Bloodtype Online

    This made for television movie tells the story of David Norliss an author given a large advance for a book debunking the supernatural.  A year after being given the advance he contacts his publisher and tells them that he hasn’t started nor can he possibly write the book.  He and his publisher make a lunch appointment to meet and discuss the issues that he has been having.  When he doesn’t show his publisher goes to his home only to find it ransacked and the Norliss nowhere to be found.  He does find a series of audiocassettes, which chronicle the author’s investigations.  The first tape tells of an investigation into the strange circumstances involving a recently widowed Ellen Cort.  She claims that her deceased husband came back from the dead and attacked her.  Norliss begins an investigation as others are attacked and killed by someone or something that drains all of their blood.  Eventually he discovers that her husband, a noted artist, has made a deal with a demon.  A deal that will grant him eternal life if he can finish a statue for the demon to possess as his form on Earth.  Norliss races to find a way to prevent the deal from being sealed while protecting Mrs. Cort from her undead husband. 

    This movie comes from the same creative team that produced one of my favorites television shows and characters, Kolchak the Night Stalker.  While this effort isn’t quite as good as the Kolchak show it is still a very entertaining movie with a unique and creepy story.  The cast does a pretty good job with a script that focuses more on atmosphere than it does character development.  I was a bit disappointed that they left the story unresolved but that is understandable as this was supposed to be the pilot for a new series that never got picked up by the network.  Additionally because this is a television movie from the early 70s so there isn’t any gore to speak of.  Also the effects used to create the reanimated corpse of Mr. Cort are very basic and consist of some blue face paint and contacts.  But thru the creative use of breakaway doors and other such tricks the filmmakers manage to create the feeling of great strength and power behind their monster.  When you add some very creepy lighting and sound effects the “creature” suddenly becomes scary and menacing, in spite of the minimal effects.  At times the movie feels a bit dated and can be unintentionally silly (the demon is pretty goofy looking) but that all adds to the experience.  I really recommend that you take a look at this, especially if you are a Kolchak fan.