Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

Ehirerapp Waste of time

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Scott LeBrun "Dark Intruder" stars the incomparable Leslie Nielsen as Brett Kingsford, an occult expert who is brought in to help the police investigate a series of ritualistic slayings. In each case, an ivory carving of a gargoyle is left at the scene. Brett has a friend, an importer named Robert Vandenburg (Peter Mark Richman), who is deathly afraid that he might be responsible, given that he is prone to blackouts.Set in San Francisco in 1890, this decent spook show was a busted pilot for a proposed TV series, which then ended up playing in a number of theatres. Therefore, it's not exactly highly cinematic, but it's certainly a respectable effort, just the same. It makes one think that any series that might have resulted would at least be fairly entertaining. Director Harvey Hart ("The Pyx") gives it superb atmosphere and suspense, and the period recreation is reasonably impressive. Granted, the story (credited to Barre Lyndon) falls short in terms of the mystery quotient, but overall this is fun and a painless way to kill just under an hour.Nielsen is fun, as usual, playing an unflappable hero with a sense of humour. Richman delivers the standout performance as the story's ultimately tragic character. There's a show stopping role for Werner Klemperer as the mysterious Professor Malaki, an energetic portrayal by Judi Meredith as Roberts' fiancée Evelyn, solid work by Gilbert Green as the police inspector, and an appealing performance by Charles Bolender as Bretts' diminutive butler Nikola. Character actors Vaughn Taylor, Peter Brocco, Bill Quinn, and Richard Venture lend some valuable support.Punctuated by a shuddery score by Lalo Schifrin, "Dark Intruder" is definitely good of its kind, and worth a look for any fan of genre TV of this period, or Leslie Nielsen completists.Six out of 10.

moonspinner55 Strapping bon vivant in gaslight San Francisco (played with self-amused assurance by Leslie Nielsen)--an apparent specialist in demonology--is called upon by the police commissioner to help with a serial killer case making headlines. It seems the cloaked strangler stalking the fog-enshrouded streets leaves behind a gargoyle head with his victims, causing the detective to think demonic possession may be involved. "Dark Intruder" (awful title!) isn't really an occult thriller at all; the explanation of the mystery (delivered in two parts!) is actually more outlandish or absurd than supernatural. Meant as a TV pilot (with a 59-minute running time), the movie is sloppily-directed, over-decorated and features numerous genre clichés (a brazen claw clasping a railing after our hero has walked passed, the shadow of the monster looming over a door, etc.). However, Nielsen is good, the sound effects are creepy, a fight scene at night is well-staged, and there's a decent (if familiar) visual at the end featuring an elaborate make-up effect. Charles Bolender (as Nielsen's impeccably-dressed little person manservant) is a terrific addition, but Judi Meredith's nervous bride-to-be is useless (and she sounds dubbed to boot). Not terrible, but really only for curious thriller-buffs. ** from ****

rwagn This title is now available via Sinister Cinema. The print is in great shape with just a few frame jumps scattered throughout the film. This pilot plays out like you would expect it to. The script is tight to keep the film to @60 minutes. It does have the feel and pacing of a television episode but is done well. The acting is good and the film is very atmospheric. I was surprised to see Leslie Nielson in the lead role. He has a rather evil looking dwarf for a manservant. I kept looking for Werner Klemperer as I noticed his name in the opening credits but must admit he got by me. I only found him by checking the acting/character names at the end of the film. He is in heavy makeup while on screen and even his voice is not recognizable. One negative note is the soundtrack composed by Lalo Shifrin. It contains some mighty cheesy organ playing and detached female vocalizing not unlike the original Star Trek theme! Catch this if you can. It's a neat little thriller and you could do a lot worse.

dphelan-1 As a second feature in 1965, this arrived with little fanfare and was probably dismissed by most viewers. Since it was a discarded pilot for a series called " The Black Cloak'' that was never picked up, the studio probably figured they could a make a buck or two on it. But then when people saw it they realized that like the 1966 Chamber of Horrors ( which had some similar plot elements) , this was a little masterpiece of moody economical horror. Mark Richmond and Leslie Nielsen are terrific as the villain and hero. The creepy black and white photography is atmospheric and the tone is one of dread and impending doom. I saw this once in the theater 41 years ago and I would love to see it again. Why not release this on DVD ?