raffin GOLD TOLD ME TO) and Diane (Lynn Moody SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM) are on summer break and looking to "see America" on the way to Cathy's home in Philadelphia they take an iffy route through the deep south (Hey - what can go wrong here?!?). They end up on the road trip detoured through hell (ala' MACON COUNTY LINE) and after a flat tire on a rural country road, they run afoul of local psychotic Sheriff Danen (Chuck Connors THE MAD BOMBER) who promptly throws them in jail. Things escalate as we get a conspiracy theory seemingly involving everybody in town including car mechanics and that we learn later heads right up to the governor's office. Although it's never specifically stated where the story takes place (Badham is a fictional county), it's never in doubt that we're in the deep humid south.

    After a quick trial presided over by a crooked judge (Ralph Bellamy THE WOLFMAN) the pair are convicted of trespassing & prostitution sentenced to thirty days at a local work farm where Supt. Dancer (Robert Reed THE BRADY BUNCH) oversees things with help from prison guards Greer (an almost unrecognizable sans-makeup Tina Louise from GILLIGAN'S ISLAND) and Dulcie (Fionna Flanagan famous for her James Joyce stage adaptations). Among the other inmates are Sarah (Della Reese PSYCHIC KILLER) and Smitty (Lana Wood from DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER as Plenty O'Toole ). Reese's Sarah is the sympathetic friend to Diane as she fills the newcomer in on the bleak conditions inside the prison and the constant degradation that's forced upon the inmates. Cathy on the other hand has the sexual overtures of a guard forced upon her and the girls segregated by race which makes it impossible for them to communicate in addition to being totally cut off from the outside world.
     One of the more sordid & sleazier network offerings of the '70s with a really grungy & sweaty atmosphere (especially in regards to full hard version), it's also one of the better small screen films of the era with excellent work by the leads, a strong supporting cast, and the Mississippi locations help bring a bigger looking scale to it. It pushed the content to the limit of what was allowed for TV at the time and maybe because of that it's never got the critical accolades of something like a DUEL.

    ABC created an alternate version for theatrical showings with "R" rated content which inserted a prolonged whipping along with some full-frontal nudity and fairly extreme sexual content. This version was offered for distribution by Inter-Ocean Films which may have been a corporation set up by ABC to handle it. This "hard" version even gives the New World Filipino films such as THE BIG BIRD CAGE a run for the money and you almost expect Pam Grier & Vic Diaz to show up here. I'm not sure if the theatrical version had any play dates in the U.S. but there is overseas promo material floating around for it and the harder cut did surface on video and has recently been released on Blu from Kino on a disc that includes both cuts. Moxey's original TV version works best as it has a much tighter and leaner story without the obvious inserts.
     A very bleak viewing experience with a downer of an ending, the film shows literally the entire system corrupt (which maybe is a bit of a stretch plot-wise) as all the people we think would be on the side of "right" are in on the corruption with most of them being downright sadistic. The judge uses his powers to cover up for his nephew the sheriff who in turn passes the women on to the prison system run by Reed who's in turn protected by the government.

    The two leads are excellent as both Raffin & Moody bring a real sense of desperation to their roles and have great chemistry together as they actually seem like caring friends. Raffin also appeared in Larry Cohen's classic GOD TOLD ME TO as Tony Lo Bianco's girlfriend (and she would pop up in DEATH WISH 3) and after NIGHTMARE IN BADHAM COUNTY became a surprise hit in China, she became an unofficial Hollywood/ China ambassador helping arrange meetings to secure distribution deals. Moody would later appear in ROOTS (which would premiere just two months after this) along with her NIGHTMARE co-stars Chuck Connors & Robert Reed (both of whom would once again portray despicably evil characters). Reed who at the time was in the midst of yet another Brady Bunch reunion special (which I'm sure he despised doing) probably jumped at the chance to portray a dark character.
    The film was written by Jo Harris who did some writing duties on the Clint Eastwood vehicles PLAY MISTY FOR ME, BREEZY, and DIRTY HARRY and in addition cinematographer Frank Stanley also shot BREEZY, MAGNUM FORCE, THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT, and THE EIGER SANCTION.
    Kino Lorber recently released this on Blu-ray which along with the previously mentioned choice of both cuts also has an excellent commentary on the TV cut from Amanda Reyes and Justin Kreswell. BTW, anyone interested in world of made-for-TV movies should check out Amanda's really cool & amazing Made For TV Mayhem blog and the companion podcast.

  

All above screen grabs are from the Kino Blu-ray 

More 70's TV Terror - THE NIGHT STRANGLER 1973

One & Only Darren McGavin (AKA Carl Kolchak) Returns For Another Classic Small Screen Horror With a Belly Dancing Jo Ann Pflug, Mad Doctors, Alchemy AND John Carradine !

