Lela Swift - Alien Lover (1975)

[Gothick]

Fans of Kate Mullgrew might be interested to see this offbeat story, originally broadcast in the ABC Wide World of Mystery in 1975. "Alien Lover" also stars Pernell Roberts and Susan Brown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_IYrGqehgY

Directed by Lela Swift and shot on video. A fan who has been researching this series states that several of the stories that were shot were subsequently discarded from the ABC vaults in 1978. The source for this particular one seems to be a Sci Fi channel broadcast, presumably in the early to mid 1990s.

G.

[Uncle Roger]

I wonder if this is before Kate and Lela worked together on Ryan's Hope.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That's an interesting question, Uncle Roger. Given that RH debuted on July 7, 1975 and Alien Lover was shown on November 25, 1975, either case is possible because who knows how long AL was shot before it was shown? It could have been months - it could have been weeks. Though I might lean more toward KM being cast because she was already part of the ABC family and had already begun working with LS...

As for AL itself, I'm sure I saw it back in the day but I have no recollection of it. And I'm a huge KM fan. So, I look forward to revisiting it. Thanks for the link, Gothick. 

[Gothick]

Kate is by far the best thing about this particular relic. The script has moments but is awkwardly paced and at times the writing is strictly paint by numbers, though the author strategically suggests towards the end that this is intentional.

Susan Brown is actually pretty good in a limited role. Pernell Roberts is reliable in work that doesn't require anything beyond the obvious. Whoever played Richard (the terminally annoying son's friend) seemed almost too attractive for such a minor role.

As I wrote to another friend, this episode of the strangely obscure Wide World of Mystery series illustrates the limitations of the material. But thanks to Mullgrew's performance and the oddity of it all, I watched it in one sitting which is somewhat rare for me these days.

Those of you who remember the Wide World of Mystery shows might find this project interesting:

https://letterboxd.com/campnightmare/list/abcs-wide-world-of-mystery-complete-episode/

G.

[Gothick]

Another of Lela's Wide World of Mystery video plays is on Youtube as well. THE CLONING OF CLIFFORD SWIMMER dates to 1974 and stars Peter Haskell. DS stars John Karlen (who completely steals the one scene he's on) and Keene Curtis also appear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tTDLlNyu_o

Best, G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   Now, that one I remember. And interestingly enough, Peter Haskell would go on to also be on Ryan's Hope.

Thanks for the link to that one as well, Gothick. 

[Josette]

I remember THE CLONING OF CLIFFORD SWIMMER from when it was originally on and I think 1 or more repeats.  I'm pretty sure I liked it, but by now I don 't really remember what it was about.  I had no idea Karlen was in it, although I might have realized it at the time.

[Uncle Roger]

Karlen also appeared in Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest, which was scary in a different kind of way. An overzealous police officer initiates a drug bust at the house of a suburban family headed by Jim Hutton and Mariette Hartley. But he went to the wrong address. Instead of admitting his mistake, the officer plants evidence to frame the family. Karlen plays a sympathetic officer who attempts to help the family clear their name. It seems that they have been proven innocent but the screen crawl at the end suggests otherwise. This one doesn't appear on YouTube but there seems to be a DVD available.

[Gothick]

Lela wasn't involved with this one, which I personally find a fun, camp hoot. The script is so hilariously bad, and then there's that werewolf makeup.

http://www.shockcinemamagazine.com/werewolf.html

I don't think the person who wrote the review linked here understood why some of us enjoy this type of thing. There are some clips on youtube--the entire show used to be there, and might be on Daily Motion. It circulates pretty routinely on grey market now.

G.