      

  

     With the mega success of 1972's THE NIGHT STRANGLER it was inevitable that ABC would follow it up with a sequel continuing the supernatural adventures of intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak as portrayed by Darren McGavin. Premiering on Jan. 19 1973, THE NIGHT STRANGLER was another major ratings success prompting the network to order up an ongoing series. Playing out almost as a remake of the first the movie THE NIGHT STRANGLER improves on some plot items carried over from STALKER while others fall a bit flat compared to the earlier outing. With the "monster" not reveled until the closing moments STRANGLER plays out more like a mystery but contains enough mention of horror elements to keep us reminded of what we tuned in for.
     After being run out of Las Vegas in the previous movie THE NIGHT STALKER, Kolchak ends up in Seattle, WA. where in a bit of happenstance he hooks up with his old publisher/nemesis Tony Vincenzo (the incomparably grouchy Simon Oakland) and is duly hired to work as a reporter. To add to the fun (and the horror cred) the newspaper publisher is played by everybodys favorite old curmudgeon John Carradine, who not surprisingly enough plays an old curmudgeon newspaper publisher (and sporting a horrible black dye hair job). This was one of six roles for ol' John in 1973 (which is nothing compared to the 11 (!) he would cash a paycheck for in 1977 !).

     Kolchak is immediately assigned to cover the murder of a belly dancer in the rough & tumble area of Seattle known as Pioneer Square and of course (also immediately) begins to come across supernatural elements related to crime. As other bodies begin to appear with their necks crushed and a small amount of blood missing (and all working at the same belly dancing establishment) they seem to tie into a string of murders that go back over 100 years with a string of 8 killings every 21 years. Along the way Kolchak butts heads with the usual bunch of incompetent and/or perpetually pissed-off authority figures. Eventually things lead to a 140 plus year old doctor who's practicing alchemy while hiding in the bowels of underground Seattle preforming experiments that require the blood of young women.

     While it can be augured that the film is basically a remake of the previous movie (the first 20 minutes after Kolchak's assignment to the initial story is almost shot for shot from STALKER) it does stand on its own as a great small screen chiller. Returning scriptwriter Richard Matheson serves up several excellent sequences including the creepy underground city and the doctor's mummified family setting around the cobweb strewn dining room. STALKER producer Dan Curtis (DARK SHADOWS) steps into the directors chair and and in some ways STRANGLER is a better movie that along with Matheson's writing it presents more fleshed out characters and keeps the mystery and "what's going on ?..." aspect of plot more interesting - although having the majority of the victims all working at the same bar is a bit of a stretch (the police don't seem to pick up on it) and was most likely done for economies sake.

     When the movie premiered it ran at usual 74 minute running time in a 90 minute slot but was expanded for European theatrical release to 91 minutes and its this longer version that appears on the MGM DVD. Although its always interesting to see a longer cut, unfortunately the extra time doesn't add anything to story as it drags out several guest star sequences that get in the way of the plot such as Al "Grampa Munster" Lewis as a wino and Margaret Hamilton (THE WIZARD OF OZ) as grouchy professor and alchemy expert.
     For Kolchak's female companion we have the wonderful and bubbly Jo Ann Pflug (who now days works as a motivational speaker) playing a part-time student (and part-time belly dancer - which is one of the STRANGLER's highlights). She's eons better then Carol Lynley's underused and limp noodle character in STALKER and I always thought it was a bit of a shame that she didn't show up in the later series, as the ending leaves open that possibility. Also on hand is Scott Brady (who takes the place of STALKER's Charles McGraw as the grouchy police captain - and also sporting a questionable black dye hair job) and best of all Wally Cox, who in one of his final roles plays a scene stealing newspaper archivist (his scene with Carradine is one of the highlights of both movies). Nina Wayne (younger sister on Carol Wayne), plays a ditsy blonde belly dancer in several alternately creepy/humorous (& 1970's unPC) sequences with her "husband" that would never pass muster today.

     Even though he has a very limited amount of screen time Richard Anderson (who was just starting THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN) is excellent in the role of the title character and his final scene still packs a bit of a jolt to this day. For all that's been said of Darren McGavin's portrayal of Carl Kolchak (and it is excellent - literally no one else can you picture in this role) its Simon Oakland as the ever suffering editor Tony Vincenzo who is the background heart & soul of these movies (along with the forthcoming series). Easy to see on just the surface as simply a loud mouthed buffon he helps ground the plots and brings a smile to your face whenever he's on screen.
    The movie has enough filmed in Seattle bits to give it a local flavor (the space needle, Jo Ann's houseboat) with the Universal back lot filling in for the remainder.  I swear after you watch enough Universal 70's television with that same street you always keep expecting to see Adam-12 come cruising by at some point. For a short time afterwards ABC toyed with the idea for a third movie with Barry Atwater returning has the (un)dead vampire Jonas Skorzeny from NIGHT STALKER to confront Kolchak in New York City or an even more bizarre plot idea concerning UFOs, nuclear power & aliens in Hawaii which was to be titled THE NIGHT KILLERS before green lighting a series.